Tag: New Orleans Pelicans

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NBA (Basketball)

Knicks aim for strong finish to the year as they head to New Orleans

Karl-Anthony Towns (NBA)

The New York Knicks had a strong win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, even though they didn’t have their best roster. The game was the first between the two teams since the big trade that showed the Knicks were aiming for a championship.

The Knicks will look to have similar success on Saturday as they play the New Orleans Pelicans, starting a stretch of games that could be favorable for them.

Both teams had games on Thursday, with the Knicks winning 133-107 against the Timberwolves and the Pelicans losing 133-113 to the Houston Rockets.

The Knicks’ two big offseason additions, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, scored a combined 61 points on Thursday. Towns had an impressive 32 points and 20 rebounds in his first game back in Minnesota since being traded to the Knicks in a deal that sent Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to the Timberwolves.

Towns’ performance was praised by Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who said, “The way ‘KAT’ performed was ridiculous… he came out there ready to play, and we’re happy we got the win.”

The Knicks have a chance to build on this success, with five of their next seven games against teams with some of the worst records in the league.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray dribbles against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game

After facing the 5-23 Pelicans, the Knicks will play the Toronto Raptors (7-21) on Monday and then face the Washington Wizards (4-21) on the road later next week. They’ll start January with a home game against the Utah Jazz (6-20).

The Knicks will also have Josh Hart back in the lineup on Saturday after he missed Thursday’s game for personal reasons. Hart has been a strong contributor, averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game this season.

On the other hand, the Pelicans are struggling, having lost 20 of their last 22 games. They’ve had to use 17 different lineups this season, and their optimal starting five, which includes Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones, C.J. McCollum, Daniel Theis, and Zion Williamson, has only played together three times.

While McCollum and Jones are back from injuries, Ingram is out indefinitely with an ankle injury, Theis has been dealing with a neck injury, and Williamson has been out since November due to a hamstring injury.

In their loss to the Rockets, the Pelicans allowed a season-high number of points. Coach Willie Green mentioned, “We’ve got to cut out the mistakes in those moments,” as the Pelicans fell behind early and could never recover, committing turnovers that led to easy scores for the Rockets.

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NBA (Basketball)

Teams battling injuries collide as Pacers take on Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans

After a tough stretch with 12 losses in their last 13 games, the New Orleans Pelicans will try to turn things around on the road when they face the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis.

On Thursday, New Orleans lost 111-109 to the Sacramento Kings at home, despite a late rally. The Pelicans have had a rough start to the season, with several injuries leaving them without key players like Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Jose Alvarado.

In his first season with the Pelicans, Dejounte Murray fractured his left hand in the season opener. Since returning on Nov. 27, Murray has struggled with his shooting, averaging 16.3 points per game but posting career-lows of 34.7 percent from the field and 25.9 percent on 3-pointers.

“He’s coming back from being out for a while,” said Pelicans head coach Willie Green. “Coming back into a situation where he’s thrust right into having a lot on his shoulders is tough.

He’s responsible for getting the team involved, getting us in our sets, guarding some of the best players night in and night out and then trying to score 20-plus a night. He’s still knocking off some rust, still trying to find his rhythm, but at the same time he’s accountable.”

While Williamson recovers from a strained left hamstring and Ingram deals with an ankle sprain, CJ McCollum has led the team with 21.5 points per game, and Trey Murphy III has added 18.2 points per game.

Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls

Indiana is also struggling with injuries, but the team has won two of their last three games after a four-game losing streak. Their most recent win was a 121-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

Indiana has lost two big men for the season due to Achilles injuries: Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman. Ben Sheppard (oblique) and Aaron Nesmith (ankle) are also sidelined.

Following the victory against Philadelphia, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle praised his team’s balanced offensive play. “We’ve got to be aggressive, and certain teams play a style of defense where 3s are available,” Carlisle said.

“And if they are available, and we’re stepping into rhythm and hitting them, then we’ve got to keep shooting them. But we can’t forget about the paint. I thought our balance was good (against Philadelphia).”

Pascal Siakam leads the Pacers with 19.8 points per game, followed by Tyrese Haliburton (18.0) and Bennedict Mathurin (17.6).

Indiana will look to bounce back from a 125-118 loss to the Pelicans on Nov. 1, which was one of the five wins for New Orleans. The Pacers had previously defeated the Pelicans 114-110 at home on Nov. 25.

A win on Sunday for New Orleans would give them their first road victory since Oct. 25 at Portland and would also secure their first season series win over the Pacers since the 2019-2020 season.

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NBA (Basketball)

Domantas Sabonis and the Kings manage to beat the Pelicans

Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans

Domantas Sabonis scored 32 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan scored 16 of his 29 points in the third quarter as the Sacramento Kings defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 111-109 on Thursday night.

DeAaron Fox and Keegan Murray each scored 18 points for the Kings, who outscored the Pelicans 38-28 in the third quarter.

CJ McCollum led New Orleans with a game-high 36 points, Trey Murphy III had 21, and Dejounte Murray added 20.

The Pelicans started the third quarter strong with consecutive field goals from Herbert Jones and Dejounte Murray, pushing their lead to 59-53. DeRozan responded by scoring 14 points in just over two minutes, helping the Kings take a 69-67 lead.

Yves Missi tied the game with a layup, but Sabonis hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to give Sacramento a 79-73 advantage.

McCollum responded with a three-point play, but Keon Ellis made two free throws, and Keegan Murray added a basket to extend the lead to 10. McCollum hit a basket at the buzzer, leaving the Kings with a 91-83 lead at the end of the third quarter.

After McCollum made a 3-pointer, Sacramento scored seven straight points to build a 12-point lead at 98-86. McCollum scored 14 points to help New Orleans get within two points with 1:24 left.

Sacramento Kings (NBA)

The Pelicans had two chances to tie the game, but McCollum missed a shot, and Malik Monk blocked Dejounte Murray’s attempt.

Sabonis scored six points during a 14-0 run that gave Sacramento an early 16-7 lead. Murphy scored the last nine of his 16 points to bring the Pelicans within 28-26 by the end of the first quarter. Sabonis had 12 points and eight rebounds in the opening period.

Murphy didn’t score in the second quarter, but jumpers by Brandon Boston Jr. and a basket from McCollum helped give New Orleans a four-point lead. The score was tied three times before Daniel Theis’ 3-pointer gave the Pelicans their largest lead of the half at 47-41.

Fox’s layup tied the game again before Dejounte Murray’s basket gave New Orleans a 55-53 lead at halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

Red-hot Kings, excelling from beyond the arc, take on struggling Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray dribbles against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game

The Sacramento Kings have been scoring a lot recently, averaging 140.5 points in their last two games and 127.2 points in their past five games.

The New Orleans Pelicans, on the other hand, have been allowing an average of 122 points in their last four games.

There’s a high chance for a high-scoring game when the Kings play the Pelicans on Thursday night. The Kings had an easy 141-97 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday, following a 140-113 victory at San Antonio two days earlier.

Sacramento coach Mike Brown commented on the Sunday game, saying, “The ball was touching the paint and getting sprayed. We were spacing correctly. We were getting off the glass and running, and we didn’t get bored with it. And that’s why the game resulted in what it did.”

One of the standout stats was that the Kings made 22 of 44 3-point attempts, with Doug McDermott and Kevin Huerter both making six 3-pointers off the bench.

Brown didn’t want the focus to be just on the 3-point shooting. “I hope the story is about how we played defensively,” he said. “Our guys did a hell of a job defensively for 48 minutes, and whether you make threes or miss threes, if you bring an effort like that, especially on the defensive end of the floor, and you try to get out and run, you’re going to find a way to win.”

Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz

Brown added that the Kings didn’t change anything in terms of making 3-pointers. “We’re telling them the same thing. Touch the paint and spray it … and if somebody closes out to you, then drive, kick, swing … and if you’re open, shoot it.”

The Pelicans have been scoring an average of 115.8 points in their last four games, but they’ve lost three of those games because their defense has been weak. They’ve also lost 11 of their last 12 games.

Coach Willie Green acknowledged, “We’ve got to guard the ball better. We’ve got to keep teams out of our paint. We’ve got to do better in transition. We haven’t been good in those areas.”

With the NBA Cup giving them some time off, Green has been using the extra practice time to focus on improving weaknesses. “It’s almost like a training camp for us,” he said.

Both teams will have had three days off before their Thursday matchup. After that, they will both play only once more before December 19.

Green mentioned, “It’s great for us in the sense that we got a day off to fill our cup, rest, recover. We had two high-level, detailed practices. It allows you to take a step back and look at some of our concepts that we’re doing well and areas that we can improve in and try to pick some of those to go work on the floor and work on.”

While Brown is downplaying the Kings’ success with 3-point shooting, Green is encouraging the Pelicans to focus more on long-range shooting. He said the team’s 13-of-38 performance from behind the arc in a 121-116 loss at San Antonio on Sunday was “closer” to his goal of taking 40 “quality threes.”

Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with four 3-pointers and 25 points in the game.

Last season, the Pelicans won all five matchups against the Kings. The teams will play each other three more times in February.

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NBA (Basketball)

Victor Wembanyama’s strong finish leads the Spurs to a victory over the Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans

Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points, including the last seven for San Antonio in the final 36.9 seconds of the game, leading the Spurs to a 121-116 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.

San Antonio had an 11-point lead with 5:02 left in the game, but CJ McCollum’s layup with one minute remaining capped a 13-0 run that gave the Pelicans a 116-114 lead.

Wembanyama hit a 3-pointer with 36.9 seconds left to put San Antonio back in front, and then he made two free throws 16.9 seconds later to extend the Spurs’ lead to three points. After Trey Murphy III of New Orleans missed a 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left, Wembanyama grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and sealed the win with two more free throws.

Chris Paul recorded 10 assists for the Spurs, passing Jason Kidd to move into second place on the all-time assists list. With 12,099 career assists, Paul trails only John Stockton, who has 15,806 assists.

Victor Wembanyama reacts in the game

Wembanyama also had 10 rebounds in his return from a two-game absence due to a sore back. Stephon Castle scored 22 points, Harrison Barnes and Charles Bassey each had 16, and Julian Champagnie added 12, helping the Spurs end a three-game losing streak. Bassey also grabbed 12 rebounds.

Trey Murphy led the Pelicans with 25 points, while CJ McCollum scored 19. Dejounte Murray had 18 points and 11 assists, and Yves Missi added 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Pelicans have lost two straight games and 11 of their last 12.

The Spurs were down by six points after the first quarter, but they took the lead at 56-54 when Wembanyama made a 3-pointer with 4:21 left in the second quarter. McCollum tied the game at 56 with a floater, but San Antonio pulled ahead with an 11-0 run, finished off by a three-pointer from Chris Paul with 2:14 left in the first half.

The Spurs led 71-62 at halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

The top-ranked Thunder dominate from the start and cruise to a victory over the struggling Pelicans

Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, visiting New Orleans, never trailed as they beat the Pelicans 119-109 on Saturday night.

Jalen Williams added 27 points, while Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso each scored 14. Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Ajay Mitchell had 10 points for the Thunder (18-5), who won their seventh game in the last eight.

For the Pelicans (5-19), Dejounte Murray led with 26 points, Herbert Jones had 24, Trey Murphy III scored 16, and CJ McCollum and Brandon Boston Jr. each added 11. Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans’ top scorer, was back after missing five games with a calf injury. He scored five points but left the game in the third quarter after hurting his left ankle.

The Pelicans were down by 26 points when Ingram got injured just 17 seconds into the second half. From then on, they couldn’t get any closer than a nine-point deficit.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander reacts in the game

Gilgeous-Alexander started strong, scoring the first six points of the game. The Thunder opened with a 10-0 run, and they built a 17-point lead as New Orleans struggled with six turnovers in the first six minutes.

Murphy scored five points and had an assist in the final three minutes of the first quarter, but Gilgeous-Alexander made all seven of his field-goal attempts and scored 16 points, helping the Thunder take a 35-23 lead by the end of the period.

Ingram made two free throws to begin the second quarter, but that was as close as the Pelicans would get. Oklahoma City scored 11 points in a row during a run that stretched the lead to 46-27. The Thunder pushed their lead to 30 points twice and led 77-51 at halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

The Pelicans’ injury issues worsened when their top scorer, Brandon Ingram, sustained a sprained ankle

Brandon Ingram and Luguentz Dort in the 1st half

Just when it seemed like the New Orleans Pelicans were starting to recover from a series of injuries, their top scorer Brandon Ingram got hurt again on Saturday.

Ingram twisted his left ankle badly after landing awkwardly on the foot of Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort early in the third quarter during the Pelicans’ 119-109 loss to the Thunder.

Ingram had already missed six of the Pelicans’ first 24 games this season due to various injuries and had just returned from tendonitis in his right foot. He made a strong return on Thursday night, scoring 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting in a 126-124 win over Phoenix. However, on Saturday, he left the game after scoring only five points on 1-of-5 shooting.

Pelicans coach Willie Green said he couldn’t provide any updates on the severity of Ingram’s latest injury.

“No update right now,” Green said. “It’s extremely tough to see B.I. go down — adversity, once again. He had a really good game coming back (against Phoenix) and had a few really good practices. To see a tough play like that was a really tough break for us.”

Brandon Ingram and Isaiah Hartenstein in the 1st half

The Pelicans have had the most injuries in the NBA this season, especially affecting their key players.

Pelican players have missed a total of 117 games due to injury in the first six weeks of the season. Zion Williamson has missed 18 of 24 games, mostly after pulling a hamstring on Nov. 11. Jose Alvarado has missed 13 games with a hamstring injury, and Jordan Hawkins has also missed 13 with a back injury.

Herb Jones returned after missing 18 games with a right shoulder strain, Dejounte Murray came back after missing 17 games with a left hand fracture, and CJ McCollum returned after sitting out 13 games due to an adductor strain.

Now, the Pelicans will have to wait for more information on Ingram, who had been averaging 23.2 points per game before the loss to the Thunder.

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Pelicans edge out Suns to snap nine-game skid

New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns

Brandon Ingram scored 29 points, CJ McCollum added 25, and the New Orleans Pelicans broke a nine-game losing streak with a 126-124 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.

Trey Murphy III contributed 19 points, Dejounte Murray had 17, Herbert Jones scored 12, and Brandon Boston Jr. chipped in 11 for the Pelicans.

For the Suns, Devin Booker scored 28 points, and Bradley Beal had 24. Royce O’Neale scored 19 points, Grayson Allen added 13 points and 10 assists, and Tyus Jones also scored 13 points.

Murray hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to help New Orleans score the first eight points of the third quarter, bringing the Pelicans to within 65-62. The Suns led by six points three more times, but Ingram took over for New Orleans.

Ingram made four 3-pointers, including three in just 36 seconds, and scored 15 points during a 22-10 run that gave the Pelicans a 99-93 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Beal’s 3-pointer tied the game at 101, but McCollum responded with a field goal and a 3-pointer to push New Orleans to a 109-101 lead.

Zion Williams and CJ McCollum in the 2nd half

O’Neale’s five points helped the Suns get within 111-110, but McCollum’s three-point play and Murray’s basket extended the lead to six for the Pelicans.

Booker scored four points, putting Phoenix up by one, but McCollum made two free throws, and Jones hit a 3-pointer to put New Orleans ahead by four. Booker made four free throws, but McCollum drove for a score and assisted Murphy on a dunk, giving New Orleans a 125-121 lead with 14 seconds left.

Allen made a 3-pointer, and McCollum hit one of two free throws, leaving the Pelicans with a two-point lead. Jones then blocked Booker’s 3-pointer as time ran out.

Booker, who had scored 52 points in each of his last two games in New Orleans, had 15 points in the first quarter. McCollum’s 3-pointer gave New Orleans a 34-33 lead after the first period.

Beal, O’Neale, and Tyus Jones hit 3-pointers during an 11-0 run, giving Phoenix a 57-44 lead.

Boston scored four points, and Murphy added five as the Pelicans trimmed the Suns’ lead to 65-54 by halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones make their comeback for the Pelicans against Phoenix, while Ryan Dunn is sidelined for the Suns

Brandon Ingram shoots in the 2nd half

Brandon Ingram’s 21 points in the third quarter and Herb Jones’ key block of Devin Booker’s last-second 3-pointer helped the New Orleans Pelicans look more like the team coach Willie Green hoped for at the start of the season.

For the first time since late October, the Pelicans had five of their top six players in the lineup when they defeated the Phoenix Suns 126-124 on Thursday night, ending a nine-game losing streak.

“It allows us to be the team that we believe that we can be,” Green said. His 5-18 team is still near the bottom of the Western Conference. “As we’re getting healthy, we want to continue to chip away.”

The only starter missing against Phoenix was star power forward Zion Williamson, who is still recovering from a left hamstring injury, and his return timeline is uncertain.

Ingram (29 points), Jones (12 points and four steals), CJ McCollum (25 points), Trey Murphy III (19 points), and Dejounte Murray (17 points) all played important roles in the win against the Suns.

“It was great,” Murray said. “Obviously, health is wealth. … You could never judge a team without their guys.”

Jones, New Orleans’ best defender in recent seasons, had missed 18 games due to a right shoulder strain.

Hebert Jones and Bandon Boston Jr. in the 2nd half

“Herb’s one of those guys — he just puts out fires,” Green said. “Without him on the floor, we’re missing a lot.”

Jones got hurt diving for a loose ball at Golden State on Oct. 29, but he was eager to get back on the floor and wasn’t hesitant to dive for loose balls or tie-ups against Phoenix.

“After I made the decision I was good enough to play, once I get out there, I go for what I know — and that’s playing hard,” Jones said.

Ingram, who had missed five games with a right calf injury, scored 29 points, making 10 of 19 shots. He also hit three straight 3-pointers during a strong third quarter, turning an 11-point deficit into a 99-93 lead for the Pelicans.

Ingram’s scoring helped open lanes for other players like McCollum, who made a driving floater to put the Pelicans ahead for good in the final minute.

“That was the first time we had played together since the third game of the season,” McCollum said. “It’s not like we’ve been on the court together at all. It’s not an excuse. It’s just our reality.”

After winning the first two games of the season, the Pelicans lost 18 of their next 20.

Now, they will need to win more games, starting with Thursday’s victory, if they hope to get back into the playoff race in the Western Conference.

Green doesn’t think the team’s recent injuries hurt the team’s chemistry or the players’ excitement for what lies ahead.

“There’s nobody to blame,” Green said. “We’re in it. We have to embrace being here.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Pelicans announce Zion Williamson (hamstring) will be out for a minimum of two more weeks

Zion Williamson (NBA)

The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Wednesday that Zion Williamson will be out for at least two more weeks.

Williamson has not played since November 6 due to a left hamstring injury. He has appeared in only six games this season, averaging 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.

The Pelicans selected Williamson with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. His time with the team has been troubled by multiple injuries, starting with a torn meniscus in the preseason of his rookie year.

Zion Williamson (NBA)

The 6-foot-6, 284-pound forward has played in 190 of a possible 401 regular-season games since being drafted. Last season, he appeared in a career-high 70 games and averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.

Williamson’s last game was against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Pelicans lost 131-122, despite Williamson scoring 29 points, tying for the game-high, along with eight rebounds and four assists.

Without Williamson, the Pelicans have a record of 1-12 and are currently last in the Western Conference with a 4-18 record as of Wednesday.

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NBA (Basketball)

Mikal Bridges leads the Knicks to a dominant 118-85 victory over the struggling Pelicans

New York Knicks and New Orleans Pelicans

Mikal Bridges tied his career-high with seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 31 points on Sunday night, leading the New York Knicks to a 118-85 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Bridges had previously made seven 3-pointers in a game twice, most recently for the Brooklyn Nets against the Chicago Bulls on March 29.

Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 14 points and 19 rebounds for the Knicks, who took control of the game with a 23-1 run in the first quarter. New York held a lead of at least 20 points for more than 37 minutes.

Jalen Brunson scored 16 points, Miles McBride added 13 points off the bench, and Josh Hart, a starter, chipped in with 12 points. This was New York’s largest victory since a 145-101 win over the Toronto Raptors on March 27.

CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 13 points, but New Orleans has now lost eight straight games and 14 of their last 15. Trey Murphy III and Yves Missi each scored 11 points, and Dejounte Murray added 10 points.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray dribbles during the second half of an NBA basketball game

This was the second time this season that the Pelicans lost by 30 or more points.

The Pelicans briefly took the lead at 3-2 after Murphy hit a 3-pointer early in the game. However, the Knicks then went on a 12-0 run while the Pelicans missed 14 straight shots over nearly nine minutes. Bridges finished the run with 11 unanswered points.

By the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led 33-10 and kept a lead of at least 21 points in the second quarter. At halftime, they were up 57-28. The Pelicans cut the deficit to 27 points twice in the third quarter, but Brunson hit a 3-pointer with 5:10 left to give New York a 30-point lead at 81-51.

Bridges opened the fourth quarter with another 3-pointer, giving the Knicks their first 40-point lead at 96-56. New York cleared the bench shortly after and kept their lead between 33 and 41 points for the rest of the game.

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Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies defeat the injury-plagued New Orleans Pelicans

Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans

Ja Morant scored 27 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 23, and Santi Aldama came off the bench to score 20 points, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to their first NBA Cup victory, 120-109, over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

The Pelicans, missing Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Brandon Ingram (calf soreness), lost their seventh straight game. Memphis, on the other hand, extended their winning streak to five games and has won nine out of their last 12.

CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with a season-high 30 points. Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III each scored 21 points, while Yves Missi added 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Memphis had been winless in NBA Cup play, with an 0-6 record across two seasons, but they led for most of the game against the short-handed Pelicans. The Grizzlies extended their lead to 17 points late in the third quarter after Jackson made two free throws.

Marcus Smart played a key role in the fourth quarter, helping Memphis maintain their lead. When New Orleans cut the lead to nine points with 5:18 remaining, Smart responded with a left-handed hook shot in the paint and then hit a 3-pointer.

Ja Morant celebrates a three-pointer

Morant, who had missed the previous game against Detroit due to a left knee injury, returned on Friday after being sidelined for nine of the past 10 games. He also recorded seven assists and three steals.

The Grizzlies led for most of the first half, reaching their largest lead of 11 points late in the second quarter. They went into halftime with a 67-56 lead, shooting 53.8 percent and getting strong contributions from their bench, including Aldama’s 16 points.

Aldama helped close out the first half with a 16-4 run, hitting two 3-pointers and finishing with a reverse layup. The Grizzlies, who are the top team in the NBA for assists per game, had 22 assists on 28 field goals by halftime and finished with 36 assists on 47 made shots.

Murray, who had missed 17 games with a fractured hand, led the Pelicans in the first half with 17 points.