Field Level Media
Feb 12, 2024
Herbert Jones scored 17 points to lead five New Orleans scorers in double figures and the visiting Pelicans held off the sinking Memphis Grizzlies for a 96-87 win on Monday night.
Brandon Ingram added 16 points, Zion Williamson scored 14, CJ McCollum had 11 and Jose Alvarado chipped in with 10 as the Pelicans finished a 3-1 road trip.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 22 points to lead the injury-plagued Grizzlies, whose NBA-worst losing streak reached nine games. Luke Kennard and Vince Williams Jr. added 12 points apiece, Yuta Watanabe had 11 and Lamar Stevens scored 10.
Ingram had a basket and two assists as New Orleans began the third quarter with a 12-3 run that produced a 73-50 lead.
The lead grew to as many as 25 points before Stevens led a Memphis comeback. He made three consecutive baskets that started a 15-4 run that helped the Grizzlies trim the Pelicans' lead to 86-73 at the end of the third quarter.
Watanabe made three field goals to start an 8-2 run that pulled Memphis within 88-81 early in the fourth quarter.
Jones made two free throws before Jackson made two consecutive field goals to trim the Grizzlies' deficit to 90-85.
Memphis got within five points again before Ingram made a basket and assisted on a basket by Larry Nance Jr. to give the Pelicans a 96-87 lead with 33.1 seconds left.
The score was tied three times before Jackson made a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to help the Grizzlies take a 16-8 lead.
McCollum's jumper ended a scoring drought of over 3 1/2 minutes for the Pelicans. Alvarado later made two 3-pointers and Trey Murphy III and Nance each made one to help New Orleans take a 31-26 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Williamson converted a three-point play and made another basket as the Pelicans increased the lead to 10 points with 10:07 left in the second quarter.
The Grizzlies closed within one point when Williams converted a three-point play, but Ingram made two 3-pointers and McCollum made one during a 15-0 run that gave New Orleans a 16-point lead on its way to a 61-47 halftime edge.
--Field Level Media