The stage was set for a Game 6 in Los Angeles following a dominant Memphis Grizzlies Game 5 win in Memphis at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies have thrived all season with their backs against the wall. That showed on Wednesday night in game five.
Back on the road, where this team has struggled all season long, could the Grizzlies prolong their 2022-23 season, and force a Game 7 on Sunday?
First Quarter:
A tale of two different starts to a basketball game. The Grizzlies started the game with a solid sense of urgency. Following a 9-6 start, here came the Lakers. It all happened so fast, as the Grizzlies missed easy shots at the rim, lacked rebounding urgency. Memphis shot 3/6 from the free-throw line in the first quarter and was out rebounded. Trailing the Lakers 31-20 heading to the second quarter. Memphis was looking to do something no team had done at all in this series… Rally and win trailing after the first quarter.
Second Quarter:
The second quarter was one to forget, and overall was a definition of the inconsistencies that the Grizzlies had shown in this series on the road. Lack of a fight back when taking a punch on the road was something that would be a black eye hovering over this 2022-23 Grizzlies team, if tonight was their final fight.
The Grizzlies shot 32 percent from the field in the first half, where the Lakers shot 60 percent. The Grizzlies were getting beat in areas they normally thrive in such as fast break points and rebounds. Memphis was outscored substantially in the first half, and honestly felt like it should be more than 17 points at the half. The Grizzlies went into halftime with their season on the line trailing Los Angeles 59-42.
Third Quarter:
The third quarter felt like the nail in the coffin in the Grizzlies season. Memphis was outscored 41-25 in the third quarter, and Lakers just outperformed a team that was just out manned. The Grizzlies struggled to space the floor, and it showed as they trailed the Lakers big time heading into the final frame of their season.
Fourth Quarter:
The fourth quarter was really a story of looking back at was the 2022-23 season as a whole. Such a roller coaster ride of a year. As the youngsters got up and down in the fourth quarter, this loss didn’t hit different. It honestly felt right in a way. A group that needed to feel this defeat, and hadn’t really disappointed a lot over the last four years, had their moments this season.
As the Crypto Arena crowd rejoiced, the Grizzlies fan base looked forward to an off-season that would most likely involve improvement from outside the organization. The Grizzlies would end their season in a 125-85 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6.