Memphis Grizzlies' center Jaren Jackson Jr. is guarded by LeBron James against the Los Angeles Lakers. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies returned to their home court Wednesday night and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-114, in a wire-to-wire win. It marked their first regular season win against the Lakers at FedExForum since February 2023.
Coming off a tough loss in Brooklyn, the Grizzlies came back to Memphis with a chip on their shoulder and a renewed focus on getting back to playing their brand of basketball. It clearly paid off, with a season-high 131 points.
Memphis outscored Los Angeles 60-44 in the paint and made 17 three-pointers to the Lakers’ 15. They also demolished L.A. on the boards — out-rebounding them 50-37.
Turnovers remain a struggle for Memphis, with the Grizzlies giving up 22 points off 18 turnovers.
The Grizzlies still have a lengthy injured list, but they welcomed Luke Kennard to the lineup for the first time this season. Kennard suffered a strain in his left foot in the preseason game against the Indiana Pacers, which left him sidelined for the team’s first eight games.
On the personnel front, Memphis was also without head coach Taylor Jenkins, who is away from the team after a death in his family. Assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo stood in as acting head coach.
Los Angeles was missing center Anthony Davis, who had aggravated a heel injury against the Pistons, and Grizz killer Rui Hachimura, who was listed as out due to unspecified illness.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
The Lakers were led by superstar LeBron James and supporting actors Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell. James put up a game-high 39 points, and added seven rebounds and seven assists, while Reaves and Russell scored 19 and 12 points, respectively.
But Los Angeles was no match for the collective force put forth by the Grizzlies, who finished the night with seven players in double-digits.
LeBron James is unquestionably one of the best players ever to pick up a basketball, but Ja Morant remains one of the most dynamic players in the league. Morant fears no man, not even King James himself.
From their starters, Memphis was led by Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and rookie Jaylen Wells, who each scored 20 points. Santi Aldama added 11 points and 12 rebounds.
The second unit was led by Scotty Pippen Jr., who scored 14 points on on five-of-nine overall shooting, including three of four from beyond the arc. He added six rebounds, and four assists.
Jake LaRavia contributed 13 points, five rebounds, and eight assists.
Jay Huff finished with 11 points, three rebounds, and four assists. He was four of seven in overall shooting, including three of six from three-point range, with all his points coming in the third quarter.
The crowd and the players cheered as two-way guard Yuki Kawamura scored his first NBA points, a pair of free throws with 33 seconds remaining in the game.
Who Got Next?
Friday night, the Grizzlies will face off against the Washington Wizards at FedExForum. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.
Jay Huff #30 of the Memphis Grizzlies waits for a rebound during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies took on the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night and came up with a resounding 124-107 victory on the back of career nights from several team members.
The game started slowly in the first quarter, with the Grizzlies struggling with turnovers from sloppy ball handling and poor three-point shooting.
But Memphis pushed the pace in the second quarter, outshooting Philadelphia from the field and beyond the arc. The Grizzlies finished the half with a seven-point lead that would only continue to grow in the second half. They were missing Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart, who are listed as week-to-week after suffering a right oblique strain and a right ankle sprain, respectively, both acquired in Wednesday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.
Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid and Paul George, neither of whom has played this season. After their quick first-quarter start, the 76ers struggled, giving up 28 points off 14 turnovers.
Highlights of the night include all five Grizzlies’ starters finishing the night in double-digits, rookie center Zach Edey’s first career double-double, and backup big man Jay Huff’s career-high 20 points.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led all scorers with 27 points, and added six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
Ja Morant finished the night with 18 points, six rebounds, and 12 assists on six of 13 overall shooting.
Jaylen Wells added 15 points and five rebounds on six of 11 overall shooting and two of four from three-point range.
Zach Edey put up 10 points and 10 rebounds in posting his first career double-double.
Santi Aldama also added 10 points, along with 13 rebounds and four assists.
From the second unit:
Jay Huff led the bench with his career-high 20 points on five-of-seven three-point shooting, with 12 points coming in the third quarter. He also posted five rebounds.
Scotty Pippen Jr. closed out the night with 12 points, four rebounds, and 13 assists. Both Huff and Pippen Jr. are showing how they earned an upgrade from two-way players to regular-season contracts.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are now 4-3 on the year and head to Brooklyn to face off against the Nets Monday night for the second and final time this season. Tip-off is at 7 PM CDT.
Desmond Bane drives to the basket against the Chicago Bulls. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images,)
In their fourth game of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies suffered a disappointing 126-123 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
The game started similarly to their other loss this season, with the Grizzlies taking a double-digit lead in the first half only to squander it in the second. The third quarter continues to be kryptonite for this team. There is little to say about defensive intensity in the second half because it all but disappeared.
The Bulls shot the lights out from three-point range, going a scorching 25-of-53 from beyond the arc. Chicago’s 23 three-pointers were the most ever recorded against the Grizzlies.
Chicago forward Zach LaVine and guard Coby White combined to go 7-of-14 from long range in the second half. Eleven players took the court for the Bulls, and nine of them finished the game with at least one three-point make.
Memphi led by as many as 20 points and held Chicago to 54 points in the first half, and then were outscored 72-55 in the final two periods. Turnovers were again a thorn in their side, as the Grizzlies gave up 16 points off seven turnovers after halftime.
Desmond Bane scored a team-high 30 points, with 23 of those coming in the first two quarters, tying his career high for points in a half. Bane shot 11 of 19 overall and six of 10 from beyond the arc, and also had seven rebounds.
LIGHT IT UP 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥@DBane0625 with a cool 23, grizz +14 at the half
Ja Morant was sidelined for the game with thigh soreness, and the starting point guard’s playmaking was, well, sorely missed. There is no word yet on whether he will be available against the Nets on Wednesday.
Jaren Jackson Jr. played less than 25 minutes, presumably still on a minutes restriction after being sidelined in the preseason and the first two games with hamstring issues. Jackson finished the night with 19 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
Marcus Smart only played 25 minutes and struggled with his worst offensive game since joining the Grizzlies, ending the night with just one point from a made free throw, and shooting 0-of-11 overall and 0-of-8 from three-point range from the field. Smart did contribute seven assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Santi Aldama closed out the night with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, with 10 of those rebounds coming in the first quarter. Yes, you read that right, Santi Aldama grabbed 10 rebounds in the first quarter, making him just one of six in Grizzlies franchise history to do so.
The second unit continues to shine for this Memphis team, with four of five bench players scoring double digits.
Jake LaRavia led the bench in scoring, adding 17 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. LaRavia shot 7-of-11 overall and 2-of-5 from the free-throw line.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 14 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists, his second points-assists double-double of the season.
Jay Huff finished the night with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Shortly before the game, it was announced that the Grizzlies were converting Huff’s two-way contract into a regular-season deal, with the first two years guaranteed.
Rookie Jaylen Wells had 11 points on 5-of-12 overall shooting, and six rebounds.
Who Got Next?
Memphis is opening the season with a brutal six games in nine days, with another set of back-to-back games coming up: They take on the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. Both games tip off at 7 PM CDT.
Memphis Grizzlies center Jay Huff (30) dunks the ball during the second half against the Orlando Magic on Oct 26, 2024, at FedExForum. (Wes Hale Photo)
After a disappointing loss in Houston on Friday, the Memphis Grizzlies came home Saturday night to open their season by handily defeating the Orlando Magic, 124-111.
With a sell-out crowd at FedEx Forum, the energy in the Grindhouse was electric. Only two seasons ago, Memphis held the best home record in the league, and if Saturday night was any indication, the squad appears ready to get back to that standard.
The game was also the season debut of Jaren Jackson Jr., after being sidelined briefly with hamstring soreness during the preseason.
The game was the Grizzlies’ first wire-to-wire win of the season. They led by as many as 29 points, but had to stave off a 21-0 run by the Magic in the third quarter that cut the lead down to 8. Orlando guard Jalen Suggs took over the period, scoring 16 of his 21 points on 4 of 5 shooting from beyond the arc. Memphis responded with a 14-4 run of its own during the last 4:38 in the period.
Memphis had struggled in the third quarter of the season’s first two games, scoring just 18 in the third against Houston and only 21 against Orlando. It would be the only sub-30-point quarter for the Grizzlies on Saturday night, with Memphis scoring 34, 35, and 34 in the first, second, and fourth quarters respectively.
The offensive strategy has looked a little different this season, with head coach Taylor Jenkins using a 12-man roster in the past two games. This has allowed some of the bench players to shine, while lightening the minutes’ load for the starting five. No one on the roster played more than 28 minutes.
When asked postgame if they were setting an offensive standard for the season, Coach Jenkins responded, “Well, I hope we did. … We’ve got to prioritize” our pace, principles, control, and possessions.
Memphis struggled again with turning the ball over, giving up 17 points off 18 turnovers, while converting Orlando’s 19 turnovers into 30 points.
The bench unit accounted for 66 of the Grizzlies’ 124 points, with Spanish forward Santi Aldama leading the second unit and scoring a team-high 22 points, with seven rebounds, and five assists.
Santi Aldama tonight off the bench:
22 points 7 boards 5 assists 4 threes made 75% from field (min. 10 shots)
A bench player has produced at least these numbers or better only 8 times previously in NBA history.
Aldama has been the Grizzlies’ leading scorer in two of the first three regular-season games.
Two-way center Jay Huff had a career-high scoring night, scoring 18 points on 7 of 9 overall and 3 of 5 three-pointers. Huff has been a tremendous asset thus far for the Grizzlies, adding a spark off the bench.
He moves down the court with speed and helps with spacing the floor, and “he’s fitting into what we’re trying to do as a team,” according to Jenkins. Don’t be surprised if Huff plays himself into the 15th roster spot later in the season. And how can you not love his signature reverse dunk?
— Grizzlies On FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Grizzlies) October 27, 2024
Guard Scotty Pippen Jr. finished the night with 11 points, a career-high 12 assists, and his first career double-double.
Among the starters, Ja Morant led with 16 points and 10 assists. Morant is now tied with Mike Conley for the franchise’s most point-assist double-doubles.
Desmond Bane added 13 points and seven rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 13 points and four rebounds in his season debut.
Please enjoy this clip of Jaren bullying Franz Wagner all the way to the bucket:
And not included on the scoreboard but definitely in the hearts of Grizzlies’ fans is two-way guard Yuki Kawamura, who inspired a “We want Yuki” chant throughout FedExForum in the game’s final minutes.
The Grizzlies kicked off a four-game homestand and will return to the court on Monday to face off against the Chicago Bulls. Tip-off will be at 7 PM CDT.
Ja Morant drives the ball past Jordan Clarkson. Credit: Rob Gray/AP Photo
The Memphis Grizzlies opened their season Wednesday night with a 126-124 win over the Utah Jazz. After last season’s 0-9 start it was nice to see the Grizzlies come out strong.
It was the regular season debut of new draftees Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells and marked the return of star point guard Ja Morant to the court after suffering a labral tear last season.
One thing is clear already: Ja Morant remains one of the most explosive players in the league. He finished the night with 22 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds while shooting 7 of 12 from the field and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line.
Edey put up 5 points and 5 rebounds in his debut but struggled to stay out of foul trouble, ultimately fouling out after playing just over 14 minutes.
Wells added 6 points off the bench, shooting 2 of 5 from three-point range. Both Edey and Wells struggled from the free throw line, with Edey shooting 1 of 5 and Wells 0 of 2.
After leading by as many as 17 points in the first half, the Grizzlies were outscored by the Jazz 74-65 in the second half. Both teams were foul-happy, with Memphis committing 35 fouls and Utah 24, resulting in 77 free throw attempts.
And while the Grizzlies did give up 13 points off of 13 turnovers, they were able to convert 17 Utah turnovers into 24 points.
Utah’s Lauri Markkanen led all scorers with 35 points and 9 rebounds.
Santi Aldama led the Grizzlies with 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 10 of 16 overall and a game-high 5 of 10 from beyond the arc.
Three of Aldama’s five made three-pointers came in the first quarter, but his flashiest points came via a one-handed dunk off a lob from Ja Morant.
Desmond Bane closed the night with 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 8 of 20 overall shooting and 4 of 10 from three-point range. Marcus Smart had 11 points and 5 rebounds on 3 of 11 shooting from the field.
Jay Huff led the Grizzlies’ bench unit with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks while shooting 4 of 6 overall, 3 of 5 from three-point range, and 2 of 2 from the free throw line.
The night’s biggest loser was not either team on the court, but the local broadcast partner FanDuel Sports Network, formerly Bally Sports. Fans in the Memphis area experienced horrible audio and video quality, making the first half unwatchable. Here’s hoping this isn’t an ongoing issue.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are heading to Houston to face off against the Rockets on Friday night. Tip-off is at 7 PM CDT. They will open their home season on Saturday against the Orlando Magic.
Head Coach Taylor Jenkins of the Memphis Grizzlies seen speaking at the Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
If you had asked before the season what the expectations were for the Grizzlies in 2023-24, a host of injuries for most of the roster leading to a record of 27-55 and no postseason opportunities likely wasn’t it.
There were obvious questions about how the team would fare in the absence of Ja Morant during the first 25 games, as he served his league-issued suspension, but the consensus back then was that the rest of the roster could hold it down until Morant’s return in January and the Grizzlies would pick right back up where they left off as one of the most dominant teams in the league, near the top of the western conference.
Unfortunately, that is not how it went down. Ja Morant returned as energized and dynamic as before, but a shoulder injury that required surgery ended his season after just nine games played.
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies seen speaking at the Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
In the aftermath of a season where nearly everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Memphis, there are still some vestiges of hope for Grizzlies fans.
While the rest of the league seems to have forgotten about their existence, the vibe in the room during Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews was that of a team that faced more adversity than was possible to overcome in the moment, but one that still had great hopes for the future.
I think it is more likely than not that the core of this Grizzlies team is going to return to action next season with a massive chip on their shoulders, ready to prove wrong any doubters or naysayers, and eager to remind the league that Memphis is still a force to be reckoned with.
Zach Kleiman, general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies, seen speaking at the Grizzlies’ exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
Grizzlies’ general manager Zach Kleiman has said that Morant’s recovery from injury was progressing well and expected that he would be cleared to resume basketball activities over the summer. Regarding other players on the injured list, Kleiman said the timetable for recovery was in terms of weeks, not months.
It should be some comfort to anyone who follows this team that the reason for their struggles was due to factors outside of their control, rather than players regressing. Player injuries had a huge impact on the season, so much so that it required the team to sign a plethora of 10-day contracts just to have eight players available for games, the minimum the league allows.
Memphis set two league records by using 51 different starting lineups and 33 different players this season.
The Grizzlies’ big free agency move of the summer was trading for former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, he wasn’t immune to the injury bug that plagued the rest of the team, and only played in 20 games. Smart remains under contract through the 2025-26 season and is expected to play next season.
Two of the team’s big three took on outsized roles in the absence of Morant.
Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies seen speaking at the Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane both took on a leadership role of sorts, and the pair did a lot of heavy lifting throughout the season, playing as hard as possible even when a game’s outlook was bleak. Jackson and Bane both saw an increase in average points per game, while also increasing their shot attempts and minutes played.
Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies seen speaking at the Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
Bane’s points per game average increased from 21.5 points last season to 23.7 points =this season, while his overall field goal attempts increased from 16.2 attempts per game last season to 18.5 attempts this season. His minutes per game increased from 31.7 in 2022-23 to 34.4 this season.
Jackson’s trajectory shows a similar increase, with his points per game average increasing from 18.6 last season to 22.5 points this season. His field goal attempts rose from 13.0 attempts per game in 2022-23 to 17.6 this season. His minutes per game increased from 28.4 last season to 32.2 this season.
There were other positive aspects of this lost season, in terms of player development.
The emergence of Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson was a balm for an otherwise sore season. Likewise with the return of Brandon Clarke for a handful of games near season’s end.
Brandon Clarke #15 of the Memphis Grizzlies seen speaking at the Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
Clarke needed hardly any time to return to his previous form, which is both a good sign for the future and a testament to how seriously he took his rehab and recovery.
Williams Jr. and GG Jackson both started the season on two-way contracts and spent a portion of the season playing with the team’s G-league affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, until having those contracts converted to a regular contract with the team and earning official roster spots.
GG Jackson #45 of the Memphis Grizzlies seen speaking at the Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
It is unlikely that either player would have seen significant NBA minutes this season without the spate of injuries. Williams Jr. appeared in 52 games, with 33 of those in the starting lineup. Similarly, Jackson appeared in 48 games, and started in 18 of those.
Vince Williams Jr. #5 of the Memphis Grizzlies seen speaking at the Memphis Grizzlies exit interviews at FedExForum on April 15, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
Signing Williams Jr. and Jackson to regular team contracts left more two-way contracts available, and Memphis used those to add center Trey Jemison and point guards Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jordan Goodwin.
Jemison appeared in 23 games, with 14 appearances in the starting lineup, and averaged 7.4 points in 24.9 minutes per game.
Pippen Jr., son of Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, played 21 games, 16 as the starting point guard. He averaged 12.9 points and 25.1 minutes per game.
Goodwin appeared in 17 games, including 12 as a starter, while averaging 10 points and 29.2 minutes.
There is no disputing that the season’s outcome was a disappointment, but despite finishing 13th in the Western Conference, the outlook for the Grizzlies going forward seems bright.
Scotty Pippen Jr. #1 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots the ball during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on April 12, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
With a final score of 123-120, the Los Angeles Lakers barely scraped by with a win against the Memphis Grizzlies. While there are no moral victories in the NBA, this was the closest thing to an enjoyable loss as possible.
The battered and bruised Grizzlies, who were missing 13 played to injuries, fought hard and kept the outcome in question until their final possession, forcing the team that eliminated them in last year’s playoffs to exert considerable effort to squeak by with a narrow win.
It might be projection, but it felt satisfyingly petty to watch these young guys be such a thorn in the Lakers’ side in a game that was essentially meaningless to Memphis. To fully appreciate the Grizzlies’ performance in this game, let’s set the scene:
It’s game 81 in an 82-game season, with one team fighting to secure their best possible position in the play-in tournament, playing against a team so hobbled by injuries they have been adding a steady stream of relatively unknown players on 10-day contracts just to have the league minimum eight players available.
Los Angeles had already won by double-digits in two of three games in the season series, and they were facing a Grizzlies team that currently holds the second-worst home record in the league.
The Lakers are fighting to secure the most favorable play-in tournament seeding, along with the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors, and based on their previous meetings, the Lakers probably expected to cakewalk their way to a win.
This game had big “day before the start of a long weekend and your crappy boss is unexpectedly making you do real work” energy. You know the feeling you get when you were expecting to coast through an easy day at the office and one of your least favorite colleagues dumps a pile of time-sensitive tasks on your desk and suddenly you must do actual work? That is how I imagine LeBron James and Anthony Davis felt about this matchup against the Grizzlies.
LeBron James had 37 points. There’s not much you can do against that. Similar situation with Anthony Davis. If he’s going for 36 points, your team is probably in trouble.
James and Davis combined for 28 of the Lakers’ 34 free-throw attempts, seven more than the Grizzlies’ total 21 free-throw attempts. Those numbers speak for themselves, and the expectation should be officiating the same way on both sides, especially in a game as close as this one.
The last Grizzlies’ possession of the game featured a lot of contact against GG Jackson, contact that absolutely would have been called a foul on the other end of the floor. Head coach Taylor Jenkins had already used a challenge and failed so there wasn’t anything to be done about it, but he certainly vocalized his displeasure.
Despite the loss, there were some positive things to take away from last night’s game from the Grizzlies’ perspective. GG Jackson has been playing out of his mind, and these starting minutes have given him valuable development experience and shown how deep his potential can be.
Jackson finished the night with a team-high 31 points and three steals while shooting 12 of 23 overall and seven of 13 from three-point range, his third game this season with 30+ points.
Scotty Pippen Jr. had a career-high scoring night, putting up 28 points, plus five rebounds, six assists, and four steals on 12 of 22 overall shooting and three of seven from beyond the arc.
Plus, the bonus of the broadcast cutting to Scottie Pippen Sr. celebrating after Pippen Jr. made a fast break that ended with a nasty bucket against the defense of Austin Reaves.
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) April 13, 2024
Scottie Pippen Sr. being the proudest papa starts at the 20 second mark.
Jake LaRavia has continued to make big offensive contributions since his return, adding 28 points, three rebounds, and a career-high six assists, on seven of 13 overall, three of six from three-point range, and a perfect 11 of 11 from the free throw line.
Scotty Pippen Jr. giving Rui Hachimura a bad time. IYKYK
Jordan Goodwin recorded a career-high 23 points, 17 rebounds, and four steals the hard way, shooting just seven of 22 overall and four of nine from beyond the arc.
It was the fifth time this season Goodwin grabbed double-digit rebounds, and he’s had 81 rebounds in his past seven games.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will play their final game of the season on Sunday against the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Tip-off is at 2:30 p.m. CDT.
Zavier Simpson #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies rebounds the ball over Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at FedExForum on April 9, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
The San Antonio Spurs, led by presumptive Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, beat the Grizzlies 102-87, Tuesday night. They spoiled a 13-game winning streak in the overall series by the Grizzlies and kept Memphis from sweeping the season series. It marked the Spurs’ first victory over the Grizzlies since December 2020.
It was the 50th starting lineup for Memphis this season, setting a record for the number of different starting lineups in a single season since the league began tracking data on starting lineups in the 1983-83 season.
Brandon Clarke made his first appearance as a starter since his return from injury, and became the 23rd different starter for the Grizzlies this season. This stat is even wilder when you consider that NBA rosters are limited to 15 players, barring injury exceptions, of which Memphis has had many this season. The Grizzlies were definitely outmanned Tuesday, fielding an eight-player roster against a 12-man Spurs roster.
Even taking into consideration their lack of manpower, it was a bad shooting night for the Grizzlies, who finished the night with just six three-pointers made. This squad, colloquially known as the Hospital Grizzlies, is literally limping to the end of the season.
San Antonio held Memphis 12 points in the third quarter on four of 24 shooting, erasing the one-point lead Memphis took into the second half and giving the Spurs a 16-point advantage going into the fourth quarter. It was the lowest-scoring quarter of the season for Memphis.
Victor Wembanyama and Julian Champagnie led the Spurs’ starting unit with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Wembanyama also had a game-high six assists and seven blocks.
This dish from GG Jackson to Brandon Clarke is poetry in motion.
Six of the eight players who took the court for the Grizzlies finished the night with double digits, including all five starters. Three players tied for the team-high scorer with 14 points each.
Brandon Clarke had 14 points, one rebound, one steal, and one block while shooting seven of 12 overall.
Trey Jemison had 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, and a perfect two of two from the free throw line.
Scotty Pippen Jr. had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, a game-high four steals, and one block.
GG Jackson finished the night with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one block.
Jordan Goodwin added 10 points, and a career-high 19 rebounds. It marks Goodwin’s third career double-double. His 19 rebounds are the most pulled down by a player his height (6’3”) or shorter since 1990.
From the second unit, guard Zavier Simpson put up 12 points, three rebounds, five assists, and one steal.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are back at it again tonight for the last road game of the season, facing off against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. CDT.
Jaren Jackson Jr. dribbles the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on April 1, 2024, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.
Down by as many as 15 at one point, the Memphis Grizzlies powered through in the second half on the shoulders of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Luke Kennard to come away with a win against the Detroit Pistons.
This wounded Grizzlies team has been limping toward the end of the season, patched together with two-way players and 10-day contracts. Despite those handicaps, they managed to come away from Monday night’s matchup with a win. Never mind that Detroit holds the worst record in the league, a win is a win, especially during a season where wins have been hard to come by for Memphis.
A tale of two halves.
Memphis struggled mightily in the first half, with the Pistons taking a 13-point lead into the second half.
I’m not sure what head coach Taylor Jenkins said to the team during halftime, but whatever it was, it lit a fire under them, because they stormed took over the third quarter to the tune of 41 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. played all 12 minutes and put up 21 of his 40 points in the third on six of seven shooting overall, and one of one from beyond the arc.
We saw Brandon Clarke looking very much like his old self in his third game back after spending a year rehabbing an Achilles injury, particularly in the fourth quarter, where he racked up seven of his 15 points, including a rare for Clarke three-point attempt and make. (For reference, Clarke only had six three-point attempts in 58 games last season.)
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) April 2, 2024
Brandon Clarke with the block and a bucket on the other end.
Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey led the Pistons in scoring, with 36 and 20 points, respectively. Ivey, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, is the son of Niele Ivey, the current head coach of the women’s basketball team at Notre Dame and a former assistant coach for the Grizzlies.
Detroit also got a 10-point contribution from small forward Tosan Evbuomwan. Evbuomwan, currently on a two-way contract with the Piston’s G-League affiliate the Motor City Cruise, previously signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies on January 30th, 2024, and played four games for Memphis in early February.
By The Numbers:
Jaren Jackson Jr. led all scorers with 40 points, and added seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks while shooting 13 of 23 overall and two of three from three-point range.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 27: Brandon Clarke #15 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives the ball against Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on March 27, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
The Grizzlies returned to Memphis in the middle of an eight-game road trip to face off against the Los Angeles Lakers for the third time this season. Rui Hachimura and LeBron James led the Lakers to a 136-124 victory over the Grizzlies, despite strong performances from Desmond Bane and Jake LaRavia.
The game heralded the return of big man Brandon Clarke, who has been sidelined since March 2023 with an Achilles injury. Clarke was met with cheers from the home crowd when he took the court, and he notched six points and five rebounds in his return.
Grizzlies’ head coach Taylor Jenkins remarked postgame that Clarke had “brought great energy on both sides of the floor” in his return. Barring any complications, Clarke will play the remaining nine games of the season.
Lakers’ forward Rui Hachimura continues to be a thorn in the Grizzlies’ side, putting up a game-high 32 points and 10 rebounds, including a career-high seven made 3-pointers. Los Angeles was on the second night of back-to-back games, after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in double overtime the previous night.
While the Grizzlies would ultimately lose the game, they were able to close the third quarter on an 18-0 run, cutting a 27-point Lakers lead to seven. They outrebounded the Lakers 13-4 in offensive rebounds and outscored them 18-7 in second-chance points, and 56-42 in the paint.
This play by GG Jackson and Lamar Stevens reaction is art. (Photo by Wes Hale)
Los Angeles outscored Memphis 25-15 in fastbreak points and converted 14 Grizzlies’ turnovers into 22 points for the Lakers. They also outshot the Grizzlies 35-19 from the free-throw line.
Desmond Bane had a team-high 26 points, four rebounds, and a career-high 16 assists.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block.
Scotty Pippen Jr. finished the night with 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block, and GG Jackson added 10 points and four rebounds.
Off the bench, Jake LaRavia put up a career-high 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists while shooting 7 of 9 from three-point range, and Lamar Stevens had 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will hit the road again, heading to Orlando to face off against the Magic on Saturday, March 30th. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. CDT.
