The FedExForum crowd was electric as the Memphis Grizzlies took a 29-point lead in the second quarter of Game 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 24.
This time, it was the Grizzlies’ turn to deliver the punishment after OKC won the first two games of the series by a combined 70 points.
Not so fast.
The Thunder rallied in the second half and erased the gigantic deficit. They tied the game early in the fourth quarter, and then it was a battle to the end.
The Thunder pulled it out late, defeating the Grizzlies 114-108 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
The potential elimination game in the first-round series is scheduled for April 26 at FedExForum (2:30 p.m. CT, TNT).
A strong start in Memphis
The Grizzlies came out and delivered the first punch against OKC. Memphis scored 40 points in the first quarter and led by 26 points at halftime.
That play was sparked by the duo of Ja Morant and Scotty Pippen Jr. Morant had 15 points and five assists in the first half, and Pippen had his best shooting night of the season.
Pippen made a season-high five 3-pointers in the first half and finished the game with 28 points and six 3-pointers.
Ja Morant injury
The momentum in Memphis was momentarily halted after Morant fell hard on the floor late in the second quarter. He left the game with a hip injury and did not return.
Playing without Morant against a defense that pressures the ball like OKC proved to be a challenge. The Thunder ramped up the intensity and quickly cut the Grizzlies’ 26-point lead in half in the first seven minutes of the third quarter.
To put Morant’s injury in perspective, he still tied the team with the lead in assists despite leaving the game in the first half.
Lack of creators dooms Memphis
Morant being out put the Grizzlies in an unexpected position. The Grizzlies struggled to get good offensive looks in the fourth quarter as their lead quickly vanished.
OKC tied the game 99-99 before Memphis went on a quick 6-0 run. Thunder quickly responded with aggressive defense.
The Thunder was able to expose a notable issue in the Grizzlies’ best available players. In Desmond Bane, Memphis has a shooting guard who is a sound secondary playmaker, but he has graded out as below average in isolation scoring metrics. He finished the game with 10 points on 3-for-13 shooting.
Jackson thrives as an isolation scorer, but he has struggled as a playmaker throughout his career. He mustered just two assists despite consistent double teams thrown his way from the Thunder.
Both of those areas of weakness were exposed by OKC late in the fourth quarter.
What’s next
Game 4 is April 26 at FedExForum (2:30 p.m. CT, TNT).
Many eyes will be on the availability of Morant. The Grizzlies star returned the bench on crutches in the fourth quarter.
Memphis will be attempting to fight off being swept. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history.
If Morant can return for Game 4, Memphis should feel good about its chances of staying alive. If Morant is out, the second half showed that it could be tough sledding for Memphis.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
