MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Lakers’ hopes for a series-clinching victory in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series with the Memphis Grizzlies appeared to be on track in the third quarter on Wednesday night at FedEx Forum. Then suddenly, in a flurry of missed shots and defensive breakdowns, they weren’t.

The Grizzlies turned a tight game into a runaway with a third-quarter burst the Lakers could not match, forcing a Game 6 with a 116-99 victory that pulled them within 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. Game 6 will be played Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. If necessary, Game 7 will be Sunday in Memphis.

Desmond Bane and Ja Morant ensured the Grizzlies would live to play another day, shredding the Lakers’ defense with a mix of drives to the basket and perimeter shots. Bane led the Grizzlies with 33 points and Morant had 31, and the Lakers had no answer for either of them.

Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 rebounds. LeBron James had 15 points on 5-for-17 shooting.

“For us to relax would be asinine,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said before their first chance to close out the series and advance to the second round to meet the winner of the Golden State-Sacramento series. “We have to come ready to play and ready to pour everything we have into this moment.”

The Lakers promptly fell behind by as many as 17 points in the first half, which had more to do with the Grizzlies’ sense of desperation than anything else. Pushed to the brink of elimination after the Lakers’ overtime victory in Game 4 on Monday, the Grizzlies fought back to start Game 5.

Memphis could do nothing to stop Davis in the early going, but the Lakers didn’t have a consistent second or third offensive option. James missed seven of his first nine shots and had five turnovers in a first half that was every bit as forgettable as his Game 5 play was memorable.

Davis had a double-double by halftime, with 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting plus 10 rebounds. His teammates combined to shoot 13 of 31 (41.9%) in the first half. Austin Reaves, who had 10 points on 3-for-6 shooting, was the only other Lakers player with 10 or more points in the half.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies weren’t exactly a model of efficiency, shooting 40.7% (22 for 54) in the first half. However, Bane had 21 points and four assists in the first half, proving to be just as difficult to defend as he was in Game 4. Morant added 18 points and a team-leading six rebounds.

Bane scored 36 points in the Grizzlies’ loss in Game 4.

Memphis went on a 19-2 run to end the third quarter with a 94-76 lead after the Lakers had pulled within 75-74 after James made two free throws with 4:36 left in the quarter. The Lakers got back into the game thanks to a personal 8-0 run by D’Angelo Russell to start the second half.

Russell’s 9-0 in the fourth quarter of Game 4 got the Lakers back into the game after it appeared they had run out of options offensively. James and Davis then led the Lakers to a come-from-behind victory and a 3-1 series lead. There would be no repeat in a Game 5 that got away from them.

More to come on this story.

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