Grizzlies Edge Pelicans: Ja Outduels Slim Zion in Chaotic Opener
Memphis vs. New Orleans. Ja Morant vs. Zion Williamson. The greatest two-pick sequence of the 2019 NBA Draft is officially back and immediately delivered on its promise of chaos, ending with the Grizzlies taking a wild 128-122 season-opening win over the Pelicans on Wednesday night.
The Return of Slim Zion
The biggest pre-game headline was the sight of Zion Williamson, who has clearly been reading those summer motivational posters about "trimming the fat." The slimmed-down Zion looked fantastic, putting up a historic stat line to start the season: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. That five-by-five-ish stat line is usually reserved for players who haven't spent the offseason fielding questions about their fast-food intake. It was a spectacular performance that deserved a win, but unfortunately for the Pelicans, the game has four quarters, and only two of them counted for them.
The Third-Quarter Teleportation Act
The first half was all New Orleans, thanks in part to Memphis being "short on players" and dealing with enough foul trouble to fill an entire episode of Cops. The Pelicans coasted into the break with a comfortable 67-56 lead.
Then came the third quarter, where the Grizzlies apparently replaced their Gatorade with a mysterious, highly potent energy drink. Memphis unleashed a brutal 27-6 rally that didn't just erase the Pelicans' double-digit lead—it vanished it. By the time the dust settled on the 41-22 quarter, the Grizzlies were inexplicably up 97-89. That's the kind of run that makes coaches panic and fans check the clock to ensure time hasn't skipped ahead a day.
Morant & The Perfect Rookie
Despite the Pelicans' hot start, Ja Morant confirmed that the third quarter surge was not a fluke. He poured in a game-high 35 points, including a dagger with 32.9 seconds left that gave the Grizzlies a crucial 122-118 lead, effectively sealing the win.
But the real comedy came from rookie Cedric Coward. The kid, clearly operating on a different plane of existence, was perfect from the field (5-for-5) and perfect from the free-throw line (4-for-4), finishing with 14 points. According to the history books, Coward is the first rookie with 10+ points and a perfect shooting night in a debut since Thabo Sefolosha in 2006.
The good news for New Orleans is that they have a superstar who looks motivated and dangerous. The bad news? They finished the 2024 season 14th in the West, and their 2025 season opener provided a painful flashback to last year's 21-61 record, proving that even a slim Zion can't outrun a full-blown Grizzlies ambush.
Both teams return to the court on Friday night, with the Pelicans hosting the Spurs and the Grizzlies hosting the Heat. It's safe to say both coaches will be reviewing that third quarter for signs of witchcraft.
