With 3 of the 5 starters out from the previous night’s victory against the Orlando Magic, Ja Morant and the depleted Memphis Grizzlies could not keep up with Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Clippers, losing 141-132, ending their seven-game win streak.
First Quarter:
After allowing the Clippers to start the game on a 5-0 run, Memphis started getting into a stride, scoring 18 straight unanswered points, with Dillon Brooks starting to knock down some jumpers — something that he has struggled with recently, hitting two shots from downtown. Memphis dared point guard Russell Westbrook to shoot the three-pointer, which he capitalized on, scoring 15 points and making three treys, which helped him get into a flow and take over. By the end of the first, with four rookies playing significant minutes and with multiple starters out, the Grizzlies somehow found themselves up a point 30-29.
Second Quarter:
With Morant not in the game to start the second, there was a clear emphasis on ball movement, with the team’s first three baskets of the period all coming off of assists, which set the tone for when he entered later in the frame. Dillon Brooks continued to find the bottom of the net, scoring 9 points in the quarter, but with Westbrook continuing to emulate his playing days in Oklahoma City, Memphis was down 70-64 at the half.
Third Quarter:
Some sloppy playing by Memphis led to their deficit ballooning, allowing the Clippers to go up as much as 12 at one point. A flashy Ja Morant pass leading to a Santi Aldama floater with less than seven minutes left in the third energized the team, which led to the All-Star taking over. He scored 16 points in the rest of the quarter, helping the Grizzlies get firmly back into the game and even taking a lead at one point. After three at the buzzer by Morant, the teams were tied at 105.
Fourth Quarter:
The start of the fourth quarter was a battle between the Clippers reserves and the Grizzlies rookies. Jake Laravia, David Roddy, and Kennedy Chandler were making plays to help combat the hot shooting from Robert Covington and Bones Hyland. When some of the starters for both teams came in with a little less than seven minutes left in the game, Westbrook continued his dominance, eclipsing his season-high in the quarter with 36 points for the night. Despite a strong effort, Ja Morant and the shorthanded Grizzlies were not enough, losing 141-132 to the Clippers.
There will be a rematch between these 2 teams on Friday.