The Memphis Grizzlies paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while defending their home court against the Los Angeles Lakers, posting a 123-114 win at FedExForum in the 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Game.
Dillon Brooks led eight Grizzlies in double figures with a career-high tying 19 points (6-8 FG,4-5 3P). Marc Gasol added 17 points. Tyreke Evans scored 15 points, a game-high 12 assists, and nine rebounds, just one short of what would have been his fifth triple-double of the season. The Grizzlies got huge contributions from the bench, as four of their five reserves reached double digits. Wayne Selden and James Ennis III contributed 13 points apiece while Jarell Martin and Deyonta Davis added 10 points each. Davis set a career high with five blocks in just 14 minutes.
Memphis’ eight players in double figures tied the franchise record, which had been accomplished twice before, last on April 2, 2008 vs. New York.
The Lakers cut a 14-point deficit down to two before a 15-2 Grizzlies run put Memphis back in front by 15 (82-67) with 4:11 remaining in the third quarter. The Grizzlies extended the lead to 20 by the start of the fourth quarter.
The Grizzlies improved to 7-9 all-time in the MLK Jr. Day Celebration Game.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led all scorers with 27 points (8-16 FG) including a season-high six three-pointers on 10 attempts. Kyle Kuzma added 18 points off the bench for the Lakers, whose four-game winning streak came to an end. Larry Nance Jr. scored 15 points and grabbed 11 boards for his fifth double-double on the season. Julius Randle had nine points and eight boards and put the Lakers on the board first with a pair of free throws. That 2-0 advantage was the only time in the contest the Lakers held the lead.
The Lakers were without two key performers tonight. Lonzo Ball was sidelined with left knee soreness while Brandon Ingram sat with a mild left ankle sprain.
The Grizzlies recognized the honorees of the 13th Annual Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award. Among this year’s recipients were NBA greats Penny Hardaway, Sam Perkins and James Worthy and WNBA All-Star Swin Cash. The award recognizes dedicated contributions to civil and human rights and laying foundations for future leaders through their career in sports in the spirit of Dr. King.
Next Game
The Grizzlies look to string together consecutive wins as they continue a three-game home stand against the New York Knicks Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. CT. Tune in to FOX Sports Southeast presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners or listen on 92.9 FM ESPN.
Key Stats of the Night
- Led by Dillon Brooks’ career-high tying 19 points, the Grizzlies had eight players score in double figures, which tied the franchise record… The Grizzlies had accomplished the feat twice before, last on April 2, 2008 vs. New York.
- The Grizzlies shot 51.2 percent (42-82 FG) from the field and 45.5 percent (10-22 3P) from three-point range while the Lakers shot just 39.6 percent (38-96 FG) from the field and 34.3 percent (12-35 3P) from three-point range.
- Memphis is now 12-8 this season when shooting a higher field goal percentage than its opponent.
Key Run of the Night
- After Los Angeles battled back from a 14-point first half deficit to cut the lead to 67-65 with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter, Memphis went on a 15-2 run over the next 2:58 and eventually extended the lead to 20 by the end of the quarter.
Team Quotes
Player Notes
- Dillon Brooks led the Grizzlies by tying a career-high of 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. Brooks had previously scored 19 on two occasions, most recently on Nov. 13 at Milwaukee.
- Deyonta Davis (10 points, five rebounds, five blocks) scored in double digits for the sixth time in his career and set a new career high for blocks.
- Wayne Selden Jr. tied a career-high with 13 points. Selden has scored 13 twice previously in his career, most recently at L.A. Clippers on Jan. 2.
- Tyreke Evans (15 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds) fell one rebound shy of his fourth career triple-double and recorded his fifth double-double this season.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (27 points, seven rebounds) fell just two points shy of his season-high and knocked down a season-high six three-pointers (6-10 3P).
- Kyle Kuzma posted 18 points and seven rebounds while leading the team in assists with five.
- Larry Nance Jr. (15 points, 11 rebounds) led the Lakers in rebounding and recorded his fifth double-double of the season.