Memphis, Jan. 19 (BNA): Desmond Bane scored 25 points, Ja Morant 24 and the Memphis Grizzlies won their 11th straight game to match the franchise record by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-114 on Wednesday night.
Stephen Adams managed to score the winning goal with 16 seconds left in the match. Adams was in a position to knock Morant down.
“(Adams) has been doing what he’s been doing all season…running the boards,” Morant said. “We got the win.”
Dillon Brooks preserved the win by blocking Garland’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer, the Associated Press reports.
“I just wanted to hold on to[Garland],” Brooks said of the final seconds. “He tried to step on my side and take a shot, but I got the block.”
Cleveland was led by Darius Garland with 24 points and 14 assists, Caris LeVert scored 23 points and Evan Mobley added 18 points and 15 rebounds. Cleveland played without scoring leader Donovan Mitchell due to a strained left thigh.
“It was really fun,” Garland said. “The fans got involved. Everyone was competing at a high level. We couldn’t get the result we wanted.”
Memphis (31-13) set a franchise scoring record last season during roughly the same time of year (December 26, 2021 to January 13, 2022). The Grizzlies also scored 115 or more points for the 11th straight game.
The Grizzlies led by seven at the half, but the Cavaliers stayed close throughout the third quarter and grabbed the lead, at 91-89, in the final seconds on a 3-pointer by Lamar Stephens.
In the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies quickly built a six-point lead after a 3-pointer from Bane, but the Cavs responded 9-0. He stayed close for the last seven minutes of the match.
“We put ourselves in a great position,” Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff said. “They made one more play than we did.”
Tip-ins
Cavaliers: Cleveland is 13-4 this season when Jarrett Allen has a double. He had 14 points and eight rebounds.
Grizzlies: Morant went to the locker room late in the first quarter after getting hit in the back of the neck on the way to the rim. He returned to the bench a few minutes later and entered the game again in the second quarter.
next one
Cavaliers: Host Golden State Friday night.
Grizzlies: at the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.