Grizzlies continue to provide Lakers with bulletin-board material: 'We're going to be back for Game 7'

Desmond Bane has effectively guaranteed a Game 6 win in Los Angeles

The Memphis Grizzlies staved off elimination by defeating the Lakers in Game 5 of their first-round series on Wednesday night. The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Friday with the Lakers leading 3-2. If necessary, Game 7 will be Sunday in Memphis. Desmond Bane, for his part, says you can remove the "if necessary" language. 

"I said it out there, and I'll say it again: We're going to be back for a Game 7 in front of the best fans in the NBA," Bane said, via Geoff Calkins of The Daily Memphian, following Memphis' Game 5 win. 

Bane didn't use the word guarantee, but that's what this is. He's guaranteeing a Game 6 win. And you just have to wonder if the Grizzlies are ever going to stop talking. 

First, there was Ja Morant with his whole "I'm fine in the West" schtick, explicitly stating that there wasn't a team outside the Celtics that he considered to be legitimate competition for the Grizzlies, who are now in a battle for their playoff lives in the first round against a play-in team. 

Then there's Dillon Brooks and all his nonsense. Going at Draymond Green. Going at LeBron James. Two dudes who have eight championships between them. And Dillon Brooks is "poking" them. Cool story, bro. 

And now we have Bane, who has a right to be feeling good; he's been terrific in this series, his 3-point percentage struggles notwithstanding. He's creating off the bounce and getting to midrange spots. He scored 33 points in Game 5, 36 in Game 4, and he's averaging 25 and six boards for the series. 

But really? Does he have to throw out the implied guarantee? Can this team not keep its mouth shut for even a few days? We'll see if the bravado pays off. It sure hasn't so far.