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

Grizzlies Advance to Semifinals to Face Warriors

Desmond Bane goes up for a jumper in Game 6 (Photo cred: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The saying goes, “It’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish.”

On Friday night, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 114-106, in the Game 6 elimination game. Memphis won 4-2, despite a lackluster performance in most of the games. 

The Grizzlies will face the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals after advancing.

The team’s ability to prevail in this series is incredible; the tenacity they displayed in the face of enormous odds is truly remarkable.

With the exception of one game, Memphis trailed the Timberwolves by double digits before rallying in the final minutes to claim three of the series’ four wins.

That’s unbelievable, to say the least. In those victories, the Grizzlies appeared to cruise through the first three quarters and then demoralized the Wolves in the fourth quarter. It was go time. 

In their final three wins, Memphis won the fourth quarters 37-12, 37-24, and 40-22. 

For most of the series, the Timberwolves held a lead for more minutes but Memphis outscored them by a total of 62 points in five fourth quarters. 

Resiliency

Taylor Jenkins spoke about the team’s resiliency and poise after the victory. 

Dillon Brooks, who finished with 23 points while connecting on 5-of-6 three pointers, said, “We always try to fight and always have confidence in each other. And that’s why we’re able to pull out the game. 

“I wish we got better starts so we don’t have to put ourselves in that predicament,” Brooks added. “But we are always gonna find a way to fight and like coach [Jenkins] said in the locker room — there’s not one way to win in the NBA Playoffs. There’s a lot of ways to win, and we just figured out one way.”

Ja Morant had a walk-off interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “It’s big-time for us man, super excited,” Morant said about the series win. “We got it done. It was ugly but we battled through, battled back, and got the win. We got the four wins, but we’ve got to be better in the next round — we can’t come out again like we did in this series.”

“Tired physically, mentally — this series was a battle,” said a visibly exhausted Morant while speaking in the postgame presser. “Coming in we knew, with this team, that we weren’t winning the series in one game. We knew that every game would be a dogfight. And that we had to come in locked in and bring our energy from the start. Obviously, the wins were pretty ugly outside of Game 2, but we got it done.”

Morant continued, “That’s all we can worry about now. We enjoyed our moment, our celebration but it’s time to turn the page.”

The Murray State standout tallied 17 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds in the elimination game.

“I feel like we’re always confident, no matter what the score is,” the All-Star guard said about the fourth quarter comebacks. “We treat it as pretty much zero-zero.”

He went on to say, “We try to win the quarter and late in this series, the last couple of games since after Game 2, we were down double digits plenty of times and came back and won. So going into this one we had our same message, continue to stay together, play together, and we know the game is not over until you notice zeros hit at the end of the fourth quarter. We just got stops and some shots on the other hand that allowed us to win the game.” 

Desmond Bane responded, “Same thing we’ve been doing all year — next man up, playing well, not playing well. We stick together, stay on the same page, and I think it really showed on the big stage, this series.”

Bane scored 23 points and grabbed rebounds while connecting on 5 of 8 three-point shots. He finished the series with 27 made three-pointers, the most in Grizzlies postseason history. 

The second-year guard led the Grizzlies in the series with 23.6 points per game on a true shooting percentage of 66.6 and 46.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Breakout Game for JJJ 

Jaren Jackson Jr.’s availability was limited for most of the series due to foul trouble. It’s worth noting that he played for more than 34 minutes in the elimination game. He ended up with 18 points as well as 14 boards (season-high), three triples, and two blocked shots.

Jackson spoke to Grizzlies sideline reporter Rob Fischer after the game: 

“Yeah, it’s a good feeling being up,” said Jackson after the victory. “Still not satisfied. We’ve got to keep taking the good and bad with each game. Even when you don’t do what you’re supposed to do, you gotta have the same approach, like even when it’s a good game, you gotta just learn from it.”

An emotional Jackson shared a moment with his father, Jaren Jackson Sr.: 

Brandon Clarke Delivers Again 

Brandon Clarke had 17 points, 11 rebounds to go along with five assists and three blocks in the series finale. Clarke averaged 10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in the regular season to 16.5 points and 9.0 in the postseason. In addition to his five offensive boards on Friday, he had totaled 23 rebounds on the offensive end of the floor. 

The Gonzaga alum is a big reason the Grizzlies are advancing to the second round. 

Clarke also was instrumental in icing the game that led to a dunk from Jackson with 36 seconds left on the clock. 

“His energy and activity were phenomenal,” coach Jenkins said. “We don’t win the series without what he did. … The boost he gives us off the bench, he runs the floor, he’s just ‘Johnny on the spot’ wherever the ball is, a loose ball, an offensive rebound, a tap-out. His teammates have a lot of trust in him when he’s picking and rolling. … And defensively taking a lot of tough assignments — switching on the guards, guarding Towns for a good portion of the series.”

Jenkins said Clarke elevated his game and made a huge statement in the first round series. 

Next Up

No rest for the weary. The Grizzlies have less than one day to prepare for the Warriors in the second round. 

Schedule – All times are central. 

Game 1

Sunday, May 1 in Memphis @ 2:30 p.m. on ABC

Game 2

Tuesday, May 3 in Memphis @ 8:30 p.m. on TNT

Game 3

Saturday, May 7 in San Francisco @ 7:30 p.m. on ABC

Game 4

Monday, May 9 in San Francisco @ 9 p.m. on TNT

Game 5, (if necessary) Wednesday, May 11 in Memphis – time and broadcast TBD 

Game 6, (if necessary) Friday, May 13 in San Francisco – start time and broadcast TBD 

Game 7, (if necessary) Monday, May 16 in Memphis – start time and broadcast TBD 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Do the Grizzlies Still Want “All the Smoke”?

Ja Morant rises for a slam dunk against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

As the heavyweight bout continued, the Minnesota Timberwolves countered a brutal uppercut by the Memphis Grizzlies with a left jab to even the best-of-seven series to 2-2 in Game 4.

Memphis had plenty of chances to put the Wolves on the ropes but fell short, 119-118. As the series shifts to the FedExForum in Memphis, the Grizzlies look to regain momentum.

What Memphis Needs to Do in Game 5

Jaren Jackson Jr. must give the Grizzlies something offensively.

Jaren Jackson Jr. has been plagued by foul trouble in each of the first four games. This is still an aspect of Jackson’s game that hinders his stock, despite some progress. Averaging less than 24 minutes per game through four games, Jackson is shooting 38 percent from the field and averaging just 10 points per game — well below his standards. 

Jackson has been unable to make his usual contribution on both ends of the court. When it comes to offensive fouls and fouls away from the ball, he needs to be a little more aware of what he is doing. Jackson has struggled to get into a rhythm offensively in this series. 

The Grizzlies play some of their best basketball when Jackson is available. His ability to block shots on defense and switch to guard any opposing player, 1-5, gives the Grizzlies chances to win games and it hurts his team tremendously when he is off the floor. 

When Jackson is on the floor as the primary defender, the Timberwolves are shooting 35.7 percent from the field.  

A first-round exit is inevitable if the team’s 22-year-old forward is constantly in foul trouble and does not contribute offensively. He has to be available, period. 

Meanwhile, his teammates are holding him accountable. 

Will he play up to his potential in Game 5?

John Konchar deserves playing time.

As I stated previously, “Taylor Jenkins needs to go with some of the scrappy guys who contributed all season off the bench. One such guy is John Konchar, also known as Jitty. Known for his hustle plays, he is somebody who gets all the 50/50 balls, deflections and is able to defend. Konchar would bring a spark off the Grizzlies bench that was lacking in Game 1. The undrafted guard out of Purdue Fort Wayne was a problem for the Wolves on Jan. 13, when he gave Memphis a huge lift off the bench with 15 points (6 of 7 from the field, 3 of 4 from three) and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds.”

Konchar should have earned Jenkins’ trust to get more playing time, especially when De’Anthony Melton hasn’t been giving the Grizzlies much on either end of the floor. 

Play Up to Grizzlies Standards: Maintain Focus and Urgency.

Even in wins, Jenkins has mentioned the Grizzlies haven’t played up to their standards, and he’s clearly right. 

There has been little consistency due to foul trouble. The Grizzlies have to have a sense of urgency for 48 minutes. Winning the first quarter is a key to victory. During the regular season, Memphis was one of the best in the league in first quarter scoring at 30 points per game while shooting 46.7 from the field and nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc. 

Slow starts along with foul trouble have hindered that progress. This must change in Game 5.

The Grindhouse must be lit.

The energy of the crowd must give the Grizzlies a boost in order to win the game. Crowd energy has helped Memphis win plenty of games this season. It should be no different for one of the most important games of the postseason. 

The Grizzlies have to keep the fans engaged for 48 minutes. There need to be thunderous dunks and WTF-inducing plays to keep the crowd interested in the game. The players need the crowd to be that 6th man like they have been throughout the regular season.  

Ja Morant has to be Ja.

Morant hasn’t been himself and he said as much after the loss in Game 4. “I can be honest right now. I’m not Ja right now,” Morant said after Memphis’ Game 4 loss Saturday at Target Center. “I feel like I’ve seen y’all tweets — y’all know what I’m talking about. Yeah, I’m not playing above the rim. Most of the time when I go to the rack, I’m getting bumps, all this. I just gotta worry about finishing the bucket instead of worrying about the guys in stripes.”

Morant tallied 32 points and 10 assists in Game 1 and had 23 points and 10 assists in Game 2. 

Game 3 and 4, it has been hard for Morant to get in the paint due to adjustments made by the Wolves and he has been getting double digit assists instead. During this series, Morant has been averaging 20.8 and 10.8 assists. 

One of the reasons for the decline may be Steve Adams’ removal from the starting lineup. He led the league in screen assists (4.8), offensive rebounds (5.2), and box outs (11.3) per game. Adams cleared the way for Morant to get in the paint, and that is missing. 

Morant was honest about his struggles after Game 4. “They just adjusted, changed their game plan,” he explained. “First two games, they pretty much stayed home to our shooters, allowing me to get downhill. Now every time I come off, I’m seeing three bodies.Only thing I can do after that is just make the right play. That’s why you see, I had 15 assists in this game. I know a lot of people don’t like that, that I don’t have 30 every night.”

It’s time for the Grizzlies to put their best foot forward on Tuesday night. They must get their mojo back in order to compete with the hungry Wolves. Whether or not the Timberwolves will call Memphis’ bluff is a question that needs to be answered. Is Memphis ready for “All the Smoke”?

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Beyond the Arc Sports Uncategorized

Ja Morant Wins NBA’s “Most Improved Player” Award

Ja Morant had a record-breaking season. The third-year player was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player on Monday, beating out fellow finalists Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dejounte Murray of the San Antonio Spurs for the award. 

He is the first Grizzlies player to receive the honor – and the first player in NBA history to have won both Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player.

Last season, the 22-year-old averaged 19.1 points per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from three-point range. This season, he averaged 27.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from three-point range. His improved play also led to Morant being named as an NBA All-Star. 

A year ago, Memphis finished 38-34 and qualified for the playoffs after defeating the Spurs and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Play In Tournament. Morant led the Grizzlies to franchise tying 56-26 record this year, with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Currently Memphis is locked in a 2-2 playoff battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

“It’s definitely big-time,” Morant said about his honor. “This award goes to me, but I feel like it’s a team effort.”

“That pretty much just shows our work ethic, as a whole, as a team,” Morant added. “We all push each other. We all want to be better. I thought we all have that ‘never satisfied’ mindset and that’s why you see three guys from the same team receiving votes for this award.”

The All-Star guard said he spent the off-season working to become more consistent from the 3-point line and trying to get better from the midrange. 

“Those were pretty much the two main areas I worked on this past summer,” Morant said on TNT.. “It allowed me to take a big leap in my game, as you can see from my scoring.”

Morant campaigned heavily for his teammate Desmond Bane to receive the honor. Bane finished fifth in the MIP voting. 

In his rookie year Bane, the No. 30 overall 2020 draft pick, averaged 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. This season,  he put up 18.2 points per game, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

In the end, Morant surprised his teammate with the award. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Ain’t No Running in the M: Grizzlies Look to Maintain Momentum on the Road

Xavier Tillman Sr. goes up for the slam. (Photo cred: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The series between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves is akin to a heavyweight boxing match. The Wolves delivered a gut-punch on Saturday by defeating the Grizzlies, 130-117, to send them reeling. On the other hand, Memphis responded with a brutal uppercut, thrashing the Wolves 124-96 on Tuesday night to tie the series 1-1. 

The Grizzlies held the NBA-leading scoring offense to 96 points on 39.5 percent shooting in Game 2 after the Wolves scored 130 points and shot 50 percent in Game 1. For the first time in franchise history, Memphis won by the most points in a playoff game (+28).

In Game 2, Taylor Jenkins made much-needed adjustments that may have changed the trajectory of the series. 

Bench Dominance in Game 2

Early in the first quarter, Jenkins was forced to turn to his bench for help due to foul trouble. To put it simply, the reserves had a huge impact on the outcome of the game. The Grizzlies bench outscored Minnesota reserves, 60-43.

Jenkins was effusive in his praise for his bench squad, praising them for their impact in helping the team win on Tuesday night. “Our bench was huge for us tonight,” Jenkins said. “So many different contributions. Obviously one of the biggest ones is [Xavier Tillman Sr.]. So proud of him staying ready, coming out, making a tremendous impact defensively and offensively. Defensively rolling, offensive rebounding, iso defense, pick-and-roll defense, Brandon [Clarke] doing what he’s doing. Ziaire [Williams] had a great night tonight as well. Tyus [Jones] being a floor general, [De’Anthony Melton] having a good second half. We’re going to need that. I think the biggest thing for our team was just everyone needs to play better, and I thought we got that tonight.”

Karl-Anthony Towns has been a matchup nightmare for Adams. KAT went 6 of 8 when guarded by Adams, while Anthony Edwards torched Adams by making 4-of-5 of his shots in Game 1. Luckily for the Grizzlies, Adams was in foul trouble early. 

The Grizzlies were successful when Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and Tillman defended Towns that limited him to just 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting. 

“Tons of discussions about our bigs, lineups, and depths,” Jenkins said on his decision to go with Tillman. “Obviously, Steven [Adams] had a tough start to the game with two early fouls, so obviously our sub patterns were completely thrown off. We needed to get another body in there. I knew that at some point [Tillman Sr.] could be a factor in the series.”

Jenkins added, “Really proud of him to step in, even in that first quarter. And then, he just played so well. The spark that he brought the team, they just took off from there. First quarter was a competitive first quarter. We had a great second quarter, and I just kind of went with my gut and said, hey, let’s try to continue to ride the momentum, start the second quarter, and continue to manage our big sub pattern as best as possible.”

Adams picked up two early fouls and only saw less than three minutes of game time. 

 “I’m as direct and honest with the guys as possible, and we were very forward at the beginning of the season that anyone can make an impact,” Jenkins said of his rotation changes. “Everyone’s got to stay ready when their number is called. Whatever it is we need to do to win a game — that’s why [Adams’] response was, ‘Coach, we won the game. Whatever we’ve got to do to win the game.’ But, you’re just direct with them at the front end, and when you make those decisions, you don’t tiptoe around and you just let them know what’s going on. But, always stay ready. You never know what’s going to happen in the series. It’s still a long series, so guys have got to stay ready.”

After the game Ja Morant praised Adams for reaction to being benched, “He’s a vet — our whole team has been saying it for the longest that we’re very unselfish,” Morant said. “No matter what is going on, we love to see our teammates’ success. Coach made an adjustment with playing other guys and taking Steve out. 

“But his mood didn’t change at all,” Morant added. “He was still engaged. He was still talking to us and encouraging guys. He even was talking to guys when they came off the floor. That’s just big time for us when we don’t have guys who get frustrated with not getting minutes. They’re always staying positive and pushing other guys to be better.”

Tillman had been the odd man out in the regular season and only appeared in 53 games. The Michigan State alum provided the spark that lit the match to  His quick seven points in the second quarter was the tone setter. 

In 21 minutes of play, Tillman went 6-of-7 from the field for 13 points and seven rebounds to set his playoff career high in points. 

“Surprisingly, it’s not that hard at all, especially with great teammates,” Tillman on staying prepared mentally. “On the day-to-day, like in play groups and whatnot, we’re keeping it competitive. My lifts, my workouts and all, I have in mind if somebody goes down, foul trouble, injuries, anything like that, be ready to go. I’m watching the scout as if I’m playing, so it’s not that hard.”

“Big time — he came in and guarded a tough player,” Morant said about Tillman’s spark. “Rebounding the ball and making plays for us on the offensive end was a big time push we needed. That’s credit to coach and those guys for staying ready. Coach is always allowing them to have confidence and go out and play their game at all times. [Tillman] is another very unselfish guy, always cheering. Coach called his number tonight and he delivered.”

Jackson credited Tillman for giving the team a boost. “Wild X appeared and got us going. He’s doing what he does. I’ve seen him put in a ton of work, so I wasn’t shocked by any of it. It helped everybody out. You’ve got to be ready when you’re called upon. Credit to him for being ready. He’s always ready. That definitely helped for sure. He came back in through the second punch, through the third. It was good.”

Ahead of Game 3 in Minnesota, Tillman believes the bench play is the key to winning on the road. He explained, “Going to the road, being able to have confidence that the bench is going to be able to produce like we have been. Especially in the first game, the bench played amazing too. So, just keeping that consistency, staying to our routine, staying disciplined with what’s been working, and don’t waiver from that.”

Keys to Game 3 Victory

The Timberwolves hope to reverse the momentum of the series with Memphis when they return to Target Center on Thursday night. The Grizzlies will have to play with a degree of urgency in order to win. Ironically, the Wolves are 26-15 at home while Memphis is 26-15 on the road. 

  • Keep Towns out of rhythm by going small like in Game 2 which means no playing time for Adams. 
  • Bait Edwards into poor shot selection and get his rhythm off.
  • Be sure to have D’Angelo Russell as a non-factor as he has been in the first two games. 
  • Get back to their bread and butter: Rebounding, steals, and second-chance points.
  • Everybody eats — distribute the ball effectively with minimal offensive mistakes.
  • Make free throws.
  • Shoot the three ball more effectively.
  • Start with a lot of energy and keep the crowd out of the game.
  • The bench unit should continue their domination.

Injuries and lineup changes in the regular season forced the Grizzlies to preach about their “next man up” mentality. When the chips are down, who will be the next man to lead the team to victory on the road?

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Playoff Preview: Timberwolves vs. Grizzlies

The Grizzlies just keep celebrating in this historic season. (Photo cred: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

As the Western Conference’s second-place finisher, the Memphis Grizzlies finished the season 56-26, led by a dynamic young core that plays at an exciting tempo.

On Tuesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104 in the Play-In Tournament to secure the seventh seed in the Western Conference as they ended the season 46-36. 

The first game of the best-of-seven series between the two teams will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at FedExForum and be broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast and ESPN.

The regular season head-to-head matchups between the two teams resulted in a 2-2 season series split, with each team winning at home. In contrast, Dillon Brooks did not appear in any of the four games.

During the regular season, the Grizzlies went 30-11 at home and 26-15 away from the FedExForum. While the Wolves went 20-21 on the road, they went 26-15 at home.

The NBA’s two top-scoring teams square off in this series — the Timberwolves averaged an NBA-best 115.9 points per game, while the Grizzlies set a franchise mark with 115.6. For the first time in Grizzlies history, the team finished in the NBA’s top five in scoring in the 2021-22 season.

It has been a record-breaking season for Memphis. On the strength of stingy defense, the Grizzlies became the first team to lead the NBA in rebounds, steals, and blocks since steals and blocks became official stats in 1973-74. The team also led the league in fast break points, offensive rebounds, points in the paint, and second chance points. 

Grizzlies writers Sharon Brown and Aimee Stiegemeyer preview this series by answering questions that could determine whether Memphis advances to the second round.

In the season series, many have pointed out that the Wolves have held Ja Morant to an average of 20 points per game. Will the Wolves be able to hold Morant at bay?

Sharon Brown: The regular season is over, so forget about it. Morant is going to be all in on this one. He watches film and knows exactly what he needs to do. This is a player who will take advantage of any opportunity presented to him by the defense, and he can count on his teammates to step up when times get tough, just like they’ve done all season. Morant will put this team on his back if he needs to. I assume that Jenkins will have multiple ball-handlers in at times to take pressure off Morant.

Aimee Stiegemeyer: Not a chance. I have complete faith in Morant’s ability to switch into a higher gear, and I expect Playoff Ja to be next level. He takes winning very personally and plays with a chip on his shoulder, which will serve him well during the postseason.

Which matchup are you looking forward to seeing — Anthony Edwards against Morant or Karl-Anthony Towns against Jaren Jackson Jr.?

SB: It will be easy to say Morant vs. Edwards but I’m interested to see how well KAT and JJJ will match up. Will JJJ be able to disrupt KAT on defense? Jackson Jr. led the league in blocks per game (2.3), total blocks (177), and stocks, steals and blocks (250). Will JJJ be able to avoid being in foul trouble? Will he be able to get anything he wants on the offensive end? Jackson has to avoid getting into foul trouble since he’s the anchor on defense. If the Grizzlies are to advance past the first round, they will need to rely on his consistency on offense, his impeccable defense, and his availability to be on the floor. 

AS: Ja Morant vs. Anthony Edwards, and Dillon Brooks vs. everybody. 

When it comes to Memphis, who will be the team’s “x-factor”?

SB: One — The two-way play of Dillon Brooks is exemplary. He’s getting better at creating his own shots and finding open teammates when he passes the ball. In the Utah Jazz series last year, we saw that Brooks is a natural for the playoffs. Brooks scored 25.8 points per game.

Two — The impact of the Grizzlies bench. All year long the bench has stepped up when players have been in and out of the lineup. It can be either Tyus Jones, De’Anthony Melton, Ziaire Williams, Kyle Anderson, or even John Konchar.

AS: It will be a combination of Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks rather than a single player. This is the kind of matchup that Dillon the Villain thrives in.

Dillon Brooks (Photo cred: Grizzlies Twitter)

Who do you think will have the biggest impact off the bench for the Grizzlies?

SB: Jones — he has been so aggressive this season scoring the ball. He’s the best back-up point guard in the league and recorded the best single season assist-to-turnover ratio (7.04) in NBA history. Jones has the ability to slow things down when need be and make the right plays. He’s the anchor for that second unit. 

AS: If I have to pick one individual player it would be Brandon Clarke. His stats against the Timberwolves are slightly higher than his regular season stats, and his style of play matches up well against them. But the bench unit as a whole will continue to be a key point to success. This is the deepest Grizzlies team in history and the second unit has proven they can show up and fill in spots when the starters are resting. 

(statmuse link : https://statm.us/e/BaZnMUiXy) 

What do you think will be the outcome of the series?

SB: Grizzlies in 5 or 6.

AS: Grizzlies in 5. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies “Looked Damn Good” in Ja Morant’s Return

Dillon Brooks goes up for a layup against the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo cred: Grizzlies PR on Twitter)

Grizzlies superstar guard Ja Morant returned to action Saturday, and he didn’t disappoint as his team walloped the New Orleans Pelicans 141-114. 

A sore right knee has kept him out of action since March 18th, but he returned to the court on Saturday to get some work in before the postseason starts. 

Grizzlies presumptive playoff starters Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams started together only nine times this season.

In his first game back after an eight-game absence, Morant tallied 21 points, nine assists and four rebounds in 26 minutes. Plus a magnificent block against Larry Nance Jr. 

Morant said “That block was tough, I felt like Jaren [Jackson Jr.]. They might have to put me on the defensive team after that.” Jackson Jr. leads the league in blocks shot with 177 after recording four blocks on Saturday night.

Morant was ecstatic to be back on the court with his brothers. “Being back out there with my team — I’ve been waiting on since March 19th, I got hurt on the 18th,” the 22-year old said. “I finally was able to lock in on my rehab recovery each and every day, doing all type of stuff. Shout out to Eric, my trainer, for getting me back on the floor but, just excited to be out there.”

 “I’ve had a lot of fun just preparing for this stretch we’re about to go on and its playoff,” Morant added. “I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game type feel. Obviously, nothing compares to a game whether it’s practice or whatever. I just wanted to be ready to go and obviously I’ve been in and out of the lineup, my teammates were playing a lot of basketball without me, so just going out there to adapt and to make sure everybody, gets a feel playing with each other now that we’re kind of healthy.” 

The All-Star guard acknowledged things the team needed clean-up before the postseason begins. “Obviously some stuff we still have to correct,” Morant said. “Early on in the game, we were all like Ja [Morant] is back — even me. I actually had a time in the game where I told my teammates, look man, ‘I’ve watching a lot of film on y’all, and when I’ve been out, I’ve seen how y’all have been playing.’ And my job just coming in is not trying to change that. Passing is my favorite thing to do. So, if teams want to double, pack the paint to force me to pass and I’ve got shooters all over the floor that are making you pay for it. That was my message to them.”

Morant continued, “Early on in that first half, I was struggling, I’m used to going and seeing one man at the rim — I’m going finish that and then in the second half I changed that to making the pass to the man and I feel like that’s what led to that 55-point quarter. My teammates seeing me share the ball and they started doing the same thing and we were getting wide open shots. And that fueled a big quarter for us. And once we get going, we’re a tough team to stop on offense, and I feel like it fuels our defense and once our defense locked in, it’s rebounding the ball and back to scoring on the other end. It’s a good thing to see. I know you know, we’re all proud of you know how we played tonight but we still got some things to correct and four turnovers for me is unacceptable. I get jealous of Tyus [Jones] a lot.”

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins had no worries about Morant’s return. He said after the win, “As we said before the game, we wanted Ja to be full throttle. I thought he was doing that. Just didn’t get the ball to bounce his way, or just a couple moves here or there, but then just started spreading the ball around.” 

Jenkins added, “Great job moving at nine assists. And then, obviously, in the second half, I thought he did a great job. Continued to play full throttle, finishes, shooting it with great confidence from the 3-point line, getting to the free throw line a number of times throughout the game. I thought he played great, and then obviously he capped it off with that huge block at the end. I thought his defensive intensity was really good too.”

Brooks was delighted with Morant’s return. “It went great, said Brooks after the game. “You got to see everything you need to see. Double teams in the screen-and-roll, getting downhill and making his plays, and finally I get to see a wide-open, spot-up shot, which I’ve been missing. I feel like it was great.” 

Brooks was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points, five assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes of action. 

Brandon Clarke led the bench with 20 points off a perfect 10-of-10 shooting along with five rebounds and three assists. As the only other player in franchise history to score 20 points on a perfect shooting night, Clarke joins Tony Allen, Vince Carter, JaMychal Green, Stromile Swift, and Lorenzen Wright on that list.

After Allen, the Gonzaga alum is the only other player to accomplish this feat while making at least 10 field goals.

Records are meant to be broken

With 55 points in the third quarter, the Grizzlies blew the game wide open and set a franchise record for points in a single period. 

Memphis also set a single-quarter record for field goals made and assists with 20-of-26 (.769) and 16 assists in the third quarter. They also tied a franchise record with 41 assists for the game.

The Grizzlies matched their 2012-2013 record of 56 wins in a season with this victory. 

Also it was the team’s 14th win with a margin of 25 points or more this season. 

Memphis will have the opportunity to break a franchise record when it plays the Boston Celtics in its last regular season game of the season inside FedExForum. Tip off at 6 p.m. CT. 

Morant cited the team’s performance in the third quarter as proof that the team “looked damn good.” And indeed they did. 

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Dillon Brooks and a Deep Bench Lead Grizzlies to Victory Over the Suns

Grizzlies players rush Ziaire Williams before his walk-off interview (Photo cred: Grizzlies Twitter)

Without key players, the Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns, 122-114, with lone regular starter Dillon Brooks and a deep bench squad on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 17,794 at FedExForum, aka the Grindhouse. 

No Ja Morant ☑

No Jaren Jackson Jr. ☑

No Desmond Bane ☑

No Steven Adams ☑

No Tyus Jones ☑

Now, imagine a win against the NBA’s best team without four starters, a key reserve, no point guard, and a head coach who was tossed in the first half.

Conventional wisdom would believe a full-squad for the Suns would blow out the short-handed Grizzlies. But this Memphis squad had other plans and grinded it out to take down the Suns. 

This has to go down as the best win of the season. Honestly, who expected the team to win the game? 

The mentality and culture of the Grizzlies is the reason the team is 20-2 with its leading scorer and star player, Morant.

“Every day we work; every day we instill confidence in each other,” said Dillon Brooks who finished the game with 30 points.

“We feel like, regardless of who it is on the floor, we can get the job done,” Brooks added. “Because we play hard. We play together and we compete, regardless of who’s on the floor. So that’s our mentality. That’s our motto and we live by it from one to 12.”

Brooks says it’s like a college atmosphere and that they are family. 

The Grizzlies’ head coach Taylor Jenkins had this to say following the thrilling victory: “Tonight’s a night where you can put your stamp and say, ‘This is who we are and we’re going to be here for a really long time.’”

Yes, Memphis is “here” as said by Desmond Bane before a national audience on ESPN a few weeks ago. The Grizzlies are no longer a surprise or an afterthought. 

“Everybody just stays locked in during practice. I mean people watch the game and everybody just stays locked in,” said Grizzlies forward John Konchar. “We move the ball really well side-to-side and get open shots and just play hard no matter what.”

“It’s just a next man up mentality really — just go in, get your work done,” Konchar added. “And just play hard no matter what. The system works for everybody, honestly. So just move the ball and it’s great.”

Jenkins said games like that are culture wins and it exemplifies the next man up mindset. 

The mindset was truly on display against the Suns. Brooks and Xavier Tillman each tallied seven assists, despite the absence of a true point guard, to lead Memphis to 30 assists. The Grizzlies are 17-0 this season when they record 30 or more assists. 

Former Grizzlies legend Tony Allen had a mantra, “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” And that’s what Tillman and rookie Santi Aldama did on Friday night against the Suns. The rookie forward finished with 12 points and five rebounds plus a highlight dunk that made the Grizzlies bench and the crowd inside FedExForum go bananas.

Jenkins said he tried to stay in coaching mode after his early exit from the game but after the Aldama dunk he said he dropped a hell yeah and two hand slap on the table as he watched from the monitors.  

“This year I came in and everybody was cheering me on every day … talking to me every day,” Aldama recalled. “I just felt part of the family since day one. It’s just having these good vibes, obviously great players, but great people. From the staff, players, everybody. It’s just contagious. I think you don’t get that everywhere and it’s like a really good experience, especially my first year having something like this is very, very special.”

He went on to say, “It’s really looking for the best shot we can take. I think we’re all capable. We all play really well and we play for each other without egos. We don’t have egos here. It’s just about the team. We just get the best shot, move the ball, and we have fun with it. That’s the most important thing.”

The 6-foot-11 Spaniard credits his time with the Memphis Hustle for improvement in his game and that is a confidence builder. The game against the Suns helped his confidence as well. 

“This game will for sure help,” he said. “This season is my rookie year and a learning season. I’m in and out of the rotation so it’s all about gaining confidence and learning every day. This team is very, very deep so we have to keep doing this.

A foundation of consistency and synergy has been laid for the Grizzlies, who are poised for success now and in the future.

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Grizzlies Splash Past Warriors

Desmond Bane goes up for a jumper against the Warriors. (Photo cred: Memphis Grizzlies Twitter)

With a 123-95 win over the Golden State Warriors at FedexForum Monday night, the Memphis Grizzlies improved to 53-23 on the season. Memphis now has a five-game lead over the Warriors for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with six games left in the regular season, and are primed to make noise in the 2022 NBA playoffs. The team currently is on a five-game winning streak.

The Grizzlies are 18-2 without All-Star guard Ja Morant this season. Onlookers outside of Memphis keep saying the team is better without Morant. Which is far from the truth. This is a complete team that has a great coaching staff, led by Taylor Jenkins.

Meanwhile, Morant doesn’t care about the noise. He supports his teammates and loves to see them shine. He’s the best player on the team, and his enthusiasm makes everyone better. 

The Grizzlies have been blowing teams out by large margins this season. In their four-game home stand, Memphis won by an average of 23.8 points, extending their home winning streak to a season-high eight games. Clinching the 2-seed in the Western Conference will give the Grizzlies home court advantage throughout most of the playoffs if the team makes a deep run. 

By the Numbers

Desmond Bane finished with 22 points and made 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Bane has scored 20+ points in five consecutive games and tied the franchise record (Mike Miller and Jaren Jackson Jr.) with his 13th straight game with multiple 3-pointers made.

“You know, it all starts with our mentality,” Bane said about his team after the win.” Being aggressive but playing the right way, moving the ball. It’s everybody eats. I mean we got a bunch of dudes playing well right now and I think it’s because the ball is moving and everybody’s making their plays.”

Everyone has been eating for sure. 

De’Anthony Melton had 21 points as a reserve, and has averaged 20.6 points during the Grizzlies’ five-game winning streak. Melton also has broken franchise records in 3-point makes. The 23-year old made 5+ 3-pointers in four straight games and 4+ 3-pointers in five straight games. 

Oh and he can dunk too. 

Bane said he knew the Melton dunk would happen. He said, “He was doing it all day. I was making jokes in the locker room like, shoot threes, dunking on people getting steals. What’s next? You rapping? He does it all, so they call ‘Mr. Do Something’.”

Both Bane and Melton have been lights-out from three lately.

“We talked about it on the bench, when both of us are out there and we’re running — it’s tough, because if he’s bringing the ball up the floor, he’s a threat to shoot it,” Bane said about Melton’s hot shooting. “If I’m bringing the ball to floor, I’m a threat to shoot it, and we just kind of balance off each other and play off each other. He’s playing great basketball. I’m really happy for him. He’s put the work and put the time in and the results are showing.”

To round it out, Dillon Brooks ended with 21 points, 15 of which were in the second period, when Memphis outscored the Warriors 43-21. 

After the game, Brooks talked about the Grizzlies playing as a team. He said, “It’s great. (De’Anthony Melton) has always been a good shooter. His form looks like it’s perfect. And he’s finally getting arc on his shots so it’s just dropping in. And (Desmond Bane), both those guys work on their craft, come every single day with a positive attitude and work hard and you can see in the games it’s coming in fruition.

Brooks continued, “And we all tell both those guys keep shooting because they open up the floor for us and you get driving angles and able to work in space. So that’s where we’re built and it’s fun to play. It’s fun to watch as well. 

“We always get up for those games — the games like Indiana and like one of those trap games that, last year, we couldn’t get done,” the Oregon alum revealed about the four game home-stand. “This year, we’re finally growing and taking care of business. And like on our last road trip against Atlanta, we let one slip but then we come back on this home stand and not let the Indiana game slip, not the Milwaukee game slip, so it’s just coming in every single day — locked in and trying to get each other better, because we want to go into the playoffs with momentum.” 

Brooks said it’s difficult to enjoy the ride at the moment. “It’s very hard to because when you when you start talking about it, gets you relaxed. But it’s an amazing feeling, to keep making history, like Des getting the most 3-pointers in a season and (Steven Adams) the most (offensive) rebounds, it’s an amazing feeling to be a part of that. And then you keep winning and you make history in Memphis and it just goes to show that we’re here to build something great. Our fans see it and you can see — it’s getting thicker in there every single night and we play for our fans and especially [they] play for us as well.”

Who Got Next 

The Grizzlies head to San Antonio to take on Southwest Division rivals San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. CT.

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Grit ’N Grind Plus Swagger Lift Grizzlies Past Nets

The Grizzlies just keep celebrating in this historic season. (Photo cred: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

On Wednesday night, the Grizzlies’ star guard was sidelined for the second straight game with knee soreness as Memphis took on the Nets. Still, the Grizzlies showed they are a complete team with the next man up mentality. 

Ja Morant is by far the best player on the team, but his teammates are solid players as well. Their skill was on full display in front of a packed FedExForum — and a national TV audience on ESPN. The Grizzlies beat the Nets 132-120.

Nets head coach Steve Nash had some interesting and telling words after the game about the Grizzlies ability to win without Ja Morant. He said, “Talent — they have a talented, balanced roster. Our roster is built on three stars. When they’re out it makes it very difficult and puts a big strain on guys to play roles that they haven’t played before.”

Kevin Durant also spoke about Memphis’ ability to win without Morant. “I mean look down the line, they got solid players all the way down the line, just good players, you know. De’Anthony Melton came in and changed the game. I think that’s what won them the game. I think our starting five, pretty much match them. You know, then you know you got guys off the bench that came in and play well, so they got a deep team. They got a lot of athletic guys and they run fast, and he played [with] a lot of confidence.”

Durant continued, “I think one through 10 in their rotation are just solid players. You know Ja [Morant] is the superstar on this team, but they got guys that can start with pretty much a lot of teams in the league. Their front office did a great job putting this team together.”

De’Anthony Melton led the charge off the bench with a season-high 23 points, including a career-high six 3-pointers. 

The Memphis bench outscored the Nets reserves 52-11.

“We are nothing to play with — one man goes down, two men go down — we are so deep you know we have a lot of depth in our team,” said Melton after the statement win before a national TV audience. “We have a lot of guys that work on their game and want to win from the top to the bottom no matter what. So, we understand what we need to do to go out there and get the victory. We’re going to do that no matter what. Each guy understands that and is willing to put their body on the line for it.”

In Morant’s absence, Melton had his own highlight dunk that surely will be featured on SportsCenter. 

Dillon Brooks also has a special message about the Grizzlies. “We still got the grit — we still got the grind,” Brooks proclaimed. “I feel like we just got a lot of swagger to us. It doesn’t matter who it is on the floor. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against. We just have that different type of swagger. It shouldn’t matter if we’re playing Brooklyn or if we’re playing Atlanta. We have to figure out how to keep this same energy, the same grit, the same attention to detail so we can finish out the season and go into the playoffs with some momentum.” Brooks ended the night with 21 points, three rebounds and two assists. 

Desmond Bane had 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc, including 3 three-pointers in the game’s final frame to help give Memphis a 132-120 victory over the Nets as “Whoop That Trick” blasted loudly on ESPN. 

Bane also made Grizzlies history on the night. 

Mike Miller also was in attendance to see Bane break his franchise 3-point record. 

Bane spoke to ESPN’s Malika Andrews in the walk-off interview. 

Bane walked to the interview podium with the game ball tucked in his hand. “It’s a huge accomplishment — I’m super thankful,” Bane said about breaking the franchise record. “I have to thank my teammates, first and foremost. And Coach Jenkins, for giving us all the confidence to be aggressive and continue to let it fly, make or miss. We got a great team, something special going on. We always share the ball and the ball happens to find me in the right place. And the rest is history.”

The TCU alum said he will have Mike Miller sign the game ball, and he will sign it himself, date it, and then put it up. Bane also revealed that he and Miller had a good relationship.

“We’re not sneaking up on nobody anymore. The Grizzlies got that respect. I mean, it started kind of this morning and yesterday with All Access [ESPN] and stuff like that.”

Desmond Bane at the post game presser with his record breaking game ball.

ESPN crews had been in Memphis the last couple of days to bring national attention to the Grizzlies. Personalities including Andrews, Stephen A. Smith, Jalen Rose, Kendrick Perkins, and more were in the Bluff City.

“The national networks are starting to take notice and pick up on our team and a great season we’re having,” Bane added. “To beat a team like Brooklyn, who’s building, trying to contend for it all. We’re shorthanded without Ja; it says a lot about our team and what we’re capable of.”

Stingy defense by Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke kept Brooklyn at just 16 points in the fourth quarter and ensured a decisive victory. Jackson Jr. ended with 13 points, five rebounds, and four blocks while Clarke finished with a double-double, 14 points, and 10 rebounds off the bench. 

“That’s one of our best big combinations and we didn’t know what they were going to do lineup-wise,” Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said of the two defensive studs. “Start off the fourth quarter, which we normally start our force with [Brandon Clarke] and [Jaren Jackson Jr.], those guys. You just see the activity they play with. We started switching actions more, pick-and-rolls, putting bigs onto [Kyrie] Irving.” 

Jenkins added, “Great one-on-one defense, and then when they were getting inside to the paint, we were just swarming them and blocking shots or rebounds. And then, when those guys just play with great guard play the way that they run the floor, [Clarke] the threat in the paint and at the rim, and then [Jackson Jr.] from the 3-point line, it’s just great balance.”

“They really set the tone with their defense because they’re very versatile,” Jenkins continued. “As I said, they were able to switch onto two of the most elite playmakers in the league and really hold it down.”

With the win, the Grizzlies improved to 50-23 on the season. 

Melton was thankful for getting 50 for the first time ever. “I won 19 games my rookie year out of 82, which is crazy,” said Melton. “I mean from the jump, from the time I got here, I mean, I noticed the team — you know going uphill, upstream right now, and I feel like everybody has gotten better and everybody keeps getting better. I think that’s the motto in Memphis. Everybody has adapted to that and understands that.”

Who Got Next

The Grizzlies look to improve to 51 wins as they will host the Indiana Pacers tonight at 7 p.m.

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Dillon Brooks’ Return Lifts Grizzlies Past Thunder, 125-118

Dillon Brooks (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)

It was Dillon Brooks’ first appearance on the court after being sidelined with an ankle injury against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 8th.

After a brief delay, the Thunder and Grizzlies’ final matchup of the season got underway. It was immediately apparent that both teams wore white uniforms when the players removed their warmups after the lineups were announced. To get things back on track, Memphis went back to their locker room to change and returned to the court wearing blue uniforms. The ultimate wardrobe malfunction.

In his first game back, Brooks finished with 15 points, four assists, two rebounds, and a steal.

Taylor Jenkins had high praise for Brooks after the game. “Just really impressed with DB [Dillon Brooks],” Jenkins said. “His first game back, I thought he settled in great, just played really good basketball on both sides of the floor [and] exerted a lot of his force and energy out there. He never backs down, he plays super aggressive. I think as the game went on to start finding really nice rhythm out there and really good playmaking.” 

Jenkins added, “The first half, he had four assists and got his spots on the floor shot with confidence. Just that level of physicality is something we’re excited to have back with us.”

Brooks was pleased to finally be back on the floor with his teammates. After the game Brooks said, “Coach [Jenkins] tried to tell me, share the basketball, get your teammates involved — be aggressive and humble at same time. And that’s what I try to do. I try to drive and make the defense collapse and get my teammates the ball in the right spots and pick and choose where I can you drive and be aggressive. It was a great game and I love [that] my teammates kept trying to give me the ball and make plays, so it was a great win.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. shared his thoughts on Brooks’ return. He said, “He left the game as one of the, if not the best wing defenders in the game — so you know what he can do. He takes on that challenge every night. So just adding a piece like that always helps take pride in our defense. DB, man, back in this thing, being who he is. That’s all I told him to do, man, ‘Do you, bruh.’ Ain’t no advice. ‘Do you; you know what to do.’”

Jackson ended the game with 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block in 29 minutes to help lift the Grizzlies to 47-22 on the season. 

To round it out, Memphis had seven players in double figures including Brooks and Jackson Jr. Desmond Bane led the way for the Grizzlies with 21 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. Ja Morant ended with a double-double, 17 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Tyus Jones and Brandon Clarke had 12 points apiece, while Ziaire Williams had 11 as Memphis’ bench squad outscored the Thunder second unit, 45-28.

Who Got Next

The Grizzlies take on the Pacers on Tuesday night for the first time this season in Indiana and look to extend their winning streak to four games.