MEMPHIS — For a week, the Memphis Grizzlies looked untouchable. Six games, six wins, the best record in the NBA and a franchise record matched to open the season. Then, on Monday night at FedExForum, the Pelicans beat Grizzlies 135-134 in overtime, refusing to read the script.
New Orleans edged Memphis 135-134 in overtime, handing the Grizzlies their first loss of the season and extending the Pelicans’ own winning streak to three.
It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that started the year 0-4 and looked headed for an early-season crisis.
The game came down to the final seconds. Rookie guard Jeremiah Fears grabbed his own offensive rebound, stepped to the free-throw line with 7.3 seconds left in overtime and calmly sank both attempts, putting the Pelicans ahead by one.
Memphis had one last chance: Ty Jerome, who had carried the Grizzlies down the stretch, pulled up for a 15-footer that would have won it. It rimmed out. The buzzer sounded. The streak was over.
It was the kind of ending that makes basketball fans fall in love with November basketball — meaningless in the standings, yet absolutely electric.
How the Pelicans Beat Grizzlies in Overtime
The Pelicans set the tone early, playing with the kind of desperation you expect from a team trying to climb out of a 0-4 hole. Zion Williamson was aggressive from the opening tip, attacking the paint and forcing Memphis’ big men into foul trouble.
But the Grizzlies answered every punch.
Regulation was a back-and-forth affair, and it looked like Memphis might escape when the game tightened late. Then Ty Jerome took over.
The Grizzlies guard scored the final nine points of regulation, single-handedly forcing overtime and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
But the extra period belonged to New Orleans’ composure. After trading baskets, it was Fears — a rookie in one of the loudest road environments in the league — who showed ice in his veins at the line.
Two free throws, swish, swish. A one-point lead. A defensive stand. A missed jumper by Jerome. Game over.
The 135-134 final was the highest-scoring game of the season for both teams, a track meet that never let either defense breathe.
It was one of several statement wins across sports this weekend — see also how the Broncos beat the Chiefs 28-24 to seize the AFC West lead.
Key performers
Zion Williamson — 25 points, 11 rebounds. The face of the franchise looked every bit like it. Williamson bullied his way to the rim all night, finishing through contact and controlling the glass when the game got tight.
This was the Zion the Pelicans need — dominant, decisive, and impossible to handle one-on-one.
Jeremiah Fears — clutch free throws. The stat line won’t jump off the page, but nobody in a Pelicans jersey will forget this night for the rookie. Two free throws, 7.3 seconds left, on the road, against the NBA’s best team. Money — and the reason the Pelicans beat Grizzlies.
Karlo Matkovic — 25 points. A quiet revelation. Matkovic matched Zion’s scoring output and gave New Orleans the secondary punch that has been missing during its slow start.
If he can produce like this consistently, the Pelicans’ ceiling changes.
Ty Jerome — 40 points. The losing side’s hero.
Jerome’s last-nine-points flurry to force overtime was spectacular, and he finished with a career-type night. The missed game-winner will sting, but his performance is the reason Memphis had a chance at all.
Cameron Boozer — 18 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists. The rookie forward filled the box score for Memphis, doing a bit of everything. The future is clearly bright for the young Grizzly, even in defeat.
What it means for both teams
Let’s start with Memphis, because perspective matters: 6-1 is still an elite start. The franchise-record-tying six-game winning streak to open the season was no fluke — this is a deep, well-coached team with young talent coming from everywhere.
One loss, even a heartbreaker at home, doesn’t change that. If anything, it might be the wake-up call a young team needs in November.
For New Orleans, though, this one is different. Three weeks ago, the Pelicans were 0-4 and the obituaries were being drafted. Now they’re on a three-game winning streak with a signature road win over the league’s hottest team.
The season has a pulse again.
The Pelicans’ turnaround has been built on exactly what they showed Monday night: Zion playing like a superstar, unexpected contributions from role players like Matkovic, and young guards who aren’t afraid of the moment.
That combination, if it holds, makes New Orleans a genuine problem in the Western Conference. For the latest scores, stats and standings, see ESPN’s NBA coverage.
The takeaway
Memphis learned that perfection is fragile. New Orleans learned that it’s dangerous. And the rest of the NBA learned that the Pelicans’ 0-4 start is officially ancient history.
The Grizzlies get their shot at revenge soon enough — these two teams will see plenty of each other this season. But on the night the Pelicans beat Grizzlies 135-134 in Memphis, the streak belonged to the team that refused to lose. The Pelicans didn’t just beat the best team in basketball. They announced that they’re coming.