Favors Leads Jazz To Revenge Win Over Pelicans
Mar 6, 2019, 8:44 PM | Updated: 8:47 pm
Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors (15) reaches for the rebound during an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 4, 2019. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
NEW ORLEANS, La. – There would be no comeback by the New Orleans Pelicans this time as the Utah Jazz secured the win with a 114-104 victory.
It was the second straight game against the Pelicans due to a strange home-and-away back-to-back scheduling. Against the Pelicans on Monday the Jazz held a 14-point advantage in the final period but saw their lead evaporate in the final eight minutes as New Orleans escaped with the comeback victory.
Favors Playing His Best Ball Yet
This time around, the Jazz didn’t let New Orleans battle back thanks to a whole team effort. In the win, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles both had double-doubles while Derrick Favors led the game in scoring with 25 points. It was a season high in points for Favors who shot 9-for-11.
After the game, Favors was asked if he feels like he’s currently playing the best basketball of his career.
HE'S JUST TOO STRONG pic.twitter.com/1GcafBUOPG
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 7, 2019
He answered affirmatively.
“I definitely do,” said the ninth year pro. “I put in a lot of work this offseason. I just wanted to come back and show what I can do on the court on the offensive end and just play my role and just try to get some wins and get into the playoffs.”
Since the All-Star break, Favors has been on a tear especially in big games against big teams.
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In a narrow one point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 22, Favors scored what was then his season high with 24 points while completing the double-double with 10 points.
He also had a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double against the LA Clippers on Feb. 27 before logging another one, this one with 15 points and 11 rebounds against the Denver Nuggets.
Always doing us a Favor(s) pic.twitter.com/rmBQ10r2Xa
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 7, 2019
Favors really exploded in the Jazz’s big win over the Milwaukee Bucks on March 2. He had 23 points and 18 rebounds on a night that Gobert and Snyder admitted was not Gobert’s night.
While he didn’t play especially well in the loss to New Orleans on Monday, Favors made up for it with his performance on Wednesday night.
Next Up
The Jazz will stay on the road and face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.
