NEW ORLEANS (AP) 鈥� C.J. McCollum scored 14 of his 30 points in the third quarter and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame Ja Morant鈥檚 36-point effort to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 113-102 on Tuesday night.
McCollum had averaged just 9.5 points on 27% shooting in his previous four games, but he was 7 of 13 from long range to help make up for Zion Williamson鈥檚 scoring absence with the star forward out with a bruised right foot.
鈥淚鈥檝e been playing like crap lately and feeling like crap and shooting the ball really poorly, which is uncharacteristic,鈥� McCollum said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to make shots; you鈥檙e going to miss shots. My track record speaks for itself in how I work and how I perform. You just keep swimming.鈥�
Pelicans coach Willie Green said his teammates playfully mauled McCollum in the locker room for fighting through his shooting woes.
鈥淲e all joked around in the locker room and said, 鈥榃elcome back,鈥欌�� Green said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the C.J. we鈥檙e accustomed to seeing. He鈥檚 been under the weather for a few days now. We knew that he would get his legs back under him.鈥�
The Pelicans led 89-87 after three quarters and opened the fourth with a 15-4 run, led by five points from reserve guard Jose Alvarado, to take a 104-91 lead. The Pelicans also got 19 points each from Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr., and they held Memphis to 15 fourth-quarter points.
McCollum hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter, and his seven overall helped the Pelicans finish with a season high 18 3-pointers on 38 attempts.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to tip your cap,鈥� Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. 鈥淥bviously, they鈥檝e got some lethal scorers in McCollum, Ingram and their teammates did a good job tonight.鈥�
Morant had a 24-point first half to power Memphis to a 60-59 lead. Morant did his damage driving into the paint and also from the outside, going 8 of 12 from the floor, including 2 of 3 from long range. He also made 6 of 8 from the foul line and had three first-half steals.
Dillon Brooks added 19 for Memphis.
But Morant wasn鈥檛 happy with his team鈥檚 42-point second half.
鈥淲e鈥檝e just got to be able to finish in the paint and knock down open looks,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 pretty much what we鈥檝e been doing all season, which made us a good team offensively.鈥�
TIP INS
Grizzlies: F/C Jaren Jackson made his season debut after missing the first 14 games after right foot surgery. He looked rusty on 3-of-14 shooting. 鈥� G/F Desmond Bane, averaging 24.7 points a game, was out with a sore right toe. 鈥� Morant returned after missing Sunday鈥檚 loss at Washington with left ankle soreness.
Pelicans: Williamson missed the game with a right foot contusion and is day-to-day to return, said coach Willie Green. Williams, who is averaging 23.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists a game, hurt his foot Saturday early in the fourth quarter of a 119-106 victory over Houston. Green said there was 鈥渄efinitely some hope鈥� he could play Wednesday night when the Pelicans host the Bulls.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host Oklahoma City on Friday night.
Pelicans: Host Chicago on Wednesday night.
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The Associated Press
