Los Angeles Lakers eagerly welcome another opportunity to engage in the NBA in-season tournament as they prepare to face the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Following a regular season kickoff that fell short of expectations, the Los Angeles Lakers eagerly welcome another opportunity to engage in the NBA in-season tournament as they prepare to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
With a lackluster record of 3-5 and in the midst of a three-game losing streak, the Lakers faced their inaugural in-season tournament game on Friday. Against the Phoenix Suns, they managed a remarkable turnaround, securing a 122-119 victory on the road.
Fuelled by the momentum gained from the previous game, Los Angeles secured a 116-110 triumph at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, a game unrelated to the tournament. Notably, the Lakers emerged victorious even with the absence of LeBron James, who sat out for the first time this season due to a left calf contusion.
Staying put in Los Angeles following their hard-fought 105-101 win against the Clippers on Sunday afternoon, the Grizzlies clinched only their second victory of the season. Notably, this triumph was fueled by a stellar performance from Desmond Bane, who showcased his prowess by contributing nine of his 27 points in the crucial fourth quarter.
Building a commanding lead of up to 15 points in the second half, Memphis held a solid 82-68 advantage early in the fourth quarter. However, the Clippers mounted a comeback, managing to even the score with 6:38 remaining. The contest remained a see-saw battle until a decisive 5-0 scoring surge in the closing moments propelled the Grizzlies to a 103-98 lead with just 25.6 seconds left on the clock.
Contributing significantly, Marcus Smart notched 17 points, while Bismack Biyombo made a noteworthy impact with 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Their lone additional triumph this season occurred on November 5 against Portland. Despite their current success, it’s worth noting that Memphis holds a 0-2 record in tournament play.
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