A Ja Morant–less Memphis squad buried Indiana behind a six-man double-figure attack, surging to 77 third-quarter points and tightening the West’s 4-6 seed cliff in the process.
Grizzles Rewrite Blueprint Without Their Stars
Taylor Hendricks snapped a three-game slump with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting, Jaylen Wells poured in 18, and three rookies combined for 47 as Memphis posted its highest point total since November. The victory lifts the Grizzlies to 38-27, squarely in a three-way scrum with Dallas and Sacramento for the fifth seed.
Doing it without Ja Morant (17 straight missed with a hyper-extended left elbow) and 7-3 center Zach Edey—who will undergo a second ankle procedure this week—makes the statement louder. Memphis is now 11-6 when their franchise point guard sits, the league’s best mark among sub-.500 performers in such scenarios AP NBA.
3 Stats That Flip the Narrative
- 77 – Grizzlies’ third-quarter point pace, blitzing Indiana 31-15 in the first 5:04 of the second half.
- +38 – Bench differential; Memphis reserves outscored Indy’s 72-34.
- Zero – Minutes played by Indiana’s starting back-court in the fourth; Rick Carlisle conceded with 9:11 left.
Pacers’ Slide Gains Urgency
Indiana has dropped six of nine, falling to 33-31 and just a half-game above the play-in cut. Pascal Siakam’s lingering hand issue—he missed a second straight contest—has siphoned half-court creation, allowing opponents to load up on Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers’ 29th-ranked clutch defense was again exposed when Memphis ripped off a 14-0 fourth-quarter burst that turned 99-93 into garbage time NBA.com clutch stats.
What the Sweep Signals
- Home-court insurance: The Grizzlies own every tie-break scenario vs. Indiana, crucial if both finish with identical records for seeding or play-in seeding.
- Trade-deadline bet paying off: Rookie acquisitions Wells and Hendricks have combined for 37 in March; Memphis dealt away Luke Kennard’s expiring money to open developmental slots.
- Mental edge: Memphis now 6-0 vs. Indiana since 2023, three of the wins by 19-plus; that psychology matters in a prospective finals meeting should both surge.
A Look Ahead
The Grizzlies fly to Minneapolis Tuesday for a back-to-back that doubles as a one-game playoff for seeding—Minnesota sits one game back. The Pacers head to Crypto.com Arena Wednesday, where Paul George’s Clippers loom hungry for a top-four cushion.
Stat to Track: Memphis is 13-2 when holding opponents under 32% from three; Indiana shot 9-for-38 (23.7%) Sunday.
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