Grizzlies
Grizzlies Outscore Bulls in the Paint, Hold On 104-100 in Preseason
The Grizzlies beat the Bulls 104-100 at the United Center behind a 50-34 edge in the paint and 58 bench points. Chicago rallied with a 32-point third quarter to cut a 10-point deficit to three, but Memphis answered 19-18 in the fourth to close it out. It's preseason, so the result carries no standings weight for either side.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 12 d ago01The story of the nightA back-and-forth game decided lateMemphis set the tone early, building a 10-point cushion by halftime, 60-50, and stretching it to a game-high 14 points.
Memphis set the tone early, building a 10-point cushion by halftime, 60-50, and stretching it to a game-high 14 points. Chicago's response came in the third quarter, when the Bulls outscored the Grizzlies 32-25 to trim the margin to 85-82 entering the fourth. Memphis never let the lead change hands in the final period, matching Chicago's 18 with 19 of its own to close it out 104-100. Memphis led 4 times and Chicago led 4 times, but the Grizzlies' largest lead (14) outweighed the Bulls' biggest (6), and that cushion was enough to survive the third-quarter push.
02Jerome and Wilson carry their teamsTy Jerome led Memphis with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three, in just 14.2 minutes,…
Ty Jerome led Memphis with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three, in just 14.2 minutes, finishing a team-best plus-16. Caleb Wilson paced Chicago with a game-high 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting and 5-of-11 from deep over 31.6 minutes, though he finished a team-worst minus-18. Norman Powell added 17 for the Bulls, going 10-of-12 from the line, and Josh Giddey chipped in 13. For Memphis, GG Jackson scored 14 off the bench, Cameron Boozer and Zach Edey each had 10, with Edey perfect on 3-of-3 shooting.
03Won in the paint and off the benchMemphis's advantage was built inside: 50 points in the paint to Chicago's 34, and a 58-43 edge in bench scoring that…
Memphis's advantage was built inside: 50 points in the paint to Chicago's 34, and a 58-43 edge in bench scoring that overwhelmed Chicago's reserves. The Grizzlies also outrebounded the Bulls on the offensive glass contribution of their size, though Chicago won the overall rebounding battle 55-52. Memphis shot 47.4% from the field compared to Chicago's 37.5%, even while committing more turnovers (21 to 16) and getting outscored at the line, where the Bulls made 28-of-40 free throws to Memphis's 22-of-26. Both teams scored the same 12 points off turnovers, but Memphis's interior scoring and reserve production were the difference.
04What it means for each teamThis was a preseason game, so it does not affect either team's record, which sits at 0-0 for both.
This was a preseason game, so it does not affect either team's record, which sits at 0-0 for both. For Memphis, the showing offers an early look at bench depth paying off, with Jackson, Boozer, Grant, and Small all contributing double-digit or near-double-digit scoring off the pine. For Chicago, Wilson's 21-point output shows scoring upside, but his minus-18 and the team's 37.5% shooting from the field are areas to clean up before the regular season. Giddey and Powell's efficient complementary scoring is a positive building block heading into the year.
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