Derik Queen lifts Pelicans over Grizzlies as Cam Spencer’s late push falls short

Rookie Derik Queen flirted with a triple-double and New Orleans detonated a third-quarter run to beat Memphis 114–106 on Friday night, January 30, 2026, in the latest Grizzlies vs Pelicans matchup. The win helped New Orleans split the season series after a month of tight, high-scoring meetings, while Memphis absorbed another blow amid a growing injury list.

The swing point was brutal: New Orleans erased a halftime deficit with a 35–15 third quarter, then held off a late Memphis rally that briefly made it a one-possession game in the final minutes.

Third-quarter avalanche flips the game

Memphis carried a three-point lead into the break, but the game turned almost immediately after halftime. New Orleans tightened its defense, sped up its decision-making, and started converting misses into quick offense. The Pelicans buried five 3-pointers in the third quarter and held Memphis to its second-lowest scoring quarter of the season.

Memphis shot 26.1% in the third and went 1-for-11 from deep in that stretch, a combination that erased any margin for error. By the time the quarter ended, New Orleans had seized control and pushed the lead to 93–76.

Derik Queen sets the tone inside

Queen’s line underscored why the Pelicans are leaning on him so heavily in his first season: 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists. He was a constant pressure point—punishing switches, finding cutters when help arrived, and keeping possessions alive on the glass.

Saddiq Bey matched Queen with 22 points and added eight rebounds, while Zion Williamson scored 21 to continue a strong scoring run. Herb Jones chipped in 16 and made several of the defensive plays that helped New Orleans own the third quarter.

Jose Alvarado’s burst also mattered. He hit three 3-pointers in the decisive third-quarter stretch and finished with 11 points, giving New Orleans the extra spacing it needed when Memphis packed the paint.

Cam Spencer sparks Memphis’ late push

For Memphis, guard Cam Spencer was one of the few consistent bright spots. He finished with 16 points and hit a key 3-pointer with 3:29 left that trimmed the deficit to 105–100 and injected real tension into the building.

Memphis also opened the fourth quarter with an 11–0 run, cutting what had been a comfortable lead into something fragile. But every time the Grizzlies got close, New Orleans answered with a timely stop or a bucket at the rim—enough to keep Memphis from completing the comeback.

Turnovers, injuries, and a shrinking margin

Memphis’ problems were bigger than one cold quarter. The Grizzlies committed 20 turnovers, and several came at moments when they were trying to stabilize after runs. In a game where New Orleans shot 48.9% overall, empty possessions and giveaways widened the gap.

The injury context is heavy. Memphis played without Ja Morant (sprained left elbow), who missed his fourth straight game and has been out for a large chunk of the season. Zach Edey (ankle) and Santi Aldama (knee) were also sidelined, forcing Memphis deeper into its rotation and placing more creation responsibilities on a patchwork group.

Jaren Jackson Jr. matched Spencer with 16 points, while rookies Cedric Coward and Vince Williams Jr. added 13 apiece. Jock Landale scored 12, but a key sequence late—Jackson missing a pull-up jumper, then Williamson blocking Landale at the rim—helped New Orleans slam the door.

What the result means next

The win evened the season series 2–2, a fair reflection of how volatile these matchups have been. New Orleans improved to 13–37 and has shown more life recently, winning three of four before a later stumble in the next game. Memphis fell to 18–28 and matched a season-worst five-game losing streak, with health and late-game execution now the central concerns.

Both teams quickly return to the grind: Memphis heads into a stretch where it needs Morant back to stabilize its offense, while New Orleans will try to keep building around Queen’s playmaking and Williamson’s scoring without giving back the defensive gains that fueled this win.

Sources consulted: Reuters; NBA; Associated Press; ESPN