NBA playoffs result: Desmond Bane, Grizzlies send series back to Lakers

Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds as Memphis cut the Lakers’ lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. The second-seeded Grizzlies will attempt to tie the series on Friday night in Los Angeles.

Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies takes a shot against Dennis Schroder of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of Game Five of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at FedExForum on April 26, 2023.

Desmond Bane recorded 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and Ja Morant added 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Memphis Grizzlies remained alive with a 116-99 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of a Western Conference first-round series on Wednesday.

Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds as Memphis cut the Lakers’ lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. The second-seeded Grizzlies will attempt to tie the series on Friday night in Los Angeles.

Anthony Davis amassed 31 points and 19 rebounds and Austin Reaves registered 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the seventh-seeded Lakers. LeBron James added 15 points and 10 rebounds and D’Angelo Russell had 11 points and 10 assists for Los Angeles.

The Grizzlies led by as many as 25 points after breaking open a close game in the latter half of the third quarter.

Memphis shot 44.4 per cent from the field, including 14 of 40 (35 per cent) from 3-point range. Luke Kennard departed with a left shoulder injury with 10:48 left in the contest.

Los Angeles connected on 40.2 percent of its attempts and was 10 of 39 (25.6 percent) from behind the arc. James missed all five of his shots while going scoreless in the fourth quarter.

Earlier, James scored five straight points as the Lakers trimmed the Memphis lead to 75-74 with 4:36 left in the third.

The Grizzlies then erupted by scoring 26 of the next 28 points, including a 19-2 burst to complete the third period. Morant scored the final two baskets of the quarter as Memphis took a 94-76 lead. Bane then scored the final five of seven straight Grizzlies points to start the fourth, stretching the lead to 101-76.

A 3-pointer by Jackson made it 106-82 with 8:41 remaining before the Grizzlies went scoreless for nearly five minutes. The Lakers rattled off the next 12 points to move within 12 with 4:04 left.

Jackson halted the Memphis drought with a basket in the interior with 3:46 remaining, and the tired Lakers didn’t have another run in them.

Bane scored 21 first-half points and the Grizzlies led 61-52 at the break. Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the half for the Lakers.

Bane had seven points in Memphis’ 10-0 run to conclude the first quarter, giving the Grizzlies a 38-24 lead. The Grizzlies led 56-39 after a 3-pointer by Brooks with 4:40 left in the half before Los Angeles went on a 21-5 spurt over the next six-plus minutes.

A three-point play by Davis with 47 seconds left allowed the Lakers to trail just 61-52 at halftime. Russell then scored eight consecutive points to move Los Angeles within one with 10:18 left in the third quarter.