For the second straight game against the Pistons, the Memphis Grizzlies have used last second heroics to secure a victory.
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Chalmers, who scored a game-high 25 points, tied the game a few moments earlier with three free throws after being fouled by Brandon Jennings, who closed the game for the Pistons (21-18) with starter Reggie Jackson on the bench the entire fourth quarter.
“It seemed like every time they got an offensive rebound it was a 3-pointer and not just a putback”, coach Dave Joerger said.
In his past 5 games, Chalmers has played 30-plus minutes an outing and averaged 17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.2 steals, while shooting 41.2% from the floor and 10-for-28 from 3-point range (35.7%). Green led Memphis with 12 points and Ilyasova had 12 points for the Pistons.NOTES: Memphis F Jeff Green did not a play a minute in the second half of Tuesday’s loss to Houston.
For the fourth time in the last five games, he played 39 or more minutes. Jeff Green added 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting (60 percent). The Pistons rattled off a 23-2 run, and the Grizzlies’ only basket in that span came on a goaltending call.
The Grizzlies held a double-digit lead early in the fourth but almost squandered it.
In between home dates against the two best teams in basketball, it would seem easy for the Detroit Pistons to not be entirely focused on a trip to Memphis. The Pistons connected on six shots from beyond the 3-point arc while storming ahead 96-88.
It was the second time this season the Pistons lost to the Grizzlies (22-19) on a wild finish.
Barnes will be replaced by Tony Allen in the starting lineup. “I know I gotta keep my mouth shut because he’ll run and tell”. “I can’t fault (Joerger) for that, ” Green said.
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Chalmers embraced his new role with Memphis, as a score-first backup guard, which helped him get over the Heat trading him away, and has carried that over into his temporary starting role, while Conley rests a sore left achilles tendon.
