Cedric Coward scored 24 points, including two free throws with 6.5 seconds remaining, to lead the host Memphis Grizzlies to a 125-124 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Coward’s game-winning free throws nearly were erased when his inbounds pass with 4.0 seconds left following two Josh Giddey free throws was stolen by Tre Jones, who fed Collin Sexton for a layup. The shot by Sexton came after the final buzzer.
Tyler Burton added 18 points for the Grizzlies (25-49) and Jahmai Mashack scored 17. Rayan Rupert and DeJon Jarreau finished with 14 points each.
Matas Buzelis led the Bulls (29-45) with 29 points and 10 rebounds followed by 26 points from Sexton. Giddey posted his 13th triple-double (18 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists) this season and Jones contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Giddey’s performance followed a dismal showing Wednesday versus Oklahoma City where he was 1-of-11 shooting, including 0-for-8 from long range.
The Bulls lost their third straight game and have dropped five of their last six.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who scored a career-high 31 points for Memphis in Friday’s loss to the Rockets, was held to 12 points.
The Bulls won the first matchup, 132-106, two weeks ago in Chicago, but Saturday’s game was close throughout.
The game was tied seven times in the fourth quarter, the last coming at 120-all following a layup by Jones with 32.8 seconds to go.
Walter Clayton Jr. gave the Grizzlies a 123-120 advantage with 15.8 seconds left on a 3-pointer, then Giddey answered with a driving dunk with 7.9 seconds to go to trim the margin to one.
Memphis trailed by four early in the third quarter, but recovered behind Rupert. He scored 12 points in the quarter and his 3-pointer with 5:45 to go in the third put the Grizzlies ahead 81-71. Memphis led 98-88 entering the fourth as Coward connected on a floater in the lane at the buzzer.
