The Memphis Grizzlies could never quite grab control at FedExForum on Tuesday night, falling 112-97 to the Charlotte Hornets in a loss that felt heavier than the score suggested.<\/p>\n
It was the fourth straight loss, dropping the Grizzlies to 18-27 with 37 games remaining, and it unfolded in familiar fashion. The effort came in flashes. The connection did not.<\/p>\n
Memphis opened the night digging out of a hole, trailing by as many as 16 in the first quarter before grinding its way back into the game. When the Grizzlies briefly moved ahead 43-42 midway through the second quarter, it looked like they might finally settle in. Instead, the momentum evaporated almost as quickly as it arrived.<\/p>\n
Charlotte took firm control in the third quarter by owning the paint and the glass. The Hornets outscored Memphis 18-4 inside during the period and finished the night with a 52-38 advantage in paint points. The rebounding gap was just as damaging. Charlotte controlled the boards 43-29, repeatedly extending possessions and punishing the Grizzlies for missed rotations.<\/p>\n
Moussa Diabat\u00e9 was relentless around the rim, pulling down a career-high 20 rebounds and erasing defensive stops that Memphis desperately needed to turn into transition opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were slow to 50-50 balls,\u201d head coach Tuomas Iisalo said. \u201cThat\u2019s not who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iisalo pointed to the position battle as the deciding factor. By halftime, Memphis had already taken nine fewer shots than Charlotte, a deficit that proved too steep to overcome. The Grizzlies forced 20 turnovers and showed activity in the passing lanes, but they could not finish possessions well enough to flip the game.<\/p>\n
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points, scoring 22 of them in the first half. As the shots stopped falling after the break, the floor tightened. With less movement and fewer second touches, Charlotte was able to load up on Jackson Jr. and make every look harder.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we don\u2019t knock down shots, he has less space to attack,\u201d Iisalo said. \u201cIn our better games, the ball moves first and he\u2019s attacking a defense that isn\u2019t set.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cam Spencer\u2019s line of four points and six assists told only part of the story. His postgame assessment was far more direct.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur body language was bad,\u201d Spencer said. \u201cWe weren\u2019t connected on either end. They beat us to every 50-50 ball and outcompeted us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cedric Coward finished with 17 points and five assists but took responsibility for the team\u2019s uneven energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a big energy bringer, and I didn\u2019t have it as much as I needed to tonight,\u201d Coward said. \u201cYou can cover up a lot with effort and energy, and we just didn\u2019t have it all the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Charlotte\u2019s balance made it difficult for Memphis to mount any sustained push. All five Hornets starters scored in double figures, led by Brandon Miller\u2019s 26 points, while LaMelo Ball kept the offense steady whenever the Grizzlies showed signs of life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Memphis was held under 100 points for the second straight game, another reminder of how thin the margin has become with injuries and absences shaping the rotation.<\/p>\n
Help may be on the way. Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. are both nearing their season debuts after being assigned to the Memphis Hustle to practice, a sign that reinforcements could arrive soon for a backcourt that has been stretched thin.<\/p>\n
Still, the Grizzlies are trying to view this stretch as something to respond to rather than retreat from. \u201cIt should fuel you,\u201d Spencer said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a chance to respond.\u201d<\/p>\n
That chance comes quickly. Memphis heads to New Orleans next before returning to FedExForum for a two-game set with Minnesota, still searching for consistency, still searching for connection, and still trying to prevent these nights from becoming the norm.<\/p>\n
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