Desoto County Sports

Hustle fall to Oklahoma City to split series

The Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ NBA G League affiliate, sustained a 116-87 loss to the Oklahoma City Blue on Monday at Landers Center.

D.J. Wilson led the Blue with 20 points (9-18 FG), 13 rebounds and five assists on 9-of-18 shooting. Georgios Kalaitzakis posted a double-double with 19 points (6-12 FG), 10 rebounds and three steals. Rob Edwards and Zavier Simpson tallied 18 points apiece. Scotty Hopson added 16 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Santi Aldama posted a double-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and two assists for Memphis. Ahmad Caver totaled 14 points, six assists and four rebounds. Ben Moore posted a season-high 13 rebounds. 

Oklahoma City broke the game open in the second quarter with a 23-6 run, giving the Blue a 54-30 advantage with 3:39 before half. The Hustle couldn’t get anything rolling on the offensive end in the first half, connecting on 1-of-16 3-point attempts to start the game. Oklahoma City carried a 59-38 lead into the break behind 10 points from Simpson. The Blue outshot the Hustle 45 percent to 29 percent in the first half and 43 percent to 17 percent from 3-point range.

Memphis cut the lead to 16 points, 64-48, in the third quarter but Oklahoma City responded with a 17-2 run to take their largest lead of the night, 81-50. The Hustle never got closer than 18 points the rest of the way, with the Blue salvaging a split of the back-to-back set. 

The Hustle return to the Landers Center floor against the Stockton Kings on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. CT. Fans can catch the game on NBAGLeague.com.

Box score

Bob Bakken

Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates and high school football play-by-play on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.

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