Since returning to the lineup last week after a 25-game suspension, Ja Morant has transformed the Memphis Grizzlies from woeful to respectable.
The Grizzlies won their first three games with Morant back, including a 24-point comeback against the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 19 in which Morant scored 34 points in his season debut.
On Tuesday, the Pelicans once again built a sizable second-half lead against the Grizzlies. Once again, they squandered it.
The Grizzlies came back from 15 points down to beat the Pelicans 116-115 in overtime at Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans fell to 17-14 with the loss.
"For 3½ quarters, our game-plan discipline was at a high level," Pelicans coach Willie Green said. "We were executing. As the game started to get a little close, they upped their level of physicality and we started to turn the ball over and let them right back into the game.”
New Orleans held a 13-point lead going into the fourth quarter. It led by one point with 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation. There were three reviews by officials in the final 1.5 seconds of the fourth quarter.
Initially, the officials waved off a foul call drawn by Morant. The Grizzlies retained possession by winning a jump ball at midcourt and calling a timeout with 0.4 seconds left to advance the ball past midcourt. On their inbounds pass, Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas was called for a foul. Jaren Jackson tied the game by going 1 of 2 at the free-throw line, which sent the game into overtime.
“I think this was the most bizarre game I’ve ever been a part of for sure," guard CJ McCollum said.
“The combination of reviews and the way it finished. Two reviews under one second. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before in my life."
Jackson scored four points in the extra period to lift the Grizzlies to their fourth consecutive win. He hit a running floater with 51 seconds remaining, which put Memphis ahead by four points. The Pelicans got the ball to Zion Williamson, who attacked the basket but was called for a charge.
Williamson scored 23 points on 7-of-17 shooting. He hauled in 11 rebounds, which tied a season-high.
Brandon Ingram scored 24 points. He also grabbed six rebounds, handed out seven assists and notched three steals and four blocks. Ingram played one of his best all-around games of the season but could not prevent his team from losing its ninth game when it led by 10 or more points.
The last time the Pelicans and Grizzlies played, Morant made 12 field goals. All of them came inside the paint.
The Pelicans’ plan was to make the Grizzlies beat them from the perimeter this time. Morant shot 1 of 7 from behind the arc, but in the most important moments, he got into the lane. He converted 6 of 8 free throws.
The Pelicans shot 21 of 33 from the free-throw line. McCollum went 1 of 4 at the line. Two of those misses came with 17 seconds remaining in overtime with his team trailing by four. On Memphis’ next possession, Marcus Smart served up an alley-oop for Morant.
“That’s what it is," Green said. "It’s our free throws. It’s our execution. It’s our turnovers. It’s not one guy. It’s all of us. We have to learn from this. We’re in it together. We have to figure it out together.”
Morant finished with 31 points and seven assists. Desmond Bane added 27 points for Memphis.
The Pelicans held the Grizzlies to 43.3% shooting from the field and 32.3% shooting from 3. They were in control for much of the second half, but their late-game execution and a questionable call sent them to their second consecutive home loss.
"This is where we have to grow," Green said. "We have to learn to get to our spots. Execute with force and pace. Make solid passes. Then when we get to the free-throw line, make our free throws. For 3½ quarters, we did it. For the last five, six minutes, we didn’t.”