There hasn’t been much for Grizzlies fans to get excited about early in the season, but that changed Sunday night.
Memphis finally recorded its first win of the 2023-24 campaign with a 112-100 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. The Grizzlies were paced by fourth-year wing Desmond Bane, who poured in a game-high 33 points.
Two of those points were scored with the utmost ease thanks to an incredible pass from Marcus Smart. After gaining possession following a third-quarter jump ball, Smart managed to hit Bane in stride on a no-look pass as the 25-year-old streamed up court. Bane finished off the sequence with a two-handed slam.
Smart’s most valuable assets are his tenacious defense and leadership. But Boston Celtics diehards will be the first to tell you the veteran guard is a solid playmaker, and Smart was able to show off that side of his game Sunday night.
The 1-6 Grizzlies will try to build off their first win of the season Wednesday evening when they host the Heat. The contest will mark Smart’s first game against the Heat since Jimmy Butler and company bested the Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals in seven games.
