The New Orleans Pelicans fought valiantly but fell short in a nail-biting 107-104 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night. Despite a strong first half, where the Pelicans built a 64-57 lead behind sharp shooting and solid ball movement, they couldn’t maintain momentum in the closing stages.
Playing without star forward Zion Williamson, the Pelicans leaned on Trey Murphy III, who delivered an impressive 27-point performance, while Karlo Matkovic contributed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The turning point came late in the fourth quarter whenJa Morant, who finished with a stellar 32 points, six assists, and three steals, hit a decisive jumper to give Memphis a 98-97 lead. Desmond Bane added 30 points for the Grizzlies, complementing Morant’s heroics.
New Orleans had opportunities to force overtime, but missed 3-point attempts by Jose Alvarado and Kelly Olynyk in the final seconds sealed their fate. The Pelicans also struggled on the boards, being outrebounded 57-39, which proved costly in critical moments.
Up next, New Orleans faces the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, aiming to bounce back and stay competitive in the playoff race.
