Sixers’ comeback falls short against the Memphis Grizzlies

MEMPHIS — Joel Embiid appeared to have a free look at the basket for a last-minute dunk before Jaren Jackson Jr. flew in from behind to stick the block on the 76ers’ MVP contender.

That defensive stand capped the Memphis Grizzlies’ 117-109 victory over the Sixers Friday night at FedEx Forum. But long before that highlight-worthy final play, the Sixers failed in the two areas they identified as the game’s biggest keys. They committed 13 turnovers that the Grizzlies parlayed into 22 points, and they surrendered 19 offensive rebounds that Memphis converted into 25 second-chance points.

“We should have never been in that situation in the first place,” said Embiid, who flirted with a triple-double with 35 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. “ ... We didn’t execute in those two things. That’s why we lost.”

After winning seven out of nine games from Nov. 12-28, Friday was the Sixers’ second consecutive loss against stout competition in the Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Sixers (12-11) will conclude this three-game road trip Monday in Houston, which could mark the return of All-Star guard James Harden from a foot tendon strain that has kept him sidelined for nearly a month.

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Despite the sloppy miscues, the Sixers did make things interesting down the stretch. After Danuel House Jr. hit a three-pointer and Embiid followed with a finish inside to cut what had been an 18-point Grizzlies’ advantage down to 111-106 with less than three minutes to play, Memphis answered with four consecutive points to all but put the game away before Jackson’s final block.

The Grizzlies initially built a double-digit lead with a 20-2 first-half run that flipped a seven-point deficit into a 41-30 lead. They pushed it back up to 92-76 when, following a Santi Aldama three-pointer, Brandon Clarke picked up a loose ball and finished at the other end just before the third-quarter buzzer. It extended to a game-high 102-84 on a Jackson long ball early in the final frame.

Grizzlies star Ja Morant finished with 20 of his 28 points in the first half and added eight rebounds. Sixers standout forward Tobias Harris, who missed shootaround and was questionable entering the game with a non-COVID illness, totaled 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting (5-of-6 from three-point range) and 11 rebounds.

“It was tough to fight through out there, but it’s part of it,” Harris said. “Like I always say, if I’m healthy and can walk and be able to give some type of effort, I’m going to go do it. With us being down and shorthanded so many guys, I’ve got to go if I can give something, and I was.”

Embiid did not play in either of last season’s games against the Grizzlies, which means it had been a while since he matched up against the physically imposing Steven Adams. Though Embiid finished with a gaudier scoring output, Adams racked up 16 rebounds (10 offensive), six assists, three steals, and three blocks to go with his nine points.

Sixers coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Embiid would need to use his quickness to his advantage. And other than when he powered in the layup that cut the Grizzlies’ lead to 111-106, most of Embiid’s buckets while being guarded by Adams came when he got the space to take jumpers over him.

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Perhaps the most crucial sequence between the two came about midway through the third quarter. After Embiid hit a three-pointer from the top to cut Memphis’ lead to 73-67, Adams grabbed two offensive rebounds that directly led to John Konchar three-pointers. Then, following a bad pass by Shake Milton that was too tall for Embiid, Adams grabbed the ball and went the other way for the dunk to extend the Grizzlies’ lead to 81-67.

“When you play someone like Steven Adams, where I’ve got to over-help a lot [defensively], rebounding is a team effort,” Embiid said. “So I thought I didn’t do a good job, and we didn’t do a good job as a team. Offensively, I still felt like I attacked and I got whatever I wanted. [I] missed a couple shots, and, playmaking today, I thought I did a great job.”

Another example of the annoyance Adams can be occurred late in the second quarter when, while standing in the corner on the opposite end of the floor during a free throw, Adams came over and practically hugged Embiid by putting his head on Embiid’s shoulder.

In his first game against the Grizzlies as a Sixer, De’Anthony Melton finished with 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists and was with Embiid for a team-high plus-11.

He put together a fourth-quarter offensive burst, hitting a three-pointer from the left wing with about eight minutes remaining that cut Memphis’ lead to 102-90 and forced Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins to call a timeout. Shortly after that, Melton made a driving layup and a three-pointer that got the Sixers within 107-95.

Melton also guarded Morant for much of the superstar guard’s night, including on a play when Morant put on a slick hesitation dribble to get to the basket.

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Melton, who played for the Grizzlies from 2019-22, received a warm reception from those from his former NBA home.

Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman, who traded Melton to the Sixers on draft night, came over during the guard’s pregame on-court routine to chat. About five minutes before tipoff, Melton was greeted by several former teammates including Morant, Clarke and Tyus Jones. He received cheers from the home crowd when he was introduced in the starting lineup, and when he re-entered the game in the second quarter. After the game, Melton and Morant did a jersey swap.

“I felt the love from players, all the way down to the staff that’s working here [at the arena],” Melton said. “So I’ve got a lot of love for everyone that works here, plays here, lives here, too. It feels good to feel like you made an impact somewhere. I enjoyed every moment of it.”

Officiating crew chief Sean Wright immediately acknowledged a late mistake when Rivers was not permitted to challenge an out-of-bounds call with less than four minutes to play. After Morant was blocked by Melton, the loose ball appeared to bounce off Morant and out of play.

“He should have been allowed to challenge,” Wright repeated as his answer to three questions about the situation from the pool reporter.

After Memphis kept the ball, Harris committed a foul, and Jackson made both free throws to increase the Grizzlies’ lead to 111-101.

Rivers expressed frustration following the game, saying the explanation he received in the moment was “one I had never heard of.”

“He said that I didn’t call [the timeout] quick enough,” Rivers said. “It doesn’t matter when you call it. Once you call a timeout, then it’s a challenge. You just can’t make up rules on the fly, and that’s what I felt they were doing. And that should never happen. That should never happen.”