Desmond Bane outlined how the Memphis Grizzlies have to play against Anthony Davis when they face off against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of their first-round playoff skirmish.
“It’s going to be a challenge the whole series,” Bane said of neutralizing James and Davis by “dictating a faster style of play,” Bane told the official NBA site.
“I think ball movement is going to have to be at a premium. We felt like we played well, but we can definitely play a whole lot better. We still had our chances.”
The Grizzlies went down 128-112 in the first outing after the Lakers’ had unexpected heroes in Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves. Davis and LeBron James were kept relatively quiet for 22 and 21 points, respectively, but the former was a massive presence on the defensive end.
Bane, who finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, is aware that the Grizzlies will need to up their ante on spacing, speed, and beyond-the-arc shooting to get the advantage of the Lakers’ size. On paper, the guard does appear to know the need of the hour, the question is if it’s as easy as it appears to be.
Desmond Bane’s Open Challenge To Rui Hachimura To Repeat His Game 1 Heroics
Rui Hachimura poured 29 points coming off the bench for the Lakers, coupling it with six rebounds and an assist. The forward, in tandem with Reaves, was one of the standout performances for LA.
“That was our game plan going in – make him take shots,” Bane said when asked about Hachimura’s performance. “He did. It’s probably the best game of his career. It’s a seven-game series. Let’s see if he can do it again Wednesday.”
The Grizzlies will be sweating over Ja Morant’s availability. The star guard crashed hard into the floor, injuring his already taped hand, and was visibly in pain. And on his part, Morant’s update on his condition doesn’t look like good news.
“I’m going to do anything to try to be out there for my team, be out there on the floor,” said Morant, via ESPN. “It’s pretty much how much I can tolerate. If I feel like I can go out there and be somewhat myself, I’ll probably play. But if not, I don’t want to do anything to hurt the team.”
The Grizzlies have been in this situation before, losing Morant for a stretch of games during the regular season when he was embroiled in a string of controversies. And while they have managed to more than just hold their own, this is the playoffs, and they will certainly need him if they intend to go the distance.
