Why the Memphis Grizzlies’ first preseason game was stopped short

The Memphis Grizzlies were finally back on the court for the first time since they were knocked out of the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the Utah Jazz. This marks the first time that Grizz fans got to see their team play since June 2nd.

Memphis played well overall in their preseason opener, winning the game by ten points. By the time the game concluded, the Grizzlies had scored 87 points to the Milwaukee Bucks’ 77. It was a strong start to the preseason, with Memphis playing well through 48 minutes. Wait,

Actually, I’ll stop right there — the game didn’t last 48 full minutes, as this game was stopped short, which explains the low score.

A false fire alarm stopped the Grizzlies-Bucks preseason game short, robbing us of an early look at the squad

This game only lasted through three quarters before a fire alarm went off in a non-public area, according to sources.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t raining on the court — though that would have been extremely entertaining. Instead, the game simply concluded after three quarters in one of the more odd NBA events in recent memory.

Former Grizzly and current Milwaukee Buck Grayson Allen chimed in on the Bally Sports broadcast after the game, saying “this is wild,” and following it with this quote.

"“This is a crazy story you tell somebody and they don’t believe.”"

There are a lot of games in recent memory that Grizzlies fans would have liked to see end after the third quarter — this was not one of them. The Grizzlies were playing well, with strong performances from a handful of key players including Steven Adams, Desmond Bane, and De’Anthony Melton, all of whom were double-digit scorers.

None of these performances matched what Grizzlies star Ja Morant did in his minutes on the court. Morant dropped 27 points, four assists, and six rebounds with a full quarter still left to play. He did this while knocking down 61% of his shots and all four of his free throws. He also threw down a trio of explosive dunks. You could just tell he was eager to get back out onto the court.

Besides the Grizzlies’ key performances, however, this was a fun game to watch, with former Memphis shooting guard Grayson Allen lighting it up for the Bucks.

The fire alarm delay/cancellation was weird, but it’s the preseason — weird stuff happens. Memphis will be back at it on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets.