Ja Morant masterclass puts Memphis Grizzlies 3-2 up against Minnesota Timberwolves

By Issy Ronald, CNN

Updated 1224 GMT (2024 HKT) April 27, 2022

Morant led his squad to a 111-109 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

(CNN)Ja Morant exploded into life during the fourth quarter — including an acrobatic game-winning lay-up with one second remaining — to lead a dazzling comeback from the Memphis Grizzlies as they stunned the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-109 on Tuesday to take a 3-2 series lead in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The star guard scored 18 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter and sealed the deal with his dramatic lay-up to wrap up the game."'Go get a bucket, Ja,'" Morant said when asked reporters what the plan had been ahead of the last play of the game.It had been a topsy-turvy game as the Grizzlies built an early 13-2 lead. The Wolves were the NBA's best three-point shooting teams in the regular season and they unleashed a series of shots from deep in response, netting seven of their 11 triples to lead 31-28 after the first quarter.The Wolves extended their advantage and led 99-88 with 6:58 left after Grizzlies' center Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out. Read MoreA resurgent Morant stepped up, scoring the Grizzlies' last 13 points of the game. His three-pointer with 1:03 left gave Memphis the lead for the first time since early in the first quarter. «He [Morant] was huge, he just kept staying the course,» Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said to reporters after the game. «I know, just like the whole team, he wasn't having the best start, but I thought he was doing everything possible offensively and defensively, just shots weren't falling when he was making plays and we were making shots off his passes. His communication to his teammates was phenomenal.» T-Wolves shooting guard