Grizzlies beat Pelicans 120-109 for 1st NBA Cup win in franchise history

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New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) handles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) in the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) tries to stay inbounds in the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

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New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) handles the ball ahead of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (15) and guard Ja Morant in the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

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New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) shoots against Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) in the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) defends against New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, left, in the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

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Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) in the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

By CLAY BAILEY

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 27 points and seven assists as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans 120-109 on Friday evening for their first NBA Cup win in franchise history.

Jaren Jackson Jr. had 23 points and eight rebounds for Memphis, while Santi Aldama added 20 points and went 8 of 9 from the field.

CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 30 points, and Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy added 21 points apiece.

The win was Memphis’ fifth straight, while the Pelicans have lost seven straight and 13 of 14.

New Orleans was playing without key players such as Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans’ top-two scorers, along with Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado.

Takeaways

Pelicans: With major players out with injuries, the Pelicans relied on their backcourt duo. Murray, who called the 26-point loss to Toronto on Wednesday an embarrassment, held up his end with help from McCollum and Murphy, but rookie Yves Missi was the only other player in double figures with 16.

Grizzlies: Memphis racked up 72 bench points in its previous win over Detroit on Wednesday and was already halfway to that total at the midway break. While the Pelicans were dealing with absences, Memphis had 11 players with significant minutes.

Key moment

The Pelicans had cut into the double-digit deficit in the third quarter, but a pair of baskets by Jackson and a 3-pointer by Jake LaRavia put Memphis up 15.

Key stat

Memphis, which leads the league averaging 30 assists a game, handed out 36 assists on its 47 baskets. The combination allowed the Grizzlies to win their first ever NBA Cup game after going 0-4 in 2023’s inaugural tournament.

Up next

The Pelicans travel to New York to play the Knicks on Sunday, the same day Memphis ends a four-game homestand against Indiana.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba