The Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday erased a 26-point deficit to stun the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-95 and take a 2-1 lead in their NBA playoff series.
Down 26 points in the second quarter and 25 with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left in the third, the Grizzlies held their nerve in Minneapolis, outscoring the Timberwolves 37-12 in the fourth quarter to match the fourth-largest comeback in NBA playoff history.
“It’s an emotional victory — coming from being down a lot,” said Desmond Bane, who led the Grizzlies with 26 points.
Photo: AP
However, he said that there was still a lot of work to do in the best-of-seven Western Conference series.
“We’ve got to keep our heads,” Bane said. “It’s first to four.”
Elsewhere, the Golden State Warriors were closing in on those four needed victories, taking a 3-0 stranglehold in their series with a 118-113 victory over the Nuggets in Denver, Colorado.
In Salt Lake City, Utah, the Mavericks weathered a late surge from the Jazz for a 126-118 victory that gave Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
However, the Grizzlies produced the most astonishing result of the night.
Brandon Clarke scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Memphis.
Ja Morant connected on just five of 18 shots from the field, but put together a triple-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Memphis, who used a 21-0 fourth-quarter run to turn the tables on the Timberwolves.
Minnesota led 47-21 with 10:28 left in the second quarter when the Grizzlies mounted their first charge, trimming the deficit to seven points at halftime.
The Timberwolves regained the upper hand with a quick start to the third quarter, taking a 73-50 lead on Jaden McDaniels’ three-pointer with 4:28 left in the period.
D’Angelo Russell’s three-pointer with 3:10 left in the third quarter put Minnesota up 79-54, and despite the Grizzlies’ scoring surge to end the period, they trailed by 16 going into the fourth.
Bane drilled a three-pointer with 8:33 to play to cap a 21-0 scoring run that tied the game at 83-83.
Tyus Jones drained a three-pointer to put Memphis up for the first time, 86-85, and they did not trail again.
“Everybody stayed with it, stayed resilient throughout the whole entire game,” Bane said.
Russell led the Timberwolves with 22 points, but he missed all three of his shots from the field in a scoreless fourth and teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, limited by foul trouble and aggressive defense by the Grizzlies, was held to just eight points.
In Denver, Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole scored 27 points each, while Klay Thompson added 26 as the Warriors withstood a Nuggets team led by NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic’s 37 points and 18 rebounds.
Draymond Green came up with a big steal with 34.7 seconds remaining and Golden State closed the game on a 9-2 run. They can finish the series with a win in Denver tomorrow.
It was a bitter defeat for the Nuggets, who took a 111-109 lead on a layup by Jokic with 3:20 left.
Golden State clamped down defensively and the Nuggets went six straight possessions without a basket as the Warriors seized control.
The Mavericks held off the Jazz despite again playing without injured star Luka Doncic, who has missed all three games of the series with a calf strain, but appears set to return for Game 4.
Jalen Brunson shook off a sore back to score 31 points for Dallas.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, while Maxi Kleber added 17.
Donovan Mitchell scored 28 of his 32 points in the second half for Utah, who cut the deficit to one point on Mike Conley’s three-pointer with 6:42 left in the fourth quarter, but could not get in front.
“The most important thing was sticking together,” said Brunson, who appeared to hurt his back in the second quarter after Royce O’Neale collided with him. “When they had their runs, we didn’t fold.”
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