Quick Recap: Desmond Bane and Ja Morant combine for 64, Grizzlies force game six

After losing a heartbreaker in overtime, the Grizzlies returned home with their season on the line and a 3-1 deficit. Early on, it was clear that the Grizzlies were playing for their playoff lives, as they came out with great intensity on both ends of the floor. Desmond Bane and Ja Morant led the Grizzlies early, combining for 22 points in the 1st quarter. The Lakers would hang around early thanks to some great play from Anthony Davis, but Memphis closed the quarter on a 10-0 run with a three from Bane giving them a 14-point lead.

The Lakers would fight back in the 2nd quarter, led mostly by Austin Reaves, who got it going from behind the arc and the free throw line. Near the end of the third quarter, it was some big plays from Morant that got them back on track. First, he caught a lob over Lebron that was one of the more impressive plays of his young career.

Then he dunked over Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr. simultaneously on this putback dunk.

Despite the highlights, the Lakers had still cut the Grizzlies’ lead to just nine points after trailing by as many as 17. Bane and Morant led the way with 21 and 18 points, respectively for Memphis, while Davis and Reaves led the Lakers with 28 combined.

It was a good run for Los Angeles to end the half, and they continued their great play early in the third quarter. A three-pointer from D’Angelo Russell cut the Grizzlies’ lead down to just one. However, the Grizzlies responded with big buckets from Morant and Bane, a Jaren Jackson Jr. three-pointer, and a big three from Santi Aldama got the Grizzlies back in rhythm. A tough Morant finish over Davis would extend the Grizzlies’ lead to 18 heading into the 4th quarter.

The Grizzlies would extend their lead to as much as 25 in the 4th quarter, but the Lakers would make another run and make it a game late. But the Grizzlies could make the plays needed down the stretch and extend the series. Now they will travel to Los Angeles, where they are 0-2, needing a win to force a game seven back in Memphis on Sunday.

The Backcourt Duo

Desmond Bane and Ja Morant came out on a mission offensively, which got the Grizzlies off to a great start. For the first time in this series, the Grizzlies’ backcourt were both aggressive and efficient all night. They combined for 64 points on 53% shooting in a performance that saved the Grizzlies’ season. It was clear that Taylor Jenkins told the Grizzlies to push the pace and attack the rim relentlessly; the backcourt duo did just that and kept Los Angeles on their heels all night.

Fixing Early struggles

The Grizzlies trailed at the end of the first quarter in three of the first four games and lost every time. Coming out strong and setting the tone with strong play, especially on defense, gave the Grizzlies great energy for the rest of the game. They held the Lakers to just 24 first-quarter points and held them to 1-8 shooting from behind the arc. Their defense and better shooting on the other end gave them a big lead.

The Luke Kennard effect

Kennard only had 6 points and left the game in the 4th quarter with a shoulder injury, but having him on the court helped the Grizzlies’ offense greatly. The Grizzlies were a +26 with Kennard on the floor, and the extra spacing allowed Morant and Bane to have much more room to attack. The Lakers were leaving Dillon Brooks wide open, and it was causing everything to be clogged up; having a guy that the Lakers can’t help off of completely changes their defensive strategy. If Kennard is healthy, expect to see much more of him going forward.