MINNEAPOLIS — In a thrilling contest that remained competitive throughout, Ja Morant hit a pivotal jumper with just 18 seconds remaining, helping the Memphis Grizzlies secure a narrow 127-125 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night. Jaren Jackson Jr. shone for the Grizzlies, delivering an impressive 33-point performance.
Although Morant only contributed 12 points overall, he played a crucial role in the closing minutes, scoring the tying basket with 54 seconds on the clock before nailing an 11-foot shot to take the lead. Desmond Bane was also key for Memphis, contributing 21 points, including four successful 3-pointers out of eight attempts.
The game was tightly contested, with neither team managing to gain a significant advantage; the lead fluctuated throughout, leading to a total of 25 lead changes and no team ever leading by more than six points. In the clutch moments, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards missed two critical 3-point attempts in the final 7.3 seconds, which could have changed the outcome.
For Minnesota, Donte DiVincenzo had an outstanding night, finishing with a season-best 27 points, while Jaden McDaniels added 21 points and Edwards managed 15. The loss snapped the Timberwolves’ three-game winning streak.
In terms of defensive efforts, Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells was assigned the challenging task of guarding Edwards for most of the match. Wells not only held his own defensively but also contributed 13 points on the offensive end.
The Timberwolves unveiled a revamped starting lineup for the fourth consecutive game, featuring DiVincenzo in the starting role while veteran Mike Conley began the game on the bench. The lineup shift has proven effective, with Minnesota now boasting a 3-1 record since the change was implemented by coach Chris Finch.
A key turning point in the game occurred when Minnesota had an opportunity to take the lead with the match tied at 125 points. However, a costly turnover by Julius Randle marked the Wolf’s 19th of the contest, proving detrimental to their chances of victory.
A noteworthy statistic revealed that Memphis attempted an impressive 108 shots compared to Minnesota’s 83, largely due to dominating the boards with 21 offensive rebounds. Rookie center Zach Edey was instrumental in this regard, grabbing seven offensive rebounds during the game.
Looking ahead, the Grizzlies are set to face the Houston Rockets on Monday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Washington on the same day.
