Noah has best game of year for Grizzlies

MEMPHIS — Joakim Noah had season highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds to lead the new-look Memphis Grizzlies to a 99-90 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.

Justin Holiday had 15 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 14 points, 10 of them in the fourth. C.J. Miles, playing his first game for Memphis added 13 points to help the Grizzlies win for the third time in four games.

Julius Randle led the Pelicans with 21 points, and Jrue Holiday added 15. Anthony Davis had 14 points and 16 rebounds in his second game returning to the lineup after seeking a trade.

Memphis, which used a strong third quarter to carry a 10-point lead into the fourth, saw it stretch to 11 points in the early stages of the final frame. New Orleans wasn’t able to overtake the Grizzlies the rest of the way, the Pelicans seeing their two-game winning streak snapped.

With four new players in the rotation, along with more minutes for other reserves, the Memphis offense was not very fluid early. The defense struggled, too, as New Orleans shot 61 percent in the first quarter.