Pelicans get run out of FedExForum by Grizzlies

When you are missing a star player and you are playing a very good team coming off a very bad loss on that team’s home floor, it is a bad equation.

The equation turned out to be accurate, which proved very bad for the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday night.

Memphis ran the Pelicans out of FedExForum in a 132-111 victory in a game that wasn’t that close.

The Pelicans played without Brandon Ingram, who had a sore hamstring. New Orleans is now an awful 2-13 without Ingram this season. The Pelicans simply cannot win without him.

The Grizzlies crushed New Orleans with 42 fast break points and the Pelicans had no answer.

Memphis also dominated inside, scoring 62 points in the paint to 48 for New Orleans.

The Pelicans simply could not get stops as the Grizzlies had their way on the offensive end.

Memphis put up 44 points in the first quarter and bolted to a 77-58 halftime lead.

Things only got worse in the third quarter as the Grizzlies grew the lead to 112-84 going to the final quarter, when benches cleared for both teams, playing the rest of the way.

That is a good thing, perhaps the only positive development for the Pelicans, considering they are back in action Wednesday night at home against Orlando.

CJ McCollum did his part, scoring 32 points with 11 assists. Willy Hernangomez had 17 points and nine rebounds while Naji Marshall scored 16 points for New Orleans.

Memphis handled New Orleans 52-45 on the boards and placed six players in double figures, led by Ja Morant with 24 points.

The primary issue for the Pelicans this season has been the absence of star players.

Ingram has missed 15 games and that is too many.

Zion Williamson has not played at all.

The lack of firepower outside of McColllum was too much to overcome.

We will see if Ingram can possibly play against the Magic Wednesday.

If not, there are home games Friday and Sunday.

The Pelicans need Ingram. They need McCollum. They would like to have Williamson and may get him back down the stretch.

Of course, there are only 17 games remaining in the season and New Orleans is locked in a tight battle to may the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.

This is one of those games you forget about immediately and flush it and move on to try to right the ship against a bad team at home, an Orlando team with NBA-worst 16 wins.