The Memphis Grizzlies scored the game’s final 13 points to erase an eight-point deficit with three minutes remaining and defeat the visiting Brooklyn Nets 103-98 Sunday.
Rookie Cedric Coward paced the Grizzlies with 21 points and eight rebounds, Jock Landale added 16 points and nine boards and Santi Aldama finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
The Grizzlies trailed 98-90 following a 7-0 run by the Nets, but recovered behind the long-range shooting of Coward and a key offensive rebound by Landale. Coward drained two 3-pointers during the end-of-the-game run and Landale wrestled an offensive rebound from three Nets with 11 seconds left. Jaren Jackson Jr. closed the scoring run with two free throws with 10 seconds to go.
Jackson had 14 points and Cam Spencer contributed 12 points and a career-high-tying 13 assists.
Brooklyn got 17 points apiece from Noah Clowney and Tyrese Martin. Danny Wolf finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds and Jalen Wilson also scored 11 for the Nets.
Memphis played without star guard Ja Morant for the fifth consecutive game because of a right calf contusion. Morant, for whom the Grizzlies are reportedly entertaining offers ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, has missed 21 of the team’s 39 games with an assortment of injuries and a one-game team suspension.
The Nets were minus their best player, Michael Porter Jr. Porter, averaging a team-best 25.9 points per game, was held out to rest.
The Grizzlies were in jeopardy of surrendering a double-digit lead for the 10th time this season before rallying. They blew a 21-point third-quarter lead Friday to the Oklahoma City Thunder, playing without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, and fell 117-116 in the closing seconds.
Memphis shot 47.6% in the first half Sunday, made each of it 14 free throws and led 61-50 at the break. The Grizzlies led by as many as 16 on several occasions in the first quarter. Coward scored 13 of his points for Memphis in the first quarter.
The Grizzlies depart for Europe for a two-game series with the Orlando Magic beginning Thursday in Berlin and concluding Sunday in London.
