Author: Aimee Stiegemeyer

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Ja Morant Puts Up Season-High in Loss to Cavs

Ja Morant shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies faced off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night and were defeated 133-124. 

Cleveland has been having a breakout year, starting with a franchise record of 15 straight wins to start the season. With this win, they have set a new record 16-game winning streak. They are the first team with multiple 15-game winning streaks in the same season since the 2006-2007 Phoenix Suns. 

I expected Memphis to lose this game. However, how they lost and how Cleveland outmatched them is worth mentioning, as it highlights an issue with three-point shooting that has plagued the Grizzlies this season.

The Cavs dominated from beyond the arc from the start, and the Grizzlies struggled to hit shots from three-point range. 

Cleveland outscored Memphis 57-33 from beyond the arc, while Memphis outscored Cleveland 66-44 in the painted area.

Luke Kennard, the Grizzlies’ best three-point shooter and one of the best outside shooters in the league, finished the night with zero points and shot 0 of 4 from three, just one game after putting up his career-high against the Utah Jazz.

Cleveland was missing its best player, all-star Donovan Mitchell, but that didn’t slow them down — seven players scored in double figures.

The Cavs came out shooting hot, and the Grizzlies very much did not — that was the theme of the first half. The Cavs opened the second quarter on a 20-9 run, and by the midway point, they had built a 75-58 lead over the Grizzlies.

Memphis did attempt to come back in the second half and managed to cut the lead to single digits briefly in the fourth quarter, outscoring Cleveland 32-21 in the final period. But this was an instance of being outmatched by a team that just flat-out played better. 

Despite the loss, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Grizzlies fans.  

Ja Morant scored a new season-high of 44 points and has been on fire throughout March, averaging 31.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game.

Friday night also saw the return of Jaren Jackson Jr., who has been sidelined with a sprained left ankle. He was expected to miss 3-4 weeks but returned to the court after just five games.

The Grizzlies need him on the court if they are to have any chance at a decent postseason run.

By The Numbers:

Morant put up a season-high 44 points on 17 of 22 overall shooting, and added 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal.

Jackson Jr. put up 13 points, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks in his return while shooting a team-best 3 of 5 from three-point range.

Desmond Bane finished with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Brandon Clarke led the bench with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal while shooting 5 of 7 overall.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are back at it again Saturday. They face the Miami Heat to finish their five-game homestand. Tip-off is at 7 PM CDT.

Postgame, the team will honor Grizzlies legend Tony Allen as they retire his number 9 jersey.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Power Through to Beat Suns

Ja Morant on defense against Tyus Jones. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns Monday night 120-118 and swept the season series.

Missing players due to injury is nothing new for the Grizzlies this season. The depth of their roster has been a key factor in maintaining a position near the top of the Western Conference, and it was their depth that allowed them to beat a Phoenix team led by Kevin Durant, one of the best big men in the league.

With Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, Santi Aldama, and Zach Edey all sidelined, Jay Huff went from DNP-CD in seven of the past ten games to the starting lineup, and to his credit, he rose to meet the moment.

Getting down in the first half and struggling to regain a lead in the second half has been an unfortunate, ongoing trend for this Grizzlies team; they now have a league-leading 16 double-digit comebacks.

Phoenix opened the game shooting 50% from beyond the arc, allowing the Suns to build an early lead. Kevin Durant led the charge, putting up 14 points in the first quarter on 4 of 5 shooting from three-point range alongside former Grizzly Tyus Jones’ 2 of 2 from beyond the arc.

Jones was not the only former player who tormented the Grizzlies from long range in the first half; Grayson Allen shot 2 of 2 from beyond the arc in the second quarter.

The Grizzlies looked a lot better offensively in the second quarter. They outscored the Suns 31-25 in the period, cutting Phoenix’s 16-point lead to two points at the half.

The Grizzlies’ bench was nearly as productive as their starters in the first half, outscoring the Suns’ second unit 28-13. Shoutout to rookie Cam Spencer’s 11-point second quarter.

Spencer scored a career-high 16 points, but his most entertaining contribution to the game was the double technical fouls between him and Kevin Durant after Spencer’s three-point buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter.

Real talk — Cam Spencer barking at Kevin Durant is kind of a whole mood, and I am very much here for it.

The Suns never trailed in the first half, and the Grizzlies didn’t see their first lead until early in the third quarter after they scored six straight to open the period.

Ja Morant scoring double-digit points in the fourth quarter is becoming a regular occurrence, and his explosive playmaking has been a difference-maker down the stretch. The Grizzlies need Morant at his best as they close out the season.

By The Numbers:

Ja Morant led the team with 29 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 9 of 13 overall and a perfect 10 of 10 from the free-throw line.

GG Jackson and Jay Huff joined the starting lineup and made a big impact offensively:

Jackson finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals on 6 of 12 overall shooting.

Huff closed out with 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks on 5 of 11 overall shooting and 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.

Desmond Bane put up 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block.

Cam Spencer led the second unit with a career-high 16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals while shooting 5 of 9 overall and 4 of 7 from three-point range.

Scotty Pippen Jr. added 13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.

Lamar Stevens closed out with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block while shooting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will play at home for their next three games, starting with the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. Tip-off is at 7 PM CDT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Snap Four-Game Losing Streak

Ja Morant takes the ball to the basket against the Dallas Mavericks. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies mounted a fourth-quarter comeback Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks and came away with a 122-111 victory.

After four consecutive losses, the Grizzlies were finally able to put another notch in the win column. It took considerable effort from Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, who combined for 21 points in the fourth quarter.

The absence of Jaren Jackson Jr. was keenly felt. He’s been Memphis’ leading scorer this season, averaging 22.7 points per game. The two-time all-star is sidelined with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain, and his status is listed as week-to-week after being injured early in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ March 3rd loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Dallas came out strong in the first period, while Memphis struggled to find their offensive footing. The Grizzlies had a better showing in the second period but still headed into the second half down by three points.

The Mavericks outscored the Grizzlies 41-39 in the third quarter thanks to superior three-point shooting. Both teams shot 53.8% (14 of 56) overall during the third quarter, but Dallas shot 66.7% (6 of 9) to Memphis’ 40% (2 of 5) from beyond the arc.

The Grizzlies finally managed to get both their offense and defense going in the fourth quarter, and they outscored the Mavericks 33-17.

Bane led the charge offensively, alongside Morant, but it was Morant’s pull-up three-pointer with 29 seconds left on the clock that sealed the deal for Memphis. Morant had gone 0 of 4 from beyond the arc through the first three quarters.

By The Numbers:

Morant led the Grizzlies in scoring with 31 points, and added 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal.

Desmond Bane finished with 27 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.

Brandon Clarke led the bench in scoring with 17 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks.

Vince Williams Jr. added 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are heading to Big Easy, where they will face off against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, March 9th. Tip-off is at 6 PM CDT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Lose Third in a Row

Desmond Bane shoots the ball against the Atlanta Hawks. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Atlanta Hawks 132-130 on a last-second turnover Sunday night, giving them their first three-game losing streak of the season.

This marks the third consecutive game that Memphis has lost in the final seconds: On February 28th, OG Anunoby made a three-pointer with 5.2 seconds remaining to put the Knicks up 114-113; On March 1st, D’Aaron Fox sunk a 20-foot shot with 2.6 seconds remaining to put the Spurs up 130-128; and then last night’s buzzer-beater from Caris LeVert gave the Hawks their 132-130 victory.

One common denominator across all three games is that the Grizzlies have given up double-digit points off double-digit turnovers. At some point, a real conversation needs to be had about their impact on the team’s record this season.

The game started out on a sour note for the Grizzlies after Jaren Jackson Jr. left the court 1:39 seconds into the first quarter after turning an ankle. Memphis finished the first quarter up by six points, thanks to Atlanta’s shooting of zero percent from beyond the arc.

The Grizzlies gave up 42 points in the second quarter and headed into the second half down by five. The third quarter was the opposite, with the Hawks giving up 42 points in the period.

Memphis’ six-point lead heading into the final period was not enough, as they scored only 23 points to Atlanta’s 31.

They were tied at 130-130 when Desmond Bane turned the ball over in the final seconds. Caris LeVert scored the final seven points for the Hawks, including his game-winning shot at the buzzer.

This was one of the most disappointing losses of the season, and it highlights the Grizzlies’ turnover issues. After spending most of the season grappling for the second seed, Memphis has dropped to fourth in the Western Conference.

If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Grizzlies would face Houston in the first round, and if their regular season matchup were any indication, the Rockets would give the Grizzlies a painful first-round exit.

Memphis needs to correct the course, and soon, in this final stretch. The fate of their season depends on it.

By The Numbers:

Desmond Bane recorded his first career triple-double, scoring a game-high 35 points, to go along with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Luke Kennard finished with 17 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals.

Zach Edey added 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block.

Jaylen Wells closed out with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals.

Vince Williams Jr. led the bench with 15 points, and added 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.

GG Jackson chipped in with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block.

Brandon Clarke finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will finish their five-game homestand on Wednesday, March 5th, when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tip-off will be at 8:30 PM CST, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN and FanDuel Sports Network.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Big Three Lead Grizzlies to Victory Over Suns in Overtime

Brandon Clarke dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies narrowly defeated the Phoenix Suns 151-148 in their first overtime game of the season, Tuesday night, moving to 3-0 in the season series.

Phoenix controlled the game for most of the first half, thanks to big offensive contributions from Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

Memphis fought back in the second half with a vengeance. After being down by as many as 10 in the third period, the Grizzlies went on a 13-1 scoring run to give themselves a 99-97 lead, outscoring the Suns 43-41 in the quarter.

Former Memphis Grizzly Grayson Allen had a hot hand in the fourth quarter off the bench for Phoenix, shooting 4 of 4 from beyond the arc and 3 of 5 from the free throw line for a total of 15 points in the quarter.

Ja Morant also scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, with Desmond Bane adding 11 points. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s night ended by fouling out late in the final moments of regulation play, but not before putting together an impressive stat sheet for the night.

Morant’s floater with 1.9 on the clock tied the game at 137-137 and sent the game to overtime.

The Grizzlies trio of Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ja Morant combined for 82 points out of 151, but it was a team effort that secured the win.

During the extra period, Santi Aldama hit a well-timed three-pointer to pull Memphis within one with 1:10 remaining.

Brandon Clarke tipped in a second-chance bucket to give Memphis the lead with 37 seconds on the game clock, and rookie Jaylen Wells hammered home the victory, scoring the final points with 9.1 seconds left.

By The Numbers:

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies in scoring with 29 points, and added 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points, shooting 11 of 13 overall and 3 of 3 from beyond the arc. He added 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks

Desmond Bane finished with 25 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals.

Jaylen Wells closed out with 19 points on 7 of 12 overall shooting and 5 of 7 from three-point range. He added 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Wells scored the final points for Memphis during overtime.

Santi Aldama led the second unit with 17 points on 6 of 9 overall shooting and 5 of 7 from beyond the arc, tying his season-high five made three-pointers. He also contributed 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Brandon Clarke added 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block, including tipping in the basket that gave the Grizzlies the lead in overtime.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will continue their five-game homestand Friday night against the New York Knicks. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Mount Second-Half Comeback to Defeat Magic

Ja Morant celebrates during the game against the Orlando Magic. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies snapped their two-game losing streak Friday night in a hard-fought win against the Orlando Magic, with a final score of 105-104.

This was not the Grizzlies’ finest offensive performance — it was their second-lowest-scoring game of the season. Neither team shot the ball particularly well from beyond the arc, with the Magic shooting 29% from three and the Grizzlies shooting 21.2% in Memphis’s lowest three-point shooting game of the season.

In the first half, the Grizzlies had a 12-point lead, but by the midway point, the Magic had eliminated it, and they headed into the second half tied at 53-53.

Orlando dominated for most of the third quarter, building up a 19-point lead thanks to an explosive performance by Franz Wagner, who scored 15 of his 25 points in the period.

In the final minutes of the third quarter, the Grizzlies took over offensively, going on a 19-0 run fueled by three consecutive three-pointers from GG Jackson.

Until Jackson’s hot streak, Memphis was 2 of 17 from beyond the arc.

Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. led the charge in the fourth quarter, combining for 17 of the Grizzlies’ 25 fourth-quarter points.

A layup by Morant with 1:50 remaining tied the game at 104-104, followed by Desmond Bane splitting a pair of free throws to give the Grizzlies a one-point lead. Jaren Jackson Jr. blocked Orlando’s final shot attempt with 8 seconds left on the game clock to secure the win.

Turnovers remain a problem for Memphis, as they have all season. The Grizzlies gave up 21 points off 15 turnovers, which could have easily cost them the game.

By The Numbers:

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies in scoring with 23 points on 10 of 24 overall shooting and 1 of 7 from three-point range. He added 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal. Morant scored 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter.

Desmond Bane put up 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals while shooting 5 of 13 overall and 2 of 6 from three-point range.

Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 3 blocks on 3 of 13 overall shooting and 0 of 6 from three. Jackson was 10 of 11 at the line, however.

Brandon Clarke led the bench in scoring with 13 points on 6 of 10 overall shooting. He added 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.

GG Jackson added 12 points on 4 of 5 overall shooting and 3 of 3 from beyond the arc.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will be in Cleveland Sunday night to face off against the Cavaliers. The broadcast has been moved from the FanDuel Sports Network to ESPN. Tip-off is at 6 PM CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Get Outworked by Clippers

Desmond Bane handles the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies took on the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night and came away with a 128-114 loss. It was Memphis’ second game in two nights, and they were without Ja Morant.

As has been the case with many games this season, turnovers and points scored off those turnovers proved to be a thorn in the Grizzlies’ side. Couple that with an off night offensively for Jaren Jackson Jr., and Clippers small forward Kawhi Leonard having his second-highest-scoring game of the season, and this was the outcome.

It was a somewhat surprising outcome, given that Leonard has played just 15 games this season, and until last game, the Grizzlies were 7-1 in games with no rest this season.

Two-time all-star Jaren Jackson Jr. has been a dominant force on offense for Memphis, but foul trouble hindered his momentum Wednesday. Desmond Bane took on the role of leading scorer with a team-high 23 points, but sloppy ball handling and turnovers kept the game out of reach.

The Grizzlies held the lead briefly in the first quarter and for about half of the second quarter, but once the Clippers overtook them in the first half, they held onto their lead for the remainder of the game.

Turnovers. We need to talk about them. Memphis gave up 41 points off 22 turnovers. In contrast, Los Angeles only gave up 20 points off their 17 turnovers. Giving up that many points dug the Grizzlies into a hole they couldn’t claw their way out of.

Free throw shooting by the Grizzlies was also abysmal – 8 of 15 or 53.3%, with the Clippers shooting 21 of 22 or 95.5% from the charity stripe. Free throws were probably less of a factor in this match than the aforementioned turnovers, but they certainly didn’t help.

This Grizzlies team hasn’t figured out how to solve a problem like the Clippers or the Thunder, for that matter. But there is a chance that Memphis will face the Clippers in the first round, and based on their first two meetings this season, that could spell disaster for any hope of a deep playoff run.

By The Numbers:

Desmond Bane led the team in scoring with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists on 8 of 17 overall shooting and 6 of 11 from beyond the arc.

Jaylen Wells finished the night with 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals while shooting 7 of 11 overall and 3 of 7 from three-point range.

Jaren Jackson Jr. closed out with 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks on 5 of 12 overall shooting.

Luke Kennard was moved into the starting lineup and finished with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals on 5 of 10 overall shooting and 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.

GG Jackson led the bench unit with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 6 of 11 overall and 2 of 4 from three-point range.

Santi Aldama added 14 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 block on 5 of 10 overall shooting and 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will return after the All-Star break on February 20th when they take on the Indiana Pacers. Tip-off will be at 6 PM CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Obliterate Spurs

Ja Morant dunks the ball against the San Antonio Spurs. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images.)

Monday night, the Memphis Grizzlies faced off against the San Antonio Spurs and came away with a resounding 128-109 victory and moved up to second place in the Western Conference standings.

It was the second night of back-to-back games for Memphis, and Ja Morant returned to the lineup after missing Sunday’s matchup with the Bucks due to shoulder soreness.

Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke were sidelined with a left ankle strain and back soreness, respectively. But the Grizzlies are no stranger to adapting on the fly when a player is injured, having fostered a next-man-up mentality amongst the players.

The first quarter was a bit of a slog, but Memphis converted six San Antonio turnovers into 12 points in the period and carried that momentum and a six-point lead into the second quarter.

The Spurs had no answer for the Grizzlies when they went on a 19-point run in the second quarter, their biggest of the season. Memphis led by 12 points at halftime, and San Antonio never got within single digits the rest of the game.

And let’s not forget to give the Grizzlies their flowers for winning the turnover battle: Memphis converted 23 San Antonio turnovers into 34 points while holding the Spurs to just 8 points off their own 15 turnovers. This feels significant, given the struggles with turnovers that have plagued the Grizzlies all season.

By The Numbers:

Jaren Jackson Jr. led all scorers with 31 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks.

Ja Morant notched 25 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 steals in his return to action. Morant scored 14 of his 25 points in the first quarter.

Zach Edey finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block. This marks Edey’s seventh career double-double and his second in two games after Sunday night’s 14 points and 11 rebounds against the Bucks.

GG Jackson led the second unit with a season-high 27 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals on 11 of 20 overall shooting and 4 of 9 from beyond the arc.

Scotty Pippen Jr. added 11 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are heading to Toronto on Wednesday night to take on the Raptors. Tip-off is at 6:30 PM CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. Leads Fourth Quarter Surge to Edge Out Rockets

Desmond Bane shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets. (Photo: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images)

Thursday night, two of the top Western Conference teams, the two-seed Houston Rockets and three-seed Memphis Grizzlies faced off in their final meeting of the season. Thanks to a fourth-quarter burst from newly named all-star Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies eked out a 120-119 victory over the Rockets.

Houston has been a problem for Memphis this season; that much is clear. Rivals in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference, they meet four times a season, and until last night’s matchup, the Rockets appeared poised to sweep the season series. This win has pulled Memphis within a half-game of Houston for the second seed.

These two teams met three times in the month of January, with the Rockets winning the first two games and now the Grizzlies snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat in the third.

This game came down to the final possession, with Memphis ultimately securing the win thanks to a pair of clutch free throws from Jaren Jackson Jr. in the final seconds of the game.

Giving credit where it’s due, the Rockets dominated most of the game, leading by as many as 11 points. All five starters for Houston finished the game in double figures.

Former Grizzly Dillon Brooks had his highest scoring game of the series with 22 points, and shooting guard Jalen Green led all scorers with 25 points.

After struggling offensively in the first half and trailing by ten at halftime, the Grizzlies outscored the Rockets 64-53 in the final two quarters.

Point guard Ja Morant was sidelined with shoulder soreness, and Luke Kennard took his place in the starting lineup. Kennard has seen more minutes in the backup point guard role lately, in part due to the ongoing struggles of Scotty Pippen Jr., who finished the game with just four points.

Four of the Grizzlies’ starting five notched double figures — led by Desmond Bane’s 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Bane played a season-high 40 minutes.

Luke Kennard added 22 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 2 steals on 9 of 17 overall shooting and 3 of 6 from beyond the arc. Kennard leads the NBA in three-point shooting, averaging 49.1% from three.

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Nine of his 21 points came during the final quarter, including making a pair of free throws that gave Memphis the lead.

Shortly before tip-off, Jackson Jr. was announced as one of the Western Conference All-Star reserves, his second all-star appearance.

Jaylen Wells finished the night with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block.

From the second unit:

Santi Aldama led the bench with 15 points, five rebounds, one assist, and two blocks on six of 13 overall shooting and three of 8 from beyond the arc.

Brandon Clarke put up 13 points, five rebounds, three steals, and two blocks on six of seven overall shooting.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are hitting the road for one game to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, February 2nd. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Pound Jazz To Win Sixth Straight Game

Jaren Jackson Jr. shoots against the Utah Jazz. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images.)

The Grizzlies closed out their four-game homestand Saturday night with a decisive 125-103 victory over the Utah Jazz. Memphis swept the homestand and has now won six games in a row.

Any win is by definition a good win, but this one holds significance with all five starters in double figures and GG Jackson scoring his season-high off the bench.

The Grizzlies got off to a good start, taking a solid 65-57 lead into the second half. But it was the third quarter where Memphis really took over and asserted its dominance. They went on a 24-7 run and outscored the Jazz 36-17 in the period.

Some poor officiating in the second quarter benefited the Grizzlies, when Utah forward Drew Eubanks was ejected on a flagrant penalty two foul that looked much closer to a flagrant one. (A flagrant penalty one foul is unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent; a flagrant penalty two foul is contact that is unnecessary and excessive.)

Utah outscored Memphis 29-24 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Grizzlies’ sizeable lead, propelled by big performances from the starting five.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the team in scoring with 28 points, and added 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block while shooting 10 of 14 overall and 2 of 4 from three-point range.

Zach Edey put up 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 blocks on 5 of 8 overall shooting and 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.

Desmond Bane added 17 points, a team-high 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 7 of 11 overall and 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.

Jaylen Wells finished with 16 points and 4 rebounds on 5 of 8 overall shooting and 2 of 4 from three-point range.

Ja Morant closed out with 11 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists, and 1 steal on 4 of 9 overall shooting.

Ja Morant doing Ja Morant things

From the bench, GG Jackson scored a season-high 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Jackson made his season debut on January 20th after recovering from surgery in September to repair a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are heading to the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, to take on the New York Knicks on Monday night. Tip-off is at 6:30 PM CST.