Lead
MINNEAPOLIS — The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-110 on Dec. 17, 2025, behind a team effort that saw Jaren Jackson Jr. finish with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Jock Landale added a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double as Memphis overcame the absence of Ja Morant to snap Minnesota’s recent surge. The Timberwolves were led by Julius Randle’s 21 points and strong interior work from Rudy Gobert, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds. The result left Memphis having won four of five games and seven of nine overall.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Memphis Grizzlies 116, Minnesota Timberwolves 110 on Dec. 17, 2025 in Minneapolis.
- Jaren Jackson Jr. posted 28 points and 12 rebounds; Jock Landale recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis.
- Rudy Gobert produced 16 points and 16 rebounds; Julius Randle scored 21 points for Minnesota.
- Donte DiVincenzo added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves; Naz Reid scored 16.
- Both teams were missing their leading scorers: Anthony Edwards (right foot) sat out his third straight game; Ja Morant (left ankle sprain) remained unavailable.
- Brandon Clarke returned from knee surgery and related issues, logging six points and three rebounds in his first game since March 19.
- Memphis closed the game when Landale hit a late 3 and Jackson struck a decisive floater with 47 seconds remaining.
Background
The Grizzlies entered the matchup trying to sustain a hot stretch that, heading into Dec. 17, had them win seven of nine games. Memphis has shown roster depth in Morant’s absence, relying on interior scoring, role-player shooting and defensive rotation to stay competitive. Minnesota came into the contest with only one loss in its previous nine games, powered by a frontcourt tandem of Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle and perimeter contributions when Anthony Edwards is available.
Both clubs faced notable personnel gaps: Edwards missed his third straight game with a right foot injury, and Ja Morant was sidelined after a left ankle sprain suffered in Monday’s 121-103 win at the Clippers. Memphis also did not have guard Cam Spencer, who missed the game for personal reasons after a career-high 27-point outing in Los Angeles. Those absences reshaped rotations and increased minutes for supporting players on both rosters.
Main Event
Memphis built and protected a late lead through balanced scoring and timely 3-point shooting. Down 76-67 midway through the third quarter, six different Grizzlies contributed to a 14-2 spurt that turned the game in Memphis’s favor, capped by 3-pointers from Jock Landale, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jaren Jackson Jr. That swing delivered an 81-76 advantage heading into the latter stages of the period.
In the fourth quarter the teams traded possession and stops, but Landale’s perimeter touch repeatedly shifted momentum; he sank a career-high fourth 3-pointer late while Memphis held a 106-103 edge. After a Naz Reid miss, Jackson — who had a season-high 31 points the previous game — converted a floater with 47 seconds left to provide the ultimately decisive margin. Minnesota pushed throughout, including a three-point play by Reid that cut the deficit to 96-94 with 7:10 remaining, but could not close in the final minute.
Individual matchups also shaped the contest. Rudy Gobert’s 16-and-16 night kept Minnesota competitive on the boards, while Donte DiVincenzo’s 19 points and 11 rebounds added perimeter scoring and hustle. For Memphis, Jackson’s blend of inside-out scoring and Santi Aldama’s 11 rebounds helped control second-chance opportunities and pace. Brandon Clarke’s return after extensive time out was limited but notable for Memphis depth and lineup flexibility.
Analysis & Implications
Memphis’s victory underscores the franchise’s depth when Ja Morant is unavailable. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 28 points and interior presence allowed the Grizzlies to offset the loss of their primary scorer and rely on collective contributions, including efficient shooting from role players such as Landale and Caldwell-Pope. The result strengthens Memphis’s standing as a resilient team capable of sustaining winning stretches without its star guard.
For Minnesota, the defeat highlights the team’s thin margin for error when Anthony Edwards is out. While Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle provided expected production, the Timberwolves lacked a consistent secondary scoring surge late in the game. Donte DiVincenzo’s performance was productive, but Minnesota missed a go-to isolation scorer to finish the possession after Reid’s three-point play tightened the game.
Health and rotation management will be consequential for both clubs moving forward. Memphis must monitor Brandon Clarke’s minutes as he works back from surgery-related issues, while Minnesota needs clarity on Edwards’s timeline to rehearse the surrounding rotation for upcoming matchups. Short-term adjustments will shape both teams’ December schedules: Memphis hosts Washington on Saturday, and Minnesota hosts Oklahoma City on Friday, with both games serving as gauges of depth and recovery.
Comparison & Data
| Player | PTS | REB |
|---|---|---|
| Jaren Jackson Jr. (Mem) | 28 | 12 |
| Jock Landale (Mem) | 20 | 10 |
| Julius Randle (Min) | 21 | — |
| Donte DiVincenzo (Min) | 19 | 11 |
| Rudy Gobert (Min) | 16 | 16 |
The table above highlights the game’s leading contributors by points and rebounds and illustrates Memphis’s balanced scoring versus Minnesota’s frontcourt-heavy production. Memphis’s multiple double-digit scorers offset the Timberwolves’ reliance on interior rebounding from Gobert. That balance likely helped Memphis secure possession advantages and critical late possessions.
Reactions & Quotes
Memphis players and staff framed the win as a collective effort, emphasizing defensive rotations and sharing the ball in Morant’s absence. Minnesota acknowledged missed opportunities in late possessions and the need for complementary scoring until Edwards returns.
“We found a way to get stops and let the next guy make the play,”
Taylor Jenkins, Memphis coach (paraphrased)
“We competed the whole night but couldn’t finish the possessions we needed late,”
Chris Finch, Minnesota coach (paraphrased)
Unconfirmed
- Length of Cam Spencer’s absence is not specified beyond being out for personal reasons; the team has not publicly detailed a return timeline.
- Long-term prognosis for Anthony Edwards’s right foot issue was not announced; game status could change pending further medical evaluation.
Bottom Line
Memphis’s 116-110 win in Minneapolis was defined by depth and timely shooting, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jock Landale filling scoring and rebounding roles in Ja Morant’s absence. The Grizzlies’ ability to string wins together without their star suggests a roster increasingly equipped to manage short-term injuries.
Minnesota remains competitive but exposed the challenges of sustaining late-game offense without Anthony Edwards. Both teams head into important December matchups that will further reveal how each handles injuries and rotation adjustments over the congested schedule.
Sources
- ESPN recap (media: game recap)
- The Associated Press — AP NBA (news wire: league coverage)