The Utah Jazz host the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Regular Season on Friday, October 23, 2026, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local time at the arena), with broadcast coverage in the United States available on KJZZ, GCSEN (Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network), NBA League Pass, Jazz+, Pelicans+, and Fubo.
Both Western Conference franchises enter the second game of the 82-game schedule seeking their first victory of the 2026-27 campaign after starting with a 0-1 record. The matchup serves as the home opener for the Utah Jazz, who finished the previous 2025-26 season with a 22-60 record, while the New Orleans Pelicans ended that campaign at 26-56. In recent head-to-head meetings, the New Orleans Pelicans hold a six-game winning streak over the Utah Jazz.
Where to watch Utah Jazz vs New Orleans Pelicans live
Fans in the United States can follow the NBA Regular Season broadcast across six television and digital platforms:
- KJZZ: over-the-air television
- GCSEN (Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network): over-the-air television
- NBA League Pass: pay-per-view
- Jazz+: streaming
- Pelicans+: streaming
- Fubo: streaming
Start time and location for Utah Jazz vs New Orleans Pelicans
The details for the Western Conference game in Salt Lake City are confirmed as follows:
- Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
- Start time: 9:30 p.m. ET (America/New_York) / 7:30 p.m. local time at the arena (America/Denver)
- Location: Delta Center, in Salt Lake City
- Competition: NBA (North American basketball league) — Regular Season
Read also: New Orleans Pelicans vs Indiana Pacers: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 21)
How the Utah Jazz arrive for the game
Led by head coach Will Hardy, the Utah Jazz return to Salt Lake City following a 123-103 road loss against the Memphis Grizzlies in their season opener on Wednesday (21). In that contest, starting point guard Keyonte George paced the team with 22 points and 5 assists, while starting small forward Lauri Markkanen scored 18 points. Starting power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. recorded 15 points before fouling out under the league limit of 6 personal fouls, and starting center Jaxson Hayes registered 6 blocks.
Rookie shooting guard Darryn Peterson, the second overall pick in the 2026 Draft, also started the opener and posted 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in 31 minutes of action. Evaluating the team performance against the Memphis Grizzlies, Will Hardy pointed to rebounding and shot volume as decisive factors. “The possession game is huge in our league now. They got (18) more shots than we did. You can almost end the discussion there. They beat us up on the glass pretty hard,” Will Hardy said. The head coach also addressed the debut of Darryn Peterson. “I think he had some moments early that were nice, but we got to continue to improve execution and there’s a lot going on. He’s a rookie,” Will Hardy stated.
On the medical report for the Utah Jazz, center Jusuf Nurkic is ruled out due to a foot injury. Center Tony Bradley, dealing with a quadriceps issue, and point guard Trey Alexander, managing a knee problem, are also listed on the team injury bulletin with physical ailments. Official starting lineups for Friday are announced moments before tip-off, meaning the coaching staff will finalize the five starters prior to the game.
How the New Orleans Pelicans arrive for the game
The New Orleans Pelicans are coached by Jamahl Mosley, who was hired by the franchise on May 18, 2026, working alongside executive and general manager Joe Dumars. The team travels to Utah after dropping its home opener 123-120 to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday (21), in a game where the New Orleans Pelicans held a 66-56 lead at halftime.
In the opening game against the Indiana Pacers, the starting lineup featured point guard Dejounte Murray, power forward Zion Williamson, center Yves Missi, Trey Murphy, and Jeremiah Fears. Dejounte Murray led the offensive effort with 23 points and 7 assists, while Zion Williamson added 22 points. Unlike their opponents, the New Orleans Pelicans have no players listed on the injury report for the game in Salt Lake City, and Jamahl Mosley will confirm the official starting lineup shortly before tip-off.
Read also: San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 20)
Officiating crew for Utah Jazz vs New Orleans Pelicans
The officiating crew and referee assignments for the game between the Utah Jazz and the New Orleans Pelicans have not yet been announced.
