In an early Sunday afternoon matchup at FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Indiana Pacers 136-121, extending their winning streak to six games and sweeping their four-game homestand.
After a disastrous first quarter in which they trailed by as many as 19 points, the Grizzlies snapped back with a vengeance. They cut the Pacers’ lead to six heading into the second half, while putting on a defensive masterclass.
Third quarters were like kryptonite to Memphis at the start of the season, but it is safe to say that is no longer the case. It certainly wasn’t yesterday against Indiana.
The third quarter was when the Grizzlies demolished the remainder of the Pacers lead and built a sizable one of their own, outscoring Indiana 40-23. From there, it was smooth sailing through the fourth quarter and onto the team’s first win of the season when trailing at halftime.
This was a team victory, with seven players finishing in double digits and no one playing for more than 30 minutes. The Grizzlies’ depth has been a huge part of their success, and their bench is second-best in the league in scoring.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the game with 25 points, and added 8 rebounds, two steals, and three blocks.
Ja Morant scored 19 points and had 8 assists.
Desmond Bane added 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
Jaylen Wells finished the night with 13 points and six rebounds.
Off the bench, Marcus Smart led with 16 points and six assists.
Santi Aldama added 15 points, four rebounds, and six assists.
Jake LaRavia contributed 11 points, three rebounds, and five assists.
More by the numbers:
As of today, Memphis is second in the league in points per game (121.7), third in the league in rebounds per game (47.9), and leading the league in assists (30.7) and blocks (7.2) per game. They are playing at the third-fastest pace in the league.
With the win over the Pacers, the Grizzlies are now sitting in third place in the Western Conference.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are headed to Dallas to take on the Mavericks Tuesday night, in their final NBA Cup group play game. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM CST.
