The Grizzlies are on the road and made a stop in Denver to face the Nuggets for the final time in the season series. Despite their performance in Houston, the road woes continue for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Let’s get into it.
The Denver Nuggets have been atop the western conference for a good part of the season, led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. This Grizzlies team had already shown they can defeat them at home, but on the road blew a double-digit lead and were handily outscored in the fourth quarter.
The absence of Steven Adams still looms large, and more so now that Brandon Clarke suffered an injury in the first quarter in Denver and had to be escorted off the court. Couple that with Dillon Brooks receiving his 16th technical foul and the subsequent one-game suspension that will accompany it, and it potentially spells a very bad time for a team that has been good all season.
Denver owned the second half, and the Grizzlies did not have an answer for it. Head Coach Taylor Jenkins was asked about the disparity in the fourth quarter and had this to say: “I think it was the physicality. They came out more physical than us. They were executing their offensive sets, what they were trying to get to, and we weren’t kind of matching that physicality. That just set the tone for the quarter. They got hot, went on a run. At that point, it’s hard to slow them down. They’ve got a lot of offensive firepower, so once they got going, it was tough to turn things around.”
Consistent three-point shooting continues to plague the team, making just 11 of 34 attempts from beyond the arc. Add that to the ongoing struggles from the free throw line, and there is a clear roadmap of areas needing improvement. Whatever the answer is, the Grizzlies do not have very much left of the regular season to figure it out.
By The Numbers:
Ja Morant led all scorers with 27 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals.
Desmond Bane closed out with 19 points and 4 rebounds, on an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 shooting from three-point range.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished the night with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
Xavier Tillman Sr. ended up with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. This marks Tillman’s second double-double of the season.
Who Got Next?
The road trip continues as the Grizzlies head to Los Angeles to face off against the Clippers, Sunday March 5th. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. CST.
