What happened: The New Orleans Pelicans fell behind early as the Memphis Grizzlies controlled the pace through the opening two quarters. Williamson added four rebounds and two assists to his scoring tally to pace the New Orleans offense. Saddiq Bey contributed 14 points and seven rebounds before the intermission as the game remains in progress.
Why it matters: New Orleans entered Friday seeking to halt a multi-game slide and stabilize its early standing in the Western Conference. Finding defensive answers against Memphis will be essential to preventing the game from slipping out of reach.
By the numbers: Zion Williamson: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST | Saddiq Bey: 14 PTS, 7 REB, 0 AST
What to watch: The second half will test New Orleans' ability to generate stops and mount a push to close the gap.