The Memphis Grizzlies snapped a five-game losing streak Saturday night, edging out the Chicago Bulls 125-124 at FedExForum. Despite missing 11 players, Memphis relied on Cedric Coward’s 24 points and a clutch late-game triple from Walter Clayton Jr. to overcome Matas Buzelis’ 29-point night.
In a season defined more by the names on the injury report than the names on the jerseys, the Memphis Grizzlies finally found a way to overcome it to win a game
Walter Clayton Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer to push the Grizzlies ahead with just 15.2 seconds left to play. Memphis ultimately survived a dramatic finish to defeat the Chicago Bulls 125-124 on Saturday night. The gritty win officially snapped the home team's five-game losing streak.
Memphis (25-49) had to dig deep to pull this one off, considering they were missing a staggering 11 players due to various ailments. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo was forced to rely on a ragtag rotation of two-way players and 10-day signees, with only four players on standard NBA contracts actually healthy enough to suit up.
"Great, great competitive team win," Iisalo said. "We haven't had a lot of these games where we've been able to match the rebounding... but we were able to make up for it with the turnovers."
Cedric Coward shouldered much of the load for Memphis, putting up 24 points and grabbing nine boards. His biggest contribution, however, was his vision in the final minute. After drawing a double-team in the post, Coward stayed calm and whipped a pass to Clayton for the go-ahead bucket. Coward then iced things—or so it seemed—with two clutch free throws with 6.5 seconds remaining.
The Bulls (29-45) refused to go away quietly. Josh Giddey made a pair of free throws to trim the lead to one, and a disastrous Memphis turnover on the following inbound play gave Chicago a sudden chance at a miracle. Collin Sexton actually drove the length of the floor and dropped in a layup as the horn blared, but a quick review confirmed the ball was still in his hands as the red light flashed. The shot was waved off, handing the Bulls their third straight loss.
Chicago received a game-high 29 points from Matas Buzelis, while Sexton chipped in 26 off the bench. Giddey did just about everything, recording his 13th triple-double of the year with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Despite that, the Bulls were collectively hurt by turning the ball over 23 times.
The Grizzlies survived by playing an aggressive, opportunistic defense. They racked up 17 steals and feasted on those Bulls mistakes, turning them into 27 points. Tyler Burton kept the offense afloat with 18 points, while Jahmai Mashack added 17.
However, the Grizzlies' "next man up" mantra was best exemplified by Adama Bal, who signed a 10-day deal only hours before tip-off. Bal played 28 minutes and hit a massive 3-pointer during the late-game surge.
Both squads were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, following losses on Friday. With both teams effectively playing for draft lottery positioning at this stage of the season, the game became a showcase for younger talent trying to stick in the league.
"I think he's a very natural scorer," Iisalo said regarding Coward’s evolution. "He's looking for the best possible option, which is the right basketball play to make."
The Grizzlies stay at FedExForum to face the Phoenix Suns on Monday.