NBA: Grizzlies keep their season alive as they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-99 to force Game 6
The Grizzlies keep their season alive by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 116-99 to force Game 6… but LeBron James and Co. still lead with a narrow 3-2 lead
Desmond Bane had 33 points and 10 rebounds, Ja Morant added 31 points and 10 boards, and the Memphis Grizzlies avoided elimination Wednesday night, beating the Lakers 116-99 to force their first-round Western Conference series back to Los Angeles.
Jars Jackson Jr., the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who improved to 5-0 in Game 5s played in Memphis and cut the seventh-seeded Lakers series lead to 3- 2. Memphis earned a second straight No. 2 by posting the NBA’s best home record at 35–6.
Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles.
LeBron James started 1 of 7 from the field but finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, a modest follow-up after the 38-year-old played 45 minutes in Monday night’s overtime win in Los Angeles to become the oldest player in NBA history who posts at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in his 270th playoff game.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 rebounds. Austin Reaves had 17 points and D’Angelo Russell scored 11. Davis stayed on the field for a few seconds on a layup with 6:01 left that put the Lakers within 106-91. When he stood up, Davis grabbed his back as he walked across the field.
The Memphis Grizzlies kept their season alive with a 116-99 victory over the LA Lakers
The Lakers tried to rally and ran 20-7 in the fourth inning. They couldn’t get closer than 12, the last on a Davis putback with 2:52 left. Memphis replied with eight in a row to get fans singing “Whoop That Trick” with about 90 seconds left.
Memphis was leading only 23-20 when coach Taylor Jenkins knocked out Dillon Brooks, more famous for calling James old and missing shots than his defense in this series. The Grizzlies seized control to finish on a 15-4 run capped by Bane’s 3 just before the quarter ended for a 38-24 lead.
The Grizzlies led by as many as 17 in the second with Morant scoring 10, including a foul on James for a three-point play. Memphis led 61-52 at halftime.
Russell scored the first eight of the third for the Lakers to quickly make it a tight game. James, who had nine in the third, hit a pair of free throws that put Los Angeles within 75-74 with 4:36 left.
Memphis took control with a 26-2 run that lasted until the top of the fourth inning. Morant had 11 in the third and finished the quarter with back-to-back buckets. His final drive put the Grizzlies 94-76 en route to fourth.
More to follow.