Pelicans Snap Skid with Gritty Win Over Shorthanded Grizzlies

Oct 22, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) talk during the fourth quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

In a game where both franchises continue to navigate turbulent seasons, the New Orleans Pelicans secured a 133-125 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on Friday night, dropping the Grizzlies to 18–25 on the season and now have lost seven of their last ten games.

With Ja Morant ruled out due to a left elbow UCL sprain and numerous other key Grizzlies sidelined, Jaren Jackson Jr led the way with 26 pts on 7-18 shooting from the field. Cam Spencer showed his strong shooting touch tonight with 21 pts and 4-6 from beyond the arc.

Game Recap

The Grizzlies blew yet another 4th quarter lead as the Pelicans outscored them 40-26 in the 4th led by an outstanding performance by Saddiq Bey who scored 19 of his season high 36 pts in the 4th quarter. Trey Murphy III scored 32 points, while Zion Williamson finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds

Grizzlies Struggles Continue

The Grizzlies have now blown twelve double digit leads so far this season and over the last 25 games are now 1-11 when losing the 4th quarter.

The Grizlies fought hard early, maintaining a lead all throughout most of the game, but turnovers and cold shooting in key stretches opened the door for New Orleans to build a late 4th quarter lead. Memphis young contributors showed flashes, with GG Jackson contributing 15 points and Cedric Coward kicking in with 13 points while having another strong performance but a lack of consistent scoring and defensive rotations ultimately kept them from winning the game.

Takeaways

For New Orleans, the win snaps a three game losing streak and reinforces that this roster can still compete even while waiting for key players to come back off of injury, provided it continues sharing the ball and defending aggressively. For Memphis, the loss underscores the uphill climb they face in development and health management.

As both teams pivot to upcoming matchups, New Orleans will hope to sustain this balanced play, while the Grizzlies seek answers that can spark a turnaround in a challenging season. Up next for both teams, New Orleans travels to San Antonio on Sunday and the Grizzlies will host Denver also on Sunday afternoon.