Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane scored 23 points each and the visiting Memphis Grizzlies used another fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-106 in Game 6 and win their Western Conference first-round series on Saturday (NZ time).
The Grizzlies, who trailed by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, outscored the Timberwolves 40-22 in the fourth, adding to two other victories in which they overcame double-digit deficits.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points and 14 rebounds, Brandon Clarke contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds, Ja Morant had 17 points and 11 assists and Tyus Jones scored 10 for the second-seeded Grizzlies, who advance to face the third-seeded Golden State Warriors. Game one is in Memphis on Monday (NZ time).
The Grizzlies' Kiwi centre Steven Adams was ruled out of the game, after entering health and safety protocols on Friday. The 28-year-old has only played a total of seven minutes in the series, as the side favoured smaller line-ups.
Anthony Edwards scored 30, Jaden McDaniels added 24, Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Patrick Beverley scored 10 for the Wolves.
Minnesota led by 10 after three quarters, but Jackson and Jones made back-to-back three-pointers to start the fourth-quarter scoring and pull Memphis within 84-80.
The Grizzlies got as close as three points, before Jordan McLaughlin had a basket and two assists to help Minnesota take a 91-84 lead.
Brooks' three-pointer pulled Memphis even at 97, before Edwards made two free throws to put Minnesota back in front.
Clarke made one of two free throws before Bane sank a 3-pointer and Morant scored on a drive for a 103-99 Grizzlies lead with 2m 25s left.
McDaniels sank a 3-pointer, but Jones answered with a 3-pointer.
McLaughlin scored on a drive, but Jackson answered with a dunk for a four-point edge with 36.3 seconds left. Morant and Jackson made two free throws each to seal the victory.
D'Angelo Russell scored the first five points of the third quarter as the Wolves pushed their three-point halftime lead to 57-49.
Towns scored five straight points as Minnesota extended the margin to 66-53.
Morant and Brooks scored five points each during a 12-0 run that pulled the Grizzlies within 69-68.
Beverley and McDaniels each made a 3-pointer as the Wolves built a 12-point lead before taking an 84-74 edge into the fourth quarter.
The lead changed hands eight times in the first half before the Timberwolves a 52-49 lead into the break.
Reuters.
