Grizzlies get one of their best wins of season
Memphis tops Lakers 127-113 on the road
The Memphis Grizzlies took a different approach to their scouting prep before Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Usually, that time is used to break down the opponent. This time, the emphasis was on the Grizzlies — and how they wanted to get more scoring variation and players involved.
The result? A season-high 23 made 3-pointers and a 127-113 win at Crypto.com Arena.
“This was a great test for us, and I’m so glad how our guys responded,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said.
Finally, it felt like all of the pieces were falling into place — and fitting so well that it didn’t matter Lebron James and Anthony Davis combined to score 63 points.
Four Grizzlies players scored more than 20 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the way with 31, Marcus Smart finished with 29, and the backcourt duo of Ja Morant and Desmond Bane had 21 and 24, respectively.
Jackson’s performance came after he had shot 10-for-32 in the previous two games combined. He also struggled last season in the first-round playoff series against the Lakers, but as he has shown on many occasions this season, he looked like a more aggressive player while attacking Davis.
“He got to continue to play like that for us to be where we want to be in the near future,” Smart said. “He’s only going to get better, so I’m proud of him.”
Perhaps this is what the Grizzlies envisioned when they brought in Smart. Along with Morant’s stardom and the internal growth from Bane and Jackson, this team looks different from the one that got blown out by the Lakers in the postseason.
Morant, Bane and Jackson have continued to thrive, but Smart’s resurgence after a couple of down games takes the team to a different level. He made eight 3-pointers and added five assists while also being the primary defender against James.
“I know better than anybody this is a make-or-miss league,” Smart said. “Eventually, the shots are going to fall.”
“Having him in our locker room is definitely big-time for us,” Morant said. “Being a young team who haven’t gotten past the second round, so obviously we haven’t seen the conference finals and finals is like, but that’s our goal.”
Ziaire Williams came off the bench and shot 6-for-11 for 15 points, and he converted three alley-oop passes from Morant.
Williams has put together two
consecutive encouraging performances. Jenkins said Williams likely wasn’t going to be in the rotation if it wasn’t for injuries. Now Williams is making it hard for his coach to keep him off the floor.
“I know the work he is putting in, and I know what type of player he can be when he’s out there playing with confidence,” Morant said. “. . . As of late, you see the type of impact he can make when he’s out there playing with configame dence.”
The 23 made 3-pointers on the road is a franchise record, so that might be tough to duplicate, but there is much to take from Friday’s win that provides a path of success moving forward.
Morant and Smart noted how the team’s intensity was so good the entire that a loss wouldn’t have upset them too much. But make no mistake about it, the Grizzlies know the uphill battle they’re facing to reach their goals.
“We just got to continue to play like this,” Morant said. “If we do and we get to that play-in or whatever, it’ll be scary for teams.”