Nets host Grizzlies aiming to ride momentum of comeback win
The Brooklyn Nets spent Saturday night pulling off a miraculous comeback against the top team in the Eastern Conference.
The Memphis Grizzlies spent the same evening blowing a sizable lead after Ja Morant addressed his elbow injury and state of the team.
The Nets attempt to earn consecutive wins for the fourth time this season Monday night when they host the Grizzlies.
Brooklyn hasn't won back-to-back games since getting home wins over the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls Feb. 7-9. After those wins, the Nets lost 10 straight to register their longest skid since an 11-game slide Jan. 23-Feb. 12, 2022.
The Nets took seven double-digit losses in their skid and appeared headed for another before erasing a 23-point deficit against the host Detroit Pistons and earning a 107-105 victory. Brooklyn trailed 77-54 with 8:18 remaining in the third quarter, but ended the skid by outscoring the Pistons 53-28 the rest of the way.
The Nets outscored Detroit 61-43 in the second half and allowed 32.5% shooting in the final two quarters. Brooklyn's defense was improved after conceding 66 and 55 points in the second halves of back-to-back double-digit losses Tuesday and Thursday at Miami.
"(You have to) keep playing as hard as you can," Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said. "(It was) the resiliency, and we found energy at the right time. Defensively, when you look at 43 points allowed in one half, you give yourself a chance to win. So, we found a way. I'm proud of the growth. (We) played against a really good team, and we were able to fight all the way through."
Brooklyn ended the game on a 34-15 run to complete the fifth-largest comeback in franchise history -- and the biggest since storming back from a 28-point deficit on March 3, 2023, at Boston. The Nets have recovered from 28-point deficits three times.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 17 of his 30 points in the second half when he also collected nine of his 13 rebounds. Former Memphis first-round pick Ziaire Williams added 13 of his 23 points in the final 24 minutes, finishing two shy of his season high and getting double figures for the third straight game.
Memphis earned a 103-98 home win over Brooklyn by scoring the final 13 points on Jan. 11. Since their late comeback in the first meeting, the Grizzlies are 6-17 in their past 23 games. That includes Saturday's 123-120 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers that marked their ninth loss when scoring at least 120 points.
The loss occurred after Morant was made available to the media for the first time since injuring his elbow on Jan. 21.
"If I was basically whipping a pass to the opposite side with that hand is the biggest problem," Morant said. "Other than that, I feel like I can fight through it, but also still have to be smart."
Without Morant again, the Grizzlies lost a 19-point lead in the second quarter and were outscored 100-79 over the final three quarters as they allowed 54 points in the paint.
Memphis committed 15 turnovers and allowed a season-worst 46 free throws while committing 29 fouls, three shy of its season worst.
Ty Jerome was the most experienced player in the starting lineup and scored 23 points, marking his second-highest total this season. Jerome was in a starting lineup with Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Scotty Pippen Jr. while Taylor Hendricks added 18 off the bench.