Kenneth Lofton Jr., Grizzlies Defeat Bulls 87-77

The Grizzlies opened up their Las Vegas summer league campaign with a game against the Bulls. After going 2-1 in Salt Lake City, the Grizzlies looked to carry some of that momentum into the next few weeks. It was a star-studded affair as both current and former Grizzlies were in town to catch the action.

The Grizzlies got off to a slow start, but thanks to Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Jake LaRavia they quickly erased an early deficit. The Grizzlies would go on to make six threes in the first quarter, the last one being a buzzer beater from Frankie Ferrari to give them a seven point lead.

The Bulls would make a run early in the second quarter led by Javon Freeman-Liberty and Dalen Terry, who finished the first half with 13 and 10 points respectively. At halftime the Grizzlies led by two with a balanced attack as seven different players scored, led by Lofton with 8 points.  

The Bulls would regain the lead early in the third quarter, and it would be a back-and-forth affair for much of the second half. Neither team was able to create a lot of separation on the scoreboard as the teams traded runs. Heading into the 4th quarter the game was tied at 61 and shaping up for a good finish.

Down the stretch, it was Lofton Jr. controlling the offense for the Grizzlies. He would finish with a team high 23 points. Two huge three pointers from GG Jackson in the fourth quarter extended the Grizzlies’ lead to eight with 41 seconds left, and they would go on to win 87 to 77.

Defense and transition game

One of the best parts of the Grizzlies’ game today was their ability to force turnovers, block shots and score in transition. They finished today’s game with 12 steals, 9 blocks, and 27 points off turnovers: beating Chicago in all three categories. The easy baskets in transition were ultimately the reason the Grizzlies came away with a victory.

Three point shooting

The Grizzlies have done a good job of scoring from behind the arc all summer, and they got off to another strong start today. They didn’t have their best night overall, but they still made 13 from behind the arc including clutch threes down the stretch. All in all, it’s clear that the deep ball will be a big part of the Grizzlies’ offense this summer.

Playing in the clutch 

Down the stretch it was clear the Grizzlies were more composed and controlled on the offensive end. That is a great sign for a team of mostly first and second year players regardless of the opponent. Lofton, Jackson, LaRavia, and Jacob Gilyard all made big shots in the fourth to seal the deal on the Grizzlies’ first win in Las Vegas.