Game Recap
The Memphis Grizzlies pulled away late in the fourth quarter to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-99 on Sunday night in Staples Center. The Grizzlies snap a five-game losing streak and improved to 17-16 on the season and are now 8-10 on the road. The Lakers fell to 19-14 on the year. The teams have now split the season series, each winning one on the road.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led all scorers with 27 points and pulled down nine rebounds. It’s the sixth time Jackson Jr. has scored 20+ points, and the second time he’s led the team in scoring. Marc Gasol nearly rached a triple-double with 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Mike Conley also scored 17 points and dished out eight assists while Garrett Temple chipped in with 14 points, going 4-for-6 (.667) from beyond the arc. JaMychal Green and Wayne Selden Jr. both came off the bench to add 12 points.
Neither team led by double figures until the Grizzlies pulled away near the end. The game featured 25 lead changes and 17 ties. Memphis shot 42-for-90 (.467) from the floor, and shot 14-for-26 (.538) from three, setting a season-high for three-point percentage. Los Angeles finished with 37-of-75 (.493) field goal shooting and were 10-of-30 (.333) from deep. The Grizzlies won the turnover battle, scoring 14 points off 16 Lakers turnovers, while allowing 10 points off of 12 giveaways. It was the first time in eight games that the Grizzlies scored in triple-digits.
LeBron James recorded his 16th double-double of the year with 22 points and a game-high 14 rebounds while handing out 7 assists. Brandon Ingram finished with 20 points, marking the fourth time he’s scored 20+ points. Ivaca Zubac had a season-high 19 points to go with four blocks. Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma both added 11 points while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope came off the bench to provide 10 points.
In the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies heated up, shooting 12-of-20 (.600) from the field, including 8-of-10 (.800) from three. The eight treys are the most in any quarter for the Grizzlies this season. Memphis went on a 13-3 run from 4:08 to 1:16 (2:52 run) to lead 104-94, their largest lead of the game. The Lakers scored a pair of baskets, but Jackson Jr. buried a stepback 27-footer over James with 25.6 seconds left to seal the game. Conley scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers came out of halftime hot, scoring 29 points in the third quarter on 10-of-16 (.625) shooting. James scored 11 points in the period, and Caldwell-Pope hit a 26-footer with 0.4 seconds remaining in the quarter to put the Lakers up 75-72.
The first half was neck-and-neck as it featured 10 ties and nine lead changes, with neither team leading by more than six. The Lakers shot 19-for-38 (.500) from the field in the half while the Grizzlies were 20-for-48 (.417). Los Angeles outscored Memphis 14-2 in the fast break, but turned the ball over nine times compared to just three for Memphis. Gasol and Jackson Jr. combined to shoot 12-for-22 (.545) for 28 points in the first half as the Grizzlies led 50-56 at the break.
Both teams had nearly identical shooting percentages to start the game, with the Grizzlies going 11-for-25 (.440) and the Lakers shooting 8-for-18 (.444), but Los Angeles missed all four three-pointers while Memphis was 2-for-6 (.333). Jackson Jr. shot 6-for-8 for 14 points in the quarter, the most by a Grizzlies player in an opening quarter this year. Dillon Brooks checked in at the 5:46 mark, his first action since Nov.10. Memphis used a 14-2 run over the last 2:49 of the quarter to lead 26-20.
The Lakers were able to operate in transition, opening the second quarter with a 14-4 run from 11:37 to 7:57 (3:40 run) on their way to 10 fast break points. Los Angeles went 11-for-20 from the floor in the quarter, assisting on 10 of their field goals. The Grizzlies forced the Lakers into four turnovers while committing just one. Gasol scored 10-straight points in the period to help Memphis lead 50-46 at half.
Next Game
The Grizzlies return to Memphis to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, December 26 at 7:00 p.m. CT at FedExForum. Come out to the game, tune in to FOX Sports Southeast presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners or listen on 92.9 FM ESPN to follow the action.
Fans who want to support the Memphis Grizzlies and purchase 2018-19 Season Tickets or 6-Game Holiday Packs can do so now by calling (901) 888-HOOP or going online to grizzlies.com/tickets. Single Game Tickets are also available for purchase at the FedExForum Box Office, ticketmaster.com, online at grizzlies.com/tickets or by calling 1-800-4NBA-TIX. For more information on the Grizzlies, visit grizzlies.com, ‘like’ Memphis Grizzlies on Facebook or follow on Twitter and Instagram (@memgrizz).
Player Notes
- Jaren Jackson Jr. led all scorers with 27 points and pulled down nine rebounds. It’s the sixth time Jackson Jr. has scored 20+ points, and the second time he’s led the team in scoring.
- Marc Gasol nearly rached a triple-double with 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
- The game featured 25 lead changes and 17 ties.
- It was the first time in eight games that the Grizzlies scored in triple-digits.
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Source: “Los Angeles” – Google News