Dennis Schroder's 33 points lead feisty Nets past Grizzlies

MEMPHIS — For the second consecutive night, the Nets entered the fourth quarter with a lead. Unlike Tuesday night, they refused to wilt.

The Nets clung to a one-point lead after three quarters and didn’t lose it on their way to a 119-106 win over the Grizzlies at FedExForum. A day after blowing a 17-point lead with an overtime loss to the Nuggets, the Nets hung on to win the second night of a back-to-back.

It came with Ziaire Williams eager to face the team that traded him last summer. He responded with 17 points and four steals, showing the two-way play that’s already endeared him to the Nets (2-3) since training camp.

Williams had three first-half steals that led to him scoring fast break dunks or layups. He added a three-pointer over Jaren Jackson Jr., a shot he couldn’t find consistently in three seasons with the Grizzlies (2-3).

In the fourth, he stole an inbounds pass and found Dennis Schroder for a three-pointer that pushed the lead to 98-92.

“I wanted this one bad, man. It was a weird feeling just being out there on the other side,” Williams said. “Like I said before. it’s still all love; yeah, miss those guys. But nah, I was definitely happy I was able to talk some smack and more importantly get the win.”

Schroder kept up his torrid pace this season with 33 points, his most in a Nets jersey. He carved up the Grizzlies’ defense on 11-for-14 shooting, including six three-pointers, and added eight assists.

With the Grizzlies up 93-92, Schroder hit a jumper and followed with his three off Williams’ steal. He added another layup to push the lead to eight during a Nets’ 12-2 run.

The point guard had 23 points in the second half and as he’s done all season, he led by example. It was his fourth consecutive game with at least 20 points.

“At one point, he said, just give me the ball and I’ll take care of this,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And that’s what he does. He’s a leader. He puts everybody in place. If he has to score, he scores.”

“I told him that I want to win the game,” Schroder added. “So, it’s working right now that we’re pushing the ball and I’m getting into the paint and I make the decision from there.

Five Nets scored in double figures. Despite center Nic Claxton being out for injury management, the undersized Nets led with defense that showed no tired legs from playing the night before.

The Nets forced 22 turnovers for 31 points and held the Grizzlies to just 44 second-half points. The Nets also defended better without fouling. They had a season-low 21 fouls, including 11 over the final three quarters.

Part of it is better discipline. Part of it might be Fernandez voicing complaints after two of the last four games about the free-throw disparity between the Nets and their opponents.

Fernandez earned his first technical foul this season protesting an offensive foul on Cam Thomas 1:43 into the game. But his complaints might have worked with the Nets shooting 25 free throws to the Grizzlies’ 29.

He also wasn’t disappointed that Ben Simmons or Dorian Finney-Smith had five fouls. Simmons has at least four fouls in all four games he played but Fernandez liked his aggressiveness in the same way he wasn’t shy confronting the officials.

“What I was doing is just trying to fight for my guys,” Fernandez said. “But that’s the game of basketball. Sometimes that happens because you want to see that they’re protected so they’re not the ones complaining.”

Thomas had 19 points while Cam Johnson added 14, including four made three-pointers. Jalen Wilson added 12 points off the bench and Keon Johnson, playing a season-high 16 minutes, had seven rebounds before being ejected in the third quarter with two technical fouls.

At the center of it was Williams, who got postgame hugs from ex-teammates. They texted him Tuesday in anticipation of0 him being back.

Twenty-four hours later, the Nets sent the final message with Williams helping lead a win that resembled the defensive tenacity Fernandez wants

“Even just like subbing into the game, it felt just a little different today,” Williams said. “It was a bittersweet feeling. But definitely glad I’m here, man, I’m just so blessed for the man above to put me in this position.”

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.