Sixers vs. Grizzlies Quarter Breakdown on Thursday Night

How did the Sixers do against the Grizzlies in their first game back after the All-Star break?

Following a much-needed week-long All-Star break, the Philadelphia 76ers returned to the court on Thursday night to face the Memphis Grizzlies for the second time this season.

In a matchup without James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers lacked some notable offensive help. However, a dominant performance on the boards by Memphis issued the Sixers a tough time as they couldn’t make it out of Memphis with a victory.

With Harden and Maxey back in the mix this time around and the Grizzlies missing a notable player in Steven Adams, the Sixers were out for revenge on Thursday night. Entering the All-Star break, they were on a four-game win streak and looked to start a tough stretch on the right foot as the second-seeded Grizzlies came to South Philly for their lone visit this year. 

Quarter Breakdown

1st Quarter

The Sixers can typically count on some early buckets from their big man Joel Embiid, but PJ Tucker buried the team’s first successful shot in the first quarter with a signature corner three. While the Sixers were attempting to get active in the paint early, Memphis’ plan to protect the rim was working like a charm, as the Sixers didn’t get a basket in the paint until five minutes into the game.

To no surprise, Grizzlies veteran Dillon Brooks set a chippy tone, exchanging words with James Harden after a foul. Embiid returned the favor defensively on the other end as he swatted two shots of his own on the block. Although the Sixers cut down a notable early lead to two points, a Memphis timeout didn’t do them any favors.

Memphis continued their hot shooting from the field while the Sixers went cold. Through the first quarter of action, the Sixers trailed 37-22. Desmond Bane was the star of the show for the Grizzlies as he accounted for 19 of their first-quarter points.

2nd Quarter

Before the All-Star break, the Sixers were finding success with their lineup containing four bench players alongside James Harden. Philly struggled to gain an offensive rhythm early on, although Harden was taking advantage of the looks he was getting.

A little over halfway through the quarter, the Sixers trotted Embiid back on the floor after four minutes of Paul Reed. Trailing by double digits, the Sixers hoped for a spark by the big man. The Grizzlies continued to make life challenging in the paint for the Sixers, though. A Jaren Jackson block on an attempted poster dunk by Embiid, which led to a transition dunk on the other end, gave Memphis a surge, which spelled bad news for the Sixers.

The Grizzlies’ physical defense protected the paint well enough to force the Sixers to begin looking for shots from beyond the arc. However, Memphis did an excellent job preventing Philly from getting any clean looks. After a couple of tough and unsuccessful shots from deep, Philly fans in attendance voiced their displeasure with the Sixers. 

It seemed the boobirds motivated the Sixers, as they came out with four-straight successful offensive possessions, including a Tyrese Maxey floater, Joel Embiid tip layup, and a pair of threes from Harden and Tobias Harris. While the Sixers got a small spark in the final minutes of the half, they still trailed 59-47. 

3rd Quarter

After a red-hot offensive quarter by the Grizzlies, the Sixers benefitted from Memphis cooling down from the field and struggling to get it going. Two early misses and a turnover helped the Sixers create a quick 6-0 run, which helped them get the game within six points. 

Joel Embiid was active on the defensive end of the floor, flashing dominant interior defense and picking up a pair of blocks early on. It took Memphis almost half of the third quarter before they scored from the field. Once Ja Morant took advantage of a bad pass and threw down a dunk in transition, he started to get himself going a bit after a quiet first half. 

That wouldn’t become a trend, though. On his next three shots, Morant failed to create points for the Grizzlies. The Sixers prevented falling into blowout territory after trailing as many as 17 points in the game, but they still trailed 81-75 through three quarters. 

4th Quarter

The Sixers gave their star big man Embiid a rest to begin the fourth quarter. With Paul Reed for the first few minutes, the big man collected a foul in the opening minute, which turned into an And-1 opportunity for the Grizzlies. From the jump, Memphis got off to a nine-point lead. 

Once again, Memphis wasn’t off to a great shooting quarter, but they were winning the rebounding battle, creating second-chance opportunities. Knowing that time was running short, Harden and Maxey looked to pick up the pace for the Sixers’ offense as they needed to make quick and notable adjustments to attempt a comeback.

Embiid checked back in for Philly with a little under seven minutes to go. Coming out of a timeout, Embiid quickly grabbed a bucket, which turned into an And-1 opportunity. While Embiid didn’t convert with his free throw, the Sixers had the game within single digits. James Harden cut the lead down to six with a three-ball. That three would ignite a 10-2 run by the Sixers. With a Tobias Harris corner three, the Sixers were within one point of the Grizzlies. 

An Embiid mid-range jumper moments later would tie the game up at 102. The Sixers and the Grizzlies engaged in a tight battle that would go down to the wire. Embiid continued to flash star power on the defensive end by blocking a Ja Morant dunk attempt. With just 23 seconds left, Philadelphia took a late three-point lead with a Joel Embiid slam dunk in transition. The Grizzlies attempted to tie the game up with an unsuccessful Bane three. 

Bane got a second opportunity as the Grizzlies picked up the rebound, but he was unsuccessful again. While Memphis snagged a second-straight offensive rebound, Jaren Jackson was unsuccessful from beyond the arc. Finally, Philly got possession of the ball. With Tobias Harris converting on his free throws from intentional fouls, the Sixers completed their comeback over the Grizzlies with a 110-105 win.