Arms and Johnson ignite Hustle bounce-back win in an overtime thriller.

The Memphis Hustle flipped the script in a Friday night thriller versus the Austin Spurs, as they successfully reclaimed the feeling of victory. A game that once again started off very slow for the Hustle was completely turned around in the fourth quarter by the charges of Adonis Arms and David Johnson, which ultimately propelled the Hustle to a come-from-behind victory in overtime.

The Hustle came into Friday night’s matchup having lost two straight games, including four of their last five, as they continue to navigate through the waves of this season. Memphis started the night slow and ultimately fell behind 83-71 through the first three quarters as they tried to establish a flow to their game while simultaneously trying to contain David Duke Jr., who has recently inked his 2-way contact with the San Antonio Spurs, as he lit them up for 27 points on the evening. The Hustle have had issues with either opening or closing games this season, and tonight was no exception as they struggled to get momentum for the first three quarters of the game. The fourth quarter charge was initiated by Adonis Arms and David Johnson as they went back and forth with three-point bombs to slither their way back into a game that appeared to be in control by the Spurs, but once those guys got rolling, it was a field day for the Hustle squad.

There were plenty of upsides for the Hustle tonight besides just winning. They also got solid contributions from nearly every single guy who hit the floor. The team has found themselves in quite a few instances this season where they either hope or rely on a guy to get hot or takeover a game, and for the first time in a while, it seemed like the team was locked in as a unit and every single red jersey was on their A-game. I typically highlight a few key performances in these articles with a stat line or few, but tonight every player legitimately played their role, and the paper will prove it, so shoutout to the squad for performing amazingly as a team.

This officially concludes 2023 Showcase Cup play for the Hustle this season as they finish 5-9 (3-4 at home) to wrap up the cup. The official season tips off on December 27, 2023, against the Indiana Mad Ants in Indianapolis, Indiana. Cup play for the Hustle this season was definitely a learning experience for all sides involved. As I have said before, this is a very transitional period for this Memphis squad. The Grizzlies have been very reliant on their two-way guys this season; there were off-season trades, players from last year got signed to guaranteed NBA deals, and there were also new rookies added to the equation. Everything about this season is fresh and new, and it’s going to take time to adapt. The cup also kind of throws off play for teams as well. Contrary to a normal schedule, the cup forces you to play teams locked to your division numerous times over the span of two months, which limits you from being able to gain opportunities and experience from playing other teams. It’s essentially almost like starting your season with the playoffs… because it kind of is?

I expect this Hustle team to take the next few days to recuperate, refocus, and rewire as they lock in to take on the regular season. I have high expectations for this squad regardless of what the cup record was because I don’t believe it is reflective or indicative of who this squad is or what they’re about. We have a very talented young bunch, and I know that they’re just as excited as we are about this season.