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

NBA Suspends Its Season

CREDIT: NBA.com

The NBA announced it has suspended its season indefinitely in the wake of a Utah Jazz player who was positively diagnosed with COVID-19. It has been reported the player is Utah Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert. 
NBA.com

Rudy Gobert

Statement from the NBA:

The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight’s game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. At that time, tonight’s game was canceled. The affected player was not in the arena.

The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice. The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to ESPN, five of the Jazz’s recent opponents that have been told to self-quarantine. The teams are the Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons.

Statement from the Grizzlies:

We fully respect and support the NBA’s decision to suspend all games in light of the impact of COVID-19. Measures taken to protect the health of our players, staff, and fans are the correct ones.

For all ticket buyers and fans, we are working through information as we receive it and will provide updates as soon as we have them available. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we work through this together.

The Memphis Grizzlies flew to Portland on Wednesday and were set to play the Trailblazers tonight. 

NBA Suspends Its Season

Later Wednesday night, the NBA G-League announced that it was suspending its season, as well. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Jaren Jackson and Justice Winslow to Play Soon

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Good news from the Memphis Grizzlies Monday afternoon regarding Jaren Jackson, Jr and Justice Winslow. The team announced Jackson and Winslow both are likely to return within the next week.

Jackson has been sidelined since February 21st due to a knee injury and Winslow has not seen playing time with his new team since being traded. Winslow suffered a back injury while playing with the Miami Heat and has been out of action since January 8th.

Brandon Clarke suffered a right quadriceps strain on February 24 against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies announced Clarke is progressing well in his recovery and is expected to return this season.

Jackson and Winslow are likely to return to action as soon as the Grizzlies’ upcoming three-game road trip that begins Thursday in Portland against the Trailblazers, who are also vying for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

With just over a month remaining in the regular season, Memphis holds a four-game lead over the ninth-place Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans.

New Locker Room Procedures
The NBA will take active precautionary measures against the coronavirus, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He reported that the NBA will prohibit non-essential personnel from entering team locker rooms, including media. The league will reportedly keep media members at a six-to-eight feet distance from players.

Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) issued a joint statement on Monday: 

“After consultation with infectious disease and public health experts, and given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms, and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice. Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting.”

Statement from the Memphis Grizzlies regarding the new directive:

“This will go into effect starting with our game tomorrow against Orlando, and we will have one interview room available for each team’s media availability starting with shootaround. The media dining room located inside the Don Poier Media Center will now be turned into a mixed-use press conference/dining room on a consistent basis for Memphis Grizzlies media availabilities (practices, shootarounds, pre and postgame). For tomorrow’s shootaround, please gather in the media dining room and we will take interview requests from this location. The Memphis Grizzlies communications team will be happy to show credentialed media the location of the visiting team’s interview room or answer any further questions.”

I understand why the NBA is taking these precautions, but I wonder about others who have access to the players when they are not around their team. Will teams limit what players do outside of work? Will the NBA limit family members or business partners? Will the players and essential personnel be quarantined?

There are so many questions that need to be answered. But it is understandable why the NBA is being proactive in this situation.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Topple Hawks, 118-110

CREDIT: Sharon Brown

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Atlanta Hawks 118–110 Saturday night in Memphis to keep a 3.5 game lead for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. It was the second time Memphis defeated the Hawks this week. On Monday in Atlanta, the Grizzlies throttled the Hawks by 39 points and held them to 88 points. 

Memphis has won 15 of its last 18 home games and improved to 18–14 this season at FedExForum. With the win, the Grizzlies moved back to .500 (32–32). 

Jonas Valanciunas posted his 32nd double-double of the season as he led the way for Memphis with 27 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks while going 10-of-13 from the field. 

Ja Morant added 24 points (8–12 FG), five rebounds, and six assists while shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the 3-point line, tying a career-best for threes made.

Grizzlies Topple Hawks, 118-110

Josh Jackson continues to impress off the bench. He finished with 17 points, three assists, and four rebounds in 22 minutes. Taylor Jenkins is pleased with Jackson’s progress since he was called up from the Hustle, the Grizzlies G-League affiliate. Jenkins said after the game: “I think he has integrated himself very nicely. Credit to him — credit to his teammates. We have been encouraging our guys to continue and try to find a way to attack as a team and be more physical.” 

Jenkins added, “I feel like he was really embraced that. Playmaking at times, whether it’s pick-and-roll or fast-rate drive-and-kicks, I think he is doing a great job at that and just playing Grizzlies basketball offensively. Defensively, he is engaging in a lot of different matchups, guarding wings and guarding point guards. I think his on-ball defense has been solid and he has been using his length in a great fashion. He has a great ability to be in good rotations, help us on the boards, and knock rebounds out. I think he is contributing in a winning way.”

In addition to Valanciunas and Morant, all five starters scored in double figures for the first time since Jan. 29th against the New York Knicks. Dillon Brooks and De’Anthony Melton added 13 points apiece while Kyle Anderson chipped in 12 points, going 5-of-7 from the field, including 2-of-3 from deep. 

First-year guard and two way player John Konchar continues to impress with his play. Konchar grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in 14 minutes of play off the bench. 

The Other Guys
John Collins led the Hawks with 27 points and eight rebounds, plus two steals. Trae Young added 16 points while going 4-of-16 from the field. Young missed the previous Hawks game due to flu-like symptoms. 

Kevin Huerter added 11 points, six assists, and five rebounds while knocking down 3-of-6 from three. As a reserve, Jeff Teague chipped in 10 points, three assists, and two rebounds in 20 minutes as the Hawks dropped to 19–46 on the year. 


Memphis said goodbye to Vince Carter
Carter played three seasons with the Grizzlies before eventually signing with the Hawks. He was given a standing ovation during his last visit to Memphis. Carter finished with five points and two rebounds. 

Grizzlies Topple Hawks, 118-110 (3)

Grizzlies Topple Hawks, 118-110 (2)

Up Next

The Grizzlies will host the Orlando Magic in Memphis on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 pm at FedExForum.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Beatdown in Brooklyn

The Memphis Grizzlies have won three straight games — beating the Lakers by 17 last Saturday, and thumping their last two opponents by 39 points each. On Monday, Memphis defeated the Atlanta Hawks 127–88 and had a similarly decisive victory over the Brooklyn Nets 118–79 on Wednesday.

In those three games, the Grizzlies have held opponents under 90 points. No NBA team has done that since the Utah Jazz did it back in March 2018. After these massive shellackings, like Jay-Z, this young team is saying, ‘Time to separate the pros from the cons, the platinum from the bronze  — that butter-soft shit from that leather on the Fonz.”

This team is not messing around. 

Beatdown in Brooklyn (2)

Memphis has improved to 31–31 on the season. 


Grizzlies bench
In the last two games, the Grizzlies bench has scored 133 points (72 vs Hawks, 61 vs Nets). Wednesday night, Josh Jackson led the way with 19 points and two steals as a reserve while going 4 of 9 from three and he’s feeling “pretty damn good” right about now. 

Beatdown in Brooklyn


Meanwhile, reserve point guard Tyus Jones added 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds off of 6-of-13 shooting and 5-of-6 from the 3-point line (career high) in 21 minutes of play. The Grizzlies connected on a season-high-tying 20 three-pointers.

Ja Morant chipped in 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Jonas Valanciunas grabbed 16 rebounds, plus nine points and two assists. Dillon Brooks added 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting, and Kyle Anderson was also in double figures, with 12 points and five rebounds. 

Taurean Prince led the Nets with 15 points and five rebounds on 6-of-19 shooting, as the Nets dropped to 27–34 on the season. Joe Harris added 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes. Caris LeVert totaled 14 points, six assists and four rebounds, while White Station grad Chris Chiozza chipped in with 14 points and three rebounds as a reserve. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies look to continue the winning streak as they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Drop Fifth Straight Game

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

On Friday night, before a sell-out crowd, the Memphis Grizzlies fell to the Sacramento Kings, 104–101. Memphis has now lost five straight games and hasn’t won since February 12 (against the Portland Trail Blazers before the All-Star Break).

The Grizzlies still hold a slim lead for the eighth seed in the Western Conference, as they fell to 28–31. The team has struggled without Jaren Jackson, Jr. (knee injury) and Brandon Clarke (hip).

And yet, with five consecutive losses, Coach Taylor Jenkins is still pleased with his team’s effort, especially in the final period. Jenkins said after the game, “Very proud of our guys. The way that we fought in that fourth quarter to give ourselves a chance to win a ballgame.” 

He added, “I hit them after the game and said, ‘We have to play like that from the start of the game.’ I thought we came out playing pretty well in that first quarter, definitely could have played a whole lot better, but that second and third quarter we kind of just had a little let-down there. But that fourth quarter, just the intensity that they played with  —  the fight, the grit  —  that’s what we’re going to need right now.”

“The guys are finding a way,” Jenkins continued. “Unfortunately, it didn’t lead to a win tonight  —  credit to the Kings. We threw a couple [of ] different things at them. They just made the right plays at the right time. Great passes to the roller, to shooters. They made the shots that they needed. We fell short a little bit with a couple of shots there in the fourth quarter and throughout the game, but the resolve and the competitiveness from our guys were great tonight.”

Dillon Brooks led Memphis with a season-high 32 points, before fouling out late in the fourth after playing nearly 40 minutes. Ja Morant added 20 points and 11 assists to mark his 10th double-double of the season. No other rookie in the league has more than five double-doubles of the season, according to Grizzlies PR.

Morant talked about how the team is processing the losing streak: “I feel like a lot of people are panicking; not us though  —  we know there are going to be bumps in the road. We know we’re going to face adversity. We’re just going to continue, keep our head high, keep positive energy, and just try to go out and get something good out of it. We’ve learned a lot from the games after the break, playing 48 minutes, having to compete, and knowing we have a target on our back.”

Josh Jackson led the Grizzlies’ reserves with nine points, three rebounds, and three assists. Jenkins spoke about Jackson’s contribution to the team: “He’s [Jackson] getting better every single day. Continuing to find his comfort zone. As we’ve said, he just has to keep making an impact on the defensive end shooting the three, attacking downhill.

Jenkins added, “He’s playing with force on the offensive end, and he’s playing actively on the defensive end. That’s what we expect out of him. So the more he does that, obviously, for any of our guys, you make an impact on both ends that is winning basketball, you obviously earn more opportunities.”

Grizzlies Drop Fifth Straight Game

The Other Guys

De’Aaron Fox led the Sacramento with 25 points, five assists, and four rebounds on 10-of-19 shooting, as the Kings moved to 25–34 on the season. Harry Giles III chipped in 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists on 8-of-14 shooting. Nemanja Bjelica posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Buddy Hield added a bench-high 14 points to go with four rebounds and two assists. 

HBCU Night and Memphis Legend Zach Randolph Returned Home

The Grizzlies honored HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) throughout the night. 

Grizzlies Drop Fifth Straight Game (3)

Grizzlies Drop Fifth Straight Game (4)

“50 for the City,” Mr. Zach Randolph — respectfully known as ZBo — returned to Memphis for the first time since his retirement announcement in December. Randolph and former Grizzlies player Tony Allen will be ambassadors for the Grizzlies. There hasn’t been a formal announcement by the team regarding the details.

Grizzlies Drop Fifth Straight Game (2)

Grizzlies Drop Fifth Straight Game (5)

Up Next
The Grizzlies have to get over the Kings game quickly,  because Saturday the team is back in action against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum. And this one won’t be easy. Tip-off is at 7 pm CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

How Will Injuries Affect the Grizzlies’ Playoff Push?

The injury bug has hit the Memphis Grizzlies. First, Jaren Jackson Jr. went down against the Los Angeles Lakers with a knee injury, and then Brandon Clarke, who replaced Jackson in the starting lineup, went down with a hip injury against the Clippers after just four minutes of play on Monday night at Staples Center. Both are to be re-evaluated in two weeks. How will these injuries affect the Grizzlies’ playoff chances? It’s anyone’s guess.

Larry Kuzniewski

Jaren Jackson Jr.

The Grizzlies have lost three in a row and will be without Jackson and Clarke from seven to 10 games, or possibly longer, depending on the healing process. It doesn’t help that Dillon Brooks and Jonas Valanciunas have been in a funk lately, averaging a combined 13.66 points over the last three games. With Jackson and Clarke out, the Grizzlies can’t win when Brooks and Valanciunas aren’t playing well. And rookie phenom Ja Morant can’t carry the load alone if the Grizzlies want to continue to make a push for the playoffs.

What will the starting lineup look like without Jackson Jr. or Clarke? 

Larry Kuzniewski

Brandon Clarke

Josh Jackson more than likely will become a starter, since he has been more comfortable playing as of late. He is averaging 15 points over the last three games and has been helping when the Grizzlies’ offense has gone stagnant. Gorgiu Dieng is another player who may get starter minutes. In the past two games, Dieng has averaged a double-double, with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

How will Coach Taylor Jenkins tweak it? He will certainly have to make adjustments. And Morant really might have to put the team on his back and play out of his mind until Jackson and Clarke return. And the now-depleted bench has to continue its strong play.

Memphis still has a hold on the eighth spot in the Western Conference at 28–29 on the season, three games in front of the Portland Trail Blazers, and 3.5 games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs.

Adjustments will have to come quick, starting tonight in Houston against the Rockets, who will have Russell Westbrook available to play. Westbrook hasn’t played in either game against Memphis this season. The series is tied 1–1.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

In Shy’s Corner: These Grizzlies Exude Confidence

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

One thing that can be said about the Memphis Grizzlies is that the young team ‘ain’t never scared’ to compete with any team in the league. This bunch has told the entire NBA: “We ready, (we ready) … For y’all.”

Star rookie Ja Morant always exhibits with the confidence of David against Goliath: “Whoever I’m going against put on their shoes the same way I do, there is nothing I should be afraid of.”

In Shy’s Corner: These Grizzlies Exude Confidence (2)

Morant and his teammates truly believe they can compete against any team in the league — and it’s showing. The team has a chip on its shoulder and is proving doubters wrong.

After a recent win against the Washington Wizards, Morant talked about the mentality of the team. He said, “It feels like we’re all just preaching the same thing. We have this mentality to just fight to the end, go out and compete. At the end, just try to get a win.”

In that interview, the three-time NBA Rookie of the Month took a shot at the haters for doubting the Grizzlies, “What were we supposed to win, 26 games this year? I think we just passed that. Appreciate you all who bet against us,” the Murray State alum said. 

The South Carolina native can back up his talk with his play on the court. In his first NBA season, Morant is averaging 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 29 minutes. He’s also Mr. Fourth quarter; Morant is ranked fourth in the league in fourth-quarter scoring with an average of 7.6 points. 

The 20-year-old is also the front-runner for the 2020 Rookie of the Year Award.

The other half of the dynamic duo, Jaren Jackson, Jr., has the same attitude as Morant. Jackson sat down with HoopsHype during All Star Weekend and shared his thoughts on proving everyone wrong.

The Michigan State alum said, “It was definitely motivating, because nobody really thought that we’d be in this position at this point. People just said to us, “Oh, you have time. Don’t worry about it! You’re young!” We kind of were just like, “We don’t care.” That’s how we play and how we are — we just don’t care.”

Jackson continued, “When we go out there, you have to put five on the court, just like we have to put five on the court. It don’t matter if you’re young or old. There’s only one basketball. You have to literally beat us down if you want to win this game against us, because we like to compete. We’ll have off nights, for sure. But at the end of the day, we’re going to play hard.”

Jackson also has the receipts to back up his talk. In his sophomore season, his TS% (true shooting percentage) is an exceptional 59 percent. Jackson is averaging 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, with 1.7 blocks (ranked 9th) per game in 28.1 minutes. 

Another young Grizz, Dillon Brooks, feels the same way as his teammates. (“Dillon Brooks always talks shit,” said one of my colleagues who covers an opposing Western Conference team.)

So it wasn’t surprising Brooks was the one who called out former Grizzlies asset Andre Iguodala near the trade deadline. According to the Commercial Appeal’s Mark Giannotto, Brooks said, “A guy that’s on our team doesn’t want to be on our team. I can’t wait til we find a way to trade him so we can play him and show him what really Memphis is about.”

Brooks got support for his remarks from his teammates and Grizzlies fans. Eventually, Iggy was traded in a deal to the Miami Heat, along with Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill. The Grizzlies ended up with Justise Winslow, Gorgui Dieng, and Jordan Bell when the dust settled. 

Brooks had some parting shots for Iggy after the trades were finalized. 

In Shy’s Corner: These Grizzlies Exude Confidence

Brooks is having a career year with 15.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. The third-year guard only played 18 games last season due to injury, after playing all 82 games in his rookie season. Memphis is 17–1 when Brooks scores 20 or more points.

The Grizzlies are 28–26, two games above .500, and have a hold on the eight seed in the Western Conference, with a five-game lead in the loss column on Portland. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies’ Rising Stars at NBA All-Star Weekend

Brandon Clarke went up against teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, Jr. in the NBA Rising Stars game. Clarke started on Team World while Morant and Jackson started on Team USA. The game began with Morant lobbing to Jackson for a bucket, but Clarke had the best stats of the trio. 

The Canadian finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, including some dazzling dunks. Jackson had 12 points and seven rebounds and Morant added 10 points and six assists, including some highlight plays, to lift Team USA to a 151–131 win. 

After the game, Clarke spoke to the media about playing against his teammates. “I was just kind of in awe watching them really,” Clarke said about Morant and Jackson. “So I wasn’t really telling my teammates what they were going to do. I actually would just say, ‘Jaren is pulling left heavily,’ which he did. But that’s pretty much it.”

Clarke added “It’s kind of cool guarding Ja, because I see why he is so tough to guard. I think he had a really good finish going left on me and I see why that shot is so hard to block. I’ve seen Ja do that move so much going left and doing that double layup and I still couldn’t stop it. So it shows how hard it is to guard him.”

Ja Morant talked about playing against Clarke.  “Brandon [Clarke]? It definitely was,” Morant said when asked if it was odd playing against his teammate. “I kind of knew what he was going do, though. So, I got out of the way on a couple dunks. I tried to box him out early because I know he likes getting rebounds and then dunking it back.” 

“We are just young, very athletic and just get out and run,” Morant said about the Grizzlies team. “I feel like we all have something to prove. We just go out with this chip on our shoulder. We keep proving people wrong.”

More quotes from Morant:

What was it like to play with all those guys you have never played before?
It was nice. I mean, like they said, Rising Stars. That’s what this game is for, for guys coming up in the league trying to be big-time players. Definitely special playing with the best young talent in this NBA.

Can you talk about your first NBA All-Star experience?
It was just having fun. I attack every game the same way. Obviously today is not the same as playing with the Grizzlies, but still have fun.

Any butterflies for this game?
No, I don’t even get nervous for games anymore. I feel like at the end of the day, it’s basketball and there is nothing I should be afraid of, because whoever I’m going against put on their shoes and stuff the same way I do. 

How do you feel about being in your first NBA All-Star and doing all the NBA Cares stuff in this city and the message it sends to the local youth?
It’s special. Had fun, enjoyed every bit of everything that I was involved in this weekend. Hopefully, I’ll be in a lot more. 

What kind of things are you looking forward to this coming weekend?
Enjoying it, that’s it. Having fun. It’s my first one. My family is here and we are all going to enjoy it.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Oh, What a Night! Grizzlies Win — On the Court and Off

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

What a Wednesday night for the Memphis Grizzlies! The team was in Dallas to face the Mavericks when a pending trade was announced and Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill were pulled from the lineup. 

The Grizzlies have traded Andre Iguodala to the Miami Heat, according to ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski. And Justice Winslow is part of the trade package that has yet to be officially announced, as other teams are reportedly trying to finish a deal with the Grizzlies and the Heat. The trade deadline expires today at 2 p.m. CST. 

Meanwhile, on the court, a short-handed Grizzlies team went up against the Mavericks, who were without their star player, Luka Doncic. The Grizzlies pulled off the victory, 121–107. 

Larry Kuzniewski

Tyus Jones

The Grizzlies bench outscored the Dallas second unit 54–26, led by point guard Tyus Jones, who finished with a career-high 19 points, including 13 in the third quarter. Jones ended with a perfect night, going 8-of-8 from the field along with 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. The former Duke product became the second player in franchise history to shoot 100 percent from the field (min. 8 FGA) and make at least three three-pointers since Vince Carter did it on March 13, 2017. 

Also contributing off the bench were Brandon Clarke ended with 18 points, six assists, and three rebounds in 24 minutes of play, and De’Anthony Melton, who added 10 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. 

Starter Ja Morant put up a team-high 21 points off of 10-of-12 shooting, with three assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 19 points, going 7-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from the 3-point line. The win improved the Grizzlies to 26–25, putting the team over .500 for the first time this season. 

For Dallas, Kristaps Porzingis had a game-high 32 points (10–20 FG, 5–11 3P), 12 rebounds, and two assists. Jalen Brunson chipped in 20 points, six assists, and two rebounds on 6-of-14 shooting. Tim Hardaway Jr. totaled 14 points and six rebounds. Former Grizzlies Courtney Lee added eight points, going 3-of-4 from the field. 


Larry Kuzniewski

Dillon Brooks

Dillon Brooks’ contract extension
The Grizzlies also announced last night that the team has signed guard/forward Dillon Brooks to a multi-year contract extension. Reportedly, the deal is worth $35 million dollars over three years. 

In his third NBA season, the 2017 Pac-12 Player of the Year is averaging 16.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 28.4 minutes through 51 games and is the only Grizzlies player to play and start in every game this season. Brooks has earned his way to being a part of the future of the franchise, alongside Morant and Jackson, Jr. 

His teammates took to Twitter to congratulate him on the his new deal. 

Quotes from Jaren Jackson Jr.

On going 13–3 over the past 16 games:

“Honestly, we usually forget these kinds of things, but it’s cool to hear it. It’s one of those things where you just have to take the good and the bad but keep understanding that there’s always more to be done. We don’t really dwell on anything too much but it’s nice to hear these things.”

On not having their veteran players on the court:
“It was tough. I experienced it last year. It was the same kind of thing. Everybody got moved right before the OKC game last year and that was tough. You kind of get a feel for what may happen, but you’re never really ready for it. I’m just glad we won.”

On growing from adversity:
“We just tell everybody in the locker room that it’s time to be a pro. We have to show why we’re here. It’s not just about playing hard. At the end of the day, this is our job. We signed up for a lot more than just a game itself, and sometimes that brings emotions. You don’t have to forget about your emotions. You just have to channel them the right way. Channel them to winning and doing good things. That’s what they would’ve wanted us to do anyway.” 

Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will continue their road tour on Friday, February 7 to face the Philadelphia 76ers at 6 p.m.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82

CREDIT: NBA.com

Sharon Brown

Jonas Valanciunas

On throwback jersey night, it was the return of the NBA big men.

Jonas Valanciunas seems to enjoy it when he goes to battle against a true opposing big man. On Monday night he went up against Detroit’s Andre Drummond. Valanciunas led the Grizzlies with a team-high 26 points (13-of-19), 17 rebounds, four blocks, and two assists. His counterpart Drummond was equally impressive with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and four assists. 

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82

Pistons head coach Dwane Casey spoke about centers in the NBA before the matchup and talked about Valanciunas, whom he coached in Toronto. “In the new NBA, that’s what it is,” Casey said. “That’s why I’ve seen a kid like [Jonas] Valanciunas grow. I remember the first few years, he wanted post-ups, he wanted touches and all this. I said, ‘Hey, that’s not the way it is.’” 

Casey continued with praise of Valanciunas, “Every year he got better and better at understanding that those mundane things are just as important as hollow points you might put up, the verticality, the screening, the rolling, the catching and making good decisions. It’s not flashy, your name doesn’t get in the paper, but those teams win when those guys accept those roles and do that job. It’s not fun, but it’s a very valuable position to develop and to be in.”

The Grizzlies defeated the Pistons 96–82, to give rookie coach Taylor Jenkins his 25th win of the season. Memphis is now 25–25 on the season while the Pistons fell to 18–34. 

NBA.com

Taylor Jenkins

On Monday afternoon, Jenkins was named Western Conference Coach of the Month by the NBA for January. This is his first career coach of the month honor. The first-year coach led his team to an 11–4 record in January which tied for the highest winning percentage (.733) in the Western Conference. The last time a Grizzlies coach was named coach of the month was Dave Joerger in November 2014. At age 35, Jenkins is the youngest person to earn Coach of the Month honors since Lawrence Frank in April 2005.

Before the game, Jenkins spoke about the honor: “It is an honor for sure and very humbling. It is something that I am excited about because I am excited for the entire organization  —  from our players to the coaching staff, our entire staff, the performance staff, the front office, everyone that goes into what we did in the month of January.”

He went on to say, “It is a great reflection of all of the hard work and everyone growing every single day. Obviously, it is translating to some success on the court. Just very excited for everyone involved. It was great to get the congratulations from everyone but we are now focused on a great month of February.”

Rookie guard Ja Morant praised Jenkins after the win: “He’s almost the same as me, giving credit to a lot of us, but he deserves it. He has us ready each and every game and pushes us in practice. [Tonight] was just one of those games where he knew what type of game it was, and he knew exactly how to make us come out with a win.”

By the Numbers
After scoring 53 points in the first half, the Pistons were held to just 29 points in the second half. The Pistons only scored 10 points in the third period, while going 3-of-25 from the field. Both numbers are season-lows from Grizzlies opponents this season.   

The Grizzlies won the points in the paint battle 68–50 (+18).

Memphis had a season-high 12 blocks; Detroit had 5 (+7)

The Grizzlies have won 12 of their last 14 games in Memphis after starting the season 3–11 at home. 


Player stats

Grizzlies

Valanciunus also secured his 24th double-double of the season, and it’s the third game this season in which he finished with at least 25 points and 15 rebounds. The big man finished with a +28.

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82 (4)

Dillon Brooks tallied 15 points, four rebounds, and five assists while shooting 7-of-15 from the field. Jaren Jackson Jr. had a bad shooting night (3-of-10) but he ended with 14 points by going 8-of-9 from the charity stripe along with five rebounds, three blocked shots, and two assists. 

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82 (3)

In 21 minutes, Tyus Jones led the bench squad with 13 points and five assists with zero turnovers. Morant finished with 12 points and a team-high seven assists.

The Other Guys

Drummond tallied his 41st double-double of the season, which ties Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo for the most double-doubles of the season. Lang Galloway and Christian Wood finished with 17 points apiece off the bench. 

Up Next

Grizzlies will start a three-game road trip with a stop in Dallas on Wednesday night. The Mavericks will be without Luka Doncic, who is out due to an ankle injury. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. at the American Airlines Center.