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The Grizzlies’ perfect start is over (here’s what it exposed)
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- The Grizzlies’ perfect start is over (here’s what it exposed)
The Memphis Grizzlies' unbeaten start ended Monday night with a 135-134 overtime loss at home to the New Orleans Pelicans, leaving the NBA without an undefeated team.
Zion Williamson scored 25 points, and Jeremiah Fears made two free throws with 7.3 seconds left. Memphis guard Ty Jerome missed a 15-foot attempt for the win. The Grizzlies fell to 6-1 after matching the best opening in franchise history .
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Jerome scored the last nine points of regulation to force overtime and finished with 40. He also supplied eight of Memphis' 10 points in the extra period .
It was a heroic stretch, but it showed how much the Grizzlies leaned on one shooter once the game tightened. Williamson answered for New Orleans with nine overtime points of his own.
Foul trouble pulled Memphis' big man out of rhythm
Sports Illustrated's Grizzlies site wrote that Zach Edey's mounting fouls seemed to frustrate him on both ends, including two straight misses right at the rim. Rookie Cameron Boozer finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists .
The Grizzlies' first loss in overtime ended their perfect start, exposing key flaws for coach Tuomas Iisalo to address.Joe Murphy / Getty Images
New Orleans opened the season 0-4 and has now won three straight. The AP noted that the Pelicans' defense caused Memphis problems in the first half . Heavy reported that Karlo Matkovic also had a career night in the win, according to its game coverage .
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A one-point loss shows where Memphis is thin
Nothing about this result should change how anyone views the Grizzlies. They were one stop from 7-0. But it pointed to two pressure points.
First, Jerome had to bail out the offense, and no team can count on a guard scoring nine straight every night. Second, Edey's foul rate now looks like a coaching problem as much as a player one. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo can respond with earlier substitutions or a different defensive scheme, though he has little time to experiment.
Coaches often say a first loss relieves pressure. That may hold here, because Memphis no longer has to explain every possession as part of a streak.
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The next test looks manageable on paper. The Grizzlies host Indiana on Wednesday, and the Pacers lost their fifth straight Monday with just six players available . A win restores momentum. A second sloppy night would raise real questions about the start.
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This story was originally published by Lindy's Sports on Nov 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Lindy's Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
