Grizzlies erase 13-point deficit to take 3-2 series lead

A last-second layup courtesy of Ja Morant has helped propel the Memphis Grizzlies to a 111-109 Game 5 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves to take a commanding 3-2 lead in their first-round series.

After struggling with his shot in the previous two games, Morant came up huge for Memphis, finishing the game with 30 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals. After claiming the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award just days ago, Morant dropped 18 of his 30 points in the fourth-quarter to help erase a 13-point Timberwolves lead. His final quarter included several jaw-dropping, highlight plays including a gravity-defying poster dunk over Malik Beasley and an acrobatic, left-handed scoop to give Memphis a two-point lead with just a second remaining.

He was not alone, however, with several of his teammates finding ways to contribute. Desmond Bane added 25 points and 4 assists, whilst Brandon Clarke added 21 points and game-high 15 rebounds off the bench. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s shooting and foul issues continued, with the 22-year-old lasting just 17 minutes before fouling out for the second-straight game. The Grizzlies shot lower percentages than the Timberwolves from the field, the three-point arc, and the free-throw stripe but made up for it on the boards and on the break.

For Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 28 points and 12 rebounds on 7-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 from three, whilst Anthony Edwards added 22 points on 20 shots. D’Angelo Russell had 12 points, 8 assists, and a pair of threes, whilst Naz Reid added 9 points in just 13 minutes off the bench. Patrick Beverley managed just 9 points and 6 assists before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. They found a way to blow another double-digit second-half lead, which will surely come back to bite them come series’ end.

The series will head to Minneapolis for a win-or-go-home Game 6 for the Timberwolves, which Memphis will be eager to close out and avoid a deciding seventh game. The teams split the previous two meetings in Minnesota, both of which Morant struggled in. This series, Morant has averaged 28.3 ppg on 46 per cent from the field at home, however, those numbers dropped to 13.5 ppg on 29 per cent from the field on the road. The winner of the series will likely face a red-hot Warriors outfit that are currently up three-games-to-one on the sixth-seeded Nuggets.

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