Pelicans suffer another ominous loss at Grizzlies, 105-102

In any sport, at any level, it is difficult to lose without your star player.

The Pelicans were without Anthony Davis in Memphis Wednesday night. Hopefully, he can return very soon, perhaps for a key game with Portland Friday at Smoothie King Center.

Without Davis, the Pelicans lost a tough 105-102 contest at Memphis Wednesday night.

While the Pelicans were without Davis, the lowly Grizzlies were without point guard Mike Conley.

New Orleans got whipped 50-40 on the boards, allowing 14 offensive rebounds by Memphis.

While the 12 turnovers committed the Pelicans were acceptable and below their high season average, it was a costly turnover by the best player on the floor with 5.9 seconds left that sealed their fate.

Demarcus Cousins tried to dribble into a double-team and lost the ball. It was his fifth turnover of the game. Cousins did score 29 points while E’twaun Moore had 16 and Ian Clark had 10 off the bench.

While Memphis did not shoot well, the Grizzlies has 11 more field goal attempts than the Pelicans, fewer turnovers and more rebounds. Marc Gasol virtually offset Cousins with 28 points but he committed just one turnover.

The Grizzlies have the worst record in the Western conference (13-27) and are only 8-13 at home and have already changed coaches. This is a game New Orleans should have won.

As for the Pelicans, they are back at .500 (20-20).

While still eighth in the conference, New Orleans is now staring at the Clippers, who provide an interesting contrast.

The Clippers played the best team in the league, the defending champion Golden State Warriors, at Oakland.

Playing without its star player (Blake Griffin), Los Angeles won on the road, whipping the Warriors 125-106. Lou Williams stepped up in a huge way, going off with 50 points. Tyrone Wallace was huge off the bench with 22 points. Granted, the Warriors played without Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson but they are still quite good without them.

The good news for the Pelicans is that they are only a half game behind Denver for seventh place, a game behind Oklahoma City for sixth place and a game and a half behind Portland for fifth place and the Blazers come calling Friday night. New Orleans is still positioned and talented enough among a bunch of average teams in the west to make the playoffs and even reach as high as fifth. They are also capable of finishing ninth.

With the win, the Clippers are now 19-21, just a game behind New Orleans. The Cliippers started the season 8-15 and have rebounded nicely, despite the fact that Griffin has missed 16 games.

Good teams find a way to win without key players.

The Clippers beat the best team on the road without arguably its best player.

The Pelicans lost to the worst team in its conference on the road without arbuably its best player.

Get the picture?