Author: Sharon Brown

Sharon Brown is a University of Memphis graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Studies with a concentration in Legal Studies. Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, Sharon is one of the Memphis Grizzlies beat writers for the Memphis Flyer. She has created a niche in the industry by co-founding All Heart in Hoop City — a unique community of women sportswriters.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Adams, Brooks Lift Memphis to 11th Straight Win

Steven Adams up high Wednesday, January 18, 2023 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The two best defensive teams in the NBA went back and forth Wednesday night, like a boxing match with uppercuts and body blows. In the end, the Grizzlies’ dogged defense in the final seconds was enough to secure the home victory over Cleveland. 

There were 17 lead changes and nine ties. Both teams gave up double digit leads. The Cavaliers were up by 10 early while Memphis was up by as many as 19 in the third quarter. 

The Cavaliers held a one-point lead with 27.4 seconds left, when Jaren Jackson Jr. blocked Darius Garland’s driving layup attempt out of bounds. On Cleveland’s ensuing in-bounds attempt, the Grizzlies forced a five-second violation.  

With 17 seconds left in the game, Ja Morant attacked the basket with a floater but it bounced off the rim; however, Steven Adams secured the rebound with a tip in for the go-ahead bucket. 

Jackson Jr. praised Steven Adams on the intangibles, “He’s the best screener in NBA history and probably the best offensive rebounder ever. When you do those things, it just saves us time and time again.”

While the 16,892 in attendance chanted “DEFENSE!!,” Cleveland brought the ball upcourt and Dillon Brooks blocked a shot by Garland on the game’s final play to give the Grizzlies a 115-114 victory — their 11th-straight. 

The 11-game winning streak for Memphis matches the longest in franchise history, and is the longest-active streak in the NBA. The Grizzlies are now 31-13 for the season and 20-3 at FedExForum. 

After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said, “We found a way. I told the guys afterwards that that’s a great team win; that’s a great team that we just played and competed against for 48 minutes.” 

Jenkins went on to say, “Timely buckets, and then that last sequence where we got that five-second counter. Guys executed the game plan coming out of the timeout. I chose not to call a timeout. I trusted the guys to go and make plays. We had talked about the spacing we wanted. Ja [Morant] drives, collapses, three guys come to him, and then Steven [Adams] cleans it up. Big winning play at the end of the eight minutes. First game winner, he said, so he’s definitely hyped.”

“And then the defense on the tail end, we had been switching some,” Jenkins added. “They broke off a pick-and-roll. [Dillon Brooks’] one-on-one defense was phenomenal. [Desmond Bane] shifts, gets back, [Dillon Brooks] then gets the block to seal the win. So, clearly, I just said a lot of things because there was a lot going on in that game. It was two competitive teams that played pretty high-level basketball. There were definitely ebbs and flows, highs and lows, but at the end, we made the plays.”

“I told these guys, ‘This is huge to get a game like this tonight,’ especially playing from behind in the last minute or so. I just said this is a game to grow from. The poise, the conversations that our guys were having, as frantic as it was, they were looking at me, they were looking at each other, and we dialed up the defense that we needed down the stretch, despite them making it really hard on us for the meat of the game.”

Jenkins concluded, “So, it’s great for us. We’ll watch the film tomorrow, talk about the winning plays that we made. … We’ve got to build on it because this is not the last time we’re going to see a game like this.”

Desmond Bane finished with a game-high 25 points, four rebounds, four assists, and five 3-pointers. Morant added 24 points and eight assists. 

Off the bench, Santi Aldama chipped in 16 points and two rebounds while making a career-high four 3-pointers. Jackson Jr. filled the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and two steals while Adams had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. 

Aldama credited the team’s chemistry for the winning streak. He said, “I just think that togetherness is what stands out the most. I mean, last year, we were a very good team. I think this year, we have a little bit of a different team, but we just find a way to win games.”

“Today (Wednesday), I think, was a very good test for us,”Aldama added. “I think we haven’t had a game like this in a while. Especially the last two or three possessions were huge for us. We got the five second call. [Jaren Jackson Jr.]’s block before that, [Dillon Brooks]’ game-winning block came, and then the [Steven Adams] tap-in. So, I think that just shows how everybody makes an impact and how together we are, just rooting for each other.”

Memphis’ first 11-game win streak came last season from Dec. 26, 2021 to Jan. 13, 2022. Bane spoke about the difference this time around. He said, “We just take it game by game. Last year, obviously, was our first time doing it, so there was a lot of excitement, but it’s a new season. We’re trying to set new heights and do new things. The past is the past. We’re just focused on one game at a time.”

Up Next 

The Grizzlies will embark on a five-game road trip. Friday night is the first meeting with the Lakers this season, where Memphis will be poised to break the franchise record with 12th straight wins. Meanwhile, LeBron James and company will definitely look to spoil the party. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Ja Morant is Must-See TV

Ja Morant massive dunk over Jalen Smith on Saturday, January 14, 2023 (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

On Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Memphis Grizzlies (29-13) won their ninth straight game, 130-112 over the Indiana Pacers (23-21). The Grizzlies have the longest active win streak in the league.

“That may very well be the best team on the planet right now – they’re very hard to play,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. However, almost no one is talking about the win itself. That’s because almost everyone is talking about Ja Morant’s vicious dunk over Jalen Smith. 

Morant has become most definitely must-see TV! People will be discussing that dunk for years to come — until he does one to top it. The dunk has garnered millions of views across social media platforms.

When asked if it was the best dunk of his career, Morant said, “Yeah, easy,” because of its difficulty. “It’s what everybody’s been waiting for — I finally made it this time.”

Morant went on to describe the highlight play, he said, “Basically I left the other defender pretty much at the three-point line and it was just me into my launchpad, went up seeing him come over [to] try to block it. I went for a normal Ja dunk attempt and this time I made it.”

Morant finished with 23 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 10 assists and three rebounds.

It must be the shoes, as Morant alluded to after the game. 

The Murray State alum also had a clear message after the game.

Teammate Desmond Bane said, “I ain’t seen nothing like that one. That’s probably going to go down as dunk of the year.” Bane finished with 25 points and eight rebounds, while connecting on 5-of-11 from beyond the arc.

Bally Sports Grizzlies sideline reporter Rob Fischer discussed his reaction to the dunk, “He’s like watching NBA Jam in real life. The kid’s got rocket boosters under them Ja1’s.” Brevin Knight, Bally Sports Grizzlies color analyst said, “My reaction today is speechless. He’s spectacular.”

I think we are all Knight after witnessing that dunk. 

“That was the dunk, as Ja said, that people had been waiting for – the elevation, cock of the arm and power of the smash. It had the entire building buzzing – both Pacer and Grizzlies fans, said Pete Pranica, Bally Sports Grizzlies play-by-play announcer. Pranica added, “I wish Indiana had called timeout so we could have really savored it, but the game goes on.”

“I mean, high level play for sure,” Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on Morant’s dunk. “They had been blitzing him. They had been up, he was just navigating little cracks and seams to get downhill. And then that one, the takeoff spot to where the defender was right at the rim. It was really impressive. That’s a hard finish. … Obviously, that was an emphatic play for us. 

When asked if he taught Morant that move, Jenkins said jokingly, “Oh, everything of course. No, that’s his God-given ability. That’s great execution and that’s picking your spots to be aggressive.” 

Former NBA great Kevin Garnett praised Morant on Twitter. 

The dunk wasn’t the only highlight play from Morant on Saturday, there was an awesome block too. 

It was called a goal tend but was overturned after a coach’s challenge. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies will host the Phoenix Suns in the 21st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Game on Monday. The game will broadcast regionally on Bally Sports Southeast and nationally on TNT. Tip-off it at 5 p.m. CT. 

The Grizzlies will look to win their 10th straight game. With a win over the Suns, it will be just the second double-digit winning streak (within a single season) in franchise history. Memphis set a club record last season with an 11-game winning streak from Dec. 26, 2021-Jan. 13, 2022. Memphis might be without Morant, as he’s listed as questionable with left hip soreness. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Grind Out Win Against Spurs

Tyus Jones and Jaren Jackson, Jr. on January 10, 2022 against the San Antonio Spurs (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs 121-113 to complete their seventh straight victory, which is the longest active winning streak in the association. 

Memphis’ record at home now stands at 17-3 after the victory. The Grizzlies improved to 27-13 on the season. 

Due to right thigh soreness, Ja Morant missed his second consecutive game. In Morant’s absence, Tyus Jones assumed the role of floor general and put on a performance of his own, leading all scorers with 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting, six assists and three steals. 

After the game, Jones talked about his relationship with Morant. He said, “Me and Ja are extremely close. We’re always talking hoops and what we see to help one another out. Coming here, I knew what my role was going to be, but Ja was extremely open to welcoming me, welcoming that relationship, and that was extremely huge.” 

“You don’t always see that with No. 2 picks coming in with the keys to the franchise but still being open to learning or pointers, talking through what you see and just being a good teammate,” added Jones. “Our relationship has taken off since that first year with us both being point guards and both wanting to get better and not feeling like we know it all. That’s been huge. Both of us are humble enough to say we don’t know everything and talk the game through and take pointers from each other.”

Jones has scored 20 plus points in his last four starts. So what’s the secret behind Jones’ improved play? One word: confidence. 

The Duke alum said about the difference in his aggressiveness this season, “Just confidence. Confident in my abilities, confidence in my game. The guys in this locker room, this coaching staff are extremely confident in me as well and just give me that freedom to hoop. I’m just trying to take advantage of that, playing my game and doing what everybody needs me to do on a nightly basis. And if that’s scoring, if that’s being aggressive, looking to score, if that’s setting my guys up… just doing whatever it takes. That confidence is definitely there, and I can tell.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. continues to impress on both ends of the floor. The Block Panther finished with 16 points, six rebounds and back-to-back games with five blocked shots. The 23-year-old set new franchise records with 11 straight games of 2 or more blocks, surpassing Pau Gasol, and six-straight games with three or more blocks. He now ranks third in the NBA in total blocks (79) after having played just 24 games this season.

“There are so many great stretches that he’s done protecting the rim,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on Jackson’s rim protection. “He set a tone on that first quarter with multiple; I think there were a couple possessions. One, in particular, where he had two blocks on the same; he does that seemingly every single night.”

Jenkins continued: “It’s just very impressive what he does on both ends of the floor. I think he’s playing really well on the offensive end too. When he sets a tone defensively, that means a lot. We had him switch in, guarding shooters there. At one point in the fourth quarter, I thought he did a really good job. We know what he can do on the on the rim, protection wise. I’m not [going to] apply a grade, but this is definitely a great stretch.”

In the last seven games, Jackson is averaging 18.4 points, 7.1 rebounds,  3.9 blocks while shooting 55 percent from the field. 

Jackson believes he’s a better shot blocker now than he was in his younger years. He said, “I think guards were just worse back then, and I could just let them go by and surprise them, but now I think I’m definitely better. Who knows? It wasn’t really in my head to do all this. Blocking shots, like maybe a year ago, I wasn’t even thinking about it. I was just trying to stay out there, play solid defense and be stronger and just deter shots. Blocks are icing on the cake.”

Up Next 

Both teams will play again at FedExForum on Wednesday night, as Memphis looks to extend its win streak to a season-high eight straight games. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Jackson, Morant lift Grizzlies to Fifth-Straight Win

Jaren Jackson after his 31 points and 10 rebounds performance against the Orlando Magic on January 5, 2023. (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

Jaren Jackson, Jr. was a man on a mission from the start of the game on Thursday night in Orlando, putting on arguably one of the best performances of his career. He finished with a season-high 31 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks to help the Grizzlies improve to 25-13 on the season by beating the Orlando Magic, 123-115. It was the Grizzlies’ fifth win in a row.

Grizzlies color analyst Brevin Knight says no offensive player is safe when the 23-year-old is on the floor.

Jackson showed his defensive prowess and offensive precision. He shot an astonishing 90.9 percent in the paint area and 85.7 percent overall while going 12-of-14 from the field. 

And Jackson had historic night for the franchise. According to Statmuse, Jackson was the first Grizzlies player to put up 30 points and 10 rebounds on 80 percent shooting since two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was impressed with the Michigan State alum’s efforts. “He was a force on both sides,” Jenkins said. Obviously, offensively scoring inside, scoring outside. I thought he set a tone in that first quarter for us blocking a number of shots. 

Jenkins continued: “He really got rolling in that first quarter. And then when we needed some crucial buckets, put him in iso situations, post-up situations, he just made great reads, great plays. Overall, they felt his force tonight and his physicality on both sides is definitely one of the most impressive, if not the most so far this season for JJ”

Jackson’s walk-off interview with Bally Sports sideline reporter Rob Fischer.

“We knew they were going to throw a lot at Ja (Morant), which they definitely did throughout the game, especially in that fourth quarter,” Jenkins concluded. “Just having that balance of pick-and-roll motion play, dribble handoffs, post iso, something that we’ll continue to work on just so we’ll have better balance.” Morant was the game-high scorer with 32 points, six assists, and five rebounds. 

It marked the first time in their careers that Jackson and Morant both scored 30+ points in the same game in the regular season. Grizzlies fans would love to see more of that on a regular basis from this dynamic duo. 

After the game Morant shifted his praises to Jackson. “It was definitely one of the most complete games I’ve seen him play,” Morant said. “It helped us big time.”

“It makes the game a lot easier – opens the floor up,” said Dillon Brooks of Jackson’s defensive effort. “It gives us confidence to press up on the defenders and force them to come downhill to him. We are really tough to beat.”

Brooks finished with 11 points, six rebounds and tied his season-high with six assists. 

“Today they were just shifting a lot and they were in the paint so I was able to find my teammates,” said Brooks on his improved playmaking. “It has always been a priority for me to pass the ball.”

Brooks believes Jackson is a one-of-a-kind talent. “He’s one of our guys who’s a mismatch nightmare, so we need him to be aggressive every night on both ends.”

In the game, Ziaire Williams was outstanding, coming off the bench for Memphis and scoring a season-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting with three 3-pointers and a +13 in only 14 minutes. The 21-year-old versatile wing is an important piece for the Grizzlies championship aspirations.

“Long overdue,” Williams said after the game. “Long overdue, for sure.”

The 21-year-old went on to say, “I told myself to have extreme confidence. You can only do so much work, but if you don’t trust it, it’s worthless.

Up Next

The Grizzlies return home to face the Utah Jazz on Sunday at 5pm CT inside FedExForum. Memphis is seeking retribution against the Jazz after two back to back losses in Utah earlier in the season.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Morant, Jones Lead Grizzlies to Win Against Kings

Ja Morant and Steven Adams slap hands on January 1, 2023 in a match-up against the Sacramento Kings. Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

In a 118-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings on New Year’s Day at FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak to three games. This victory came on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Grizzlies improved to 15-3 at home and marked the first time in team history that a game had been played on New Year’s Day in Memphis.

With the win, Memphis raised their record to 23-13 that has them in a tie for second place in the West with the New Orleans Pelicans, and one game behind the first place Denver Nuggets. 

As Kool Moe Dee said, “The Wild, Wild West.”

Ja Doing Ja Things 

There were plenty of Ja-dropping plays on Sunday for Ja Morant, who led all scorers with a game-high 35 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. 

“It’s gotta be a mindset – you got to want it,” Morant said after the game. You just have to come out and be ready to play from top to bottom. It has to be everybody.” 

“That’s our message right now to each other as a team,” Morant added. “We got to come out and play, no matter if we play a Western Conference or Eastern Conference team, or if we play on a team who is down main guys. We got to still come out and play and go out and make a statement and win the basketball game.”

Stones

Tyus Jones was a man on a mission on Sunday night against the Kings. Jones has been struggling as of late, but he started the new year off with 18 points, eight assists, and six rebounds off the bench. Stones tied his career high with 3-pointers made by going 5-of-7 from the long line. 

Take a look at a point guard to point guard connection between Jones and Morant. 

Morant talked about his synergy with Jones:

After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins had high praise for Jones. Jenkins said, “No matter what his role is: Come off the bench, be a starter, play with different lineups, play longer stretches, shorter stretches – when he has an aggressive mentality, it’s usually good for Tyus.”

King of Rebounds 

Steven Adams had a really productive night for his team. 

Career-high with 13 offensive rebounds ☑

Career-high tying 23 total rebounds ☑

First player in franchise history with consecutive 20+ rebound games ☑

Tied franchise record for rebounds in any two-game span (44) ☑

“I mean, it’s just part of our job as the bigs,” said Adams on his contributions to help his team win in the trenches. “It’s just part of our coverage. We enjoy just getting a stop, so we don’t have to play any more defense. That’s the main thing. The less defense we could play, the better.” 

Adams continued, “That’s why we try and emphasize the defensive rebounding, that’s why it is such a demoralizing thing if you give out offensive rebounds, then you have a 14-second shot clock while you have to play defensive again. So, just trying to be active. I think I’m more comfortable in the system, getting more calm. Last year was a bit of a learning curve on how players move and if they were in front or not; it’s kind of weird reads on the body language, but I’m getting used to just reading the players a bit better when they need help and when not to.”

The Block Panther 

Jaren Jackson, Jr. finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Jackson had two blocks on the same possession against the Kings’ Malik Monk. He also had six blocked shots on New Year’s Eve against the Pelicans. The All-Defensive First Team big man is making his case as one of the best rim protectors in the game. Ask Malik Monk; he didn’t dare to try to get a bucket again with The Block Panther lurking at the rim. In 20 games, Jackson Jr. is averaging 3.2 blocks. 

A Special Gift

A young fan, Zander Carr, was gifted with a pair of Morant’s signature shoes, Ja 1, after the game. 

“I can tell – I actually saw him during warm up, so I could tell how big of a fan he was,” said Morant on giving the fan his shoes after the game. He was screaming my name, cheering for me making shots from warmup. So, I knew he was a big fan, and I’m actually doing this thing where I give a pair of my shoes out.” 

Morant went on to say, “Obviously, I know a lot of people want them right now, and it’s not released yet in stores and online. I read the sign and, from then on, I knew who was getting a pair of shoes, and you can tell how much he wanted it and loved it.”

Morant has a campaign going with the hashtag #Jas12DaysOfChristmas where 12 fans will be selected to receive a pair of Ja 1s on January 12th. 

“It’s a great thing to see,” Morant added. “Leaves you speechless when you see somebody is that big a fan of you to burst out and cry, and then there, it was even more crazy to notice his mom crying as well. I know that touched both of their hearts, and that’s something that I’ll never forget.” 

Yes, Zander and his mom will never forget the gift and kindness of Morant for his birthday. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies look to extend their winning streak against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday in Charlotte. Tip-off: 6 pm CT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Brooks Leads Grizzlies Past Raptors

Dillon Brooks matched up against Gary Trent, Jr. on December 29, 2022 (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Toronto Raptors 119-106 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night after dropping two straight games. 

The victory over the Raptors in Toronto was a welcome relief after they had dropped four of their previous five games, including a crushing loss on Christmas Day to the shorthanded Golden State Warriors. 

The recent slump has dropped them from first place in the Western Conference to third. They are currently one game behind the Western Conference-leading New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets.

Many questioned their swagger and competitive spirit after the disappointing losses. 

Some were too quick to write off the Grizzlies, but they proved them wrong on Thursday night by just having fun and finding their footing again. The NBA is a long season, and Memphis must continue to take it one game at a time. 

All five of Memphis’ starters scored in double figures. Dillon Brooks led the way for Grizzlies with 25 points and six assists for his homecoming. Brooks is from Mississauga, Ontario near Toronto.

After the game, Brooks revealed his coaches want him to be more of a playmaker. 

On his six assists, Brooks said, “Kudos to me. I tried to shoot the open ones and I work on my game every single day to be confident in my shot.” 

Ja Morant tallied his 12th double-double of the season with 19 points and a career-high 17 assists. 

Desmond Bane added 16 points, five rebounds, and two steals. It’s his best game back since his return from injury.

Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Jackson is averaging 3.0 blocks per game this season. 

Steven Adams posted his eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 17 rebounds, while John Konchar added 11 points and seven rebounds as a reserve. 

Sharing is Caring 

The Grizzlies recorded a season-high 37 assists. Memphis is 8-0 this season when registering 30 assists. 

With his 17 assists, Morant recorded the highest assist total by a single Grizzlies player since Jason Williams set a franchise record with 19 more than 20 years ago in March 2002. 

Three-Point Shooting

The Grizzlies went 13-of-29 from beyond the arc after going four straight games shooting in the single digits. Brooks shot four, Memphis’ best 3-point shooter Bane connected with three, and Konchar added two 3-point shots.

Up Next 

The Grizzlies will host the New Orleans Pelicans at FedExForum on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m. CT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Warriors Spoil Christmas for Memphis

Ja Morant debuting his Ja 1 signature shoe (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

Sunday night in primetime on ABC, the Memphis Grizzlies fell short against the Golden State Warriors, 123-109. 

It was the first Christmas Day game in franchise history. The Grinch stole Grizzmas from Memphis in a decisive fashion. 

Ja Morant seemed as if he was the only one ready to make a statement on national TV. Morant was the game-high scorer (near triple double) with 36 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. 

To round it out, Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones finished with 13 points each. 

Desmond Bane struggled, plus Jaren Jackson, Jr. was in foul trouble and on the bench most of the night. Steven Adams was relegated to the bench after the Warriors started fouling him to send him to the line. 

It seemed as if Memphis really wasn’t ready for the game. 

In essence, the Warriors beat the Grizzlies at their own game: Trash-talking, the supporting cast playing out of their minds, and having fun. 

This wasn’t a championship game that eliminated them from contention. It was a regular season game that the Warriors were more than ready for. 

There’s no need to put the blame on players for their struggles. Memphis is still 20-12 on the season and sits third in the Western Conference. 

The team will make adjustments and not let this loss linger in their minds. The team will still trash-talk and have fun. It’s who they are, and nothing will change anytime soon. 

The Grizzlies will have their chances for revenge on January 25th, March 9th and March 18th. This has the makings of a good rivalry that will have everyone talking. 

Ja Morant Signature Shoe 

Despite the loss, Christmas was good to Morant as he fulfilled a lifelong dream of a signature shoe. Nike unveiled the Ja 1 shoe prior to the game. 

Morant’s daughter Kaari helped him with the unveiling. 

“It’s a shoe for underdogs who have the dog in them, kicks for anyone who has been underrated or overlooked, who’s been told they’re too small, or their dreams too big,” Morant said in the announcement. 

“Now, I know everyone wearing my shoes isn’t going to posterize a 7-footer,” Morant concluded. “But I want everyone to feel like they could. Tap into that underdog inside of them.”

Morant paid homage to the cities that shaped him on Twitter. 

This means so much for the city of Memphis. To have its adopted son put the city on the map is rewarding. No other player in franchise history had as much popularity as Morant. He’s a generational talent that will be talked about for years to come. 

Up Next

Grizzlies return to Memphis to take on the short-handed Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. The Grizzlies throttled the Suns 125-100 this past Friday night in Phoenix without Devin Booker. The Suns were embarrassed at home and look to return the favor. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall in Denver

Ja Morant (Credit: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

After a seven-game winning streak, the Memphis Grizzlies have now dropped back-to-back games. And the schedule doesn’t get any easier. On Tuesday night at Ball Arena, the Denver Nuggets defeated Memphis 105-91 to take the number one spot in the Western Conference standing.  

Memphis’ record now stands at 19-11 overall and 6-9 on the road.

A slow start reared its ugly head for Memphis again, as Denver held the Grizzlies to just 14 points in the first period. “It’s just our mentality, we’ve got to be more focused,” said Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones after the loss. “We can’t ease our way into the game, especially against a good ball club like that. We can’t ease our way into the game and try to feel out how the game is going to be, and then we’re playing from a deficit the rest of the way and even if you’re playing with the ball, the margins of error are so slim that we have to play great basketball the rest of the way to continue to chip away at that lead.

“It’s just being more focused and locked in, trying to be the aggressors,” Jones added. “We’ve got to be the aggressors coming out from the jump. We had been playing like that. The last couple of games now we’ve been a little more relaxed and we have to get back to playing Grizzlies’ ball.” Jones finished with five points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Center Steven Adams conceited that it is very difficult to win on the road, even though last season Memphis went 26-15 on the road. He said, “It’s hard to win on the road, regardless. But most of all, I think everyone’s just trying to win the game, regardless. In terms of development, I think there’s plenty of times like last year, that I wouldn’t give us that easy of an excuse. We came out like shit. We did well actually in the second quarter, third quarter, and in the fourth quarter was kind of like the first.” Adams chipped in four points and 10 rebounds.

Memphis is now 8-8 against the Western Conference and Jones understands the team has to put forth a better effort than the last two games. “We can’t sneak up on anybody,” Jones admitted. “We knew that going into this year, we’re 30 games in now and we’ve got to know that, but it still takes some getting used to.”

Jones continued, “It’s a long season, it’s a lot of games, and it takes a lot to get up every single night, especially when you’re not going to sneak up on anybody. That’s what’s testing us and that’s how we’re going to continue to grow as a team and continue to get better. We’re a work in progress still. I’ve still got things to get better on and we’re not hanging our heads. We’re continuing to look at ourselves in the mirror, look at the drawing board, and figure out how we’re going to take steps forward.”

Ja Morant continues to put on MVP-caliber performances on a nightly basis. The South Carolina native finished with 35 points and 10 assists in 38 minutes of play. 

To round it off, Jaren Jackson, Jr. continued his defensive dominance with a game-high five blocks and three steals to go along with eight points. It marks the fifth time this season the 23-year-old has swatted five or more shots. Jackson is averaging 3.2 blocks on the season. 

Up Next

No rest for the weary. The Grizzlies are headed to Phoenix to take on the Suns Friday night and are heading to San Francisco for its first ever Christmas Day game against the defending champs, Golden State Warriors.  

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Decimate Bucks

Ja Morant (Credit: Memphis Grizzlies Social media via @memgrizz)

On Thursday night, the Memphis Grizzlies put a thrashing on the Milwaukee Bucks at FedExForum, 142-101. At one point, the Grizzlies were up by as many as 50 points. 

Memphis has now won seven in a row and has the longest active winning streak in the association.  

The Grizzlies climbed to 13-2 at home, 19-9 over-all for the season and now sit first place in the Western Conference, after the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Utah Jazz in overtime, 132-129. 

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was impressed with his team’s discipline after the decisive win. “I thought we did a really good job just kind of taking them out of the paint. We held them to 38 points in the paint.”

At one point, [the lead] was in the teens late in the game, so that was a huge priority for us tonight. We knew we had to have multiple efforts showing crowds and getting out, but our guys’ communication … they were dialed in, in that first quarter. That really set a tone for us, and then our pace was just relentless.”

Jenkins added, “We did a really good job rebounding in rebounding. [They have] multiple guys that could hurt us on the boards but our guys kept building a wall early in possessions, late in possessions, and that just let us get out and just play Grizzlies basketball on offense.”

The Grizzlies put up 47 points in the third period, the team’s highest point total in any quarter this season. 

Eight players scored in double figures, including five from the bench unit. The reserves scored a season-high 80 bench points.

Ja Morant recorded his seventh  career triple-double (3rd of the season) with 25 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. He became the first player in the organization’s history to record a triple-double before the start of the fourth quarter.

“We’re playing some of our best basketball right now,” Morant said. “When teams face us, they have to be ready to come out and play. I feel like that’s the message we are sending to the league. Also, showing that we have multiple guys that go out there and score that ball is even better. You go to your scout and you have to name everybody on the list.

“We have a lot of guys playing with extreme confidence. I feel like everybody is in a rhythm. Me and [Desmond Bane] have been talking game-after-game on this homestretch that we felt like we’re about to get on our stride. We had last year, a couple of times, where we won 10 straight. As you can see, we’re flowing and playing pretty good right now. We just can’t let it get away from us. We’ve got to keep our hunger, but also continue to be humble and go out and know every game means something to us.”

Dillon Brooks scored 18 points and Tyus Jones chipped in 16. David Roddy scored 15 points, a career-high, and Santi Aldama added 14.

“Help my teammates, be in the shifts, just playing physical,” Brooks said of his defensive performance. [Khris Middleton] doesn’t like being physical. He caught me on one of those moves to get a foul call. I still wanted to put physicality on him, because I know he can change the game and just my willingness to be disciplined, contest shots, and make everything difficult for him.”

Brooks wanted to hold Middleton scoreless. He said, “Yeah, I wanted to. I honestly thought he already made a layup beforehand, until he hit that three, I looked up and he had three points. That’s just my competitive nature; if I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it all the way.”

Brooks concluded, “Just try to continue to be that defensive presence every single night out, regardless of who I’m guarding — and work on my discipline without fouling. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job this year of not fouling, being able to contest, fight through screens, and get back in front. Put less pressure on my bigs at the rim.”

Brooks believes he should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. He said, “One-hundred percent. I don’t get the steals or the big-time blocks, but I’m going to give fits to whoever I got that night. Whoever’s the ball handler or whatnot, or whoever’s going to be featured in that game with the offense. I’ve been doing it for four or five years now, guarding the best players, and I’m only getting better at it. So, for me to be in the recognition now, it’s only going to be more and more in the years (to) come.”

Meanwhile Brandon Clarke was perfect from the floor, going 6-6 with 12 points. Ziare Williams had his best game of the season with 11 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Steven Adams put up 10 points, 6 rebounds, and a game-high five blocks. 

The Wave

The game got out of hand so bad the crowd and the Grizzlies bench participated in the Wave and Morant was excited about it.

“I’m a big fan of the wave,” the All-star guard said. “I felt like, early on, we all peeped that everybody wasn’t engaged. Once we did it that first time, they were like, ‘They did it!’ and then it went crazy.” 

Morant continued, “I felt like obviously we deserved it, with how we played tonight. The fans have been here the whole time, rooting us on and helping us win games every time we needed them. A lot of credit goes to them. I know that’s a great feeling, for the players to actually be involved in the wave. I know they won’t forget it and it’ll make them respect us even more, love us even more, to start that.”

Morant Responds to Memphian of the Year honor

“Big time, that’s who we represent. That’s what’s across our chest when we’re out there on the floor. Being able to represent Memphis and win that award is an honor for us, and we’re going to continue to do whatever we can to represent the city in a good way and give back and show love to the city as well.”

Up Next

Grizzlies head to Oklahoma City to battle the Thunder on Saturday night. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Extend Win Streak Against Pistons, 113-103

Jaren Jackson, Jr. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak to five games with a 114-103 victory over the Detroit Pistons at FedExForum on a foggy Friday night in the Bluff City. The Grizzlies are now 11-2 at home and have a 17-9 overall record.

Jaren Jackson, Jr. had 20 points to lead the Grizzlies and also added five boards, four blocks, and two steals on 8-12 shooting from the field and 3 of 5 from deep. 

The defensive specialist has recorded four or more blocks in half of his 10 appearances this year. Jackson is averaging 3.2 blocks per game on the season. The 23-year-old also reached 400 career blocks.

Even though Jackson is playing great on both ends of the floor early in the season, he said, hopefully, it’s not his best, so the team can continue improving. 

Jackson has been taking advantage of mismatches, scoring inside, and getting to the foul line more this season. “I’m definitely using my size better and working on getting extra dribbles, not just lunging out there — and getting to the free throw line more,” said Jackson. “I’m emphasizing all that stuff.”

He attributes his increased rate of blocks to his availability on the court. “I’m staying on the floor,” he explained. “I’m able to be out there longer. When you’re out there longer, you can do more things. I’m just staying on the floor better.”

Taylor Jenkins had plenty to say about the improvements he wanted for Jackson after last season. “Obviously, he didn’t have the benefit of being able to work much this offseason, but just continue to challenge him, to build off of what you’ve done the summer before,” Jenkins said. “Defensive activity, versatility, obviously he’s so gifted with what he can do to protect the rim. Continue to challenge him to rebound — four defensive rebounds tonight.”

Jenkins continued: “Offensively, continue to be a playmaker and challenge him to continue to move the ball. A lot of the offense runs through our guards, so trying to find those spots and just really do a good job, being a presence in the post, getting good finishes — a playmaker out there if they double team him, and teams are going to start switching more. We’ve got to be able to punish them with him on the inside.”

“Jaren [Jackson Jr.] helps with everybody; he makes everyone’s job easier when he’s back there protecting the rim,” said Tyus Jones after the win. “It definitely allows us to kind of pressure the ball a little bit more and have that confidence knowing that they really don’t even want to try to get all the way to the rim with him back there. He definitely makes our job easier.”

“Jaren is a huge part of our defense and our offense,” said big man Brandon Clarke. “Really, he is a great anchor for us [defensively]. He can do everything on the other end too, offensively. He can shoot it, he can finish in the post, and I feel like we all have really good chemistry with him too. So, it just makes playing these games much easier.”

Clarke finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and two assists while going 7-of-8 from the floor. 

Ja Morant secured his eighth double-double of the season with 15 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, and a game-high three steals. 

Morant has recorded 10 or more assists in seven games this season. 

Dillon Brooks added 16 points and four assists. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies will look to extend the winning streak to six games on Monday night at FedExForum against the Atlanta Hawks. Tip-off: 7pm CT.