Morant layup at buzzer hands Pelicans rough loss

The Memphis Grizzlies were the midst of a miserable season with just six wins in 25 games.

They have been without several key players including a great one in Ja Morant. The young man made awful decisions a year ago and it cost his team dearly.

He is back now at precisely the wrong time for the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis now has seven wins.

Morant returned from a 25-game suspension to play his first game of the season and he hit a driving layup as time expired to give the Grizzlies a dramatic 115-113 come-from-behind win over the Pelicans.

It was a terrible loss for the Pelicans, who blew a 24-point lead at home.

Then again, upon further review, New Orleans played one great quarter and three bad quarters. It is hard to win games at any level in that fashion.

The one superb quarter was not enough to overcome the failures the rest of the way.

Morant is a transcendent player, unstoppable when he is right.

He was unstoppable, showing no ill effects form the time off.

Morant played 35 minutes and scored 34 points with eight assists and six rebounds and two steals.

New Orleans had no answer.

Things did not start well for the Pelicans.

Zion Williamson picked up two quick fouls less than two minutes into the game and had to sit, replaced by Trey Murphy III. Williamson was largely ineffective throughout.

Memphis went on a 9-0 run to take a 22-16 lead in the opening quarter.

The Pelicans shot just 7-of-26 (26/9%) from the field in the first quarter as Memphis took a 25-21 lead. Jonas Valanciunas was the only offensive threat, scoring seven points in nine minutes. Memphis also outrebounded New Orleans 17-12 in the quarter.

Williamson returned in the second quarter and scored five points but was whistled for his third foul with 7:43 to play in the second quarter and had to sit out the rest of the half. He played just six minutes in the half. Williamson was playing with flu-like symptoms.

Rather than struggling, the Pelicans reacted in angry fashion, defending with passion, with defense leading to offense in the midst of a 23-0 run to give New Orleans a 53-31 lead. CJ McCollum nailed a trio of 3-pointers in the run.

The overall run was 31-4 for the Pelicans.

The lead was 60-41 at halftime after New Orleans outscored Memphis 39-16 in the second quarter. The Pelicans led by as many as 24 points and it looked like they would coast to a fifth straight win.

McCollum finished the half with 15 points on 5-of-6 from 3-point range. The defense of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels was exemplary and led to offense in the quarter.

Memphis came out roaring in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to seven points but the Pelicans extended the advantage to 87-77 by the end of the quarter. Brandon Ingram carried New Orleans with 15 points in the quarter.

The momentum continued for Memphis in the fourth quarter.

The Grizzlies cut the lead to four points on a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter and pulled within 102-100 with nearly five minutes remaining in the game.

Memphis cut it to 108-107 with 3:28 to play.

Jaren Jackson Jr. tied the game at 109-109 with 1:56 to play with two free throws.

Morant finally gave Memphis its first lead since the first quarter with 1:20 to play at 111-109.

Valanciunas tied it at 111-111 on a put-back with 1:07 to play but Morant answered with a driving layup to make it 113-111 with 56 seconds remaining.

Herb Jones raced to the other end and tied it at 113-113 with a driving layup with 51 seconds left.

The Pelicans finally got a needed stop and had a chance to take the lead but McCollum missed badly on a wide-open 3-point attempt with 12.1 seconds left, setting the stage for Morant’s game-winner.

Memphis hurt the Pelicans with 13 offensive rebounds. The Grizzlies shot 50 percent from the field. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 24 points.

Ingram led New Orleans with 34 points and six assists while Valanciunas had 22 points and 14 rebounds. McCollum had 18 points. Williamson finished with just 13 points in 25 minutes, bothered by length and foul trouble, as well as not feeling 100 percent.

Williamson was the top overall pick in the 2019 draft while Morant went second to the Grizzlies.

New Orleans is a talented team with a promising future, if it can stay healthy.

That full promise will not be realized until the team develops more toughness and maturity.

It was the seventh loss this season when leading by 10 points or more for the Pelicans, an inexcusable number and the sign of a team that has not learned how to close.

Of all the blown leads this season, this was the worst one.