A clutch basket from Jaren Jackson Jr. put Memphis back in the lead with 1.2 seconds remaining in regulation and secured the Grizzlies’ 99-97 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Memphis fans are used to the “Call 12” mantra, referring to calling on their superstar point guard Ja Morant. But Friday night in San Antonio, the shorthanded Grizzlies needed someone else to come through in clutch time, and Jaren Jackson Jr. was that guy. Right when they needed him, Memphis called 13 and he delivered.
One of the silver linings to this dark cloud of a season has been the emergence of Jackson as a leader in the absence of Morant, Brandon Clarke, Marcus Smart, et al.
Starting the game with a shooting slump that saw them trailing by as much as 17 points at one stage, the Grizzlies had to battle through the remaining three quarters to mount a comeback.
San Antonio is currently the worst team in the Western Conference with an abysmal 15-55 record and is one of the few teams struggling harder this season than Memphis. Once the Grizzlies’ greatest league rival, the Spurs have been going through a rebuilding era, and they are well on their way thanks to 2023 number-one draft pick and presumed rookie of the year, Victor Wembanyama.
At 7 feet 4 inches tall, Wembanyama, the 19-year-old center hailing from France, has electrified the league with his remarkable athleticism and made the struggling Spurs must-watch basketball.
Wembanyama had a game-high 31 points and 16 rebounds on 11 of 24 overall shooting.
Guards Devin Vassell and Tre Jones (younger brother of former Grizzly Tyus Jones) were the only other Spurs players to score double digits, finishing the night with 27 points and 16 points, respectively.
Vassell and Jones made consecutive three-pointers in the final 30 seconds of the fourth to tie the game at 97-97 and set the stage for Jaren Jackson Jr.’s game-winning pullup in the paint.
Too many turnovers and poor shooting from three-point range continued to be pain points for the Grizzlies. They allowed the Spurs to score 18 points off 18 Grizzlies’ turnovers and outscore them 52-40 in the paint.
By The Numbers:
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished the night with a team-high 28 points, plus 7 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks, shooting 11 of 22, including the game-winner.
Santi Aldama put up 15 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and one block while shooting three of six from beyond the arc.
GG Jackson added 14 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
Scotty Pippen Jr. led the second unit with 18 points, three rebounds, two assists, and four steals.
Jake LaRavia closed out with 15 points and five rebounds, with 10 points added in the fourth quarter.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies continue their road trip, heading to Denver to face off against the Nuggets on Monday, March 25th. Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. CDT.
