SAN ANTONIO — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points and the Memphis Grizzlies completed the largest comeback in the NBA this season, rallying from a 29-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 126-120 in overtime Friday night.
Memphis faced a nine-point deficit in the final minute of regulation before outscoring San Antonio 9-0 to send it to overtime.
“We came in at halftime, regrouped, talked about it,” Jackson said. “Just came out firing (in the second half). You chip away long enough, you’re going to make some noise.”
Desmond Bane added 21 points, including eight points in overtime, and Tyus Jones had his first career triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Grizzlies.
Friday’s comeback, which is also the largest in franchise history, topped the Brooklyn Nets‘ 28-point comeback against the Boston Celtics on March 3.
It came as Ja Morant nears his return for Memphis. The All-Star guard missed his seventh game as part of an eight-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the league.” Memphis improved to 4-3 without Morant.
Devin Vassell had 25 points and Zach Collins added 24 for San Antonio, which fell to 0-5 in overtime this season after being outscored 63-40 in the second half.
“We have been competitive all year,” Collins said. “We shouldn’t have lost that game. We were up 30, we shouldn’t have lost.”
After trailing by 29, Memphis tied it at 109 on a 3-pointer by Dillon Brooks with 1.8 seconds remaining in regulation. Vassell’s desperation 36-foot heave did not reach the rim as regulation ended.
Brooks finished with 16 points, while going 4 for 8 on 3-pointers.
“Our defense really clamped down down the stretch where we were trying to keep them off the boards,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “Couple of tough bounces, but we came up with enough plays down the stretch.”
San Antonio was without key reserves Doug McDermott (bruised right hip), Devonte’ Graham (sore left quadriceps) and Romeo Langford (managing injured left adductor) and lost Jeremy Sochan after eight minutes. Memphis was without Steven Adams and Brandon Clark.
“We got a little thin,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “And down the stretch, they made shots, they made three 3s in a row, give them credit for that. Great game, though. Learned a lot to compete as hard as we did. Proud of them. Did a good job.”
The Grizzlies called two timeouts within 37 seconds midway through the first quarter following a 3-pointer by Collins and another by Vassell.
“Really started at halftime,” Jenkins said. “We didn’t watch any film. I just opened up the floor to the players to talk and said, ‘What do you got for me?’ Four or five guys spoke up and said it was unacceptable what we were doing in the first half.
“We were too casual, we weren’t communicating, we weren’t executing our coverages, we weren’t playing with physicality, we weren’t trusting the pass.”
The Spurs shot 12-for-24 on 3-pointers in the first half in building a 25-point lead.
San Antonio shot 31% from the field in the second half, including 6-for-20 on 3-pointers, while committing 14 turnovers.
Brooks and Jackson combined for 26 points in the second half.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.