Postgame Report: Grizzlies Prevail Over Pelicans, 99-90

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The Memphis Grizzlies held the New Orleans Pelicans to the lowest three-point percentage they’ve allowed all season, picking up a 99-90 win Saturday night at FedExForum. The Grizzlies improved to 23-34 on the season and 14-14 at home. The Pelicans dropped to 25-32 on the year and are now 9-22 on the road. The teams split the season series 2-2.

The Pelicans made just 6-of-33 (.182) three-pointers on the night, their second-worst performance from beyond the arc this season. The Grizzlies weren’t much better however, finishing 8-of-29 (.276) from long range.

Joakim Noah earned his second double-double of the year, leading the Grizzlies with 19 points and 14 rebounds (both season-highs). It’s the second time in his career that Noah has posted 15+ points and 10+ rebounds while coming off the bench, with the other time coming on Dec. 31, 2008 (19 points, 11 rebounds). Justin Holiday added 15 points (3-5 3P). Holiday has now scored in double-digits in seven out of 13 games since cracking the starting lineup. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 14 points and a pair of steals, scoring in double figures for the fourth-straight game. In his first contest in a Grizzlies uniform, C.J. Miles finished with 13 points on 6-9 (.667) shooting off the bench. Mike Conley just missed a double-double, scoring 10 points and handing out a game-high nine assists. Ivan Rabb also narrowly missed a double-double, chipping in with 10 points and nine boards. Newcomers Avery Bradley and Delon Wright also made their first appearances since joining Memphis, with Bradley scoring eight points and Wright adding seven.

The Grizzlies finished the game going 38-for-88 (.432) from the field, while holding the Pelicans to 34-for-86 (.395) shooting. Memphis is now 10-4 this season when holding an opponent to under 40 percent shooting, and it marks only the second time this year that New Orleans has been held under 40 percent. The Pelicans grabbed 17 offensive rebounds (the second-most by a Grizzlies opponent this year) while the Grizzlies had 10, leading to a 15-9 advantage in second chance points for the Pelicans.

Julius Randle led the Pelicans with 21 points to go with six boards. Randle has now scored 20+ points in 29 games this season. In his four games against the Grizzlies this season, Randle has averaged 20.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. Anthony Davis recorded his 33rd double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and pulling down a game-high 16 rebounds. Rookie Kenrich Williams logged his first career double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds while also passing out a team-high seven assists. Jrue Holiday chipped in with 15 points and five assists.

Down by as much as 10 in the final quarter, New Orleans battled back, with a Randle basket trimming the Memphis lead to 87-83 with 4:41 left in the game. Jackson Jr. responded in a big way, converting a four-point play on the ensuing possession to push the lead to 91-83. With 2:41 remaining, Jackson hit another big three to start an 8-2 run that lasted until the 1:10 mark, putting the Grizzlies up 99-87 to seal the game.

Memphis was clicking coming out of halftime, opening the third quarter with a 10-2 run. The Grizzlies went 13-for-23 (.565) in the quarter, and made 3-of-6 (.500) treys. New Orleans’ three-point shooting woes continued, going 1-for-8 (.125) in the third. The Grizzlies forced the Pelicans into seven turnovers during the period while committing three of their own, and outscored the Pelicans 11-2 off of turnovers to help build a 72-62 lead heading into the final quarter.

Neither offense could find a rhythm in the first half, as both teams shot under 39 percent and combined to go 4-for-29 (.138) from three-point range. Each team committed six turnovers in the half, but the Pelicans scored 12 points off the giveaways while the Grizzlies had just four. Both teams also earned 12 free throw attempts, but Memphis was far better, knocking down 10 of them compared to five for the Pelicans.

Memphis struggled to get going at the start of the game, missing five of their first six shots as the Pelicans took a 10-2 lead. The Grizzlies shot just 7-for-20 (.350) in the first quarter while the Pelicans went 11-for-18 (.611). Noah gave the Grizzlies a spark in the quarter, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds (three offensive boards). The Grizzlies defense tightened up towards the end of the first, holding the Pelicans to just four points in the final 3:13 to trim the Pelicans lead to 28-20.

The Grizzlies carried over their strong finish from the first quarter, opening the second with an 9-0 run from 11:35 to 9:10 (2:25 run) to take their first lead of the game at 29-28. The Memphis defense held New Orleans to 7-for-29 (.241) shooting and 2-for-11 (.183) from three in the quarter, but they did allow the Pelicans to grab nine offensive rebounds. The Grizzlies continued to have a tough time shooting, going 8-for-22 (0-7 3P) in the period. Randle laid in a shot as time expired to increase the Pelicans’ lead to 44-41 heading into halftime.

The Grizzlies will wrap up another Southwest Division series when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, February in FedExForum at 7 p.m. CT. Come out to the game, tune in to FOX Sports Southeast presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners or listen on 92.9 FM ESPN to follow the action.

Fans who want to support the Memphis Grizzlies and purchase single-game tickets can do so now by calling (901) 888-HOOP or going online to grizzlies.com/tickets. Single Game Tickets are also available for purchase at the FedExForum Box Office, ticketmaster.com, online at grizzlies.com/tickets or by calling 1-800-4NBA-TIX. For more information on the Grizzlies, visit grizzlies.com, ‘like’ Memphis Grizzlies on Facebook or follow on Twitter and Instagram (@memgrizz).

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