JeromeJones

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome, center, handles the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

 ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY BUTCH DILL

The Memphis Grizzlies are undefeated no more.

The New Orleans Pelicans handed the NBA’s last remaining undefeated team its first loss with a gutsy 135-134 overtime victory Monday night at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.

“We talk about by committee and it definitely was by committee,” Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley said. “These guys did an unbelievable job of finding a way to stay poised.”

The committee chairman was Zion Williamson, who scored the Pelicans’ first nine points in overtime. Jeremiah Fears scored the only other points, knocking down a pair of free throws with 7.3 seconds left.

Williamson finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and four assists to lead the Pelicans (3-4) to their third win in a row. It was his first double-double of the season.

“My teammates and coaches trusted me and I made it happen,” Williamson said.

Karlo Matkovic also scored 25 points, a career-high. His previous high was 19 points during his rookie season. Matkovic was 5-of-8 shooting on 3-pointers. Trey Murphy scored 18 points.

Derik Queen and Saddiq Bey came off the bench to score 20 and 18 points, respectively. Queen scored 18 of his in the first half. Fears finished with 12 points and seven assists.

The Pelicans haven’t lost since going to the starting lineup of Fears, Murphy, Williamson, Matkovic and Herb Jones. Dejounte Murray, who started the first four games of the season, missed his third consecutive game due to personal reasons. He missed Thursday’s game against the Sacramento Kings because of the birth of his son. He attended Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, but the team decided to give him another day of rest. He flew with the team to Memphis but had to fly home for personal reasons.

The Pelicans committed just eight turnovers against Memphis. But even with their effort taking care of the ball, they looked like they might let another close game slip away before doing enough to give the Grizzlies (6-1) a loss.

The Pelicans led 124-115 with 2:26 left in regulation after Matkovic’s fifth trey of the night, but they didn’t score again in regulation.

Mosley’s message to his team going into overtime?

“We’ve been here before,” he said. “Take the game. When you go through these experiences in the league, the games that you lose in overtime or you’re up 15 to 20 and you find a way to blow it, you now know what it looks like in these moments. That’s the beauty of the team. They are responding to everything the coaches are asking them to do.”

After the drought to end the fourth quarter, the Pels didn’t score until Williamson’s three-point play with 3:36 left.

The Pels won despite a stellar effort from Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome. An early favorite to win the Most Improved Player award, Jerome finished with 40 points. But Murphy guarded Jerome on the final play and his jumper fell short.

“One of the biggest plays was the last stop by Trey Murphy,” Mosley said.

The Pelicans will try to make it four straight wins Wednesday when they host the Utah Jazz. Utah beat the Pelicans 120-119 in Salt Lake City in the second game of the season.

“I’m just glad we got our third win in a row,” Williamson said. “Let’s keep it going.”

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.