Grizzlies fall victim to the Wizards hot-streak, Bradley Beal is pretty good
The Grizzlies fell victim to the Wizards home-court dominance Wednesday night. Behind Otto Porter and John Wall, Washington won the inter-conference matchup 104-101.
Another night, another few hours of the most anxiety-filled basketball in all the land. What you call a second-half comeback, I call a casual evening with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Washington jumped out to a quick lead, holding the upper hand for the entirety of the game. Leading by 19 points towards the end of the first half, the Wizards were able extend their home winning streak to 13 games,
First Half
Coming into the game, the Grizzlies ranked third in the NBA in opponent scoring average (99.1), but the Wizards are trending upwards in the “really hot start” category. The Grit ‘N’ Grind mentality must have been left in the locker room – Memphis gave up 66 points in the first half.
John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter were key contributors to the Wizards 55% field-goal percentage in the first half, each scoring in double digits. Porter came alive in the first quarter, shooting and connecting on his first four 3-pointers.
Second Half
Warning: you are now entering the rollercoaster of emotion that is the second half of Grizzlies basketball games.
To kick-off the second half, Chandler Parsons reminded the world that he is, in fact, still alive. His immediate 3-pointer, followed with a nice assist and two free-throws gave the Grizzlies a much-needed boost. Parsons reached his minutes restriction shortly after, obviously frustrated.
A 15-point Wizards lead shrunk to six by the end of the third quarter – a signal of hope for the struggling Grizzlies.
You know the 80/20 rule? Where you accomplish 80-percent of your tasks in 20-percent of your time? That sums up the fourth quarter for Memphis, who failed to make a field goal until the five-minute mark. The Grizzlies started the quarter 0-for-11, following that with a 10-0 run that would bring them within two.
Enter: John Wall.
The Wizards superstar extended the lead, putting the game out of reach for any and all players not named Vince Carter. The 39-year-old’s 3-pointer brought the Memphis within three points.
The Grizzlies went on to secure a jump-ball, but James Ennis’s game-tying three fell short.
So, who did what?
Marc Gasol led the way for Memphis, scoring 29 points and dishing seven assists. He played a team-high 39 minutes. Mike Conley added 20 points and six assists. JaMychal Green added another double-double to his resume, dropping 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Vince Carter slipped into double digits as well, with 12 points.
John Wall and Otto Porter Jr. scored 25 a piece to lead all Wizards scorers. Porter was much more effective, shooting 75-percent from both the field and downtown. Wall handed out 13 assists, good for a double-double. Markieff Morris also double doubled – 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Looking Forward
Wednesday night’s loss pushes the Grizzlies record to 25-19. Luckily, there’s cushion between Memphis and the eighth place Nuggets (17-23) – but seventh place isn’t ideal.
The Grizz return home for a three-game stand, where the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors all plan to kick Memphis while they’re down.
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