Grizzlies 104, Bulls 100: Memphis holds on in Chicago preseason game
Ty Jerome's hot shooting and a 14-point lead carried Memphis; rookie Caleb Wilson scored 21 for Chicago but missed a go-ahead three late.
The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Chicago Bulls 104-100 at the United Center on Friday, October 9, in a preseason game that Chicago pushed to the final possession.
How it unfolded
Memphis scored 30 points in each of the first two quarters to lead 60-50 at halftime, according to 92.9 FM ESPN Memphis's recap, and the lead reached as many as 14. Chicago chipped away late: rookie Caleb Wilson hit a three with 55 seconds left to cut it to 102-100.
On the next trip, per the Bulls' own site on NBA.com, Wilson got separation and took a step-back three that would have given Chicago the lead; it missed short. Javon Small then sealed the game for Memphis with two free throws in the final second.
Who stood out
Ty Jerome scored 16 points in 14 minutes for Memphis, going 5-of-8 overall and 4-of-6 from three, with four assists and no turnovers. GG Jackson added 14 off the bench. Zach Edey had 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting with five rebounds, two steals and a block in 16 minutes, which the recap framed as part of his continued return from injury. Rookie Cameron Boozer had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists in 12 minutes.
For Chicago, Wilson's 21 points led all scorers and included five three-pointers.
What it means
Preseason results carry little weight, and rotations are fluid. Still, there are takeaways. Memphis is 2-1 in the preseason and shot 47% with 25 assists, but committed 21 turnovers, which the recap flagged as the main thing to clean up before the regular season. Memphis plays its final preseason game on October 16 against the Charlotte Hornets and opens the regular season on October 21 against the Utah Jazz.
For Chicago, the game put Wilson in the closing possession, with the rookie taking the shot that could have won it. Torch has not found a source explaining the coaching reasoning, so we leave that alone.