The New Orleans Pelicans returned to the Smoothie King Center on Sunday, looking to bounce back from a tough road stretch that saw them suffer three straight double-digit losses. Despite being short-handed, the Pels were competitive but ultimately fell short in a 107-104 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Grizzlies Overcome Halftime Deficit
New Orleans was without Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum, leaving them relying on Trey Murphy and their role players. Early on, they responded well. Trey Murphy scored a team-high 27 points, including one of the game’s best highlights—a backward alley-oop slam off a Jose Alvarado pass from beyond half court. Rookie Antonio Reeves also stepped up, going a perfect 3-for-3 from deep in the first half as the Pelicans built a 64-57 halftime lead.
However, things fell apart in the third quarter. Memphis outscored New Orleans 32-15 in the period, turning a seven-point deficit into an 89-79 lead heading into the fourth. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane led the charge for the Grizzlies, finishing with 32 and 30 points, respectively. The Pelicans had no chance to control the glass, getting outrebounded 57-39, including a 23-10 disparity on the offensive boards.
Late-Game Drama
Despite the third-quarter collapse, the Pelicans did rally in the fourth to force a close finish. With under 10 seconds remaining and the Pels trailing by three, Morant missed the second of two free throws, giving New Orleans one last shot to send the game to overtime. Jose Alvarado launched a deep three that missed, but Jordan Hawkins grabbed the offensive rebound and kicked it to Kelly Olynyk, who also misfired on a potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer.
After the game, head coach Willie Green remained upbeat about his team’s effort, especially on the second night of a back-to-back: “I loved our resiliency and our ability to stick together. After coming off a tough loss to Houston, traveling and playing back-to-back against a good Western Conference team, I loved our approach to the game tonight.”
Standout Performances
Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 27 points and five rebounds, while Jose Alvarado delivered with 11 points and a career-high 11 assists. Karlo Matkovic provided a bright spot off the bench, posting 13 points and 11 rebounds in his second career double-double.
The Pelicans’ bench outscored Memphis’ reserves 32-23. Reeves and Matkovic continued to impress in extended minutes.
Looking Ahead
The loss dropped New Orleans to 17-48 on the season and extended their losing streak to four games, all against Western Conference playoff contenders. Their recent skid began with a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, followed by back-to-back defeats against Houston and now Memphis.
The Pelicans will look to regroup at home, where they’ll face the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday and the Orlando Magic on Thursday. With their stars potentially returning, they’ll hope to find a way to get back in the win column and tighten up their leaky defense, especially on the boards.
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