Another late-game implosion cost Memphis, who squandered a double-digit lead to the surging Pelicans. Defensive breakdowns and turnovers proved fatal.
The Memphis Grizzlies once again watched control of a game slip away when the closing minutes arrived.
Memphis surrendered a double-digit second-half lead and fell 133-127 to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night at FedExForum, marking the 12th time this season the Grizzlies have blown a lead of 10 points or more — the most in the NBA. The defeat dropped Memphis to 18-25 and reinforced a pattern that has haunted the club for weeks.
The Grizzlies appeared firmly in command late in the third quarter after building a 13-point advantage behind sharp shooting and steady interior scoring. They entered the fourth quarter ahead 101-93, having converted 12 of their first 16 shots after halftime, including all six of their 3-point attempts during that stretch. What followed was another unraveling.
New Orleans poured in 40 points in the final period, repeatedly exploiting defensive breakdowns and turnovers as Memphis’ offense stalled. The Pelicans, who entered the night anchored at the bottom of the Western Conference, closed the game on a surge fueled by aggressive downhill play and timely perimeter shooting.
After the loss, Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo detailed the defensive issues that resurfaced when the game tightened.
“We had several communication mistakes in transition, unmarked guys, offensive rebounds, getting to the strong hand,” Iisalo said. “A lot of mistakes there. Offensively, we couldn’t knock down open shots.”
The Grizzlies’ problems were compounded by ball security. Memphis committed 19 turnovers, which the Pelicans converted into 27 points, while New Orleans gave the ball away just 10 times.
“We know that we’re shorthanded, especially at the big spots,” Iisalo said. “We’ve got to come up with the rebounds and be able to be a little bit more disruptive, but it really hurts when we’re throwing the ball away. Those possessions also accumulate for the other team.”
New Orleans was led by Saddiq Bey, who scored a season-high 36 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter. Trey Murphy III added 32 points, while Zion Williamson finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds as the Pelicans erased a double-digit deficit to snap a three-game losing streak.
Memphis struggled to generate consistent offense down the stretch while playing without Ja Morant, who sat out with a left elbow UCL strain. Morant has been in and out of the lineup recently, and his absence again exposed the Grizzlies’ limited late-game options.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Jock Landale posted 24 points and 11 rebounds. Cam Spencer chipped in 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Following the loss, Jackson emphasized the need to match opponents’ intensity when games tighten.
“Teams turn it up, and we’ve got to be ready for that when they do,” Jackson said. “Especially late in the fourth quarter, and the whole game.”
The collapse closely mirrored Memphis’ Jan. 21 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, when the Grizzlies also held a double-digit lead before faltering late. Memphis has now gone 2-4 over its last six games, despite leading by at least 10 points in each of those contests.
Cedric Coward acknowledged the growing urgency as Memphis remains within striking distance of the play-in tournament.
“It’s super frustrating,” Coward said. “All we can really do is learn from it and then come in and fix it. But we do got to fix it, and fix it fast. Because we can’t just keep letting that stuff happen.”
Memphis will try to halt the trend Sunday when it hosts the Denver Nuggets, knowing that the margin for error continues to shrink if late-game lessons remain unlearned.