Legends rain down 22 threes, hand Hustle sixth straight loss
Photo: Tyler Burton of the Memphis Hustle (44) battles a pair of Texas Legends players for the basketball during Wednesday’s NBA G League game at the Landers Center (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — The Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies) could not overcome a barrage of perimeter shooting from the Texas Legends, falling 132-123 at the Landers Center on Wednesday night. The defeat extends Memphis’ current losing streak to six games, a stretch that includes two overtime heartbreakers. The victory was the third straight win for Texas, the NBA G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Legends’ offense was powered by an exceptional performance from beyond the arc, where they converted 22 of 44 attempts (50 percent). Sheldon Edwards led the charge for Texas with a game-high 21 points, while Jeremiah Robinson-Earl anchored the interior with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Mark Armstrong also contributed 20 points in the victory.
Hustle head coach Rob Sanicola, while disappointed in the result, pointed to his team’s defensive struggles as the primary culprit.
“Obviously not the result we wanted,” Sanicola said. “Defensively, I mean, 22 threes… credit to them (Texas). They made some open shots. I think a little bit was a lot of their guys shot a little bit better than expected.”
The Hustle saw balanced scoring, led by Tyler Burton’s 26 points and five assists. Charlie Brown Jr. added 17 points and four rebounds as he worked to regain his rhythm in transition, while Lawson Lovering chipped in eight points and three rebounds.
Memphis dominated the assist column with 34 total assists on 47 made field goals, a mark Sanicola highlighted as a sign of progress.
“I think some good things there, just trying to find what protection they were in, who was open,” Sanicola remarked. “The biggest thing was just sharing the ball… and making the right reads.”
Despite the high assist total, the Hustle struggled to contain the Legends’ second-chance opportunities. Matt Cross was a persistent thorn in the Hustle’s side, securing 18 rebounds and providing Texas with extra possessions that ultimately wore down the Memphis defense.
Looking Ahead
The Hustle now face a lengthy road stint, with their next home game not scheduled until Jan. 26. Sanicola views the upcoming travel as an opportunity for the team to build chemistry and move past the current slump.
“I like being on the road just because you spend more time with the guys,” Sanicola said. “You got to run through the rain to find the rainbow. So I think we’ll be able to do that here with our guys.”
Memphis will have Thursday off before returning to practice Friday to prepare for their next matchup on Sunday at the Rip City Remix.
