The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Toronto Raptors 119-106 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night after dropping two straight games.
The victory over the Raptors in Toronto was a welcome relief after they had dropped four of their previous five games, including a crushing loss on Christmas Day to the shorthanded Golden State Warriors.
The recent slump has dropped them from first place in the Western Conference to third. They are currently one game behind the Western Conference-leading New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets.
Many questioned their swagger and competitive spirit after the disappointing losses.
Some were too quick to write off the Grizzlies, but they proved them wrong on Thursday night by just having fun and finding their footing again. The NBA is a long season, and Memphis must continue to take it one game at a time.
All five of Memphis’ starters scored in double figures. Dillon Brooks led the way for Grizzlies with 25 points and six assists for his homecoming. Brooks is from Mississauga, Ontario near Toronto.
After the game, Brooks revealed his coaches want him to be more of a playmaker.
On his six assists, Brooks said, “Kudos to me. I tried to shoot the open ones and I work on my game every single day to be confident in my shot.”
Ja Morant tallied his 12th double-double of the season with 19 points and a career-high 17 assists.
Desmond Bane added 16 points, five rebounds, and two steals. It’s his best game back since his return from injury.
Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Jackson is averaging 3.0 blocks per game this season.
Steven Adams posted his eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 17 rebounds, while John Konchar added 11 points and seven rebounds as a reserve.
Sharing is Caring
The Grizzlies recorded a season-high 37 assists. Memphis is 8-0 this season when registering 30 assists.
With his 17 assists, Morant recorded the highest assist total by a single Grizzlies player since Jason Williams set a franchise record with 19 more than 20 years ago in March 2002.
Three-Point Shooting
The Grizzlies went 13-of-29 from beyond the arc after going four straight games shooting in the single digits. Brooks shot four, Memphis’ best 3-point shooter Bane connected with three, and Konchar added two 3-point shots.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will host the New Orleans Pelicans at FedExForum on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m. CT.
