SAN ANTONIO — The Spurs ended their 2022 Rodeo Road Trip with a loss to the Grizzlies, 118-105.
The Spurs finish the annual road trip 4-4.
Lonnie Walker IV led the team with 22 points. Dejounte Murray had 21 points and was ejected from the game in the fourth period after tossing the ball at a ref. Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Memphis' Ja Morant scored a career-high 52 points in the win over the Spurs.
The Spurs move to 24-38 and will next play the Kings at home on March 3.
Here's a sample of what the teams said after the game courtesy of the Spurs and Grizzlies.
SPURS
"Ja Morant just kind of happened. He's a hell of a player, obviously, but there's no excuse we got to be locked on more on the defensive end of the floor. That's all Pop [Popovich] and the staff talked about all day. Transition and rebounding and I think they [Memphis] got all their points in transition in the first quarter," said Doug McDermott.
"Overall, they've done a good job. They improved as a team. Tonight, I was disappointed because we gave up 42 [points] in the first quarter. Mentally we weren't there," Gregg Popovich said.
"It's hard when the first quarter they [Memphis] score 42 points in the quarter. Just attacking us going downhill. He [Morant] played fantastically. Overall, I think we executed well towards the end. We just got to keep fighting," Walker said.
GRIZZLIES
"We, as a team, kind of struggled at times against the number one pace team in the league. But, trying to get to the next play, I thought Ja did a really good job. (Dejounte) Murray, All Star, has had a phenomenal year. I thought he did a really great job on him in a lot of different situations, especially the early pick-and-rolls," coach Taylor Jenkins said.
"As I got close, they told me to go ahead and go get it. That is why you all saw, every time they got the ball, they were looking for 12. Credit goes to them, without them I would not be in the position I was in, they allow me to get to my spots with how well they can score the ball," Morant said on his 52-point game versus Spurs.
Twitter: @KENS5, @JeffGSpursKENS5