Pelicans beat Grizzlies 135-134 in overtime on Monday night at FedExForum in Memphis, ending the NBA’s last unbeaten run and handing Memphis its first loss of the season. Jeremiah Fears hit two free throws with seven seconds left in overtime, capping a back-and-forth extra period and giving New Orleans its third straight win.
Memphis entered the night 6-0, the only unbeaten team left in the league, and a win would have set a franchise record for the best start to a season. Instead, the Grizzlies fell to 6-1, while the Pelicans improved to 3-4 after starting the season 0-4.
Pelicans beat Grizzlies 135-134: how overtime unfolded
New Orleans led 34-31 after the first quarter, but Memphis took a 62-59 lead into halftime. The Pelicans answered with a 41-33 third quarter to move ahead 100-95, then watched that lead disappear in the fourth. Ty Jerome scored Memphis’ last nine points of regulation to erase a nine-point deficit, and the teams went to overtime tied 124-124.
Overtime swung twice more. Zion Williamson’s step-back jumper put New Orleans ahead 133-129 with 1:16 left, but Jerome answered with two driving layups, the second plus a free throw giving Memphis a 134-133 lead with 18 seconds remaining. Fears then drew a foul from Jaylen Wells with seven seconds left and made both free throws for the final margin, 135-134.
Williamson finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, and Karlo Matkovic matched him with 25 points, including five three-pointers. Derik Queen added 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Trey Murphy III and Saddiq Bey scored 18 points each. Fears finished with 12 points and seven assists despite shooting 5 of 17 from the field — his last two points were the ones that decided the game.
Jerome was the game’s high scorer in defeat, with 40 points on 14-of-22 shooting, including five three-pointers, plus five rebounds and five assists. Cameron Boozer added 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Jaylen Wells scored 16, and Isaiah Stewart had 14 points off the bench for Memphis.
Analysis: what this loss changes — and what it does not
This is labeled analysis, not a new report: one loss does not undo a 6-0 start, and Memphis remains in strong early-season shape at 6-1. What the result does change is the story around the Grizzlies. They are no longer the league’s last unbeaten team, and their perfect start ended at home against a team that had lost its first four games of the season.
For New Orleans, the win is a third straight step back toward respectability, not yet proof of a turnaround. The Pelicans are still 3-4, and they needed overtime and late free throws to beat a team playing without the cushion of an unbeaten record to protect. What they did show, over a full night in Memphis, was balance: two 25-point scorers, 20 more from Queen, and a rookie guard in Fears willing to take the decisive free throws.
Memphis, meanwhile, can take something real from a loss. Jerome’s 40 points and his fourth-quarter takeover kept the Grizzlies alive when the game looked lost, and Boozer’s all-around line again showed why this rebuilt roster has surprised so many early observers. The question now is whether a first loss loosens the Grizzlies up or leaves a mark — the next answer comes quickly, with both teams back in action on Wednesday: New Orleans hosts the Utah Jazz, and Memphis hosts the Indiana Pacers.
For more NBA coverage, see our report on the Rockets’ 132-100 win over the Bucks, our report on the Warriors’ 112-95 NBA Cup comeback over the Lakers, and our report on the 76ers’ 98-93 NBA Cup win over the Knicks.
Sources
- Box score and play-by-play for the Pelicans’ 135-134 overtime win over the Grizzlies.
- VAVEL live updates confirming the final score at FedExForum.
- Memphis Commercial Appeal live updates on Ty Jerome’s fourth-quarter run and the 124-124 tie at the end of regulation.
