The Grizzlies now trail their series vs. the Lakers by a 3-1 count, despite being the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. In fact, the Lakers had to win a play-in game just to get into the playoffs.
But Memphis seems to remain confident if you listen to guard Desmond Bane, who scored 36 in the Game 4 overtime loss.
“In order to win a series, you’re going to have to win one game on the road,” Bane said, via Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “So when we come back here for Game 6, we’ll come with the right edge, right mentality and steal one on the road and see what happens in Game 7.”
In other words, Bane is basically predicting the Grizzlies will win Game 5 in Memphis, then Game 6 in LA. A Game 7 would be back in Memphis.
Who knows if it can happen. The Grizzlies were indeed right there in Game 4. They just couldn’t put it away at the end. Their lack of playoff savvy — as compared to the Lakers — has shown a lot in this series.
Can that change now? Bane seems to think so.
- Both guard Ja Morant and forward Dillon Brooks declined to do media interviews after the game. “I’m out,” Bane told reporters as he passed them in a hallway, via Cole.
- Morant was mostly quiet in the fourth quarter, though he did make a few big plays and fought hard. He also dribbled the ball off the back of his shoe on the Lakers’ end of the court late, leading to a basket, and charged into LeBron James twice in the second half. In short, these are learning experiences for the Grizzlies.
- Coach Taylor Jenkins didn’t have much to say after the defeat. “Some breakdowns for us,” he said. “Very disappointing loss.”
- The Grizzlies are proving that they’re not yet the team they hope to be, opined Mark Giannotto of the Commercial Appeal.
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