NOP 129, UTA 118: Saddiq Bey Hyper-Efficient With 56.5 Yahoo FP
Hiro Tanaka
Physical Therapy Assistant · Los Angeles Lakers fan
Saddiq Bey Just Took Over the Entire Pelicans Offense and Nobody Was Ready
The Pelicans rolled into Salt Lake City and punched the Jazz in the mouth, 129-118, and it wasn't even close to being that tight. Saddiq Bey went absolutely nuclear, dropping 42 points on efficient as hell shooting (14-20 FG, 5-9 from three, 9-9 from the line) to grab 56.5 Yahoo fantasy points. That's the kind of performance that makes you check the box score twice to make sure you're reading it right.
Here's the thing though, this game had some serious fantasy wrinkles that don't get obvious until you dig into the minutes and rotations. The Jazz came in short-handed without Keyonte George, Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, Jusuf Nurkić, and Vince Williams Jr., which basically meant their entire rotation got upended. That opened the door wide open for New Orleans to do whatever they wanted.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saddiq Bey | 70.0 | 56.5 | 42/5/7 | 16.8/5.8/2.4 | +25.2 |
| Zion Williamson | 52.0 | 44.8 | 20/4/4 | 21.9/6.0/3.5 | -1.9 |
| Dejounte Murray | 46.0 | 43.1 | 17/3/9 | 13.0/2.0/3.0 | +4.0 |
| Elijah Harkless | 41.0 | 36.6 | 11/3/6 | 2.1/0.9/1.1 | +8.9 |
| Ace Bailey | 38.0 | 34.3 | 23/4/1 | 11.7/4.0/1.7 | +11.3 |
| John Konchar | 33.0 | 30.5 | 4/5/1 | 3.2/3.3/1.5 | +0.8 |
| Brice Sensabaugh | 29.0 | 27.6 | 20/3/2 | 12.7/3.0/1.5 | +7.3 |
| Herbert Jones | 31.0 | 25.2 | 8/1/6 | 8.9/3.5/2.7 | -0.9 |
| Kevin Love | 24.0 | 24.6 | 6/8/4 | 6.9/5.8/1.8 | -0.9 |
| Karlo Matković | 29.0 | 23.8 | 8/4/0 | 5.2/3.3/0.8 | +2.8 |
The Bey Explosion: Real or Matchup Dependent?
Look, Saddiq Bey put up 25.2 points more than his season average. That's insane. But here's what I'm thinking after watching the tape, and I'm being real with you: this was the perfect storm of him being hot and the Jazz defense being absolutely decimated. He got 34 minutes of runway in a game the Pelicans controlled from tip, and he made every shot he took. The efficiency was real. The volume was real. But Zion Williamson only scored 20 (down 1.9 from his average despite 33 minutes), and Dejounte Murray was solid but not dominant (17 points, though his 9 assists were +6 vs average).
Bey's the guy who can go off on any given night, but he's not suddenly a 42-point scorer. That said, the confidence is there. He took 20 shots because the team trusted him, and he converted at an elite rate. If he gets this many touches going forward, you're holding him tight. But if this was a one-night stand due to the Jazz being short everything, don't overreact.
Utah's Depth Just Won a Lottery
Ace Bailey with 23 points? Brice Sensabaugh with 20? Elijah Harkless putting up 11/3/6 in just 20 minutes? These numbers would be interesting on any night, but with the Jazz missing literally their entire starting five, this became a situation where bench guys got their moment.
Bailey especially is worth keeping tabs on. He went for 11.3 points above his season average and got meaningful minutes at 29. The trending data already shows him getting added more (up to 30.2% ownership in ESPN), and I get why. If the Jazz get healthy, his role shrinks back down. But right now, he's a potential waiver wire add in 12-team leagues who can actually contribute.
Harkless is the weird one here. He's been a ghost most of the season (2.1 PPG average), and suddenly he's getting 20 minutes and running the offense with 6 assists? That's a role change, not a breakout. Once George, Kessler, and Nurkić are back, his minutes evaporate. Don't add him thinking you found gold.
The Pelicans Built Their Road Trip Right
Dejounte Murray dropped 17 with 9 dimes and 4 steals. That's +6 assists vs his season average, which tells you the Pelicans got what they needed in the pass-first lane. Herbert Jones went for 25.2 Yahoo points on solid efficiency (8 points, 6 assists, 3 steals), pulling his weight on the All-Defensive Second Team resume. This team's executing.
Zion being slightly down (20 points vs 21.9 average) isn't concerning because the game was out of hand and they didn't need to go to him every possession. He was still efficient (9-15 FG) and grabbed 4 steals. That's the type of balanced attacking that wins on the road.
What Happens When Jazz Get Healthy?
Real talk from a PT perspective: losing this many rotation guys at once creates a domino effect that's hard to predict. Keyonte George alone is 23.8 PPG. Lauri Markkanen is 26.7 PPG. Walker Kessler isn't just a rebounder, he anchors their entire defense. When that crew comes back, this Jazz team looks totally different and everyone who went off tonight gets squeezed back down to earth.
Don't chase the Bailey or Sensabaugh games. Get Bailey if you need depth, but manage expectations. Once Utah's healthy, the Jazz role players go back to being role players.
Bottom Line
Saddiq Bey earned his hype today, but don't crown him a superstar yet. It was a perfect matchup against a skeleton crew. Dejounte Murray and the Pelicans' depth showed why they can compete on the road. And the Jazz? When they get healthy, this game becomes a footnote. Until then, Ace Bailey is worth a speculative add in deeper leagues, but keep your finger on the trigger.