San Antonio – Santi Aldama achieved a personal best by scoring 29 points, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a decisive 140-112 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday evening. This win marked the Spurs’ largest deficit of the season, even while star player Ja Morant was out due to a foot injury.
Desmond Bane contributed significantly with 22 points and 14 assists, while Jaylen Wells matched his scoring effort, each adding vital points to help Memphis sweep their two-game series in San Antonio, extending their winning streak there to nine consecutive games.
For San Antonio, Devin Vassell was the top scorer, finishing with 21 points. He was assisted by Stephon Castle with 20 points, and rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama, who collected 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Morant sat out due to a sore right foot. Having already missed 18 games this season, he has become ineligible for All-NBA team selections, MVP, and other honors as he cannot reach the minimum requirement of 65 games played. In his previous match against the Spurs on Wednesday, Morant had an impressive performance with 21 points and 12 assists, guiding the Grizzlies to a win.
Memphis dominated the third quarter, replicating their earlier performance from Wednesday. On Friday night, the Grizzlies outscored the Spurs 40-22 in that quarter alone, finishing with a staggering 18-2 run.
For takeaways, Luke Kennard also shone, scoring 17 points and showcasing his shooting ability by going 7-for-13 from beyond the arc across the two games against the Spurs.
Spurs’ point guard Chris Paul had a rare miss, failing to convert a technical foul free throw in the third quarter, which was only the second miss of the season for him as he is currently 58 for 60.
A crucial moment occurred when Memphis ended the third quarter with a 16-0 scoring run, which began after Vassell’s layup tied the game at 83. During this run, Aldama, Bane, Kennard, and Brandon Clarke contributed points, while Scotty Pippen Jr. provided three assists.
A noteworthy statistic reveals that the Grizzlies outscored the Spurs 156-100 in the second halves of both matchups.
Looking ahead, Memphis is set to face Minnesota at home on Monday, while San Antonio will take on Miami on Sunday before venturing to Paris for a two-game series against Indiana.
