Memphis, Tenn. — In a thrilling game that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer, Caris LeVert delivered a last-second layup to snatch victory for the Atlanta Hawks over the Memphis Grizzlies with a scoreline of 132-130 on Monday night.
Despite Desmond Bane achieving his first career triple-double for Memphis, the game ended on a dramatic note when Dyson Daniels intercepted the ball from Bane with just 3.8 seconds left on the clock. Seizing the opportunity, LeVert raced down the court and executed the decisive layup, which was verified after a review by officials. LeVert proved instrumental, scoring 16 of his total 25 points in the tense final quarter.
Another standout performance came from Zaccharie Risacher, who scored 27 points for the Hawks. Contributions from Onyeka Okongwu and Trae Young also played a crucial role, with Okongwu recording 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Young adding 12 points while dishing out 15 assists.
For the Grizzlies, Bane was the top scorer with a season-best 35 points, alongside 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Luke Kennard supported with 17 points. Memphis was already dealing with injuries to key players Santi Aldama and Ja Morant, and their woes compounded early in the game as Jaren Jackson Jr. went down with a left ankle injury after an attempt to block a shot, sidelining him mere minutes into the matchup.
The final moments of the game saw Atlanta claw back from their deficit, clinching the win by scoring the last seven points in the closing 2:37, a significant showing as the Hawks press on for a spot in the playoffs. Currently sitting in ninth place, Atlanta holds a comfortable 5 1/2-game lead to remain among the top 10 teams in the Eastern Conference.
For Memphis, this marked their third consecutive loss in games decided in the dying seconds, with recent defeats to the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. These results have left the Grizzlies struggling, having lost six of their last eight contests, impacting their position in the Western Conference standings.
A noteworthy statistic from the game was Atlanta’s dominance in the paint, scoring a season-high 82 points from close range.
Looking ahead, the Hawks are set to return home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies will conclude their five-game homestand by hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
