On Sunday night, the Boston Celtics defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 102-100 thanks to 26 points from Kristaps Porzingis, which included the game-winning dunk with 1:01 remaining.
After a barrage of misses, including a 3-point effort by Santi Aldama with four seconds remaining, Porzingis scored a slam. Porzingis blocked Ziaire Williams’ 18-foot attempt with seconds remaining, his sixth of the game, and Boston managed to win six consecutive.
For Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum finished with 20 points, and Sam Hauser added 15, making 5 of 7 shots from beyond the arc. Tatum was responsible for eight of Boston’s 17 turnovers despite having nine rebounds and five assists.
With thirty points, Desmond Bane led Memphis Grizzlies, followed by a career-high twenty-eight points from Aldama and seventeen points from Jaren Jackson Jr. Aldama went 11 of 27 from the field, including 6 of 15 from beyond the arc, and finished with 12 rebounds.
Taylor Jenkins, the Memphis coach, praised him as “awesome.” “Career night (with points). Fifteen rebounds and six helpers. Six got a 3. He is incredibly versatile.
Aldama remarked, “I’m fortunate to have teammates and a coaching staff that believe in me.” Of course I think I have a shot, but so does everyone else.
Despite playing with a makeshift roster, Memphis maintained a close game throughout and even seized the lead multiple times in the second half. With 1:48 remaining, Memphis lead 100-98. But thanks to two free throws from Porzingis and the game-winning slam, the Celtics managed to prevail.
Eighteen lead changes and seven ties were observed.
Memphis played without important players, as it has for the majority of the season. Ja Morant, the top scorer from the previous year, will begin the season serving a 25-game suspension. Center Steven Adams’ season-ending injury has decimated the Memphis front line, and backup Brandon Clarke is also nursing an Achilles issue.
Marcus Smart, a point guard and former Boston Celtic, is also listed as injured. He missed time due to a sprained left foot. Smart was traded to Memphis during the off-season after spending his whole playing career with Boston Celtics.
The Celtics, on the other hand, were fully healthy, even though Jaylen Brown’s status on the pregame injury report was rated as questionable.
Going up against the smaller Memphis lineup helped Porzingis. Porzingis, who shot 9 of 13 from the field, stated that the game strategy was not necessarily to concentrate on that mismatch even though Memphis was playing small on the front line.
Porzingis stated, “We simply played our game.” “I made an effort to capitalize on a few mismatches. It was just one of those games where everything fell into place.
Porzingis has 6 blocks in the game amd played a major role on defensive end https://x.com/celtics/status/1726445705202430125?s=46
In the first half, the Celtics shot 51% while holding Memphis to 38%. At the half, Boston had a 56-53 advantage.
“We were fortunate to win that game,” Mazzulla remarked.
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