Grizzlies vs. Lakers: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions
Game Time: 9:30 PM EST on Sunday January 9, 2022
Memphis Grizzlies 12, Los Angeles Lakers 9 (Q1 06:42)
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBAJa Morant got Avery Bradley back for the steal and then some pic.twitter.com/ngIHXlXoma – 9:51 PM Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizz
BLOCKED BY 12 – 9:50 PM Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizz
ring it up.
@Jaren Jackson Jr. // #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/YgvbzVjSdC – 9:50 PM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
holy SHIT (!!!) Ja Morant pic.twitter.com/f463zMNPoR – 9:50 PM Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant just snatched that off the top of the square with two hands. Absurd.
Maybe his defensive highlight of the season. – 9:50 PM Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Ja Morant man… – 9:49 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
An incredibly athletic play from Ja Morant, where he basically grabbed a Bradley transition layup attempt off the middle of the glass, is the play of the night thus far as LAL trails 12-9 at the 6:42 mark. – 9:49 PM Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Sweet Baby Jesus Ja Morant that’s one of the best blocks of the season 🤯🤯🤯🤯 – 9:49 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
OH MY GOD JA MORANT!!!! – 9:49 PM Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Ja Morant what a block?!!!!! – 9:49 PM Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
OMG Ja Morant! A two-handed volleyball spike. – 9:49 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Based on that sky-high block, I cannot believe Ja Morant’s readiness to play today was ever in question. – 9:49 PM Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizz
12 back 🥷
@Ja Morant // #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/r9iuMLOEc4 – 9:46 PM Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Well that’s one way to defend LeBron. pic.twitter.com/zmWN0D6tqx – 9:45 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Ja Morant plays NBA basketball like he’s hoopin’ on the play ground. So fun to watch. – 9:45 PM Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Feels very rare that you are going to see Desmond Bane miss two wide open 3s to start the game. – 9:42 PM Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Game Time in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/j1gnGgvAhV – 9:34 PM Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizz
🚨 GRIZZ TWITTER ROLL CALL 🚨
Let us know where you’re watching the gang from tonight – 9:33 PM Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
First Five
#SuitingUpTogether | @ToyotaSoCal pic.twitter.com/xrfMxu8MFX – 9:18 PM Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Grizz and Lakers coming up in 15 minutes.
Steven Adams had been a beast against LA this season. Not available tonight. Should be a new challenge. – 9:17 PM Bill Oram @billoram
Memphis vs the Lakers?
Graceland vs Braceland pic.twitter.com/1ZnZP6rT7s – 9:09 PM Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizz
starting 5⃣ vs. @Los Angeles Lakers
@Ja Morant
@Desmond Bane
@Ziaire Williams
@Kyle Anderson
@jarenjacksonjr
@Verizon | #GrzNxtGen pic.twitter.com/g8NeRA3VAX – 9:09 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Ja Morant, who just sprinted to the visiting locker room with a gleeful expression on his face, is in against the Lakers tonight, as is Desmond Bane who was also a game time decision. With Steven Adams out, it’s small on small, although Davis healthy would make it more fun. pic.twitter.com/FJwpDmAyR8 – 9:08 PM Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Doing what he does. pic.twitter.com/DT9bXbXJPN – 9:07 PM Dave McMenamin @mcten
Anthony Davis warming up with a bulky brace on his left knee. He sprained the MCL in his left knee just more than three weeks ago in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/BD8rj4UclB – 9:07 PM Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Big news for the Grizzlies that Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Kyle Anderson will all play and start. Today’s game in LA will be a good one. Each player started the last meeting, too. Grizz have won two of the three meetings vs. the Lakers. Both teams on winning streaks. 🔥 let’s go – 9:05 PM Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Grizzlies say Morant, Anderson and Bane have been upgraded to ACTIVE and will start versus the Lakers. – 9:01 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
The Lakers are going to start the same way as the last game: LeBron, Russ, Stanley, Avery and Malik. – 9:01 PM Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Great news Laker Fans, Anthony Davis out here shooting around… pic.twitter.com/lOSI2NgYBT – 9:01 PM Brad Turner @BA_Turner
AD working out with brace on left knee pic.twitter.com/ROKq19yzIj – 9:00 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Anthony Davis out on the court, shooting with a knee brace. He was jumping rope a little earlier. pic.twitter.com/xmfdeCojoV – 8:55 PM Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Legacy 🐍 pic.twitter.com/Yhh7QjY2jl – 8:44 PM Matthew Tynan @Matthew_Tynan
Honestly surreal it’s been 941 days since Klay last played. Russell Westbrook has played for three different teams during that span lol – 8:42 PM Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Sunday Night 🤩 pic.twitter.com/0koTq8QBEh – 8:23 PM Kent Bazemore @24Bazemore
“The great Hawaiian shootout” @PGATOUR @Sentry_TOC sheesh. 34 under got it done – 8:14 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
That’s it for pregame. @bsmart21 is on the account tonight! I (@PAKA_FLOCKA) will be back for the postgame availability.
Enjoy Grizz Nation. Let’s see if the Grizzlies can set the winning streak to a franchise-record 9 games. pic.twitter.com/DMznixupx1 – 8:12 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Brad Jones on gameplan for LeBron’s shift to the 5: This shift from a perimeter player to this speaks to his legend status, and they’ve talked a lot about it. They want to stay in front of him and negate him. Describes LeBron as someone that’s hard to stop – 8:11 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Brad Jones on gameplanning around playoff positioning: They’re trying to piece everything together game by game, and it’s important because it’s a conference rival, and they’re always excited to play the Lakers – 8:10 PM Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Brad Jones said he doesn’t have an update on Dillon Brooks other than that he will be “out for a period of time”. – 8:10 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Brad Jones on the update on Dillon Brooks being out 3-5 weeks: He’s unsure how long he’ll be out, but he hopes it’s quick since he’s a huge part of their team – 8:09 PM Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Kyle Anderson all are game-time decisions, according to acting coach Brad Jones. Each player will go through warmups before a decision is made. – 8:09 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Ja Morant remains a game-time decision for tonight’s game, though Grizzlies assistant Brad Jones (filling in for Taylor Jenkins) said MEM was hopeful Morant would be good to go. Bane and Anderson are also game time calls. Typical starters Steven Adams and Dillon Brooks are out. – 8:08 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Brad Jones on what he’s noticed in the Lakers’ low turnover numbers recently: They’re sharing the ball more, and they’re getting out in transition. Team defense needs to be solid, and they need to help to cause turnovers. They need to get out in transition – 8:08 PM Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Acting Head Coach Brad Jones said it will be a “wait and see” for Kyle Anderson, Desmond Bane and Ja
Morant. They will go through their pregame workout and will be a game-time decision. – 8:08 PM Dave McMenamin @mcten
Grizz acting coach Brad Jones, while Taylor Jenkins is out with COVID protocols, says Ja Morant (thigh) remains a gametime decision tonight. “As a guy who has to coach against LeBron , I hope he does ,” Jones said. Morant already has two 40-pt games vs LAL this year – 8:07 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Ja Morant is a game-time decision, per acting HC Brad Jones. So are Desmond Bane and Kyle Anderson. – 8:06 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Brad Jones is here. On Ja Morant’s performances against the Lakers this season: “he’s a player that loves playing in the spotlight and loves playing against the greatest.” says he loves to challenge himself and has the ability to rise up to those moments – 8:05 PM Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
What’s up, everyone? 2nd half of the LA back-to-back is on, as the Grizzlies take on the Lakers at 8:30 CST! @PAKA_FLOCKA here for Acting HC Brad Jones’ pregame availability – 7:59 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel on LeBron James: “He’s critical to everything that we do defensively.” – 7:51 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Vogel on the LeBron-at-5 groups defensively, noting a benefit: “Doing a lot of double teaming of elite guards … more speed to scramble around the perimeter. A lot of areas we still need to improve upon, but the speed of that (group) can be beneficial.” – 7:49 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
It’s Week 18 (that’s weird) and there’s a huge game left, but there are some really good NBA games tonight!
Bulls at Mavs
Cavs at Warriors and Klay back!
Grizzlies at Lakers – 7:44 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
The first #Cavs player to record 20 double-doubles in 32 games or fewer since LeBron and K. Love in 2018.
RETWEET to send #JarrettAllen to #NBAAllStar! 🌟 pic.twitter.com/v5qSqyFl4w – 7:39 PM DeAndre Jordan @DeAndre
#35 @TobiOye… – 6:59 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN story on Memphis Grizzlies F Dillon Brooks left ankle injury that will sideline him for weeks: shorturl.at/htvO3 – 6:01 PM Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Tyler Harris scored 9 of the Tigers final 11 points and had the game-sealing steal. What a performance. Memphis beats Cincinnati, 87-80. – 5:35 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Great win for Penny and Memphis – 5:32 PM Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Penny was screaming for Memphis to pull it back there. Instead, a Quinones turnover and a Cincinnati bucket on the other end. 80-79 Cincinnati with 51.8 secs to go. – 5:27 PM Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Bulls at Memphis a week from Monday MLK Day bleacherreport.com/post/memphis-g… – 5:25 PM Pete Pranica @PetePranica
Interesting statistical oddity: Taylor Jenkins has a 99-87 record as coach. If Grizzlies win tonight, he hits 100, but won’t actually have coached in that game. Wins by acting head coaches go to the head coach (i.e. the Grizz win at CLE). – 5:22 PM Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Losing Dillon Brooks for a long period of time is tough, but the Grizzlies have put themselves in a manageable situation. They have the 2nd easiest remaining strength of schedule in the Western Conference and have a five-game cushion between themselves and the fifth seed. – 5:16 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN Sources: After suffering a left ankle sprain, Memphis Grizzlies G/F Dillon Brooks is expected to minimally miss three-to-five weeks — and could stay sidelined through the mid-February All-Star break. Brooks was injured in Memphis’ victory over the Clippers on Saturday. – 5:02 PM Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Cincinnati has hit a season-best 12 3-pointers, including 6 of 7 during opening 10 mins of 2nd half. Memphis has stayed close by controlling the paint. What’s more sustainable down the stretch? – 5:01 PM Geoff Calkins @geoff_calkins
Wild game. Cincinnati vs. Memphis. Just like old times. – 4:59 PM Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Memphis is really battling. Cincinnati has been on fire and still only leads 55-54 with 12:10 to go. Fun game. – 4:53 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Should Ja Morant be an All-Star this season?
@Zach Lowe tells @EvCoRadio & @Amin Elhassan why he’s a “stone- cold lock” #GrzNxtGen pic.twitter.com/Kxu3qABdIF – 4:53 PM Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Homestand finale 🌴🆚🐻
: 6:30 p.m. PT
📺: @SpectrumSN
📻: ESPN LA 710 & 1330 KWKW
#LakeShow x @socios
nba.com/lakers/news/th… – 4:30 PM LeBron James @KingJames
Beautiful Day in LA – 4:29 PM Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizz
big ups on that #1 seed @Titans 👏 – 4:27 PM Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Memphis has really struggled to get into its offensive sets when Tyler Harris hasn’t been at PG today. He will have to play a lot minutes. – 4:18 PM Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Some interesting things to look for ahead of this Lakers-Grizzlies game tonight.
1) Lakers are 5-0 with LeBron James at center. They didn’t play James at center in the last meeting vs the Grizzlies because of the Steven Adams factor, but he’s out today. Wonder if they go small. – 4:15 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Memphis Grizzlies list Ja Morant as questionable for tonight’s game against the Lakers because of left thigh soreness. Steven Adams (health and safety protocols) & Dillon Brooks (left ankle sprain) are both out. – 4:01 PM Lang Whitaker @langwhitaker
Final score of this Memphis/Cindy game might be 10-9 – 3:40 PM