Sports Writing (USA), Mar 20 (EFE).- With 22 points and 14 rebounds (5 of them offensive), the Spanish Santi Aldama signed his best game in the NBA on Monday and was essential in the great comeback of the Memphis Grizzlies against the Dallas Mavericks (112-108).
With this brilliant performance, the Spaniard surpassed his records for scoring and rebounding in a game in the NBA (before, his best records were 21 points and 11 rebounds).
Aldama, who took a step forward in the face of Jaren Jackson Jr.’s foul problems, finished 6 of 12 from the field (2 of 6 from 3-pointers), 8 of 9 from the foul line and also provided 2 assists .
“We just trust each other to pull it off,” said Aldama, interviewed on the American broadcast just after the game while being effusively congratulated by his teammates.
The power forward highlighted the “resilience” of his team, the movement of the ball and the “rhythm” of Memphis in the outcome and the collective effort to take “a very physical game.”
The Mavericks were winning by 16 points in the third period but fell apart in a last quarter in which some Grizzlies who had seemed dying shortly before were revived (shocking 29-12 in the last twelve minutes).
Jackson Jr. (28 points) was the top scorer for the Grizzlies with six wins in seven games and who have also beaten the Mavericks three times in less than ten days.
Dallas came to Memphis with two straight road wins, including Maxi Kleber’s buzzer-beating stab to the heart of the Los Angeles Lakers, but they couldn’t close out their three-game road trip with another win.
Kyrie Irving had 28 points in the first three quarters but came up empty in the final quarter on a dismal 0-of-8 shooting.
Neither Luka Doncic (taking the last steps to recover from his injury) nor Ja Morant (already with his sanction served) took the field although their returns in Mavericks and Grizzlies seem imminent.
The two point guards were on their respective benches supporting their teammates.
THE GRIZZLIES WAKE UP ON TIME
After three straight games with 25+ points, Jackson Jr. got off to a strong start against Dallas and scored 11 points in the first quarter alone.
Irving also responded on the visitors with 11 points in the first episode and the Mavericks, a team usually focused on the outside game, put 14 of their 28 points in the paint (30-28 after the first twelve minutes).
Christian Wood and Frank Ntilikina led a Dallas second unit that set its pace in the second quarter against the gray Grizzlies, especially on defense.
In addition, Irving continued to find the basket with great ease, reaching 20 points at the break with a stupendous 8 of 13 shooting, and the Mavericks went into the break with a slight advantage but with good feelings (57-60).
The situation did not change at the restart with a more focused Mavericks and more convinced of what their plan was for tonight.
Instead, the Grizzlies began to show signs of frustration and the best example of this was Jackson Jr., who in five seconds added his fourth and fifth fouls to leave the local rotation very touched (67-76 with 7.01 left).
Facing the rusty Memphis attack, with few exceptions such as a tireless and very willful Aldama, Dallas surpassed double digits for the first time thanks to a very fine Woods and a commendable defensive attitude.
Jason Kidd’s men reached +16 in the third period but did not completely break the game (83-96 before the last quarter).
As if they had suddenly found their lost energy, the Grizzlies entered the opening quarter with a renewed attitude and a lot of activity in the two baskets, so much so that a three-pointer by Aldama left the margin in just 5 points after an 8-0 run in two minutes (91-96 with 10.13 on the clock).
The Spaniard, both with his points and with his fight for the rebound, was key in the volcanic reaction of some Grizzlies that radically changed the speed of the match against some bewildered Mavericks and with Irving missing.
Thus, Jackson Jr., as soon as he replaced Aldama, put the locals ahead with only 4.49 to go (104-103).
At +3 for Memphis in the final minute, Reggie Bullock missed a 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game and Jackson Jr. capped the game with some gutsy action in the paint.
(c) EFE Agency
