After falling behind by 11 earlier in the fourth quarter, San Antonio’s Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama mounted a comeback attempt that got them within one point, but Memphis answered time and time again on a closing 20-7 run behind timely bucket getting from Jaren Jackson, Jr. and Ja Morant.

San Antonio continued its recent spate of competent play against good Western Conference teams tonight with a pair of quarter-ending runs in the first and second quarters to go up 63-51 at halftime. However, just like the recent Bulls home game 10 days ago, an ill-prepared Spurs squad ceded the lead in a reprehensible second half effort that saw Memphis take and make way too many open threes.

Victor Wembanyama (13 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 blocks) took the defense mantle from the onset with five first half blocks, and the rookie Castle (26 points and 4 rebounds) claimed the offensive reins in the second half with a career high scoring night. Devin Vassell (21 points and 5 rebounds) and Keldon Johnson (17 points and 4 rebounds) chipped in in a solid first half, but faded after.

Jackson, Jr. (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Morant (21 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals) led the way for the victorious Grizzlies. Santi Aldama (20 points and 10 rebounds) and Luke Kennard’s (15 points and 9 rebounds) strong performances off the bench gave their stars much needed rest before their fourth quarter finish.

Observations

• For those that have not tracked the Grizzlies surge up the Western Conference standings, the Ringer’s Zach Kram did a nice write-up on 3rd seeded Memphis today. The most surprising reveal was that the Grizzlies have two of the top six shooting bigs (players 6’11” or taller) – Aldama and Jay Huff.
• Scotty Pippen, Jr. didn’t learn how to flop from his dad.
• Sequence of the Game #1: At the end of the opening stanza, Wembanyama managed to turn away two bigs’ (Zach Edey and Aldama) attempts near the rim.
• Sequence of the Game #2: Late in the first half, Tre Jones lofted a feathery ball to a ready Charles Bassey for an impressive lob.
• Sequence of the Game #3: After Johnson forced Jackson, Jr. into a tough miss, Paul ripped the loose carom and found a streaking Vassell for a transition slam.
• Those four missed free throws at the start of the third could have been costly for the Spurs.
• I miss seeing those Vancouver Grizzlies uniforms.
• Victor Ease: Wembanyama, on a late first quarter drive from Jackson, Jr., anticipated his drive so easily – and swatted the Grizzly’s shot nearly into the hoop. The next time down the court, a spooked Jackson, Jr. traveled in the paint.
• Paul ran up his free throw excellence to 58-of-59 (98.5%)!
• They need to make a home version of that Whataburger fry game.

Game Rundown

Wembanyama was whistled by Kevin Cutler for a foul – at the tip! Rookie Zach Edey hit three shots in succession from a combined five feet out, and the Grizzlies went up eight. Wembanyama and Castle quickly combined to close the gap. Jaylen Wells spent about nine seconds in the paint before his shot was swallowed up whole by Wembanyama. Vassell’s fluid three tied it at 14. Morant wielded his playmaking chops with an acrobatic layup followed by a bullet pass to Aldama in transition, and a sneaky lefty lay-up while putting his defender to sleep. San Antonio closed the period on a 12-5 run (including a rare Tre Jones three!) to go up 30-28.

Consecutive threes from Julian Champagnie padded the Spurs’ cushion. Pippen, Jr. – mimicking his dad’s exploits – stole an errant pass, threw down a dunk, and drew an offensive foul on Paul. Jackson, Jr. had his third attempt in less than 15 minutes of action swatted by Wembanyama. Vassell’s freebies put San Antonio up six halfway through the frame, but Luke Kennard responded with two threes. When Edey went to the floor, the sage Paul (5’11”) implored Wembanyama (7’4”) to get in there to force the jump ball. The Spurs won the tip, and Paul hit a stepback three over Edey. After Johnson found an open Vassell in the corner for a three, Wembanyama ended the half by edey-ing (I’m running out of verbs here) Zach’s attempt, and San Antonio went to the break up a dozen.

Memphis put up ten points in a little more than two minutes of the third to whittle away their deficit blindingly fast. Vassell’s wing three was followed by Jaylen Wells’ three that squibbed out. Morant somehow got a baseline fadeaway down with Castle draped all over him, and the rookie responded with an and-1 seconds after. Vassell executed a perfect lob to Wembanyama after sucking in two Grizzlies defenders. Huff’s pair of threes brought Memphis within two. The Grizzlies reclaimed the lead behind Kennard’s trio of increasingly deflating threes. Vassell (early) and Johnson’s (late) drives salvaged a disastrious 12 minutes and the Spurs went to the fourth down six. Memphis 43-25 third quarter would catapult them to a road win tonight.

For the Grizzlies fan’s perspective, please visit Beale Street Bears.

The teams complete their two game mini-series – this time on ESPN – Friday night at 8:30 PM CDT.