Nba Playoffs, Memphis Grizzlies-Minnesota Timberwolves 117-130 in race-1

The first two games of the 2022 playoffs see the success of the away teams. After Utah passing to Dallas, Minnesota also goes to win on the difficult Memphis parquet. The Timberwolves (7) play with great maturity, rely on the inventions of an absolutely spacey Edwards (36 points) and the production of Towns (29 points and 13 rebounds) and beat the Grizzlies (2) 130-117. The 32 points of an excellent Ja Morant are not enough for the hosts.

you attack

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The two statistically best attacks of the NBA are faced and the start of the race is, as expected, at supersonic speed. More contracts the Grizzlies with Minnesota who takes the opportunity to immediately take over the reins of the match. Edwards is phenomenal in reading, Towns attacks the basket without finding resistance. With a partial 12-2 the visiting team thus escapes at +13 but has to deal with a certain Morant. The penetrations of the Memphis phenomenon are a real show, the Grizzlies begin to gain confidence and come back under thanks to the plays of Morant who closes the first quarter with 15 points, shooting with 5/5 from the field. Minnesota, however, is ahead by eight points but in the second quarter he becomes self-defeating, running into turnover in series. The Grizzlies, with Morant catching his breath on the bench, get to play a lady basketball, also favored by Minny’s turnovers. Clarke and Brooks bring the home team back in their wake and then manage to return to the front with a 16-3 break. Morant returns but Minnesota finds the right answers. Towns, Edwards and an excellent Beasley reignite the attack of the T-Wolves. With 10 consecutive points, the guests resume their race but the turnover continues (there will be 11 in the second quarter) and Memphis thus manages to limit the damage by arriving at the break three points late, 65-62.

edwards hand

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Even in the third quarter, slowing down a very hot Edwards becomes a real challenge for Memphis. The player in his first career playoff game produces a series of space plays even though the real highlight of the game comes from Towns delivering an incredible dunk in Jackson’s face. Jackson himself in the middle of the fraction sees his fourth foul whistled (shortly before it also happened to Beverley), Memphis however remains in the wake thanks to the triple of an excellent Brooks and the play of the usual Morant. Russell continues to struggle in attack but at the end of the third fraction the visiting team remains ahead 97-92.

the escape

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The fourth period opens with the fifth foul (in attack) by Jackson, Minnesota continues to attack the iron and even starts to defend with a certain discipline. Russell is back on track in a very important moment and after failing 10 of his first 11 shots from the field, he finds the triple from sidereal distance of +7 in the middle of the fourth fraction. The guests reach the double-digit advantage (4’30 ” from the end) with the heavy basket of an unstoppable Edwards. With a bit of confusion, Memphis tries to go back under, Morant attacks the basket but the T-Wolves defend well, the knockout blow then strikes McDaniels who with his triple from the corner brings Minnesota back to a comfortable +9 at 1’39 ” from the end. The rest is academia.
Memphis: Morant 32 (8/16, 0/2, 16/20 tl), Brooks 24, Bane 17. Rebounds: Clarke 12. Assists: Morant 8.
Minnesota: Edwards 36 (8/12, 4/11, 8/8 tl), Towns 29, Beasley 23. Rebounds: Towns 13. Assist: Russell 8.