Brandon Ingram overcame a slow start and hit a series of clutch hits to finish with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
NEW ORLEANS — Herbert Jones posted a career-high 35 points and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 138-131 in overtime on Wednesday night and earn a play-in berth.
Jones’ fast-break dunk capped a crucial 10-0 run to open overtime. The surge started with a pair of 3s from Trey Murphy III, who hit seven 3s in the game to end with 30 points.
The Pelicans hit 21 three-pointers combined, including five from Jones, who is better known as a defender than a goalscorer and was left wide open on several of his outside baskets.
CJ McCollum hit six from deep to finish with 31 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, while Brandon Ingram overcame a slow start and hit a series of clutch shots to finish with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
The win guarantees the Pelicans at least a top 10 finish in the Western Conference, good enough to get into the play-in. The question is what seedings they will have after their last two games.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had 40 points, nine rebounds and four blocks for Memphis, which led for most of the regulation, although Ja Morant (left hip), Luke Kennard (right ankle) and Xavier Tillman (right ankle) were at rest.
Despite those absences, Memphis took a 19 lead late in the second quarter when Brooks hit a 10-foot turnaround fade to put it at 69-50.
Leading most of the regulation, the Grizzlies led 101-89 in the fourth quarter when the Pelicans amazingly turned the game on its head with a 22-6 run in which they hit seven 3s – four from Murphy. That put New Orleans ahead 111-107 and had the crowd roaring and jumping from their seats when Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins called a timeout.
Ingram, who scored 10 in the final 3:39 of the rule, hit a 16-foot pull-up jumper in the face of tight defense from Dillon Brooks to make it 123-118 by 14.3 seconds and Trey Murphy III went 124-118 when he hit one of two free throws with 11 seconds left.
Memphis then notably forced overtime with a 6-0 run in the final five seconds, starting with Brooks’ corner 3 when he was fouled by Jones.
Brooks missed the free throw, apparently on purpose in hopes of his team getting a rebound, but New Orleans got it and called a timeout only to turn the ball over during and after an offensive foul.
New Orleans then fouled Desmond Bane while dribbling with 2.6 seconds left, and he hit a free throw before purposely missing the second. Jaren Jackson rebounded and was fouled trying to get the ball back up with .4 on the clock. Jackson hit two free throws to tie it at 124.
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