Report Card: Grizzlies tie the series behind a big Game from Xavier Tillman Sr.

After a disappointing loss in game one and losing home-court advantage, the Grizzlies looked to respond and tie the series at 1-1. They would have to do so without Ja Morant, who injured his hand near the end of Sunday’s game. Luckily the Grizzlies have the best backup PG in the NBA in Tyus Jones, who stepped up again when his number was called.

Both teams struggled from the field early and brought the energy on defense.  The Grizzlies’ offense was the first to get going, led by Desmond Bane, who scored 10 points in the first quarter on 5-7 shooting. Highlighted by big plays from Xavier Tillman and two blocks from John Konchar on Anthony Davis, the Grizzlies held a 15-point lead and had held the Lakers to just 44 points on 36% shooting at the half.

Tillman continued his strong play in the third quarter as the Grizzlies extended their lead to as large as 20 points. However, a 14-3 run led by Lebron James cut the Grizzlies’ lead back to single digits in the 3rd quarter. Thanks to some good plays from David Roddy, Luke Kennard, and Jackson, Memphis was able to push their lead back to 12 heading into the 4th.

The Grizzlies have had some struggles in the final period so far this season, and the Lakers were able to make it a game late due to some questionable foul calls late. The Grizzlies were able to weather the storm thanks to clutch free throws from Bane and Jackson and a big three-pointer from Dillon Brooks. Despite the late run from LA, the Grizzlies tied the series 1-1 with a 103-93 win.

Xavier Tillman Sr. – A++: 22 Points, 10-13 FG (1-2 3-PT), 13 Rebounds, 3 Assists

People like to make jokes about “legacy games,” but for Tillman; it was easily the best performance of his career. He started the game 5-5 from the field and did a fantastic job attacking Anthony Davis. He was efficient with his shot attempts and was much more aggressive after struggling in the first game. 

Defensively, Tillman was a huge reason why Davis was just 4-14 from the field tonight. He made it tough for Davis to get into the paint and forced him into contested shots from the mid-range. His most immense contribution, however, might have been on the boards. His 13 boards were huge for Memphis as they outrebounded the Lakers by two after losing that battle in the first game. It was a fantastic game for Tillman as he kept the Grizzlies alive as the series shifts to LA for game 3.

Jaren Jackson Jr. – B+: 18 Points, 5-12 FG, 9 Rebounds, 3 Blocks, 3 Assists, 1 Steal

Jackson received the first-ever Hakeem Olajuwon DPOY trophy today, and he played like every bit of a top defender in basketball today. He finished with three blocks and altered countless other shots at the rim. The rest of the Grizzlies team feeds off of his energy on that end, and it definitely showed as they held the Lakers to just 93 points. 

Offensively, he did not finish with another 30+ point game, but Jackson did an excellent job of drawing a lot of attention and made a few really good passes out of the post. Jaren finished with 18 points and did a good job of getting to the free-throw line making seven of his ten attempts, including some clutch ones near the end. The Lakers sold out trying to stop him after a big night on Sunday, and Jaren responded with another solid performance.

Desmond Bane – B-: 17 Points, 6-18 FG, 4 Rebounds, 1 Assist

Bane came out firing on all cylinders and was 5-7 from the field early. He was in foul trouble for most of the game and could not get back into a rhythm, but Bane came up clutch in the 4th quarter, going 4-4 from the free-throw line. Bane was also much better on defense, especially when it comes to contested shots on the perimeter, and was a big reason why the Grizzlies had a big turnaround when it came to allowing open threes after a poor performance in game one.

David Roddy, and Luke Kennard – A: 22 points, 6-11 3-PT

Kennard and Roddy were a combined 6-11 from behind the arc and accounted for most of the Grizzlies’ points off the bench on Wednesday. Roddy was also asked to guard Lebron when Brooks got into foul trouble and did an excellent job of making Lebron work to get good shots. Kennard was back to normal after a tough shooting night in game one, he made three of his four attempts from behind the arc, but the Grizzlies still need him to shoot even more.

Overall Grade: A

After losing Game One, the Grizzlies needed this win, and they delivered at home again. Memphis is now 5-0 in Game Two’s at FedEx Forum all-time and has a chance to steal back the home-court advantage by winning one of their next two games on the road. It also gives them a chance to get Morant back, as there will be another two-day break between games two and three. In a borderline must-win game, the Grizzlies stepped up and got it done.