With 22 points and 14 rebounds (five of them offensive), the Spanish Santi Aldama signed his best game in the NBA on Monday and was essential in the great comeback of the Memphis Grizzlies against the Dallas Mavericks (112-108). With this brilliant performance, the Spaniard surpassed his records for scoring and rebounding in a game in the NBA (before, his best records were 21 points and 11 rebounds).
Aldama, who took a step forward in the face of Jaren Jackson Jr.’s foul problems, finished 6 of 12 from the field (2 of 6 from 3-pointers), 8 of 9 from the foul line and also provided 2 assists . “We just trust each other to pull it off,” said Aldama, interviewed on the American broadcast just after the game while he was effusively congratulated by his teammates.
The power forward highlighted the “resilience” of his team, the movement of the ball and the “rhythm” of Memphis in the outcome and the collective effort to take “a very physical game.” The Mavericks were winning by 16 points in the third period but fell apart in a last quarter in which some Grizzlies who had seemed dying shortly before were revived (shocking 29-12 in the last twelve minutes).
The Spaniard, both with his points and with his fight for the rebound, was key in the volcanic reaction of some Grizzlies that radically changed the speed of the match against some bewildered Mavericks and with Irving missing. Thus, Jackson Jr., as soon as he replaced Aldama, put the locals ahead with only 4.49 to go (104-103).
With Memphis leading by 3 points going into the final minute, Reggie Bullock missed a 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game and Jackson Jr. capped the game with some gutsy action in the paint.
Jackson Jr. (28 points) was the top scorer for the Grizzlies with six wins in seven games and who have also beaten the Mavericks three times in less than ten days. Dallas came to Memphis with two straight road wins, including Maxi Kleber’s buzzer-beating stab to the heart of the Los Angeles Lakers, but they couldn’t close out their three-game road trip with another win.
Kyrie Irving had 28 points in the first three quarters but came up empty in the final quarter on a dismal 0-of-8 shooting. Neither Luka Doncic (taking the last steps to recover from his injury) nor Ja Morant (already with his sanction served) took the field, although his return to the Mavericks and Grizzlies seems imminent. The two point guards were on their respective benches supporting their teammates.
