Ja Morant scores 32, Memphis Grizzlies take control late against New Orleans Pelicans

An early season heavyweight bout took place at FedExForum.

The Memphis Grizzlies hosted the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night, and the top team in the Western Conference was going to make the Grizzlies earn everything. Dillon Brooks dealt with foul trouble, Ja Morant briefly left the game in the third quarter and Steven Adams was slow to his feet after former Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas hit him in the hip area during a collision.

None of that was enough to keep the Grizzlies down. Morant shined and Adams owned the glass as the Grizzlies threw the final punch in a convincing 116-101 win against the Pelicans.

Morant finished with 32 points and eight assists. Adams scored nine points and had a season-high 20 rebounds.

Memphis (22-13) remains the No. 3 seed in the West behind the Pelicans (23-13) and Nuggets, but Saturday's win closed the gap. The Grizzlies have won two of the first three meetings against New Orleans.

Here are some takeaways from the game.

Penny's approval:Penny Hardaway knows sneakers, and he approves of Ja Morant's new Nike signature shoe

Making a difference:Why the Memphis Grizzlies 'don't care' what critics say about Dillon Brooks' shot selection

Grizzlies overcome shooting struggles

One game after the Grizzlies showed signs of shaking their shooting struggles, the same issues returned on Saturday night. The Grizzlies shot 4-for-18 on 3-pointers in the first half and made no 3s in the third quarter. The Pelicans went under ball screens when Morant had the ball. He got several open looks but was unable to make a 3-poiner on his six attempts. Desmond Bane also struggled and made one of his five 3-point attempts as he continues to work his way back into form.

The 3-point struggles didn't stop the Grizzlies. Morant adjusted and started taking and knocking down midrange jumpers. Memphis dominated the paint and shot efficiently on 2-point shots.

Memphis got a big 3-pointer when Jaren Jackson Jr. banked one in at the end of the shot clock early in the fourth quarter to give the Grizzlies a seven-point lead. Up to that point. Jackson had missed his first three 3-pointers. He looked up and displayed a sigh of relief after getting the shot to fall.

Injuries shift up rotation

Santi Aldama did not play due to right ankle soreness. He suffered the injury on Thursday against the Toronto Raptors and left the game in the third quarter. Grizzlies coach did say that the injury isn't serious. Ziaire Williams was ruled out of Saturday's during the first quarter due to right knee soreness. Williams was initially diagnosed with right knee soreness in the preseason before it was discovered he was dealing with patellar tendinitis.

The lineup changes led to a bigger role for John Konchar, and rookie David Roddy returned to the rotation. Konchar scored eight points off the bench.

Big boy matchup

This game wasn't for the weak. Bodies were falling and players were grunting. The Grizzlies and Pelicans both emphasize physicality, and that was one of the most noticeable aspects. Adams controlled the glass and had one of the best games of his career on the boards. Several Grizzlies players took hard blows in the chest to stay in the front of the 6-foot-6 280-pound freight train that is Williamson.

The physicality became too much in the third quarter as both teams combined for 25 free-throw attempts. There were 19 free-throw attempts in the first half. Williamson was the biggest beneficiary of the stretch. He had six points before Brooks picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter. When Brooks had to switch off of Williamson, he scored 10 points in the third quarter.

Williamson finished with 20 points on 6-for-16 shooting. The Grizzlies also did a good job of slowing down C.J. McCollum. He finished with 10 points on 4-for-16 shooting. All-star Brandon Ingram did not play.

What's next

The Grizzlies won't have much time to rest. They'll return to action Sunday (7 p.m., Bally Sports South) at FedExForum against the Sacramento Kings. The Grizzlies are 1-1 against the Kings this season.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ja Morant leads Memphis Grizzlies to win against New Orleans Pelicans