The Memphis Grizzlies fell 123-118 to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday after letting an early deficit grow to 13 points by halftime and as many as 18 before their late push. Ty Jerome scored 22 points, Jaylen Wells also had 22, and Memphis still could not finish the comeback.
That result is the one fans are searching for now because Memphis has gone from a six-game start to a stretch of four losses in five games. Jerome has now scored at least 20 points in five straight games, which underlines the same problem from both directions: the scoring is there, but the starts are not.
Cedric Coward added 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Cam Boozer finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Those numbers helped Memphis stay within reach after the slow first half, and the Grizzlies eventually cut the gap to two points in the final minute before Denver answered. The decisive basket came after Memphis had already spent too much of the night digging out of the first-half hole, and that is what made the late rally feel so costly.
Jerome put the issue plainly after the game, saying it feels like the team is down 15 in the first or second quarter in too many games and that the real problem was how Memphis played in the first half. He said the group has to come out hard from the jump, because shots will fall and miss, but soft and slow starts will not beat good teams. That is the pattern the Grizzlies are fighting now, and it is the reason a close finish still ended in another loss.
The timing matters because Memphis is trying to stabilize after that 6-0 opening while New Orleans is also searching for answers before Friday night’s meeting between the teams. The Pelicans entered that matchup after a 145-111 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, a game in which they allowed 57% shooting and 48.8% from 3-point range, and they had already given up 139, 138 and 145 points in their three most recent outings. Memphis beat New Orleans 135-134 in overtime on Nov. 2, 2026, and both teams now arrive carrying the weight of recent defensive problems.
For Memphis, the next game offers a fast chance to reset the same problem Jerome described: start better, or keep paying for it late.
