Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo analyzed his team’s 139-136 overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, focusing on rotation decisions and late-game execution.
“In the middle of the fourth quarter…both guys went heavily over the recommendations today because we felt like this was a very important game,” Iisalo said of Ja Morant and Cedric Coward’s short rest before returning to the floor.
Iisalo explained the rationale behind the sub: “We felt like both players benefited from that short break. We as a team, not sure we benefited from that at that moment, but it also led to two guys who were relatively fresh going into the last few minutes.”
When asked about Memphis’ final possession, Iisalo noted, “We felt we had five shooters on the court and a very good passer in Santi Aldama to make the inbounds pass and thought that would give us the best chance to win the game.”
Regarding Philadelphia’s game-winning 3-pointer, he said, “We had a foul to give over in the timeout…we were also very cognizant of the fact that they have a couple of players that are very good that if you foul at the wrong point…you’re going to end up with a free throw right there.”
Iisalo acknowledged the challenge of balancing minutes and effort. “There’s always an element of planning and always an element of feel…you also don’t want to empty out the bank account just because you feel like we got to do everything to win the game,” he explained.
The Grizzlies were led by Morant, who scored 40 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, keeping Memphis within striking distance and forcing overtime after a 128-128 tie with under a minute left. Cedric Coward added career-highs of 28 points and 16 rebounds.
Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe scored 25 points, including a game-winning 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining, while Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined for 68 points. The 76ers outscored Memphis 11-8 in overtime to snap a three-game losing streak.
Both teams shot over 50% in the first half, with a 72-all tie at the break, but Memphis struggled with 11 turnovers. Philadelphia’s balanced scoring, clutch shooting, and veteran leadership from Paul George proved decisive.
The overtime loss drops Memphis to 15-18, while Philadelphia improves to 17-14. The 76ers continue their five-game road trip against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, and the Grizzlies visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
