One stop could have saved the Memphis Grizzlies from falling into the 3-1 hole they now find themselves in. LeBron James made sure to kick them into it like Leonidas in 300.
The Los Angeles Lakers frontman put the team on his back and powered through the paint with a high-arching layup off the glass that sent the game into overtime.
LEBRON JAMES FOR THE TIE WITH 0.8 LEFT 🔥pic.twitter.com/8rSxKQMENu
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 25, 2023
Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane was vocal on their team's failure on that final possession. Make someone not named LeBron James beat you. And if it had to be him, don't allow him momentum towards the right side.
“It always comes down to game-planning discipline,” said Desmond Bane after the Grizzlies' loss in OT. “LeBron's been a strong right-handed driver since he came into the league 20 years ago. He gets to his right hand and we got two guys on that side that are supposed to be in help and we didn't execute. It's pretty much as simple as that, you know… I mean, game-plan discipline.”
Desmond Bane: "(LeBron) gets to his right hand and we got two guys on that side that are supposed to be in help and we didn't execute. It's pretty much as simple as that, you know… I mean, game-plan discipline."
Well, there you go. pic.twitter.com/nVCz7n4Jp5
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) April 25, 2023
It's obviously easier said than done to stop LeBron James from muscling his way into the paint. The Grizzlies could have done a better job of collapsing onto him to force the pass, but giving up a three-pointer off a LeBron assist was definitely something Memphis wanted to prevent as well.
Both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant were able to go airborne to try and contest the shot, but neither ultimately deterred it from falling in. With their backs against the wall, the Grizzlies will try to extend the series as it shifts back to Memphis for Game 5.
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