Ja Morant Shines as the Memphis Grizzlies Snap Losing Streak Against Lakers

The Memphis Grizzlies welcomed in the Los Angeles Lakers for their second game of a back-to-back home stand at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies trying to escape a major losing streak, and the Lakers who are riding an eight game winning streak. Could the Grizzlies shock the league on Saturday night?

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t hold anything back against the second best team in the NBA in the first quarter. Opposed to the road trip, the Grizzlies have found their fire in the starting five again.

The Grizzlies hopped out to a 7-2 lead in the first two minutes before the Lakers woke up. Following, that 7-2 start, the Grizzlies and Lakers would go back and fourth with great offensive rotations from Memphis, and equally solid effort defensively.

The Grizzlies would close the first quarter leading the Lakers 29-25 at FedEx Forum. Memphis shot 46 percent from the field and 42 percent from deep in that first quarter.

KING KONCHAR! If you didn’t get to catch the game live, the second quarter was Grizzlies two-way player John Konchar’s quarter.

Oh, and then Konchar made second and third effort plays to keep the ball alive offensively, so the ball found him...

The Grizzlies played extremely well with a unit the team has dreaded putting on the floor due to injuries. A unit of Tyus Jones, Gorgui Dieng, Josh Jackson, John Konchar, and Yuta Watanabe all shut the Lakers down defensively.

Memphis held Los Angeles to 29 percent shooting from deep, and right at 40 percent from the field through the first 24 minutes. Memphis outscored the Lakers 29-21 in that second quarter and led Los Angeles by a score of 58-46.

The Memphis Grizzlies played another great quarter. The Grizzlies held the Lakers to a season-low 66 points through three quarters. They held the Lakers to 40 percent shooting, forcing 15 turnovers and leading by 20 after three.

The Grizzlies headed into the final frame of basketball putting the thought in Lakers Head Coach Frank Vogel’s head, if he should throw up the white flag as Los Angeles would travel to New Orleans Sunday night.

The Lakers opened up the fourth quarter with a little bit more physicality on the defensive end of the floor, and pushed the pace on the Grizzlies. Following a 17-4 run by Los Angeles, the Grizzlies put their best five on the floor, and “fourth quarter Ja” went into full effect.

Morant found Grizzlies all night, and orchestrated the Grizzlies offense out of a tough Lakers run, as the Grizzlies would snap their five game losing streak against Los Angeles by a score of 105-88.

Final Stats:

Ja Morant: 27 pts, 14 assists, 10/16 FG

Dillon Brooks: 24 pts, 5 reb, 9/24 FG

Jonas Valanciunas: 22 pts, 20 reb, 10/15 FG

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

The Memphis Grizzlies travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Monday night as they try to win their second straight game.