The drought is over. The Memphis Grizzlies ended a decade-long losing streak in Boston by defeating the Celtics 127-121, Saturday night. It was the Grizzlies’ first win in Boston since November 27, 2013.
In a testament to their resilience, the Grizzlies overcame the daunting challenge of TD Garden, one of the NBA’s most hostile environments. Memphis has won eight of its last nine games.
The Grizzlies’ stifling defense proved too much for the Celtics, who were held to 40 percent shooting and 30 percent from beyond the arc (18-60). Memphis’ defensive game plan was particularly effective in limiting the Celtics’ star players, with Jayson Tatum struggling to a season-low 28.6% shooting and Jaylen Brown coughing up a team-high five turnovers.
Memphis outscored the Celtics 64-40 in the paint. The Grizzlies had 22 fast break points while Boston had just four.
Shaking off a tough night against the Kings in his previous game, Ja Morant delivered a clutch performance, with a near triple-double: 31 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists.
And as the old folks would say, he had pep in his step.
Jaren Jackson Jr. was also on fire, doing a little bit of everything to secure the victory. He had a stellar fourth quarter, going 6 of 9 from the field to score 14 of his 27 points. Jackson Jr.’s impact was more than just scoring; he also contributed nine rebounds, four blocks, and three steals, showcasing his remarkable defensive prowess and all-around talent.
Brandon Clarke turned in a standout performance, contributing 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals while shooting 9-of-11 from the field. Desmond Bane also played a key role down the stretch, scoring nine of his 14 points in the final period to help the Grizzlies improve to 16-8 on the season.
In his first game back at TD Garden since the 2023 trade that sent him to Memphis, Marcus Smart had a tough shooting night, going 1-of-11 from the floor for three points in 19 minutes of action. But the only thing that mattered was a win.
Smart entered the game with 8:50 remaining in the first quarter, the Celtics crowd erupted into a standing ovation, prompting Smart to pause and wave in appreciation of the warm reception.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will take on the Washington Wizards tonight at 6:00 p.m. CT at Capital One Arena.
