Category: Beyond the Arc

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Win Final Regular Season Game

Memphis Grizzlies forward Lamar Stevens (8) handles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Memphis. (Photo: Wes Hale)

The Memphis Grizzlies ended the 2024-25 regular season on a high note, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 132-97 at FedExForum.

Memphis finished the season 3-1 against the Mavericks and snapped a four-game home losing streak, concluding the regular season with a 26-15 home record at FedExForum.

The Grizzlies gave most of their regular rotation players rest after a taxing three-game stretch.

Mostly bench players put on a show, delivering an impressive performance before a packed house.

Lamar Stevens led the Grizzlies with a career-high 31 points, complemented by six rebounds and three assists in a standout performance.

Marvin Bagley III posted a season-high 25 points and grabbed a season-best 11 rebounds, securing his first double-double of the season.

Rookie Cam Spencer had a breakout performance, setting career highs with 23 points and seven assists.

Jay Huff exploded off the bench, scoring a career-high 22 points to go with six rebounds, six blocks (tying a career high), and two steals.

Vince Williams Jr. notched his first double-double of the season — and fourth of his career — with 12 points and a season-high 11 rebounds, adding five assists.

Yuki Kawamura set career highs off the bench, scoring 12 points, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing out five assists.

John Konchar added two points, seven rebounds, and three assists, highlighted by a career-high six steals.

Memphis (48-34) secured the eighth seed in the NBA Play-In Tournament and will face the Golden State Warriors (48-34), the seventh seed, on April 15th at 9 p.m. CT at Chase Center. The game will be televised on TNT.

The winner of the Grizzlies-Warriors matchup will earn the seventh seed and face the No. 2 seeded Houston Rockets in the first round. The loser will play the winner of the Kings-Mavericks game for the eighth seed and face the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall to Nuggets in Denver

Desmond Bane drives the ball against the Denver Nuggets. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)

In their next-to-last game of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies were defeated 117-109 by the Denver Nuggets.

The Grizzlies’ one remaining regular-season game, at home against Dallas on Sunday, will determine whether they finish the season as the seventh or eighth seed.

Either way, they will participate in the play-in tournament.

What a far cry from earlier this year when the Grizzlies were sitting comfortably in the second seed. But their overall record hides a deeper problem: they can’t beat good teams on a consistent basis.

Their record against teams over .500 is 14-25; for teams under .500, it is 33-9. They are better than last season, but not yet good enough against the teams they will need to defeat to win a championship.

This brings us back to Friday night’s game against the Nuggets in Denver. The Grizzlies were visibly fatigued, playing on the second night of back-to-back games in one of the toughest road arenas in the league. But that doesn’t excuse blowing a 15-point lead in a must-win game. Good defense is only good if you can defend without fouling.

Memphis allowed Denver to get in the bonus early in the third quarter, giving them six more free-throw attempts. Overall, the Nuggets had 31 free throw attempts to the Grizzlies’ 19. Giving your opponent 12 more opportunities to score with the clock stopped in a game you lost by eight is … less than ideal.

The Grizzlies got beaten at their own game: The Nuggets outscored them in the paint 72-52.

The Nuggets have a perennial MVP candidate in Nikola Jokic, who made the Grizzlies pay, to the tune of 26 points, 16 rebounds, and 13 assists. Nuggets’ forward Aaron Gordon led all scorers with 33 points and 5 rebounds.

Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 24 points, and adding 6 rebounds, and 1 steal.

Ja Morant put up 21 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal.

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 2 blocks.

Luke Kennard led the second unit with 12 points, and added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.

Scotty Pippen Jr. added 11 points, 1 rebound, and 7 assists.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will play their final game of the regular season at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum.

Tip-off is at 2:30 PM CDT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Go Wire-to-Wire in Charlotte

Ja Morant dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies grabbed their third win in a row Tuesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, coming away with a 124-100 victory.

The playoff race in the Western Conference is extremely tight, and final seeding won’t be determined until all the regular season games have been played.

The Grizzlies have fallen from the second seed, where they spent most of the season before the all-star break, to the seventh seed with this win.

There are four teams, including Memphis, with a 47-32 record: the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Golden State Warriors.

The teams in seventh through tenth place at the end of the season will compete in the So-Fi Play-In Tournament to determine who ultimately takes the seventh and eighth seeds in the actual playoffs.

The Grizzlies took ownership of the game in the first quarter, outscoring the Hornets 33-18, and set the tone for the rest of the game. Memphis forced Charlotte into giving up 13 points off 7 turnovers in the opening stanza.

Turnovers again had a huge impact on a Grizzlies game, but this time in Memphis’ favor, as they cored 25 points off the Hornets’ 15 turnovers while only giving up 16 points off their own 14 turnovers.

The second quarter was marked by one of the scariest moments I have seen in a game. Rookie Jaylen Wells was driving to the basket for a dunk when he was crashed into from behind by Charlotte guard KJ Simpson, knocking him to the ground and forcing him to land on his head and neck.

Wells was immediately surrounded by medical personnel from both teams and was taken away via stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital.

Per league policy, the game was delayed for roughly 25 minutes until another ambulance and paramedic crew arrived on site.

Simpson was ejected from the game for a flagrant foul, penalty 2, which is described as unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent.

It was later announced that Wells had a broken wrist and would miss the remainder of the season. Prior to this injury, he played in every game this season and has been invaluable for this Memphis team.

The Grizzlies continued to dominate for the rest of the game, led by their big three of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane.

They led by as many as 29 points and outscored the Hornets 61-56 in the second half.

By The Numbers:

Ja Morant led all scorers with 28 points, and added 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 block.

Desmond Bane scored 19 points, plus 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Zach Edey put up 17 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and had 3 steals and 1 block.

Edey has had 40 rebounds in the past two games, a feat only achieved by a rookie one other time in league history: Shaquille O’Neal.

Jaren Jackson Jr. finished the night with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals.

Santi Aldama led the bench with 11 points, adding 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

Scotty Pippen Jr. put up 10 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are returning home on Thursday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game is a must-win for the Grizzlies as they fight for playoff position. Tip-off is at 8:30 PM CDT.

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Grizzlies Take Down Pistons to Win Second Straight

Desmond Bane shoots the ball against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, April 5, 2025 (Photo by: Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies secured the season series against the Detroit Pistons with a 109-103 win Saturday night, marking their ninth consecutive victory over Detroit. 

The Grizzlies dominated Detroit on the glass, out-rebounding them 64-44 and converted 17 offensive boards into 23 second-chance points. 

Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant was sidelined due to food poisoning. His backcourt mate Desmond Bane led Memphis in his absence.

Bane exploded for 38 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out three assists, while shooting 15-for-23 from the field. His 15 made shots tied for the second-most in his career, behind the 19 he made in a 49-point outing against the Pistons last season.

“He’s a good player and he can score in so many different ways,” Piston’s head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Bane after the game. “He can make open shots; he can put the ball on the floor and create his own. He’s good at driving the ball and creating contact. He’s just a well-rounded offensive player.”

Memphis held Detroit to just 38 percent shooting, a promising sign that the team’s defense might be back on track. Have the Grizzlies finally figured out their identity on that end of the floor? Let’s hope so. The question on everyone’s mind is: Can they sustain this level of defensive intensity going forward? 

Bane said of the defense after the much-needed win , “That’s got to be our calling card for now, and for the rest of the season. We (have) to be able to get stops.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. posted 27 points, and added 11 rebounds, two assists, and a steal. He’s now scored 20+ points in five of his last six games and has reached double figures in 12 consecutive games.

Scotty Pippen Jr. added 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocked shots.

Zach Edey set a new career high and Grizzlies rookie record with 21 rebounds, adding six points, six assists, and a block. He’s been dominating on the glass, grabbing 13+ rebounds in each of his last three games. Edey currently ranks second among rookies with 8.0 rebounds per game, just behind Yves Missi’s 8.2. His impressive rebounding effort also tied for the 12th-most in a single game in Grizzlies franchise history.

Grizzlies interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo on Edey’s night: “He had a huge impact. He’s had an incredible stretch of games, 21 rebounds today. I think that’s a franchise rookie record. He also had six assists on top of that. There’s a lot of noise in an individual game basis, but he’s grasping the tactical nuances, he’s disciplined and executing the game plan. He’s relentless in getting after the second shots and screening for our shooters. He’s got a very bright future ahead of him.”

The Grizzlies improved to 46-32 on the season, putting them in a heated contest for postseason aspirations with only four games left to play. Every game matters at this point.

Up Next

The Grizzlies will face the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Edge Heat at the Buzzer

Ja Morant drives to the basket against the Miami Heat. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)

Thursday night, the Memphis Grizzlies snapped a four-game losing streak with a 110-108 victory over the Miami Heat.

Itwas the Grizzlies’ first win since longtime head coach Taylor Jenkins was fired and replaced in the interim by lead assistant Tuomas Iisalo.

This might be one of the most important wins of the season for this Grizzlies team, which has been in a tailspin for the past few weeks. After spending most of the season in second place in the Western Conference, Memphis is now trying to avoid falling past the sixth seed and the play-in tournament.

This brings us to Thursday night’s game in Miami. The game started out with Heat big man, Bam Adebayo, torching the Grizzlies for 12 points in the first period, setting the tone for the rest of the game.

Memphis was able to cut Miami’s nine-point lead to one by midway but did themselves no favors by giving up 10 points off 12 turnovers in the first half. It was not a great matchup for Jaren Jackson Jr., as evidenced by his game-high five fouls and five turnovers.

The second half was a back-and-forth battle that saw Memphis barely snaring out a win, thanks to a pullup at the buzzer by Ja Morant.

But there is an elephant in the room: the ongoing controversy regarding what the league calls a “finger-gun” gesture made between Ja Morant and Golden State guard Buddy Hield during Tuesday’s game against the Warriors.

The league issued a warning yesterday afternoon to Morant and Hield regarding the gesture: It was determined “not intended to be violent in nature” but still inappropriate. It was a warning Morant opted not to heed.

Now the league is issuing a $75,000 fine to Morant after he made the same gesture during last night’s game.

Hopefully, he will heed that warning going forward because the Grizzlies desperately need him on the court.

By The Numbers:

Morant led the team in scoring with 30 points on 11 of 22 overall shooting and 3 of 7 from beyond the arc. He added 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.

Desmond Bane finished with 17 points on 6 of 23 overall shooting and 1 of 9 from three-point range, plus 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal.

Jaylen Wells added 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 13 points, and added 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.

Scotty Pippen Jr. led the bench with 17 points on 6 of 9 overall shooting and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, plus 1 rebound, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will be in Detroit Saturday night to take on the Pistons. Tip-off is at 6 PM CDT.

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Can the Grizzlies Turn Their Season Around?

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at FedExForum. (Wes Hale/The Memphis Flyer)

The Memphis Grizzlies are undoubtedly the talk of the town lately, and for good reason. With their recent struggles on the court, including a four-game losing streak, and the firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins, there’s been no shortage of speculation and debate among fans and pundits alike. 

There’s no denying that the team has hit a rough patch, managing only two wins in their last 10 outings. As a result, they’ve plummeted from second place in the Western Conference to eighth, with only six games remaining. The slide has put them in a precarious position, where they’re now at risk of being relegated to the play-in tournament.

The Grizzlies are particularly struggling against top-tier opponents, having dropped 12 straight games to teams with a winning record. There’s no doubt Memphis is in the midst of a crisis, with their season seemingly unraveling at the seams. 

Frustration is also mounting among Grizzlies players and fans, as the team’s promising season has taken a disappointing turn, and Tuomas Iisalo’s tenure as interim coach has gotten off to a winless start.

Iisalo pointed out after the 134-125 loss to the Warriors that the team failed to effectively communicate and execute their game plan, and he assured that they would improve in these areas moving forward.

Iisalo acknowledged that the losses provided little comfort, but highlighted the team’s resilience, tenacity, and unity in the face of a physically and emotionally exhausting schedule.

“You can sense they are hurting,” Iisalo said. “Everybody is hurting in that locker room. It hurts when you really put yourself out in life and you come up a little bit short. That’s life — that’s sports. That’s the natural growing pains and I don’t think it’s something you need to run from.”

Yes, it’s painful to fall short despite giving your best effort. And it’s definitely an inherent part of life. Embracing and learning from disappointment is crucial; rather than trying to escape, you have to own up to it. 

Iisalo remains optimistic that the team’s strong work ethic, intensity, and unity will lead to success. Despite time being limited, he believes the team’s solid foundation provides a stable base for growth.

To improve, the Grizzlies need to rectify simple mistakes — particularly on defense — and leverage their offensive strengths more effectively.

Prior to the All-Star break, Memphis boasted a formidable defense, ranking seventh in the league. Their defensive performance has plummeted to 20th since the break. This significant decline is mirrored on the offensive side, where they dropped from fifth to 16th over the same period.

The bottom line is that the team needs to find a way to improve and secure wins. Sluggish starts to games are significant hurdles to overcome.

The Grizzlies possess a tantalizing blend of talent, spearheaded by the dynamic trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. But the team’s maddening inconsistency has become a recurring theme, leaving many to ponder what’s next for the team. 

Morant, the Grizzlies’ star guard, admits that the team has been feeling the pressure lately, particularly after playing three games in just four days. He acknowledged the mental and physical toll it has taken on the team, and emphasized the need for a change in mentality, especially when playing on the road. He’s calling for the team to “flip the script” and secure some much-needed wins.

Jackson Jr. stressed the need for urgency, citing the in-locker room display that tracks the conference standings in real-time, serving as a constant reminder of the team’s position and the importance of staying focused.

For the Grizzlies, it’s not just about the standings, but about showing heart and making the most of every opportunity. As the season winds down, Grizzlies fans are hoping for a return to form and a resolute playoff drive that represents the team’s authentic basketball identity: All Heart, Grit, Grind! 

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Grizzlies Trounced by Celtics

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on Monday, March 31, 2025 at FedExForum. (Wes Hale/The Memphis Flyer)

The Memphis Grizzlies faced off against the Boston Celtics on Monday night and were defeated 117-103.

The Grizzlies’ downhill slide continues. They have now lost three games in a row, and they look like an entirely different team than the one that spent most of the season in second place in the Western Conference.

Certainly, it is different from the team that beat the reigning NBA champions on their home court back in December.

Father time was on the Celtics’ side as 17-year veteran Al Horford led Boston with a season-high 26 points off the bench on 9 of 18 overall shooting and 6 of 13 from beyond the arc, and Jayson Tatum put up 25 points and 14 rebounds.

Memphis came out strong in the first quarter, outscoring Boston 32-25 overall and 5-12 from three-point range. Memphis also picked up nine points off turnovers.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) drives to the basket against the Boston Celtics on Monday, March 31, 2025, at FedExForum. (Wes Hale/The Memphis Flyer)

The Celtics responded in the second quarter when their three-point shooting heated up – 24 of their 41 points in the quarter came from beyond the arc. Boston leads the league in three-point attempts and makes, and their 32 attempted three-pointers in the first half set a franchise record from any Grizzlies opponent.

The Grizzlies entered the second half with a five-point deficit, which they briefly closed in the third quarter, only to be shut down offensively in the fourth quarter.

By The Numbers:

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies in scoring with 26 points, and added 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

Jaren Jackson Jr. put up 20 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, plus 1 assist, and 1 block.

Desmond Bane finished with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.

Jaylen Wells added 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Santi Aldama led the second unit with 21 points, adding 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will close out their three-game homestand tonight against the Golden State Warriors. This is a must-win game for Memphis. Tip-off is at 7 PM CDT.

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Post-Jenkins Era Begins with Loss to Lakers

Desmond Bane goes up for a layup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at FedExForum (Photo by: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, 134-127, on Saturday night only added to the shock of head coach Taylor Jenkins’ abrupt firing on Friday morning. Jenkins, who had been with the team for six seasons, was let go despite the Grizzlies’ 44-29 record, which has them tied with the Lakers for the 4/5 seeds in the Western Conference.

The decision to fire Jenkins was made by Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman, who cited “urgency” as a core principle of the team. Kleiman stated that he came to the conclusion that firing Jenkins was in the best interest of the team. 

Jenkins’ firing sent shockwaves through the NBA, with many questioning the timing and reasoning behind the decision. The Grizzlies named assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo as the interim head coach. 

Prior to the game Iisalo expressed shock and surprise at Jenkins’ sudden firing, stating he had no inkling it was coming. He then accepted the role of interim head coach and has been scrambling to get organized and adjust to the new situation. 

The Grizzlies’ first-quarter struggles remained unchanged despite the coaching change, as they trailed the Lakers 39-28.

Iisalo attributed the loss to a poor first half, citing the team’s failure to execute the basics. He acknowledged the Lakers’ potent trio, but emphasized that the Grizzlies’ slow start was the decisive factor. Iisalo stressed the need for improvement, particularly with back-to-back games looming.

“The goal of the game is to win, obviously,” said Iisalo. “So we can’t be happy with our performances — but it was encouraging to me after that lackluster start, we did a lot of things a lot better in the second half.” 

Iisalo continued: “We had better on-ball pressure — we did better in our pick and roll defense. We did not allow the opposition to get easy offensive rebounds. We applied friction, as we like to say, in the full court, to wear down their best players, and not just allow them to jog into their spots and get the exact shots.” 

Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies, scoring 29 points to go along with six assists, four rebounds, and two steals.

Jaren Jackson Jr. shook off early foul trouble to deliver a strong performance, scoring 24 points on an efficient 8-of-13 shooting.

Following a six-game absence, Ja Morant returned to the lineup and nearly recorded a triple-double, posting 22 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds.

“Anything we want — we just got to lock back in,” Morant said when asked about what the team can still accomplish this year. “It’s not like we are eliminated from the playoffs,” Morant added. 

Morant emphasized the need for focus, communication, and teamwork to improve performance. He highlighted the importance of reading the game, making smart decisions, and playing with effort, while also stressing the need to correct simple mistakes and communicate effectively with teammates.

Zach Edey made a notable impact in his return to the starting lineup, contributing 14 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and swatting three blocks in 26 minutes of play.

Off the bench, Scotty Pippen Jr. provided a spark, scoring 16 points and dishing out five assists.

The Grizzlies continue a three-game homestand, hosting the Boston Celtics at FedExForum on Monday, March 31, at 6:30 p.m., with the game set to air on TNT.

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Grizzlies Part Ways with Head Coach Taylor Jenkins

Former Grizzlies' Head Coach Taylor Jenkins. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images.)

Shortly before noon on Friday, the Grizzlies announced that they were firing head coach Taylor Jenkins and assistant coaches Noah LaRoche and Patrick St. Andrews.

It comes on the heels of Thursday night’s brutal 125-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Here is the official release:

With only nine games left in the regular season, while your team is fighting for its life to stay out of the play-in tournament, it would not seem to be the optimal time to make a move such as firing your head coach, but here we are.

No interim coach has been officially named, but current Grizzlies’ lead assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo is the most likely choice.

Fans and critics of the team have called for Jenkins’ ouster at various points this season, and while this news might be unexpected for some, it really doesn’t come as much of a surprise.

The team has been in a noticeable slump since the all-star break, as evidenced by its 8-11 record. Jenkins appears to have lost the locker room’s confidence, and once the players lose faith in a coach, the relationship is nearly impossible to recover.

Jenkins was hired as part of the guard-change during the 2019 offseason, when longtime general manager Chris Wallace was replaced with Zach Kleiman. It was otherwise known as the end of the Grit and Grind era — marked by the trades of Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, the last two remaining members of the Core Four that lifted the team to relevance.

Jenkins’ tenure has been mostly positive, but it’s been bolstered by the arrival of star-caliber talent and the drafting and development of solid, dependable role players — areas that are largely outside his control.

Would a Taylor Jenkins-coached team without the Grizzlies’ big three of Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant, and Desmond Bane be as successful, or has his ability been masked by Kleiman’s prowess in drafting players?

Spoiler alert: probably not.

Keeping a head coach who appears to have reached his ceiling would hinder the team now and in the long run. Given all the injuries they have been dealing with, the Grizzlies were never going to win the championship this year. So, while the timing is inconvenient, making such a major personnel change so close to the playoffs won’t necessarily prevent the team from hanging a championship banner in the rafters of FedExForum in the future.

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Grizzlies Leave Jazz Singing the Blues

Scotty Pippen Jr. dribbles the ball in a game against the Utah Jazz on March 26, 2025. (Photo by: Jamie Sabau/NBAE via Getty Images)

 The Memphis Grizzlies ended a three-game skid by routing the Utah Jazz 140-103, Tuesday night, capping off a 4-0 season series sweep.

Despite yet another sluggish start and trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Grizzlies narrowed the deficit to 65-64 by halftime.

With a 41-17 third-quarter surge, Memphis took command of the game and improved to 44-28 for the season. The team now holds a slim half-game lead over the Lakers for the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

The Grizzlies recorded 38 assists, outscored Utah 27-8 in points off turnovers, and dominated the boards 52-28, including a 17-4 advantage on the offensive glass. Additionally, Memphis had a 25-0 edge in second-chance points and outscored Utah 76-38 in the second half.

After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins acknowledged Jazz’s strong start, noting that Memphis lacked physicality and resistance in the first quarter and early second quarter, allowing Utah to get easy shots. However, he expressed relief that the Grizzlies were able to “weather the storm.”

Jenkins added: “We were getting what we needed on the offensive side, even though we were missing a couple shots there. But we made a great run at the end of the second quarter, and then just our resistance and physicality on the defensive side in the third quarter was so much better.”

“That allowed us to get out — our fast break numbers were better,” Jenkins continued. “We ended up with 38 assists. We were just playing with a different level of energy, because our defense sparked us.”

Desmond Bane led Memphis in scoring with 21 points, adding six assists and four rebounds in 29 minutes of action.

Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while also grabbing three rebounds and blocking two shots, before exiting with an injury in the third quarter. He rejoined the team on the bench in the fourth quarter.

In a notable defensive stretch, the Grizzlies held the Jazz to just a single field goal for over seven minutes following Jackson Jr.’s exit from the game.

Scotty Pippen Jr. delivered a strong all-around effort, tallying 16 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Rookie Jaylen Wells had a solid performance, scoring 10 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out five assists.

The Grizzlies’ bench dominated their Jazz counterparts, outscoring them 65-39 while also controlling the glass with 29 rebounds and distributing 13 assists.

Zach Edey, Vince Williams Jr., and Jay Huff formed a potent bench trio, as all three players scored 15 points each.

The Grizzlies will conclude their five-game road trip on Thursday against the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, who boast an impressive 60-12 record. OKC currently holds a 3-0 advantage in the season series against Memphis.