{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
Memphis 121, New Orleans 114
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, March 11, 2016
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Officials: #42 Eric Lewis, #44 Eli Roe, #4 Sean Wright
Attendance: 18119

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Apparently, no challenge for the Memphis Grizzlies is insurmountable.

Missing three starters and several backups because of injuries, the Grizzlies -- minus their top two point guards -- overcame a sluggish start and scored a franchise-record 22 points in overtime to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans, 121-114, Friday night at FedExForum.

Lance Stephenson scored a career-high 33 points and Matt Barnes added 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists -- his first career triple-double -- to lead the injury-depleted Memphis Grizzlies.

Stephenson, whose previous career high was 28 points, scored six of his points in overtime, including a spinning, left-handed layup that gave the Grizzlies a 112-106 lead with 1:16 left. Memphis' JaMychal Green added 21 points and 10 rebounds and had seven overtime points.

"A lot of guys who are playing have something to prove," said Stephenson, a recent addition to the Grizzlies. "That's the edge we have right now."

Point guard Briante Weber, making his NBA debut for the Grizzlies, was among those with "something to prove." He had 10 points and seven assists in 40 minutes after signing a 10-day contract Friday morning. Weber played in the game's closing minutes and sank two key free throws with 21.7 seconds to go to boost the Memphis lead to six points.

"I don't think there's a word in the dictionary or a phrase in a book that can (describe) the way I feel," Weber said. "(But) I just had to go out there and do what I do: run the team, get people to where they need to get and get the ball where they need to get it."

Weber was added to the roster with starting point guard Mike Conley out with a sore left foot and backup Mario Chalmers lost for the season after rupturing his Achilles in a loss at Boston Wednesday. Weber's performance impressed his teammates.

"For his first NBA game, that was an incredible game for him," Stephenson said. "He came in and wasn't nervous. And he had something to prove, too. When you have something to prove, all the (sacrifices) you made to get here come out. You want to play your best."

The Pelicans were paced by three players who had double-doubles. Jrue Holliday finished with 34 points and 10 assists, while Anthony Davis scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Ryan Anderson scored 24 points with 14 rebounds.

In addition to the loss of Conley for an indefinite period, the Grizzlies played without injured starters Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, who is out for the season with a right foot fracture.

The depleted Grizzlies suffered yet another loss in the opening half. Veteran Vince Carter left the game with a lower left leg injury midway through the second quarter and hobbled to the locker room. Carter did not return.

"It's all hands on deck every night, every game now," Barnes said. "All of our all-stars are gone (injured). I think teams look at us and think they should beat us. It's going to take a complete effort on both ends. We are going to have to steal some wins."

Friday's win was one of those thefts. New Orleans led 99-97 with 58.1 seconds left and had a chance to win in regulation but had an inbounds pass deflected with 1.2 seconds to go.

"Well, you have to make those plays to be able to win on the road," said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry. "Close is great, but it doesn't help you out at all. You just have to complete the possession and come up with the plays and we didn't do that. They did."

The Grizzlies (39-26) were able to outscrap the Pelicans, also minus several key players, including Eric Gordon (out for the season) and Norris Cole. New Orleans lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell to 7-25 on the road and 1-6 against Southwest Division opposition.

"It was good game," Davis said. "They just played hard. We have to become that grit and grind team just like them. No matter who's on the floor, they're going to play hard, play aggressive. That's how we have to be."

Ahead by one at the half, Memphis extended its lead to nine points early in the fourth quarter on a Green jumper. But the Pelicans fought back behind Anderson, who triggered a 13-5 run to tie the game at 79. Anderson scored 10 of the points during the stretch, including a 3-pointer and a three-point play.

The Grizzlies moved back ahead by six with 3:10 to go after a Stephenson 3-pointer. But the Pelicans responded again with an 8-0 run, capped by an Anderson 3-pointer, to take a 97-95 lead with 1:18 left.

Memphis tied the game at 99-all with 49 seconds left on a Green putback and could have won in regulation, but Stephenson missed a layup in the closing seconds.

The Grizzlies offense struggled in the opening quarter and fell behind by nine (21-12). Memphis shot 28 percent and trailed 24-20 at the end of period. The Grizzlies' starters were 3 of 14 in the quarter.

In the second period, the Grizzlies followed the aggressive play of Stephenson to recover. Stephenson scored 10 points in the second quarter and rookie Jarell Martin added six to help Memphis grab a 48-47 halftime lead.

Holliday had 15 at the half to lead the Pelicans and Davis scored 10.

NOTES: To compensate for injuries to Mike Conley and Mario Chalmers, the Grizzlies signed PG Briante Weber to a 10-day contract. Weber was playing for the NBA Developmental League's Sioux Falls Skyforce, where he averaged 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22 games. He spent time on the Miami Heat's preseason roster. ... G Jrue Holiday scored a career-high 38 points in the Pelicans' 122-113 loss at Charlotte on Wednesday. It represented the 11th time in 13 games that he has scored 20 or more points. ... Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger and his wife, Kara, purchased the remaining 1,500 tickets to Friday night's game on behalf of the Dave Joerger Foundation and gave them away (limited to two per person) on a first-come, first-serve basis from the FedEx Forum lobby. ... Since moving into the starting lineup Jan. 21 after injuries to Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans, Pelicans G Norris Cole was averaging 13.2 points and 5.5 assists while shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc. Cole was a late scratch because of a lower-back injury.
Top Game Performances
 
New Orleans   Memphis
Jrue Holiday 34 Scoring Lance Stephenson 33
Jrue Holiday 10 Assists Matt Barnes 10
Ryan Anderson 14 Rebounds Matt Barnes 11
Jrue Holiday 8 Free Throws Made Lance Stephenson 8
Dante Cunningham 2 Steals Tony Allen 4
Dante Cunningham 4 Blocks Ryan Hollins 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
New Orleans 114 43.8 7-24 23-34 23 58 6 6 18
Memphis 121 49.0 6-14 21-32 27 50 7 14 10
Upcoming Games
  • Memphis will play their next game on the road against Atlanta. The Grizzlies have a W/L % of .526 after a win and .704 after a loss.
  • New Orleans will play their next game on the road against Milwaukee. The Pelicans have a W/L % of .360 after a win and .385 after a loss.