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Pelicans Grizzlies Thriller: New Orleans Ends Memphis' Unbeaten Start in OT
The Pelicans Grizzlies overtime thriller on Monday night gave the 2026-27 NBA season its first genuine plot twist. New Orleans survived a monster performance from Memphis guard Ty Jerome to win 135-134, ending the Grizzlies' bid to remain the league's only unbeaten team and shaking up the early Western Conference race. Here is how it happened, why it matters and what fans should watch next.
Memphis arrived in the game at 6-0, the last perfect record in the NBA and a surprise for a franchise that finished 12 games out of the Play-In Tournament last season. A victory would have given the Grizzlies the first 7-0 start in franchise history. Instead, a Pelicans team that opened its own season 0-4 claimed its third straight win and one of the best road results of the young season.
How the Pelicans Grizzlies Overtime Finish Unfolded
For most of the second half, New Orleans looked like the team that would close it out in regulation. The Pelicans made only three three-pointers before halftime, then knocked down 11 after the break, which carried them to a 100-95 lead after three quarters. When Karlo Matkovic buried a corner three with 2:35 remaining, New Orleans led 124-115 and the upset appeared secure.
Ty Jerome Drags Memphis Back
That is when Jerome took over. All nine points in a 9-0 Grizzlies run in the final minutes of regulation came from Jerome baskets, and the burst forced overtime. He finished with 40 points on 14-for-22 shooting, plus five rebounds, five assists and five made threes. It was his second 40-point game of the young season, which makes him only the third player in Grizzlies history with multiple 40-point games in a single year, and his third 30-point night in six appearances. Jerome had just one 30-point game in his first seven NBA seasons.
He was not done in the extra period either. Jerome scored eight points in overtime, including a go-ahead and-1 in the final seconds, and for a moment it looked as if Memphis would escape with a perfect record intact.
Zion Williamson and Jeremiah Fears Answer
New Orleans had an answer. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 25 points, including nine in overtime, and his mid-range jumper with 1:16 left gave the visitors a four-point cushion at a crucial moment. After Jerome's late and-1 put Memphis ahead, guard Jeremiah Fears retook the lead with a pair of free throws, and the Pelicans defended the Grizzlies' final possession to seal the win.
Fears credited his teammate afterward, saying Williamson "made the right play every time" down the stretch. Head coach Jamahl Mosley pointed to the bigger picture: "The ability to find a way down the stretch ... that's what I'm most proud of."
Why the Pelicans Win Matters Beyond One Result
The most encouraging part of this Pelicans Grizzlies result for New Orleans was how they won. Earlier this season, the Pelicans lost a game at Denver after failing to finish a late lead and allowing the Nuggets to force overtime. On Monday, they let another late advantage shrink but stayed composed in a back-and-forth extra session instead of unraveling.
Depth also played a major role. Matkovic matched Williamson's team-high with a career-best 25 points and made five of his eight three-point attempts. Derik Queen scored 20 off the bench, including 18 before halftime, and Saddiq Bey added 18 points, including 10 of the team's 24 fourth-quarter points. New Orleans also committed only eight turnovers in a physical game that stretched to 53 minutes, a disciplined showing on the road against the league's last unbeaten team.
The win lifts the Pelicans to 3-4 after that 0-4 start, with three of those early losses coming by a combined 10 points. It may not erase the slow beginning, but it proves this group can win a high-pressure game away from home.
What Memphis Takes Away From the First Loss
The Grizzlies fell to 6-1, and there is still plenty to like. According to NBA.com, Memphis was only the 21st team in the 22 seasons since the league expanded to 30 teams to open 6-0. All 20 of the previous teams made the playoffs, 19 of them finished as a No. 5 seed or higher, and 18 won a playoff series. Rookie forward Cameron Boozer has been a big part of the fast start, recording his first career triple-double in a win over Portland last week.
There are some warning signs too. Memphis made 18 of 40 three-pointers on Monday, its sixth straight game with at least 15 made threes, a franchise record. Before this game, the Grizzlies led the league in three-point percentage at 41.6% while holding opponents to 30.1%, numbers that are unlikely to hold all season. A team living on perimeter shooting needs defensive answers when the shots stop falling, and the late collapse of a nine-point lead showed why that matters.
Rockets Take the West Lead as the Standings Shuffle
Memphis's loss also reshuffled the West. Houston beat Boston 109-93 to improve to 7-1 and move past the Grizzlies for first place in the conference. The Rockets came in as the only team with eight players averaging double figures, and eight of them scored at least eight points. Alperen Sengun led the way with 26 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists, while Marcus Smart's defense against his former team helped hold Boston under 100 points for the first time this season. It was also the Celtics' first loss since their opener. Houston and Memphis are tied for the league's best plus-minus at +12.9, and Portland sits a game behind Houston at 5-1.
Elsewhere around the league on Monday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 43 points to lift Oklahoma City past Cleveland 117-112, and Stephen Curry scored 34 as Golden State beat Phoenix 116-113 for its fifth straight win. Still, the biggest headline came from Memphis, where the NBA's last perfect record finally fell.
What to Watch Next After the Pelicans Grizzlies Thriller
New Orleans stays home for Wednesday's game against Utah, then hosts Minnesota in NBA Cup play on Friday. Seven of the Pelicans' next nine games are at the Smoothie King Center.
Memphis returns home to face Indiana and then hosts Oklahoma City in NBA Cup action on Friday, a chance to answer the first loss quickly.
The rematch is already circled: Memphis visits New Orleans for an NBA Cup game on Friday, Nov. 13, and recent meetings in New Orleans have been tight, with seven straight decided by single digits.
Houston plays Minnesota and at Phoenix this week as it tries to hold on to the top spot in the West.
Final Thoughts
One regular-season game in early November does not decide a conference, but the Pelicans Grizzlies matchup showed what both teams could become. New Orleans proved it can survive pressure on the road, Memphis showed it can be a dangerous opponent even in defeat, and Houston now sets the pace in a crowded West. Keep an eye on whether Jerome can keep up his scoring surge and whether Williamson and the Pelicans can turn a rough start into a winning streak.
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