Grizzlies vs Lakers recap
It seemed as though the team was struggling to adjust to the time difference in LA, and the Grizzlies looked sluggish for most of the first half. Once the guys got woken up in the second half, they quickly went to work erasing the lead that LA had built, and then that was pretty much that.
Marc Gasol woke up during the second half and finished out the night with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists, including 9/10 from the free throw line.
Mike Conley also closed out the night with 19 points, 2 rebounds, and 7 assists, and 6/6 from the stripe.
Whatever complaints I may have had early on about the caliber of play from our bench have been silenced for now, and it was our bench that got us back in this game against the Lakers. They put up a combined 31 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists. Quincy Pondexter led the bench in scoring with 8 points, followed by Kosta Koufos and Jon Leuer, with 6 points each.
The Los Angeles Lakers were once one of the most beloved franchises in all of the NBA, at one time one of the most formidable teams in the league. Watching what they have become as of late is heartbreaking on a number of levels.
Due to injuries and lack of cap space, the Lakers front office has been unable to surround Kobe Bryant with the talent to make one last run for another ring in his twilight years. The departure of Pau Gasol and the continued injured status of Steve Nash have left this Lakers team a shell of its former self
However the Lakers did make a few acquisitions this summer, picking up Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer, and former Grizzlies forward Ed Davis. It will remain to be seen how this configuration of players will fare this season, but in the brutal Western Conference, whatever impact the new additions bring this Lakers team will almost certainly not be enough to land even an 8th seed in the playoffs.
Alongside Kobe, Nick Young, Jordan Hill, Jeremy Lin, and Ronnie Price all gave a respectable effort and helped the Lakers hold a solid lead for a good portion of the game, but alas they were not enough to stop the dynamic force of nature that is this Memphis Grizzlies team.
Kobe Bryant finished with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, and 10/10 from the free throw line. Jeremy Lin scored 14 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, and shooting 4/6 from the free throw line.
Can we talk about Ed Davis for a minute? Was it just me, or did the former Grizzly seem like he was playing with a bit of a chip on his shoulder? He didn’t do much offensively Wednesday night, but he laid down a few defensive moves, and a few solid blocks in the first half.
Davis definitely has some talent, and to this day I think that Joerger should have played him in Game 7 against OKC. I hope he finds a solid role with the Lakers and I wish him nothing but the best, except of course when he is playing against the Grizzlies.
I think we all pretty much expected for the Grizzlies to win this game, so the outcome isn’t really surprising. Nonetheless, a win is a win, and makes a good start to this 3 game road trip. The Grizzlies will be in Portland on Friday to face the Blazers, and then on to Sacramento on Sunday to meet up again with a sure to be salty Kings team.
Final score: Grizzlies 99, Lakers 93
Doesn't bluff, stays grinding.
Bluff City Born and Memphis Made
- Memphis Grizzlies Assistant Coach Niele Ivey Named New Head Coach for Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Team - April 22, 2020
- Notes From Grizzlies Media Day 2019 - October 2, 2019
- Memphis Grizzlies 2019 Training Camp Roster - September 30, 2019
