New Orleans is still in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. A monumental Monday win made sure that was the case.

The Pelicans started quickly, briefly fell behind the Grizzlies in the second half, but pulled away in the fourth quarter for some breathing room, behind the scoring exploits of Zion Williamson at the rim and Brandon Ingram jumpers. New Orleans capped a 3-0 sweep of Memphis in the head-to-head season series, slicing its deficit behind the Southwest Division rival to just 2.5 games.

IT WAS OVER WHEN…

Brandon Ingram drained a deep two-point jumper, then deflected a pass intended for Ja Morant on the other end of the floor, giving New Orleans possession with a nine-point lead and less than a minute to play.

PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME

Josh Hart can always be counted on by New Orleans to provide energy off the bench and scrappiness, whether it’s going after a loose ball or a rebound in the paint. On Monday, he also delivered some vital offensive punch, scoring all of his points in the final three quarters. Hart finished with 15 points, including draining a pair of key three-pointers in the third period.