One of the most entertaining games of the early NBA season took place on Monday evening when the Brooklyn Nets made their only trip of the season down to the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis won the game 134-124 as the stars showed out and performed at a high level.
A normally stout Memphis defense also struggled at times to get stops, especially in the first half when they gave up 69 points. But, they got just enough in the game to pull out a decisive 10-point victory. Memphis put the game away in the third quarter when they poured in 45 points while holding the Nets to 28.
Brooklyn has been struggling mightily defensively and that trend continued, as the Grizzlies scored at will. Memphis made 50 percent of their shots and 47.1 percent of their 3-point attempts as the Grizzlies scored at will.
The Nets shot even better, making 54 percent of their shots, but the difference was from long-range. Brooklyn made only 31 percent of their 3-point attempts, getting outscored by 21 from distance.
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Both team’s star players did everything they could to get their team a victory. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane scored 38 points apiece in the game, barely edging out the Nets’ duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. They each scored 37 points, which ended up being a record-setting performance.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, this is only the third game in NBA history in which multiple players from each team scored at least 35 points in a game. However, it is the first time that the tandems reached that plateau in regulation.
Big scoring nights from Durant and Irving are going to need to be a regular thing for the Nets to remain competitive this season.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Brooklyn Nets & Memphis Grizzlies Updates
For Memphis, Morant and Bane are one of the best young backcourt duos in the NBA and should continue filling it up as the Grizzlies look like they will once again be among the best teams in the NBA.
