Happy New Year. The Memphis Grizzlies are one game back from the top of the Western Conference, and to close out the year they just beat the team ahead of them in the standings, Southwest Division rival the New Orleans Pelicans.
The matchup between these two teams is spicy, with two of the most exciting players in the league – Ja Morant and Zion Williamson –battling it out.
Let’s get into it.
Three-point shooting woes continue to plague the Grizzlies, and in Saturday night’s matchup, they shot a season-low 17.2 percent from distance. But Memphis made up for the lack of outside shooting by dominating down low, outscoring New Orleans 74-44 from the paint.
Big man Steven Adams grabbed a season-high 21 rebounds while helping to hold Jonas Valanciunas to 6 points and 6 rebounds. The two centers were traded for each other in 2021, with Memphis sending Valanciunas to New Orleans in exchange for Adams.
There were some technical difficulties midway through the second quarter when all the game clocks in FedEx Forum lost power, causing a stoppage in play for several minutes. Play resumed with the officials using stopwatches until the clock situation was resolved.
The break in play derailed the Grizzlies’ momentum for the rest of the period and helped the Pelicans to cut a 21-point lead to just three at the half. New Orleans briefly managed a two-point lead during the third quarter, but the Grizzlies did not allow them to keep it for long, dominating the fourth quarter 33-22. Memphis now leads the season series against the Pelicans 2-1.
By the Numbers:
Ja Morant led all scorers with 32 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.
Jaren Jackson Jr finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 6 blocks.
Desmond Bane contributed 18 points and 7 rebounds. Bane is still struggling with three-point shooting since his return to play, and was 1 of 6 from beyond the arc.
Steven Adams had a great night with 10 points, 21 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
Dillon Brooks had a quiet night offensively, finishing with just 7 points. What he lacked in offense he more than made up for in defense, with his main defensive assignment being Zion Willamson. It was exactly what the Grizzlies needed from him.
Who Got Next?
The gang is back at it tonight with another home game, facing off against the Sacramento Kings to start off the new year. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CST.