Leading the charge for the Memphis Grizzlies, Desmond Bane dropped 27 points to ensure a 105-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers this past Sunday. The game was a rollercoaster; Memphis entered the fourth quarter comfortably up by 11, but the Clippers fought back aggressively, tying it at 84-84 with 6:38 left after a long-range shot from Paul George. The two teams traded blows until the very end, with James Harden tying the game at 98-all with only 1:33 on the clock. However, the Grizzlies managed to seal the deal with a few key free throws and a layup from David Roddy, maintaining a slim lead to secure the win.
American shooting guard Desmond Bane scored a game-high 27 points and helped the Memphis Grizzlies hold off a furious rally by the Los Angeles Clippers to win 105-101 on Sunday afternoon. Memphis led by 11 points heading into the fourth quarter, but the Clippers stormed back and tied the game at 84-84 with 6:38 left on Paul George’s 3-pointer. After trading punches and blows, the score was deadlocked at 98-all with 1:33 remaining after James Harden converted from beyond the arc. However, three free throws and a David Roddy layup gave the Grizzlies a five-point lead that they managed to maintain till the end and secure the win.
Coming off a winless streak of nearly two weeks, the Clippers showed some real fight on Sunday, fighting back from an 11-point deficit in the final quarter. What made the comeback even more unexpected was the fact that James Harden, debuting at home for the Clippers, was largely absent from the floor during the closing period.
The victory marks the second win of the season for Memphis, driven by Bane's 27 points (10-of-24 shooting) and six assists. Bismack Biyombo provided a strong presence inside with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Marcus Smart contributed 17 points and seven assists. On the flip side, the Clippers dropped to a 0-4 start. James Harden struggled slightly, scoring 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting, while Paul George led LA with 26 points and Norman Powell added 20 off the bench. The Clippers shot 43.5% from the field, hitting 37 of their 85 attempts.
Bane sparked a late first-half surge, scoring six points in the closing 82 seconds to give Memphis a 52-45 halftime advantage. By the break, Bane had 11 points for the Grizzlies, while George led all players with 12. Memphis kept the momentum going to start the second half with a 7-0 run, pushing their lead to 14. While Paul George hit a jumper and Kawhi Leonard drained a three to bring the deficit down to nine, the Clippers couldn't get any closer for the remainder of the third quarter.
Memphis headed into the final period with a 79-68 lead. Their early dominance was evident in the first twelve minutes, where a 19-7 run—fueled by two 3-pointers each from Jacob Gilyard and Marcus Smart—put them ahead 33-20. Los Angeles attempted to seize control early in the second quarter, scoring 19 of 22 points to flip the lead to 39-36, a stretch during which George scored all 12 of his first-half points.