A resilient Ja Morant exemplified the age-old adage, “it’s not how you start, but how you finish.” Despite a rough shooting night, Morant came through in the clutch, hitting two crucial baskets to propel the Memphis Grizzlies to a thrilling 127-125 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
In his second game back from injury, Morant’s impressive floater over the outstretched arms of Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert capped a comeback from a six-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining.
Watch the remarkable plays here:
Morant finished the game with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Memphis snapped a six-game road losing streak against the Timberwolves, securing its first win at Target Center since May 5, 2021.
Jaren Jackson Jr.’s explosive 33-point, eight-rebound outing propelled the Grizzlies to the victory, and a 25-14 record, with the standout forward displaying a potent mix of scoring firepower and defensive acumen.
He even had a highlight play of his own to beat the shot clock.
The 25-year-old remains a vital piece of Memphis’ core, delivering impressive averages of 22.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, with a significant 28.2% usage rate, this season.
Desmond Bane turned in a well-rounded effort, scoring 21 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He’s also found his scoring stride of late, topping 20 points in five of his last six outings following a shooting drought.
Rookie Jaylen Wells showcased his defensive expertise, holding Timberwolves’ star guard Anthony Edwards to 2-of-7 shooting as the primary defender, according to NBA.com matchups. His impressive performance drew parallels to Grizzlies legend Tony Allen, known for his suffocating defense, with Wells effectively “shutting off the water” on the opposing scorer. Wells finished with 13 points and three steals.
The 21-year-old should definitely be in the running for the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. He’s averaging 11.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
The Grizzlies are headed to Houston to face off against their division rivals, the Houston Rockets, in a highly anticipated rematch. The Rockets edged the Grizzlies 119-115 at FedExForum on January 9, and Memphis is eager for payback. The matchup is set for January 13 at the Toyota Center in Houston with a tipoff at 7pm CT.
