Utah Jazz Finding Contributors In Late Season Losses
Feb 26, 2026, 10:30 PM | Updated: Feb 27, 2026, 10:13 am
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz fell to the New Orleans Pelicans 129-118 in their first game at home after the All-Star break.
Ace Bailey led the Jazz with 23 points on 9-17 shooting, while Saddiq Bey scored 42 to lead all scorers.
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John Konchar Has Been Productive For The Jazz
With Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkic, and Vince Williams Jr. all out Thursday, John Konchar made his second start as a Jazzman — and made the most of it.
He didn’t hunt shots or try to pad his scoring numbers; fans would be hard‑pressed to recall many touches he had on offense.
Instead, he turned on his motor and kept it running until his final substitution in the fourth quarter.
the steal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
the dime ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
the bucket ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ pic.twitter.com/mlHmKSHCCm— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 27, 2026
“He has elite instincts for the ball,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “[He] does so many winning things, steals, deflections, block shots, rebounds. He plays an unselfish style, and he never really looks like he’s flying around, like his brain clearly works quickly.”
In 26 minutes, the seventh‑year guard finished with four points, five rebounds and one assist, plus a season‑high five steals — his third straight game with at least three — and two blocks.
Konchar didn’t shoot particularly well, going 2 of 6 from the field and missing all three 3‑point attempts, but he still impacted the game in ways no other Jazz player could.
That’s how he earned a spot on the Memphis Grizzlies’ roster after going undrafted in 2019.
“I just tried creating a role for myself in the NBA,” Konchar said of his career. “[I] pretty much just play hard, work hard, and dive on the floor and get loose balls and extra possessions for our team.”
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The Illinois native isn’t an NBA starter and has often been a borderline rotation player. But when he gets on the court, he makes his presence felt.
With 23 games left in the season and several key contributors sidelined long‑term, each night feels like a tryout for next year’s roster.
In limited opportunities with the Jazz, Konchar has aced his audition.
Can Jazz Recreate Jusuf Nurkic?
Jusuf Nurkic is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing nasal surgery earlier this week, and his absence has been felt on the floor.
Without him, the Jazz aren’t just missing 27 minutes of NBA know-how; he’s also the team’s leading rebounder, ranks third in assists, and is one of the league’s better screen setters.
Theoretically, the Jazz can replace some of what they’ve lost in Nurkic between Kevin Love and Kyle Filipowski, who combine to offer years of NBA experience, high-level rebounding, and better-than-average passing in the frontcourt.
good things happen when you leave Flip open 😏 pic.twitter.com/7QLxcnOCbj
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 27, 2026
But Hardy wasn’t so quick to dismiss Nurkic’s contributions, especially as a rebounder.
“The biggest areas for me that I think are hard to recreate are his ability to help us control the defensive glass, not just the ones that he gets, but the amount of space that he clears out to allow others to rebound,” Hardy said. “It’s going to take a collective effort for us to rebound defensively.”
The Jazz were outrebounded 40 to 37 by the Pelicans, including 27 to 22 on the defensive glass.
Filipowski recorded 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists in 18 minutes, while Love added six points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will again host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
