Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 107-102 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies:
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Grizzlies who scored double figures off the bench. Memphis did not have a bench player reach 10 points in any of its first seven games. However, reserves Beno Udrih and Kosta Koufos changed that by leading a bench that outscored the Lakers’ 38-14. Udrih poured in 16 points on 8-for-11 shooting, while Koufos was perfect on five shots and four free throw attempts to finish with 14 points.
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Rebounds grabbed by Jordan Hill. Tuesday was the third time in seven games that Hill led all players on the glass. The 27-year-old also scored 13 points (6-for-17) to notch his second double-double of the season.
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The Lakers’ deficit with six minutes remaining before L.A. blitzed Memphis over the next four-and-a-half minutes. Kobe Bryant led the way with eight points, as the Lakers outscored the Grizzlies 16-2 to cut the gap down to 103-100 with 1:32 remaining. L.A. trailed by three again with 37 seconds left, but a missed jumper by Hill and a layup by Zach Randolph gave Memphis the five-point win.
“We just got guys that got a lot of guts, a lot of determination,” head coach Byron Scott said. “We weren’t gonna just lie down. We just kept playing and fighting back. And we talked about just getting a few stops in a row. The offense was working pretty well at that particular point, and we allowed ourselves to get back in the game.”
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Points scored by Carlos Boozer. The 13-year veteran put together his highest scoring total as a Laker, knocking down eight of his 13 field goal attempts to reach 20 points for the first time since Feb. 19 of last season. Boozer gave a complete performance, adding eight rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers before fouling out with 4:31 left.
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Shots made by both the Lakers and Grizzlies. The difference was that the Lakers needed 87 attempts, 11 more than Memphis, to reach that number. The Lakers hit four more 3-pointers (seven) than their opponents, but the Grizzlies made up the difference by going 21-for-26 at the free throw line, while L.A. went 13-for-17.
“(The Grizzlies) know every night’s gonna be a grind.” said Ed Davis, who played for Memphis last year. “They’re cool winning by two points, three points, however it comes. They’re a veteran team and they close out and they finish at the end.”