Jeremiah Fears Dropped 40 in a 156-137 Shootout Win Over the Jazz

Jeremiah Fears is making people pay attention. The Pelicans rookie exploded for 40 points Tuesday night as New Orleans outgunned the Jazz 156-137 in one of the highest-scoring games of the season.

This is a kid who had 28 against the Kings on Friday, 19 against the Magic on Sunday, and now 40 against Utah. That's an absurd stretch for any player, let alone a first-year guard on a team that's been losing. Kennedy Chandler kept the Jazz in it with 31 points, but this game was never really about defense — it was a track meet from tip to buzzer.

The Pelicans' season is over in terms of playoff hopes, but Fears is giving New Orleans something to build around. In a season defined by the franchise's injury woes, the emergence of Fears as a legitimate scoring threat is the silver lining. 40 points in an NBA game as a rookie? That's a statement.