Road woes are no stranger to the Memphis Grizzlies. While an 8-2 record in the last 10 games is clearly a good thing, seven of those eight wins came at home, where Memphis is elite. On the other hand, the Grizzlies’ road record isn’t anything to celebrate. It would take an efficient team effort to leave Chicago with a win.
1st Quarter
After a sloppy offensive start for both teams, Ja Morant found Xavier Tillman down low for the first two points of the game. Desmond Bane extended the early lead with a transition triple and a couple of free throws. The Grizzlies’ defense was really stifling Chicago in the first few minutes. Alex Caruso’s three at the 8:03 mark in the 1st quarter was the Bulls’ first made field goal in nine tries. But Ja Morant answered with an old-fashioned three-point-play thanks to a smooth floater in the lane and the foul-shot.
Memphis led 10-5 with 7:07 in the first.
Following a Nikola Vucevic finish at the rim, Santi Aldama found Ja Morant for the alley-oop. Memphis was starting to find its rhythm offensively going on a 10-2 run capped off by back-to-back triples from Dillon Brooks and 12.
But Chicago answered with a 10-0 run of its own. Memphis still led 22-21.
Then Memphis caught fire from deep.
Cool Hand Luke started a 14-2 run with re-locate triple. But Luke had company from unlikely suspects. Dillon Brooks hit two threes and assisted an Xavier Tillman lay-up before Big Body Roddy finished the run with a trey of his own.
The Grizzlies closed the 1st quarter with a 36-25 lead.
2nd Quarter
Tyus Jones picked up where the Grizz left off a three from the wing. But Chicago found some offense and cut the lead to 7. Once again though, Memphis answered with a 19-4 run extending the lead to 22, 58-36. Credit Desmond Bane for his improved finishing at the rim and Jaren Jackson Jr. for timely threes that gave Memphis its biggest lead of the game.
Zach Lavine finally put a tiny band-aid over Chicago’s wounds only for Luke Kennard to rip it off with his second three of the game. But in the NBA, no lead is safe. Memphis still had to close out the half strong. Though Memphis hit some shots to end the half, Chicago entered halftime with some momentum only down 15, 68-53.
Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Desmond Bane all had double-digit points as the Grizzlies were a scorching 13-25 from three. Memphis also owned the glass with a 27-17 advantage on the boards.
This was cool too.
3rd Quarter
Desmond Bane continued to show off his improved finishing with a lay-up to start the 2nd half. However, it was the Chicago Bulls who started well cutting the Grizzly lead to 10. Another Jaren triple helped halt the momentum but only temporarily. Back-to-back buckets from Zach Lavine cut the Memphis lead to single digits. To make things worse, Jaren Jackson Jr. was called for his 4th foul with 7:48 in the 3rd. Then Chicago scored six straight points, and the Grizzlies only led by four, 76-72.
What did I say earlier? No lead is safe in the NBA.
Memphis needed a gift to find its groove. Thankfully Santi Claus delivered with a corner three off a Ja Morant find. Then DB hit a triple from the wing to push the lead to nine. This was short-lived though as Chicago went on a massive run to take the lead 93-84 at the end of the 3rd. Poor offensive execution and lackadaisical defense cost Memphis big time.
4th Quarter
Not much went right to start the quarter beside a Jaren Jackson finish as the Bulls extended their lead to 13. Like in the 3rd, he picked up a costly foul at an awful time. But Coach Jenkins kept JJJ in the game with five fouls and 10 minutes to play. With Memphis down 11, this was a gamble that needed to be taken.
It didn’t matter though. Chicago kept its foot on the pedal. Memphis couldn’t shoot a basketball in the ocean. Desmond Bane finally changed that with a three. Then a 6th foul on Jaren was overturned, and he followed that with two free throws. After Coby White missed a wide-open lay-up, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. capitalized with two triples.
Perhaps Memphis found its lifeline. Chicago’s lead was just three with 6:37 left, 101-104.
But the Bulls gave the Grizzlies the Dikembe finger-wag and went on an 11-0 run.
Even an electric Ja Morant slam couldn’t send life through the squad.
The last few minutes were tough to watch. Memphis got blown out in the windy city, 128-107.
Up next, the Portland Trail Blazers come to FedEx Forum Tuesday, April 4 at 7pm.