NBA Summer League 2019: Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies advance to championship game

Benyam Kidane

NBA Summer League 2019: Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies advance to championship game image

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies will lock horns in the Summer League championship game after both teams punched their ticket on Day 10 in Las Vegas. 

Here's how both semi-finals went down:

Memphis Grizzlies 88, New Orleans Pelicans 86 (OT)

It went right down to the wire between the Grizzlies and Pelicans for a place in the championship game, needing an extra period to split the teams. 

The Grizzlies were in control after three quarters, leading by 10 points, before the Pelicans opened the fourth quarter on a 16-6 run to steal the momentum. In the final 20 seconds, buckets from Trevon Bluiett and Javon Bess looked to have sealed the win, before Memphis' Tyler Harvey pulled up for three to send the game into OT.


It remained tight in the extra period, before no. 21 overall pick Brandon Clarke gave the Grizzlies the lead with a two-handed dunk out of the pick-and-roll with just 10.7 seconds remaining. The Pelicans had a chance to win it, but turned the ball over on the final posession to give the ball and the game to Grizzlies. 


Clarke led the Grizzlies with 23 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists and a block on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, while the Pelicans had four players score in double figures led by 16 points from Trevon Bluiett and 14 apiece for Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Marcos 'Didi' Louzada Silva.


Minnesota Timberwolves 85, Brooklyn Nets 77

Big man Naz Reid was unstoppable in the second semi-final, scoring 20 points in 19 minutes to lead the Timberwolves into the championship game.

Reid shot 6-of-12 from the field, adding seven rebounds and three blocks on the night. 

After a slow start, the Wolves rallied to take a seven-point lead into half-time, before blowing the game open with a dominant 24-11 third quarter. 

Jarrett Allen kept the Nets in it with a strong first half, recording 15 points and 14 rebounds, before exiting the game in the third quarter with a left hip contusion after a hard fall.

 


Brooklyn mounted a late comeback, thanks to some stifling defence in the fourth quarter, holding the Timberwolves to just eight points, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. 

Jordan McLaughlin chipped in 12 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists for the Timberwolves, while Aussie Mitch Creek added 11 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

The Timberwolves will take on the Grizzlies on Tuesday at the Thomas and Mack Center.

 

Benyam Kidane

Benyam Kidane Photo

Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor and has been covering the league for The Sporting News since 2016. In his spare time you can find him watching Allen Iverson highlights on repeat.