Jerome hits four threes as Grizzlies hold off Bulls 104-100

Ty Jerome gave Memphis an efficient start, and Javon Small helped it survive the finish. The Grizzlies beat the Bulls 104-100 at United Center on Friday, holding on after a ten-point halftime advantage shrank to two in the final minute.

Jerome led Memphis with 16 points in 14 minutes. He made five of eight shots, including four of six from three-point range, and added four assists without a turnover. GG Jackson supplied 14 points off the bench. Zach Edey and Cameron Boozer each finished with ten.

Memphis led 30-27 after the first quarter and 60-50 at halftime. Chicago recovered much of that ground with a 32-25 third quarter, sending the teams into the fourth with the Grizzlies ahead 85-82. The final period required Memphis to protect a much smaller cushion than the one its early offense had created.

Small made a two-point shot with 1:07 remaining to put the Grizzlies up 102-97. Wilson answered with a three-pointer at 55.2 seconds, cutting the margin to two. Memphis then gave Chicago another possession after Walter Clayton Jr. lost the ball out of bounds with 23.4 seconds left.

Wilson had a chance to put the Bulls ahead, but his step-back three missed with two seconds remaining. Small collected the defensive rebound, drew a foul and made both free throws with seven-tenths of a second left. That supplied the final four-point margin.

Wilson led Chicago with 21 points and made five of eleven threes. He also missed two free throws with 1:26 left, part of a night when the Bulls converted 28 of 40 at the line. Norman Powell scored 17, Josh Giddey had 13 and Leonard Miller finished with 12 points and eleven rebounds.

The team numbers explain how Memphis kept an edge despite committing 22 total turnovers. The Grizzlies shot 36-for-76 from the field, while Chicago finished 30-for-80. Memphis also scored 50 points in the paint to the Bulls’ 34 and converted 22 of its 26 free throws.

Small’s closing sequence came within a broader contribution of nine points, five rebounds and four steals. Boozer made three of five shots in his twelve minutes, adding four rebounds and three assists. Edey made all three of his field-goal attempts and collected five rebounds in sixteen minutes.

The result completed a close preseason meeting between the teams. Memphis built its lead through the first half, then needed Small’s shot, rebound and free throws to preserve it after Chicago’s comeback.