MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If Joe Dumars wanted to see the toughness and grit from the New Orleans Pelicans that he promised, he saw some of it in the season opener.
But the victory he wants to see will have to wait for another day.
The new-look Pelicans showed plenty of fight in Wednesday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, but it wasn’t quite enough.
The Dumars’ era started the same way the David Griffin era ended — with a loss.
This one, much like many of the ones in last year’s dismal season, was the result of the Pelicans being unable to finish what they started.
The Pelicans completely collapsed in the third quarter, then scrapped back into it before losing 128-122 to the Grizzlies.
The Pelicans were outscored 41-22 in the third quarter.
“They turned up the pressure in the third quarter,” said Pelicans’ coach Willie Green. “They got some much-needed loose balls, 50-50 possessions that they came up with diving on the floor. It looked like our inability to get to the paint and be poised when we got their led to their transition baskets."
The Grizzlies, who swept the Pelicans last season, continued their dominance.
Green spoke earlier in the week about how the Grizzlies would be a good test for his team.
“Memphis historically has been a pretty good team the last four or five seasons,” Green said. “Last year they were a playoff team again. Jaren Jackson and Ja Morant make their team go. They’ve got some young guys who are scrappy in their roles.
"It’s a good test for our team. We want to start the season well. It’s important for us to get there and be detailed and go out and play our game and be confident.”
For the first, third and fourth quarters, they did.
The Pelicans built a 67-56 lead at halftime.
For a half, Dumars got a chance to watch proudly from Section 105. All the new pieces and all of the depth were on full display.
It was Dumars who decided to run it back with Zion Williamson and keep him around as the face of the franchise.
Williamson got off to a slow start, but he got going in the second quarter and finished with 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals. Even more impressive is Williamson played over 33 minutes. He played that many minutes in a game just once last season.
"Zion had a monster night," Green said.
It wasn't just Williamson. There was also Jordan Poole, who got things started.
Poole, acquired in the offseason in the CJ McCollum trade, scored the Pelicans’ first eight points by hitting a floater and then a pair of 3-pointers.
Jeremiah Fears, who lived up to his “No Fears” moniker by hitting his first jumper of the game, also produced. He finished with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in his NBA debut.
Rookie Derik Queen, the guy Dumars went and got in the draft with a trade, stepped in and took a charge from Jaren Jackson in the second quarter.
New Pelicans player Saddiq Bey, who was acquired in the Poole trade, finished with 13 points.
The Pelicans led by as many as 15 points, but the Grizzlies took their first lead (79-78) with 5:38 remaining in the third quarter. The Pels clawed back before losing a season opener for the first time in three years.
"We played three good quarters," Green said. "A lot of good there. A lot to build on. But we've got to be better in those moments of understanding that teams are going to make some adjustments. The first adjustment is to play hard and I thought they came out in the third quarter and turned it up a notch."
Ja Morant finished with 34 points to lead the Grizzlies.
Pelicans center Yves Missi left the game with an injury. Green didn't have any updates after the game.
The Pelicans, now on an eight-game losing streak dating back to last season, will look to snap that skid Friday in their home opener against the San Antonio Spurs at Smoothie King Center.