At the 7:27 Mark of the third quarter in last night’s game between the Grizzlies and Pistons, Detroit pulled ahead of Memphis by a score of 69-61. A few notable developments were a four minute stretch in which the Grizzlies did not score a point in the second quarter and the Pistons finding all sorts of success shooting at the rim. It looked as if Memphis may be on their way to one of their worst losses in recent memory.
However, it was at that point that the Grizzlies decided enough was enough. The defense locked in and the Desmond Bane went to work on one of the best individual offensive displays in Grizzlies franchise history. The end result was a 55-33 run for he rest of the game for Memphis, a 116-102 victory overall, and 49 points for Desmond Bane. While Bane’s defense deserves most of the recognition, the Grizzlies defensive adjustments in the second half also proved to be beneficial. Here are a few notable takeaways from a needed win.
Desmond Bane’s Career Night
In fact, it was the best offensive night a Grizzlies player has ever had outside of Ja Morant. Bane scored 49 points on 19-31 shooting, including four threes and seven free throws. He also contributed 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and three “stocks” on the defensive in. It truly was one of the top five overall games a player has had in Grizzlies franchise history.
Bane became just the fourth player over the past decade to have at least 30 points, 3 boards, 3 assists, and 3 threes made while shooting 75% from the field in a single half (min. 15 FGA). Without a doubt, Bane produced the best proof to date that he truly is worth consideration for his first All-Star nod. His numbers are more than enough to earn the honor, and hopefully some more wins for the Grizzlies will continue to make his resume stronger.
Defense Showing Up
Entering the game against the Pistons, Memphis was the best defense in the league in terms of guarding the rim. The Pistons were 26th in the league in FG% at the rim. So of course, in the first half of the game, Detroit was 15-20 at the rim and 18-27 over all on field goals inside the arc. This allowed for Detroit to get the lead in the second quarter and keep through the first half of the third quarter.
However, that is when the Grizzlies defense lock in. After going 18-27 inside the arc in the first half, the Pistons were only 10-29 from inside the arc in the second half of the game, scoring just 33 points over the last 19+ minutes of the contest. While the offense struggled, Desmond Bane took over the game to will the Grizzlies to a victory. However, at least when it mattered most, the Grizzlies defense also did its job.
Contrasting Styles Create Critical Value
When looking at the skill sets of Jaylen Nowell and John Konchar, it is pretty obvious that the value they bring to the court is done in different ways. Nowell is a natural scorer and ball-handler, offering good self-creation and offense at times. Konchar is jack-of-all trades contributor who can offer value in multiple ways outside of scoring. For the Grizzlies, the big key was that the strengths of Nowell and Konchar both were needed to get the win.
Nowell contributed 12 points, 4 assists, and a steal while shooting 6-8 from the field. Konchar produced 9 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Konchar was a +22 and Nowell was a +8, as the Grizzlies bench proved to be much more productive than the Pistons. This allowed the Grizzlies to keep the game close as they were struggling in the second and third quarters, and then helped Memphis pull away later in the game. While Jaren Jackson Jr., Bane, and the defense are big reasons for the Grizzlies starting to put some wins together, the Grizzlies bench has continued to find plenty of success as well to help play better basketball at all times.