Celtics hold off injury-hit Grizzlies in Memphis, rallying late to secure 117-112 win

Boston closes strong after Memphis controls the third quarter

The Boston Celtics escaped with a 117-112 road win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, March 20, 2026, at FedExForum, using a fourth-quarter surge to overturn a game that tightened after halftime. Boston won the final period 33-24 after Memphis carried a 88-84 edge into the fourth, the result of a 34-29 Grizzlies advantage in the third quarter.

The victory improved Boston’s record to 47-23, while Memphis fell to 24-45. The game followed a pattern of shifting control: Boston led 55-54 at the break, then struggled to contain Memphis’ momentum coming out of the locker room before regaining composure late.

Jaylen Brown leads; Garza provides a major lift off the bench

Jaylen Brown paced Boston with 30 points, adding six assists and six rebounds while making all eight of his free throws. Derrick White finished with 14 points and three assists, and Luka Garza delivered a key contribution from the bench with 22 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting.

Boston’s scoring distribution underscored how the Celtics were required to manufacture offense beyond their primary options. Jayson Tatum scored 13 points on 3-of-15 shooting, and Sam Hauser was held to zero points. Boston shot 40-of-89 from the field and 11-of-42 from three-point range, while compensating with a 26-of-30 night at the foul line.

• Boston: 117 points; 11 made three-pointers; 26 free throws made.
• Memphis: 112 points; strong third quarter (34 points) but 24 in the fourth.

Memphis stays competitive despite a depleted lineup

Memphis’ competitiveness stood out in a matchup framed by availability issues. Ja Morant did not play, and the Grizzlies relied on a patchwork rotation to keep pace for much of the night. Memphis’ ability to seize the lead in the third quarter placed Boston in a position where execution in closing minutes became decisive.

Boston entered the fourth quarter down four, then flipped the game with a 33-point final period while holding Memphis to 24.

Fourth-quarter execution decides the outcome

The closing stretch reflected Boston’s capacity to stabilize a game that drifted toward upset territory. After three quarters of uneven offense and a brief Memphis takeover in the third, the Celtics’ late scoring—paired with a steady free-throw performance—provided separation in the final minutes.

For Boston, the win added another road result as the regular season moved deeper into March. For Memphis, it was another narrow loss in a season defined by disrupted continuity, even as the team showed it could test elite opponents when the game remained within reach late.