Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. shoots over Anthony Davis of the Lakers during Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Wednesday in Memphis, Tenn. Brandon Dill/Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Xavier Tillman scored a career-high 22 points and had 13 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies tied their first-round Western Conference series at 1-1 Wednesday night by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 103-93, with All-Star guard Ja Morant sidelined by an injured hand.
No. 2 seed Memphis sat Morant after he tested the right hand originally hurt April 7 in a win at Milwaukee and aggravated while driving to the basket in the opening loss to the Lakers. He had more exams on the hand before being declared inactive and watched from the bench with his hand bandaged.
Morant’s teammates more than made up for his absence. The Grizzlies led by as much as 20 and had fans waving their towels chanting “Whoop That Trick” with 30 seconds left, with this series guaranteed a return to Memphis for Game 5. The Grizzlies were able to dribble out the final seconds for the win.
Jaren Jackson Jr., the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, scored 18 points for Memphis. Desmond Bane had 17, and Tyus Jones had 10 points and eight assists filling in for Morant.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Reserve Rui Hachimura had another strong performance with 20 points. Anthony Davis struggled mightily after posting a double-double in the opener, going 4 for 14 and finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Golden State’s Draymond Green stomps on Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis resulting in a flagrant 2 foul during the fourth quarter of Game 2 Monday night in Sacramento, Calif. Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
NOTES
WARRIORS: Draymond Green stepping on the chest of Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis was an action the league considered excessive, dangerous and worthy of suspension, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said.
Dumars – whose job duties include being one of the NBA’s major decision-makers for player discipline matters – shed light on what went into the decision to suspend Green for a playoff game, and why Sabonis’ actions didn’t merit further sanctioning.
“This was not some snap-of-the-finger decision to do this,” Dumars said in an interview with The Associated Press. “There was much discussion, and back and forth, looking at the play itself over and over. And then ultimately we came to the decision that the act itself, and repeat offenses, actually did warrant a suspension.”
The incident with Sabonis and Green came midway through the fourth quarter of the Sacramento-Golden State game on Monday night. Sabonis grabbed at Green’s ankle and Green wound up stepping – some would describe it as stomping – on Sabonis’ chest.
Sabonis got a technical, Green was ejected, the Warriors lost to fall into a 2-0 series hole, and then the NBA decided Green needed to sit out a full game as well.
KINGS: Sacramento thought Sabonis had avoided injury following his encounter with Green, but further testing showed that was not the case.
The team released a medical update late Tuesday night revealing Sabonis suffered a bruised sternum. Sabonis will be listed as questionable for Game 3 on Thursday at Chase Center in San Francisco.
AWARD: Sacramento’s Mike Brown was the unanimous winner of the NBA’s Coach of the Year award.
It was an easy call after his first season in Sacramento saw the Kings make the playoffs for the first time since 2006. All 100 voters from a panel of reporters and broadcasters had Brown atop their ballot.
The other finalists were Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault and Boston’s Joe Mazzulla.
BUCKS: Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Game 2 against Miami because of a bruised lower back that knocked him out of the Bucks’ 130-117 Game 1 loss on Sunday.
WIZARDS: Washington fired GM Tommy Sheppard after the team missed the postseason for a second consecutive season.
Sheppard’s dismissal comes less than two years after he received a contract extension in November 2021. Washington went 35-47 in 2021-22 and had the same record this season.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
