Report Card: Grizzlies top the Spurs for 6th straight win

12 days since their last game – the red-hot Grizzlies continued to sizzle with a 129 – 112 win on the road in San Antonio.

You would’ve thought these guys had spent those 12 days off practicing together instead of resuming just three days ago. Once they grabbed the lead near the end of the first quarter, the Spurs never threatened except for a brief moment in the fourth before Pop waved the white flag.

The Grizzlies sixth straight win was beautiful basketball as the entire team played together in harmony – and that was due to big time performances from the entire squad.

Now it’s time to hand out some grades and highlight some of those performances.

Ja Morant: 19 points (8-14 shooting from the field), 11 assists, 2 rebounds (Grade: A)

Ja Morant #NBAALLSTAR

12 dropped his second straight double-double and showed out once again in the Grizzlies return to action. Throughout the game it seemed like Morant would make a play in which I’d ask ‘how did he do that?’, and then the next trip down the court he’d do something even more jaw-dropping.

The opener was when he split the ‘D’ for an and-1 in the first quarter and then the closer with the kick-out for the Dillon dagger in the fourth.

There wasn’t much the Spurs could throw at him to stop him. Ja got to the bucket at ease, either finishing at the rim or finding a teammate for an open shot.

The budding superstar continues to play beyond his years and we are lucky to have him in Memphis.

Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images

Kyle Anderson: 16 points (6-8 shooting from the field), 5 rebounds, 3 steals (Grade: A-)

There’s no place like home.

Slo-mo felt right at home in San Antonio, the place he spent his first four NBA seasons. Anderson did most of his work in the first half, scoring 11 of his 16 points. He was pivotal to the Grizzlies coming out of the gates hot.

Kyle also provided some good play on the defensive end with his three steals.

Dillon Brooks: 14 points (5-11 shooting from the field), 4 assists, 3 rebounds (Grade: A-)

Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images

This may have been Dillon Brooks’ best all-around game of the season, and it was mainly because of his defense.

Dillon “The Villain” lived up to his nickname, frustrating and shutting down DeMar DeRozan. The Spurs leading scorer was held to just five points. At one point in the third quarter, DeRozan was so frustrated that when he finally got a bucket, he also picked up a tech for shoving Ja and jawing at Dillon.

On the offensive end, Dillon once again flashing his playmaking skills, looking to make the best play instead of trying to force shots, picking up another four assists.

DB took his second fewest number of shots of the season and he came up big in the fourth. When the Spurs cut the Grizz lead to five, Dillon knocked down threes on back-to-back possessions to put the game out of reach.

De’Anthony Melton: 20 points (8-13 shooting from the field), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks (Grade: A+)

‘Mr. Do Something’ did a little bit of everything in the Grizzlies win.

One game removed from a ‘DNP-CD’ Melton led the Grizzlies in minutes with 32. He also led the team in scoring with 20 points.

He took advantage of the opportunity provided to him with Grayson Allen’s absence. There’s no way Coach Taylor Jenkins can leave him out of the rotation once they do have a healthy roster.

7 Grizzlies in double-figures; 34 assists on 51 made baskets; and four quarters of fantastic basketball. The Grizz are streaking and not even a 12-day break could stop them. A win like this should put the entire league on notice that the Grizzlies are not playing around.

They are currently tied atop the Southwest Division with the Spurs team they just beat. On Monday, they look to claim the top spot in the division as they face the Spurs once again in San Antonio.

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