The Memphis Grizzlies ended a three-game slide on Tuesday night when they defeated the Chicago Bulls 104-89 at FedEx Forum. The game showcased the Grizzlies’ young and talented duo, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., who dominated the court with their impressive performance. Morant led the team with a whopping 34 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. He was the driving force behind the Grizzlies’ offensive attack, orchestrating their plays and keeping the ball moving.
The four-year point guard was unstoppable as he aggressively attacked the rim and finished with several highlight-reel plays. The supporting cast around Morant and Jackson also had exceptional performances in Tuesday’s win. Desmond Bane chipped in with 17 points, and Brandon Clark added another 13 points along with 13 rebounds.
Before the win over Chicago, Memphis had issues closing out teams in the second half of games. That wasn’t the case against Chicago; Memphis outscored Chicago 32-14 in the fourth quarter. There was a moment in the game when Grizzlies fans thought they were on the verge of another second-half collapse. The indicators were there as the Bulls’ Zach Levine and his teammate Nikola Vucevic combined for 52 points and 22 rebounds.
However, the Grizzlies would lock in and put those worries to rest. Chicago’s poor shooting in the second half led to their downfall in the fourth quarter. The victory over the Bulls was the type of win fans are accustomed to seeing from Memphis. They dominate the boards and attack the basket aggressively, along with sound defense for all four quarters. Morant believes the team is back to the levels they once were before the losing streak started, from a defensive standpoint.
“These recent games, we’ve been giving up too many layups and stuff at the rim. Second-chance points,” Morant said. “We were back to pretty much our defense late and able to execute on the other end.” Small forward Dillon Brooks returned to action after being suspended for one game because of an altercation between him and the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell last Thursday. His return yielded less than stellar results. He played 35 minutes, scored only five points, and had one rebound. I wouldn’t dig too much into why Brooks struggled last night against Chicago. Players can have off performances on any given night.
Latest Trade Rumors
The latest from the trade deadline front is that the Grizzlies and the Pelicans are bidding to acquire the Toronto Raptors’ small forward, O.G. Anunoby. Nothing has been official yet. The Grizzlies will have until February 9 to acquire players through the trade route.
What Lies Ahead?
The Grizzlies are off for two days and will return to action on Friday night when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota won the previous matchup over Memphis 111-100.
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