The Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies have been two teams going in opposite directions of late, with Memphis ascending to second in the West, while Phoenix has fallen all the way to 10th in the standings.
That recent form didn’t matter much on Sunday in Phoenix, as the Suns jumped out to a 25-point lead at the half on the Grizzlies, putting Memphis’ resiliency to the test. The Grizzlies would chip away and make it a game late, and got an unexpected boost to close the third quarter from Ziaire Williams, who took a rebound and threw up an 80-foot buzzer-beater that banked in to cut the deficit to 15 going into the fourth.
ZIAIRE WILLIAMS BANKED IT FROM FULL COURT
pic.twitter.com/PlKAbhbfiV
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 23, 2023
We’ve seen some impressive shots this year in the NBA, and while luck certainly plays a role in banking one in from the opposite restricted area, this has a strong case for the craziest shot of the season. These accounted for three of the 16 points Williams gave Memphis off the bench, as they tried to rally in the second half for a stunning comeback that fell just short, cutting the lead to as few as two in the final seconds, but they did show their fight even in a game they could’ve easily punted on at the half after falling down big.
On the other side, it’s a big win for a banged up Phoenix team, as they pick up a third straight win to get back to .500, as Chris Paul’s return provided some much needed playmaking, as he had 22 points and 11 assists in the win.