It was a revenge game for Phoenix, and they fought harder to end the night with a 125-108 victory over Memphis. The loss to Phoenix also snapped Memphis’ seven-game winning streak at home, becoming one of only three teams (Boston, Sacramento) to beat the Grizzlies on their home court this season.
Let’s get into it.
After a thorough walloping on by the Golden State Warriors on the Grizzlies’ first ever Christmas Day game, one would think this Memphis team would rage back with a vengeance. It started well, with the Grizzlies putting the first 8 points on the board, but the Suns looked like the more dominant team.
Desmond Bane has continued to struggle finding his shot since returning from injury. The Grizzlies desperately need his accurate three-point shooting, as the loss to Phoenix marks the fourth consecutive game the Grizzlies have hit a single-digit number of shots from distance.
Memphis struggled to hit the long ball, going just 8 for 30 against the Suns. In today’s NBA, they are going to need to shoot better from beyond the arc if they want to win.
They also need more from their second unit in games like this. The Phoenix bench outscored the Memphis bench 60-41.
We are by no means in panic territory, but I suspect Coach Jenkins is going to have some very strong words for his team after their last two performances.
The Grizzlies will get a chance in the coming weeks to avenge this loss, as they will play Phoenix during the annual MLK game held in Memphis.
By the Numbers:
Ja Morant led all scorers with 34 points and 6 assists. Morant set a new career high for scoring in a single quarter when he put up 22 points in the third quarter.
Desmond Bane was the only other Grizzly to end the night in double figures, finishing with 14 points and 2 rebounds.
Xavier Tillman Sr. led the bench unit with 9 points, and Brandon Clarke followed closely with 8 points.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are taking a quick trip to the frozen north. Thursday night they will be in Toronto to face off against the Raptors. Tip-off is at 6:30 PM CST.
