Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Kennard Leads Grizzlies Over Rockets

Grizzlies blow out Houston with 151 points in a total team effort.

Alternate column title: Luke Kennard Shot the effing lights out; also the Grizzlies won by 37 and are going to the playoffs.

Final score: 151-114.

What a ride this one was, in all the best ways. Obligatory “the Rockets are slaw this year” disclosure aside, how about those Grizzlies?

Let’s get into it.

Season-high-scoring game — check. Second-highest-scoring game in franchise history — check. Franchise record 25 3-pointers made — check. Playoff berth confirmed — check.

FedExForum already has big playoff energy, and it was on display Friday night. If this is how Memphis gets up for a late March game against one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, imagine how wild it will be during the postseason.

The Grizzlies had this game mostly won by the end of the third quarter, they just had to play it out to make it official. Coach Jenkins pulled the starters early in the fourth quarter, so the final 10 minutes were dominated by Kennedy Chandler, Kenneth Lofton Jr, David Roddy, Santi Aldama, and John Konchar.

The fact that Memphis was able to soundly defeat Houston with no one on the roster playing more than 26 minutes is a testament to how deep this team is. It is also a nod to the work done by the coaching staff in developing the young talent over the course of the season.

Is Luke Kennard the missing three-point threat the Grizzlies needed? Because it is sure looking that way. Kennard tied his high career-high 30 points, leading all scorers on a career-best 10 of 11 (90.0%!) shooting from beyond the arc, and setting a new Grizzlies franchise record for most three-pointers made in a game, surpassing the shared record of 9 made by Mike Miller and Jaren Jackson Jr.

With shooting like that, my guy here deserved a little more effort in the Photoshop department.

By The Numbers:

Behind Kennard’s heroics, Desmond Bane put up 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, while shooting 10 of 13 overall and 5 of 7 from three-point range.

Ja Morant once again came off the bench, and he put on a master class, complete with highlights, in less than 20 minutes, finishing the night with 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Jaren Jackson Jr also finished the night with 18 points, plus 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

Dillon Brooks closed out with 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block. And no technical fouls.

Tyus Jones also put up 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists, on 4 of 8 shooting overall and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.

And finally, last but not least, Kenneth Lofton Jr put up 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on 5 of 9 overall shooting, in just 10 minutes of playing time.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies head to Atlanta to face off against the Hawks on Sunday, March 26th. Tip-off is at 5 PM CDT.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *