Grizzlies claw back from 26 down, beat Wolves in Game 3

Desmond Bane made seven 3-pointers, had 26 factors and the Memphis Grizzlies overcame a 26-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-95 on Thursday evening for a 2-1 lead within the first-round playoff collection.

Brandon Clarke scored 16 of his 20 factors within the second half for Memphis, and Ja Morant had a quiet triple-double with 16 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Tyus Jones hit two dagger 3-pointers in opposition to his former crew down the stretch, and the Grizzlies seized again home-court benefit. They surprised a Wolves crew that gained Recreation 1 on the street 130-117, however took an unsightly 124-96 loss in Recreation 2.

Recreation 4 is on Saturday evening in Minneapolis.

D’Angelo Russell had 22 factors and eight assists as the important thing driver of a third-quarter surge for the Wolves that pushed the lead again to 23 factors, however he went 0 for 3 and was scoreless within the fourth. Karl-Anthony Cities, Minnesota’s different max-contract participant, had one other clunker with eight factors.

On this compelling matchup of Western Convention rivals with comparable temperaments, fast-paced offenses and younger star guards in Morant and Anthony Edwards, yet one more recreation swung wildly forwards and backwards between the 2 sides earlier than the Grizzlies flashed their moxie for the most important comeback playoff victory in franchise historical past.

After taking a 47-21 lead early within the second quarter with a deafening roar within the 32-year-old downtown area because the soundtrack, the Wolves have been outscored 15-0 over the ultimate 5:45 of the second quarter by a Grizzlies crew that is been grappling with the identical postseason inexperience and emotional immaturity leading to dangerous shot choice and silly, avoidable fouls.

After the NBA’s highest-scoring crew made solely 30 subject objectives in Recreation 2 to match a season low, the Wolves hit solely 33 in Recreation 3. They went 8:34 of recreation time between the second and third quarters and not using a basket till Russell swished a 3.

Jones, who grew up within the Twin Cities and was drafted by the Timberwolves the identical 12 months as Cities, hit a 3-pointer to provide the Grizzlies their first lead at 86-85. Memphis by no means trailed once more.

SMALL TOWNS

Cities solely made one journey to the foul line with simply six factors over the ultimate three quarters of Recreation 2, and after coach Chris Finch implored him to play a “cleaner recreation” the two-time All-Star heart struggled once more. Cities picked up his fifth foul with 9:24 left and spent a lot of the fourth quarter on the bench.

SAME ENERGY

The Goal Middle crowds got here to life round midseason when Russell referred to as the followers out for being too quiet, and these long-exasperated backers of one of many NBA’s worst-performing franchises have been as much as the duty for simply the third playoff recreation right here within the final 18 years.

The Wolves took a 12-0 lead, earlier than Bane lastly put the Grizzlies on the board with a 3, because the “Protection!” chants ramped up a number of decibel ranges and took on a deeper that means. They might hardly do any unsuitable for the primary quarter-hour of recreation time, as evidenced by Beverley’s tip-in of his personal miss for a 49-28 lead halfway by way of the second quarter.

He slipped as he drove towards the lane, saved his dribble alive from a near-seated place and flung a determined floater on the basket.

HARD SHIFT

The Grizzlies used a 23-4 run over the ultimate 10:28 of the second quarter to make a recreation of this. Russell was referred to as for a cost with 3:21 to go on his drive and banked-in layup that might’ve given the Wolves a 17-point lead. The problem by Finch was for naught, and the Wolves missed three 3-pointers and a layup over the remainder of the half.

TIP-INS

Grizzlies: Kyle Anderson began for the Grizzlies rather than Steven Adams, who was dominated by Cities in Recreation 1 and performed solely 3 minutes in Recreation 2. Adams did not go away the bench. Anderson had 4 factors in 26 minutes. … Jaren Jackson Jr. scored simply six factors and had 5 fouls.

Timberwolves: Edwards had 19 factors and 7 rebounds in 40 minutes. … Russell went 5 for 22 from the sector within the first two video games. He was 9 for 21 in Recreation 3.

OH, DAD

Cities and Morant every had their fathers cheering them on from courtside seats once more — and this time the 2 mates have been proper subsequent to one another. Tee Morant watched by way of designer sun shades beneath a black bucket hat. Karl Cities, who wore a darkish blue Timberwolves hat and a black KN95 masks, at one level helped the world hype males by tossing a few T-shirts into the group throughout a timeout.