Nets Discard Grizzlies on the Road Behind Schröder's 33 Points

Brooklyn gets back in the win column.

Oct 30, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) dribbles as Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets got back in the win column in a gritty 119-106 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Sans Nic Claxton, season-long issues for Brooklyn persisted, but steady performances from its biggest stars outweighed the struggles.

Tuesday night's three-point barrage wouldn't carry over into the first quarter against Memphis, but the tight officiating did. In the first two minutes of the game, Ben Simmons picked up two fouls and head coach Jordi Fernandez was assigned a technical for disagreeing with an offensive foul on Cam Thomas. Nothing seemed to be going right for the Nets, who were getting gashed inside by Zach Edey until late in the quarter.

A steal and slam for former Grizzlies forward Ziaire Williams created a foundation of momentum for Brooklyn, who ripped off an 18-5 run to end the quarter. The Nets connected on seven of their last nine attempts, including a deep three and alley-oop finish for Noah Clowney. Even without its starting center, Brooklyn carried a 34-29 lead heading into the second quarter.

Williams' fingerprints were all over the next 12 minutes of action, and despite his deep ball not falling early, he converted multiple fastbreak dunks. Brooklyn displayed Fernandez's up-tempo offense, forcing Memphis to commit 15 turnovers through two quarters. But the Nets only capitalized on 10 points off the miscues, preventing them from extending their lead.

The teams traded buckets down the stretch as Edey continued to feast inside, and Jaren Jackson Jr. got hot from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies' frontcourt duo combined for 31 first-half points, but thanks to a solid showing from Thomas, Dennis Schröder and Cam Johnson, Brooklyn held a five-point advantage at the halftime buzzer.

Coming out of the break, the Nets experienced early highs and late lows. Brooklyn orchestrated a quick 8-0 run, building its lead to as high as 14, but began to unravel from then on. Just as the Nets seemed to get Jackson Jr. and Edey under control, Brandon Clarke emerged.

Memphis' 28-year-old forward provided an instant spark off the bench, crushing Brooklyn in the paint. Whether it was off of a sharp cut from the baseline or perfectly running his lane in transition, his contribution put the Grizzlies right back within striking reach. A near five-minute-long scoring drought, in which Simmons picked up his fifth foul, didn't help the Nets' odds of maintaining their once comfortable lead. At the very end of the third, Keon Johnson was assigned his second technical foul, cutting his night short in just 16 minutes of action. Despite the dramatic meltdown, Brooklyn still found itself ahead by one with the final stanza to play.

Unlike their previous losses, the Nets didn't allow a rough third quarter to determine the contest's outcome. The offense came back to life, largely in part due to Jalen Wilson's steady play and a continuation of Schröder's monster 33-point night. Memphis simply did not have an answer to Fernandez's balanced attack, allowing the rookie head coach to clear the bench having secured the victory.

In their first action since Brooklyn's win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Tyrese Martin, Jaylen Martin and Cui Yongxi all closed out the win for the Nets. At the final buzzer, five Nets had tallied double figures and Williams got the last laugh in his revenge game.

Now sitting at 2-3, Brooklyn returns to the Barclays Center on Nov. 1 to take on the Chicago Bulls at 7:30 p.m. EST.

To access the final box score from the Brooklyn Nets' win over the Memphis Grizzlies, click here.