Overview:
The Memphis Grizzlies let a 20 point lead slip away in a 118–111 loss to the Orlando Magic in the NBA Berlin Game. A strong first half gave way to rebounding issues, points off turnovers, and late pressure.
In the NBA Berlin Game, the Memphis Grizzlies experienced a tale of two halves, steady and in control early, unsettled late, and a 118–111 loss to the Orlando Magic after a 20 point lead slipped away.
The Grizzlies arrived in Berlin carrying more than just travel baggage. Ja Morant was listed out with a calf contusion, but his absence existed alongside a larger cloud that has followed the team in recent days. Since January 9, when Shams Charania reported that the Grizzlies were, for the first time, open to entertaining offers involving the two-time All Star ahead of the February 5 NBA trade deadline, the noise has lingered. It did not dictate the game, but it framed the environment around a team still searching for steadiness.
Early on, Memphis looked free of it.
The Grizzlies poured in 39 points in the first quarter, scoring in transition, moving the ball, and creating clean looks before Orlando could get organized. That pace carried into the second quarter, where Memphis added 28 more points and stretched the lead to 20. The ball did not stick. The floor stayed spaced. For a half, Memphis dictated the terms.
That feeling did not survive halftime.
The Grizzlies managed just 12 points in the third quarter, and the shift was immediate. The offense stalled. Defensive stops stopped being complete. Orlando outscored Memphis 26–12 in the period by winning the physical parts of the game rather than shooting over the top. Rebounds extended possessions. Loose balls tilted momentum.
Turnovers compounded the problem. Both teams committed 16, but Memphis paid the heavier price, allowing 24 points off turnovers, many coming before the defense could get set. Those mistakes fed Orlando’s transition game and erased the margin Memphis had built. The Magic finished with a 20–12 edge in fast break points.
Rebounding became the separator.
Orlando dominated the glass 54–37, including 19 offensive rebounds that kept possessions alive and wore Memphis down. Too many defensive sequences required multiple efforts. Too often, Memphis did not supply them. The Magic turned those extra chances into a 50–38 advantage in points in the paint and controlled the rhythm late.
Still, Memphis had opportunities.
With 3:03 remaining, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored to give the Grizzlies a 107–105 lead. It was his final field goal of the night. He finished with 30 points, but only seven came in the second half, and he did not attempt another shot as the game tightened.
Postgame, he addressed that stretch directly. “I need to be more assertive in coming to get the ball,” Jackson Jr. said. “I think there were times when they were denying me. It is hard. I think if you look at me and I am open for a second, you try to do something else, then I might not be open. And then we have a shot clock too. There are a lot of factors that go into it. Their pressure sped us up a little bit, and that is something we needed to be more mindful of.”
Jackson Jr. also acknowledged the weight of the week without letting it become an excuse.
“When the game starts, that is all we think about,” he said. “It is X’s and O’s. It is about playing hard and doing what we have practiced. That is always going to trump how you are feeling about anything, how you are feeling about the game. We just want to get a better result in London.”
Even with Morant sidelined, his presence remained visible on the bench. “He wants us to thrive and do well,” Jackson Jr. said. “He is one of my biggest cheerleaders for sure, one of my best coaches too, at times. It is dope to see. You always have to look at the bench when you do something. It is a family. It is a family activity. It is family.”
Head coach Tuomas Iisalo echoed that sentiment, pointing to Jackson’s focus as a reflection of the group. Iisalo said the Grizzlies endured bad runs and had opportunities to quit, but instead continued trying to find a way back, something the team emphasized before tipoff by focusing on controlling what it could control.
The supporting cast produced throughout the night. Santi Aldama scored 18 points and hit all four of his three point attempts, providing spacing and timely shot-making. Cedric Coward added 17 points and two blocks, while GG Jackson II scored 15 on efficient shooting and helped keep Memphis within reach during the fourth quarter push.
Cam Spencer continued his growth as a playmaker, finishing with 11 assists, and for the third straight game in double figures. However he went 2-of- 7 from the field finishing with just 7 points. Iisalo credited Spencer’s offseason commitment to expanding his role, noting how his shooting gravity has allowed him to evolve from a catch-and-shoot option into a primary organizer.
The production was there. The response was there. But yet again the Grizzlies struggled with late game execution.
The Berlin game marked the first of a two-game slate between the Grizzlies and Magic, with a quick turnaround ahead. The teams will meet again January 18 in London at The O2 Arena, tipping at 5 p.m. local time, 11 a.m. Central, U.S. with the game airing on Prime Video. After what slipped away in Berlin, Memphis will not have long to sit with this one before being asked to respond.