Keyonte George's apparent game-winner waved off as Jazz lose to Pelicans

On a night in New Orleans that seemed destined for a hero’s ending, Keyonte George’s apparent game-winning shot was waved off in the final second, sending the Utah Jazz to a crushing overtime defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. The Jazz fell to 1-7 on the season, continuing a brutal start defined by late-game heartbreak.

The Buzzer-Beater That Wasn’t

With the game tied at 104 and the clock winding down, George, a 21-year-old guard, rose up and hit a tough mid-range jumper over the outstretched arms of Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. The horn blared. An eagle-eyed official quickly waved the shot off, and after a quick review, the verdict was clear: the ball left George’s hand just a hair too late.

Keyonte George said, as reported by Sports Illustrated, “I mean, yeah, I thought I got it off. But, obviously, that’s why we got 80,000 cameras in the arena… But it’s a learning moment. Got to go get the ball. Can’t get stuck on the right wing, especially with six seconds.”

KEYONTE GEORGE ALMOST HAD THE GAME-WINNER FOR UTAH 🤯 We are headed to overtime in New Orleans! pic.twitter.com/dpBrkinAGn

— https://x.com/NBA/status/2118188531671568408

Utah started with a 6-0 run, fueled by back-to-back 3-pointers from the very player who was denied his moment in the sun. The Jazz gave up a 14-0 run to the Pelicans, a run that put the game firmly out of reach. Utah didn’t move the ball and their shot selection was far from ideal. Most telling was the stat: in that decisive overtime stretch, Utah didn’t attempt a single shot inside the arc, while New Orleans didn’t shoot a single 3-pointer.

A Shooting Slump at the Worst Time

By the end of the game, Utah had shot a woeful 23% from three on 47 attempts, a performance that continues their ice-cold start from behind the line. This season, the Jazz rank No. 27 in the NBA in 3-point percentage, at just 31.5%. The problem isn’t a lack of open looks; The Salt Lake Tribune notes the Jazz have generated plenty of good looks.

Keyonte George scores 39 pts against Pelicans 🎥

Jazz head coach Will Hardy pointed out that the team’s 11-for-47 performance from deep doesn’t reflect their actual shooting talent. “It’s a long year. Every team faces adversity and every team faces a shooting slump,” he said. “Ours just happens to be here at the beginning, and so it makes it feel a lot worse than maybe it will feel in two months. So we have to endure these moments.” Hardy’s message to his players is one of process and trust, not panic. “I think the worst thing we can do is start pressing,” he added. “We need to trust each other. We need to trust our teammates.”

George echoed that sentiment, refusing to classify the overtime as a struggle for Utah’s offense. “For me it felt like our group was engaged; all five of us. And we were basically getting the shots that we wanted,” he told Sports Illustrated. “It was just the defensive side of the ball. Like I said, I got to box out. Can’t let Fears get the offensive rebound. I feel like that changed the whole game.”

Keyonte George's apparent game-winner waved off as Jazz lose to Pelicans — Photo: si.com

The Defensive Collapse That Sealed the Fate

Utah’s defense struggled to contain the physical Pelicans players, particularly in the paint. Offensive rebounds proved to be killer, with two key boards leading directly to buckets for Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears. Both Hardy and George identified the rebounding as a major issue, pointing out that the players locked up at the rim needed better support from secondary defenders.

Jazz coach Will Hardy said, “I thought our initial defense was good. They had a couple of second-chance baskets. Fears had one to kind of start off that. We need the secondary players to get those boards. It’s hard. Guys like [Derik] Queen and Zion put so much pressure on the rim.”

NEW ORLEANS 120 – UTAH 113 PELICANS OUTSCORE JAZZ 16-9 IN OVERTIME DESPITE 39 POINTS FROM KEYONTE GEORGE Zion Williamson scored 23 points, Saddiq Bey added 22 and the New Orleans Pelicans outscored the Utah Jazz 16-9 in overtime to win 120-113 on Wednesday night in New Orleans,…

— https://x.com/ATNewsChannel/status/2118193305423134888

“The guys at the rim are sort of locked up physically to contest those balls and we need secondary rebounders,” Hardy added.

Instead of celebrating George’s spectacular individual performance—he finished with a season-high 39 points, nine assists, and three steals—Jazz fans were left to digest another painful overtime loss. The Jazz have had plenty of chances to win late; on Wednesday night, they had a chance to steal one.