The Grizzlies come out of nowhere and lead 2-1 against Minnesota

In a series of Playoffs tied 1-1, Game 3 still has the potential to represent a turning point. And in a few days, we may look back to remember the incredible scenario of this third round between Minnesota and Memphis. In front of the score for a large part of the match and taking up… 26 points in advance, the Wolves fell against the Grizzlies who had the merit of never letting go. Huge win for Ja Morant’s band, huge blow for Chris Finch’s men.

For the small home score box, it’s here

Everything had gone like a dream for Wolves. Not really accustomed to hosting a Playoffs match, the Minnesota public had every intention of igniting and very quickly, they were able to release all their energy in front of the enormous start to the Wolves match. In the role of evening ambiancer? Pat Beverley, who else. Completely possessed, Pat Bev sets the tone of entry through his defense obviously but especially by attacking Ja Morant eye to eye. The Minnesota pit bull thinks he’s the best player on the planet to such an extent that he unleashes an auto-alley oop with the board to finish with a lay-up. The sentence is crazy but nevertheless very real. MVP songs are even beginning to descend from the stands, no doubt we are off for a WTF evening. Carried by their franchise player, the Wolves display a defensive intensity of madness and the Grizzlies do not see the light of day, apart from Desmond Bane who is the only one to float. The change of five made by Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins – who decided to start Kyle Anderson in place of Steven Adams – clearly does not have the desired effect and we are even on the verge of an explosion. While the Oursons combine awkwardness and faults (foul trouble for Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks), the Wolves are mega aggressive, hurt in transition and chain the points in the racket. You add to that a few banderillas from the trio D’Angelo Russell – Anthony Edwards – Malik Beasley and the gap widens. The score after 12 minutes of play? 39-21 for Minnesota. This gap will first narrow in the second quarter when Wolves experience an offensive air pocket while Memphis raises the tone on both sides of the field. What calm the public a little, but the latter will again ignite during a third quarter which is very similar to the first. A stifling defense, points in transition, DLo doing wonders (and breaking ankles), Ant-Man pulling off a little personal run, Jaden McDaniels doing too much with Jarred Vanderbilt… in short, we’re on the brink of hold a parade through the streets of Minneapolis. The gap climbs to 26 and it smells very strongly of Game 4 fear for Memphis.

And then the black hole.

Wolves reach 83 points one minute from the end of the third quarter. They will stay at 83 for more than five minutes. Five minutes of watching Grizzlies basketball. Five minutes where Memphis will inflict a… 21-0 to return to equality against Wolves completely stunned. The identity of the robbers? Impossible not to mention Desmond Bane first, his team’s best player tonight. He was the only one to do the job at the start of the match, there he is in all the right moves to start the comeback. Tyus Jones then, extremely valuable off the bench to crack the Minnesota defense. Ja Morant, long limited in this meeting, engages the attack mode to obtain points on the line and inside. And then there is that devil of Brandon Clarke, placed in the five to start the second half, who will do a huge job to convert the try while Jaren Jackson Jr. is once again hampered by fouls. Absolutely everywhere, it allows the Grizzlies to take the lead and then make the gap. From 88-88, we go to 99-92, before Dillon Brooks enters the 3-pointer which kills to definitively put the lid on the meeting. The Memphis run is absolutely monumental, as monumental as the Wolves crack. The latter completely lost their basketball in the final period, Chris Finch twiddled his thumbs on the bench while his team collapsed visibly, and Karl-Anthony Towns managed the feat of finishing with more faults (5) and blocks (5) than… attempted shots (4 in 33 minutes, all is well). 37-12 for the Grizzlies in the fourth quarter, 104-95 for Memphis final score, the blow is very hard to take for Minnesota.

In a somewhat crazy game where both teams had their big moments like their big air holes, the Grizzlies ended up taking the upper hand to snatch a win that seemed promised to the Wolves. A Playoffs match is long, very long, and no lead is safe. unhappyment for Wolves, they are on the wrong side today and may have missed their chance in this series.

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