The Grizzlies also know how to win without Ja Morant. In their first game after the point guard’s injury, the Memphis side managed not only to beat the Kings, but also to do so in an enormously forceful 128-101. Those from Tennessee passed over the Californians from start to finish, recovering in the best possible way from the loss of their star and showing that they have many more weapons.
The locals were ahead from start to finish, and their lead did not stop growing until they turned the crash into a real beating. At halftime, the Grizzlies were already leading by no less than 24 points (76-52), but in the third quarter the distance continued to grow until they reached 37 points difference (98-61) that marked the maximum advantage of the game and made It was obviously going to be a quiet night for the Jenkins people. From there, the Kings managed to make up the final result slightly, but the damage had already been done.
Memphis had five men in double digits, among whom the most prominent was Dillon Brooks with 21 points, followed by Desmond Bane’s 18 and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 17, who also grabbed 9 rebounds. For their part, Brandon Clarke and De’Anthony Melton added 15 and 14 goals respectively from the bench, helping the second unit not to slow down.
At the Kings, few men had a chance to stand out, as Gentry quickly delivered the shock as the gap skyrocketed. No starter exceeded 24 minutes on the court, which, added to the low shooting percentages caused by the good defensive work of the Grizzlies, meant that the top scorer for the Californians, Buddy Hield, did not exceed 14 points. Terence Davis, with 13, was second in this facet for Sacramento, who stayed at 34% in field shots, their worst data of the season.
Morant avoids serious injury
At the end of the meeting, Taylor Jenkins was asked about Morant’s situation. The coach assured that the point guard will have to be out of the team for a few weeks, but he was satisfied with the fact that he has avoided a serious injury to a joint as delicate as the knee.
“We are very grateful that he was able to avoid a serious injury. You will be able to fully recover without this problem having any long-term consequences, “he assured.
(Cover photo: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
