Scotty Pippen Jr. stats tonight: Grizzlies guard's heroics in vain as Ja Morant's injury adds to Game 3 misery (Apr. 24)

The Memphis Grizzlies hosted the OKC Thunder in Game 3 of their first-round series at the FedEx Forum on Thursday. Coming off back-to-back blowout losses on the road, the Grizzlies were desperate for a strong start. Memphis rolled out a starting lineup featuring Ja Morant, Scotty Pippen Jr., Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey.

For Pippen Jr., Game 3 was a story of two contrasting halves. He was electric in the first half, scoring 23 points and setting the tone for the Grizzlies. However, his impact faded after the break, managing just five points in the second half. As his scoring cooled, Memphis squandered a 29-point lead and ultimately fell 114-108 in a crushing defeat.

The Grizzlies guard finished the game with 28 points on 8 of 16 shooting, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range, and 6 of 6 from the free throw line. He also recorded five rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block in 38:19 minutes.

Scotty Pippen Jr. through 4 quarters

Scotty Pippen Jr. provided the spark they needed, catching fire from beyond the arc to ignite the Grizzlies' offense. The young guard knocked down his first four 3-point attempts, fueling Memphis to an early double-digit lead in the first quarter.

In addition to his scoring outburst, the 6-foot-1 guard contributed on the boards with two rebounds and facilitated the offense with a pair of assists. Pippen Jr. closed the opening period with an impressive stat line of 14 points on 4 of 5 shooting from the floor.

Pippen Jr. remained unstoppable in the second quarter, continuing to light up the Thunder with his offensive prowess. After pouring in 14 points in the opening period, he added another nine in the second, including his fifth 3-pointer of the half, as he maintained his scoring assault.

At halt time, Scotty Pippen Jr. had 23 points on 7 of 10 shooting from the floor, including 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. He also recorded four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 17:30 minutes.

The Grizzlies guard cooled off in the third quarter, managing to convert just one of his three shot attempts. His reduced output was largely due to the absence of Ja Morant, which allowed the Thunder defense to focus more heavily on Pippen Jr., limiting his offensive opportunities.

The Thunder dominated the second half, controlling both the third and fourth quarters as Pippen Jr. was unable to recapture his first-half brilliance. Capitalizing on his quiet stretch, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company orchestrated a remarkable comeback, overcoming a 29-point deficit to secure the win and take a commanding 3-0 series lead.