Grizzlies and Wolves met for the first time since their clash in the last playoffs. And as in this first round, events turned to the advantage of the first, quiet winners of the Minnesota franchise (114-103). This meeting confirms the respective collective dynamics, namely the good rhythm of victories of the Grizzlies and the total poor form of the Wolves.
Rudy Gobert scored the first basket of the game, in “alley-oop”, on a pass from Anthony Edwards. The visitors then no longer led the score of the entire meeting. Chris Finch’s men chased the locals all the way, counting three possessions behind after a very offensive first period (72-63).
And when the pace slowed significantly thereafter, Minnesota failed to cast doubt on the Grizzlies whose game plan was better executed. Much more serious in defense in the second half, the locals started the last quarter with an even more comfortable margin (96-84). A lead that Ja Morant and his family will manage brilliantly to win without being scared.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Mastering the Grizzlies. Striking contrast between the second quarter where the two teams scored 72 points against only… 37 in total in the fourth. The explanation? The desire of Ja Morant and the Grizzlies to impose a very slow pace to develop their attack on placed play. With a clear desire to run the clock, on the throw-ins after basket cashed for example and on the ascents of the ball. Minnesota didn’t really like playing on that fake rhythm.
– Domination in the racket. Despite the presence of the Rudy Gobert – Karl-Anthony Towns twin towers, both still hampered by fouls, Wolves were dominated in the racket. By capturing twice as many offensive rebounds, and dominating this sector overall, the Grizzlies signed their new season record for second chance points. Clumsy at 3-pointers, they mostly scored 16 points more than Wolves in the opposing racket (62-46).
– The Wolves in the hard… While Memphis remains in the top three in the West, Minnesota occupies a sad 12th place in its conference. It was already their sixth defeat in seven games. To see if they will be able to react to Cleveland on Sunday. For the next match, in Orlando, it will be an absolute ban on losing for them.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Ja Morant. While the “KAT” has just missed a shot near the circle and is complaining to the referees because he did not get the whistle, Ja Morant does not ask himself any questions: he attacks inside Wolves with his left hand and ends right hand after a contortion in the air, causing especially the sixth fault of Karl-Atnhony Towns. This action three minutes from the end sums up their respective evenings well. Despite a lot of 3-point waste, the point guard was still the catalyst for his team.
✅ Anthony Edwards. The back had warned that the Wolves were going to react on this floor where they had played this first round lost. In the absence of a collective reaction, Anthony Edwards reassured on a personal level after two very average last outings. Clean at shooting, he finished with the only positive +/-… of his entire team.
⛔ D’Angelo Russell. It’s starting to smell really bad for him. Being one of the questions of this season, the leader missed his meeting. Sign that does not lie, Chris Finch preferred to do without him in the last moments, to trust Kyle Anderson in the lead.
⛔ Jaylen Nowell. More productive this season, the substitute back does not shine with his consistency this season. New illustration with this really missed outing (1/7 shooting) during which his team conceded 16 more points when he was in play, in just 11 minutes…
THE GRIZZLIES CELEBRATION
THE FOLLOWING
Grizzlies (9-4) : trip to Washington, Sunday.
Wolves (5-8) : trip to Cleveland, Sunday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crKTuKPQYgI
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