Ja Morant, Grizzlies handle banged-up Pelicans

Ja Morant scored 27 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 23 and reserve Santi Aldama had 20 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to their first NBA Cup victory Friday, 120-109 over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans, playing without Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Brandon Ingram (right calf soreness), lost their seventh straight. Memphis won its fifth straight and its ninth in 12 games.

CJ McCollum paced New Orleans with a season-high 30 points. Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III added 21 points apiece while Yves Missi contributed 16 points and 14 rebounds.

The Grizzlies entered the game with an 0-6 record in NBA Cup play over two seasons, but led throughout much of the game against the short-handed Pelicans. Memphis, which led nearly the entire game, pushed its advantage to 17 points late in the third quarter after two free throws by Jackson.

Marcus Smart made and assisted several key baskets for the Grizzlies midway through the fourth quarter as New Orleans made its final run. The Pelicans trimmed the Memphis lead to nine points with 5:18 to go before Smart made a left-handed hook in the paint and followed with a walkup 3-pointer.

Morant returned after missing Wednesday's game against Detroit because of a left knee injury. He entered Friday having missed nine of the Grizzlies' past 10 games. He added a team-high seven assists and three steals.

Memphis led for most of the opening half and built its largest advantage of 11 points late in the second half. The Grizzlies led by the same margin (67-56) at halftime after shooting 53.8 percent and getting 34 bench points, including 16 from Aldama.

Aldama powered a 16-4 run to close the first half by connecting on two 3-pointers and finishing the flurry with a reverse layup.

The Grizzlies, who entered the night leading the NBA in assists per game, had 22 assists before halftime on 28 made baskets. Memphis finished with 36 assists on 47 field goals.

Murray had 17 points to lead the Pelicans in the opening half. Murray was playing in his second consecutive game after missing 17 straight with a fractured left hand.

--Field Level Media