Jaylen Wells shoots the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 3, 2025 (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
On Friday night at Golden 1 Center, the Memphis Grizzlies fell to the Sacramento Kings, 138-133. With the loss, the Grizzlies are now 23-12 on the season.
The Kings came out firing, dropping 46 points in the first quarter – the most the Grizzlies have surrendered in a single quarter all season. That explosive start gave the Kings a commanding 14-point lead, 46-32, by the end of the period.
The Grizzlies came back and made a game of it, though, staying competitive until the very end, when Sacramento made the necessary plays in the clutch to pull away and secure the win.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins expressed disappointment after the loss, praising the Kings’ strong start. He cited excessive turnovers and defensive lapses as key issues, emphasizing that allowing 46 first-quarter points on the road is unacceptable. Jenkins lauded his team’s resilience in overcoming a 15-point deficit but still was upset about their defensive standard.
He said, “Great fight, but we’ve got to set a different tone, especially on the road in the first quarter, and we can’t be bleeding points like this. Defensively, you give up 138 points and score 133 – you can be like, Yay, on the offense, but defensively, that’s not our identity.”
Rookie Jaylen Wells, a Sacramento native, had a memorable homecoming with a career-high 30 points, highlighted by an impressive 8-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Despite his outstanding performance, the Grizzlies fell short, moving to 2-2 on their five-game road trip.
Jaren Jackson Jr. delivered another strong game with 28 points, six rebounds, and five assists before fouling out — with all six fouls assessed in the 4th quarter. Meanwhile, Desmond Bane chipped in with 22 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, providing a solid all-around contribution.
To round it out, Scottie Pippen Jr. contributed 16 points and 5 assists, while Luke Kennard had a strong showing off the bench with 11 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double.
The Grizzlies are wrapping up their five-game road trip tonight against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, with a tipoff at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scores against the Suns. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)
With just nine available players, the Memphis Grizzlies took on Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns to close out the year and came away with a 117-112 victory. Despite how close the game felt in the second half, the Grizzlies led wire-to-wire.
After getting dog-walked by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, the Grizzlies came into this matchup down another rotation player.
Jake LaRavia suffered a right ankle sprain during the game against the Thunder. He became the latest addition to the injury report, plus two-way guard Yuki Kawamura, who was sidelined due to left shoulder soreness.
That left the Grizzlies with nine healthy and available players, including two-way players Colin Castleton and Cam Spencer.
But as he has done so many times for this Grizzlies team, Jaren Jackson Jr. stepped up and put the team on his back, this time to secure the final win of 2024. He had a game-high 38 points total, with 19 points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal during the first quarter, when Memphis built a 12-point lead.
Desmond Bane was the other half of the dynamic duo responsible for this victory, along with a few supporting characters: Jaylen Wells, Luke Kennard, and John Konchar.
Bane and Jackson Jr. combined for 69 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 assists.
JJJ & Bane put in WORK to get the Grizzlies a hard-fought road W 😤
There was a familiar face in Phoenix: former Grizzlies point guard Tyus Jones is now the starting point guard for the Suns. Jones has led the league in assists to turnovers several seasons, including some of his years in Memphis. We’ve seen games where Jones doesn’t commit a single turnover, which makes the five turnovers he was forced into extra special, with three coming in the first quarter.
Notorious Grizz adversary Kevin Durant led the Suns offensively with 29 points, followed by Jones with 21 points, along with Devin Booker’s 16 points and Mason Plumlee’s 12 points.
Turnovers and missed free throws have been a particular thorn in the Grizzles’ side this season, and unfortunately, this game was no exception.
Collectively, Memphis committed 17 turnovers and shot an abysmal 66.7% (22 of 33) from the free-throw line, where Jackson Jr. uncharacteristically struggled, shooting just 10 of 17.
This was a wire-to-wire win for Memphis, but Phoenix cut the lead several times in the second half. A clutch three-point play from John Konchar with 1:05 remaining slammed the door on the Suns. Konchar finished with seven points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
John Konchar makes a bucket in Phoenix. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)
Desmond Bane scored a season-high 31 points, and added five rebounds and seven assists.
Jaylen Wells added 11 points, six rebounds, and two assists.
Luke Kennard led the second unit with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals on 5 of 8 overall shooting and 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.
I would like to wish all our readers a Happy New Year. Here’s to more Grizzlies dominance in 2025.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will continue their road trip on Friday when they visit Sacramento to take on the Kings. Tip-off is at 9 PM CST.
Desmond Bane handles the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
John Konchar drew the start at power forward, pairing with Jaren Jackson Jr. as the Grizzlies battled the Oklahoma City Thunder, one of the league’s top squads. The Thunder defeated the Grizzlies, 130-106.
Memphis came out with great energy to take a 9-0 lead but it went downhill from there quickly. The Thunder took a 34-31 lead after the first period and never relinquished it. OKC took control of the game with a dominant second quarter, outscoring the Grizzlies 42-19 to build a commanding lead.
The Thunder also capitalized on Memphis’ miscues, converting 21 Grizzlies turnovers into 33 points.
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Jay Huff added 17 points off the bench followed by Luke Kennard with 16 points and 5 rebounds as the Grizzlies fell to 22-11 on the season.
Jackson Jr. had a rough shooting night ending in just 13 points (3-of-17), five rebounds and four assists while Konchar had a season-high 15 rebounds, four points, three steals and two blocked shots. Rookie sensation Yuki Kawamura had a season-high 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.
The Grizzlies were definitely facing an uphill battle against the Thunder without some of their key players. With Ja Morant, Zach Edey, and Brandon Clarke all sidelined due to injury, it was a tough ask for the rest of the team to step up and fill the void.
And let’s not forget that the Grizzlies were already missing some other important pieces, including Marcus Smart, Santi Aldama, Vince Williams Jr., and GG Jackson II.
Looking ahead, it’ll be interesting to see how the Grizzlies’ rotation shakes out when everyone is healthy. The game was ugly from a Grizzlies standpoint and I’m not even sure what positives to convey after that. But, I will try.
For now, it’s just one game, but the Grizzlies desperately need to get some of their injured players back on the court. The biggest concern is Ja Morant’s AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, and everyone is anxiously awaiting an update on the severity of the injury.
The fact that it’s the same shoulder that cut his season short last January is certainly concerning. However, fortunately, initial indications suggest that the injury might not be as severe as it initially appeared. Here’s hoping that’s indeed the case, for Morant’s and the Grizzlies’ sake.
The injury woes and Ja Morant’s uncertain status may feel eerily familiar to Grizzlies fans, but it’s worth noting that the team is in a stronger position now than they were last season when faced with a similar rash of injuries. Despite the current challenges, there’s reason to be optimistic.
Jackson Jr., Bane, and the rest of the squad will need to step up and hold down the fort until the injured players return. With their collective talent and determination, they can keep the Grizzlies afloat and poised for a strong push when the reinforcements arrive. Like the players always say, “One game at a time.”
The Grizzlies will continue their five-game road trip with a New Year’s Eve showdown against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on Tuesday, December 31, at 8 p.m. CT.
Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) shoots the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at FedExForum on Dec 26, 2024 (Wes Hale / The Memphis Flyer)
If Santa didn’t bring you what you wanted for Christmas, the Memphis Grizzlies have got you covered with an epic win in their last home game of 2024.
After a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Clippers the day before Christmas Eve, the Grizzlies returned to their home court for a Boxing Day beatdown of the Toronto Raptors of astronomic proportions.
With a final score of 155-126, the Grizzlies set a franchise-record and the highest-scoring game of any NBA team this season.
The Grizzlies took the floor like a raging bull in the first period, countering every Raptors attempt at an offensive run while exploiting Toronto’s defensive weakness, forcing their defenders into shooting fouls that sent them to the free throw line five times.
Ja Morant earned all four of his first-quarter points from the charity stripe.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) dribbles against the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at FedExForum on December 26, 2024. (Photo: Wes Hale)
Memphis was outshot 60.9 percent to 55.6 percent from the field and 45.5 percent to 30 percent from beyond the arc in that first quarter, but the Raptors’ foul trouble led to a 10 to three free throw disparity that the Grizzlies used to close out the first quarter with a 43-35 lead.
Their perfect 10 of 10 free throw shooting made the difference in the score, but Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey were the stars of the show, combining for 24 points in the first quarter.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) drives to the basket against the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at FedExForum on December 26, 2024 (Photo: Wes Hale)
Despite Toronto overcoming a 19-point deficit to tie the game at 66 with less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Grizzlies never allowed the Raptors to take the lead. Memphis pushed back in the final minutes of the period and took an eight-point lead into the second half.
A 43-point third quarter propelled the Grizzlies to a franchise-record 121 points through three quarters. Unlike in the first quarter, Memphis had only one free throw attempt, scoring the remaining 42 points the old-fashioned way — by stomping the Raptors hard into the ground on every possession, destroying them on the boards (21-13), limiting their shot attempts (37-29), and outscoring them 18-6 from beyond the arc.
The fourth quarter went off the rails quickly for the Raptors after Toronto head coach (and former Memphis assistant coach) Darko Rajaković was ejected for a heated outburst at a referee.
There was 10:29 left on the game clock when Rajaković exploded over the lack of a foul call, charged onto the court, and had to be restrained by members of his staff. There will no doubt be a fine coming for Rajaković from the league, and he certainly got his money’s worth, as seen in the video below:
The remainder of the game was mostly the Grizzlies bench playing with their food.
Three of the five starters (Jaylen Wells, Desmond Bane, and Ja Morant) sat for the fourth quarter.
Luke Kennard scored 12 of his 15 points in the final frame, shooting three of four from the field, two of three from beyond the arc, and four of four from the free-throw line. John Konchar scored six of his nine points in the fourth, finishing the night with a perfect three-of-three shooting from three-point range.
Memphis had eight players finish the night in double-digits, including all five starters.
Zach Edey scored a career-high 21 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
Jaren Jackson Jr. got 21 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks.
Desmond Bane put up 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists while shooting three of six from beyond the arc.
Jaylen Wells finished the night with 17 points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal while shooting a game-high five of 10 from three-point range. Wells has been shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc and has made more three-pointers (58) than any other rookie this season.
Ja Morant added 15 points, two rebounds, and nine assists.
From the second unit:
Luke Kennard scored 15 points, eight assists, and one steal.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 15 points, two rebounds, three assists, and four steals.
Brandon Clarke finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, and one block.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are back at it tonight, facing off against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of a five-game road trip. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CST.
If the Bluff City had an Athlete of the Year for 2024, it was University of Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan. The senior piled up records like a greedy 5-year-old under the Christmas tree. Henigan became the first Tiger signal-caller to toss 100 touchdown passes (104) and climbed to 13th on the FBS career passing-yardage chart (14,266). Best of all, he led Memphis to an 11-2 record, a third straight postseason victory (over West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl), and finished his career with 34 wins, a mark no future Tiger quarterback is likely to match. Add the heroics of running back Mario Anderson Jr. — 1,362 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns — and Memphis is all but certain to finish in the AP Top 25 for only the fourth time in program history.
The Tigers’ gridiron success made for some late-year balance to an otherwise disappointing 12 months in Memphis sports. Ravaged by injuries (and a lengthy suspension for star guard Ja Morant), the Memphis Grizzlies missed the NBA playoffs for the first time in three years. The only silver lining: A miserable record (27-55) earned the Grizz the ninth selection in the draft, a pick they used to acquire towering center Zach Edey, the two-time national college player of the year at Purdue. As 2025 approaches, Memphis is near the top of the Western Conference standings. Let’s call 2024 a hibernation year in Grizzlies history.
College basketball was no less disappointing. Coach Penny Hardaway’s Tigers roared to a 15-2 start, climbing to a ranking of 10th in the country … only to bumble their way through their American Athletic Conference schedule, finishing with a mark of 22-10 and missing out on the NCAA tournament. David Jones won the AAC scoring title in his only season in blue and gray, but an 11-7 record in that league doesn’t impress come March.
On the diamond, slugging first baseman Luken Baker starred for the Redbirds, leading the International League in home runs a second straight season despite a late-summer promotion to the St. Louis Cardinals. Baseball America’s Pitcher of the Year, Quinn Mathews, finished his season with Memphis, tossing his 200th strikeout of the season — a minor-league rarity — in a Redbirds uniform. Look for Mathews to anchor the 2025 rotation (until the Cardinals decide he’s needed in St. Louis).
Memphis said goodbye to our USL Championship soccer club, 901 FC. Without a soccer-only stadium in the plans, the franchise is moving to Santa Barbara, California, after six up-and-down seasons at AutoZone Park. For the sports historians, 901 FC put up an overall record of 76 wins, 62 losses, and 45 draws.
Hideki Matsuyama won the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship (FESJC) at TPC Southwind, this being the third year Memphis has hosted the opening tournament of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Along with the Southern Heritage Classic and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the FESJC is an annual reminder that Memphis can put on a show like few other cities in the world of sports. Let the 2025 games begin.
Desmond Bane shoots the ball in Saturday night's win in Atlanta. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies were in Atlanta Saturday night, facing off against the Hawks, and came away with a 128-112 victory.
It was the second consecutive wire-to-wire win for Memphis after Thursday night’s 51-point beatdown of the Golden State Warriors.
Both teams were missing their star point guards — Trae Young was out for the Hawks, and Ja Morant was sidelined for the Grizzlies.
There is no question about the value of Morant to this Memphis team, but the Grizzlies have developed a style of play that has allowed them to win with whoever is available on a given night.
It was a commanding victory for the Grizzlies, who led by as many as 29 points while staying true to their brand of basketball — fast-paced and unselfish, with 35 assists on 50 made shots. Memphis outscored Atlanta in the paint 62-46 and 12-4 in second-chance points.
Seven Grizzlies players, including all five starters, ended the night in double figures.
Scotty Pippen Jr. has seamlessly shifted in and out of the starting lineup this season in Morant’s absence. His performance Saturday night against the Hawks was one of the driving forces behind the Grizzlies’ success.
Pippen Jr. finished the night with 22 points, five rebounds, nine assists, and two steals on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc and 9-of-12 overall, with 10 points and four assists in the first quarter.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with a team-high 23 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and four steals while shooting 4 of 8 from three-point range. Bane has missed eight games this season due to a right oblique strain he suffered early in the season but appears to be returning to his pre-injury form.
Jaren Jackson Jr. spent much of the game in foul trouble and finished with 13 points and five rebounds.
Two of the top five players favored for Rookie of the Year honors wear a Memphis Grizzlies uniform: Zach Edey drafted 9th, and Jaylen Wells drafted 39th.
Both rookies did big work for the Grizzlies in this game: Wells put up 13 points, along with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Zach Edey added 10 points and six rebounds in his third game after missing the previous 11 games due to a left ankle sprain.
Jake LaRavia led the second unit with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals while shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and 6-of-10 overall.
Santi Aldama contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Aldama is another player who has moved seamlessly in and out of the starting lineup this season according to team needs.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies return to their home court for one more game before the Christmas holiday. They will be facing off against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.
Santi Aldama goes to the basket against the Golden State Warriors on December 19, 2024. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies made a statement with their 51-point win over the Golden State Warriors, Thursday night, marking the largest margin of victory in the NBA this season. The impressive win showcased the Grizzlies’ dominance, with a final score of 144-93.
Steve Kerr described the Warriors’ 51-point loss to the Grizzlies as a “humbling night.” He credited the Grizzlies’ strong performance, particularly their defense, and acknowledged that the Warriors have significant work to do to improve.
“Humbling means what it means, right — you lose by 51 [points] that’s humbling,” Kerr answered on how the night was humbling. “What I know about this team, is that this is the second time we’ve been blown out. We got blown out in Cleveland [by the Cavaliers] early in the season.
Memphis imposed their will from the start, jumping out to an 8-0 start and establishing a commanding 22-point advantage by the end of the first quarter. They continued to pull away, leading by 31 at halftime and 50 after three quarters. The Grizzlies’ largest lead of the night was 57 points in the fourth quarter, capping off their fifth wire-to-wire victory of the season.
Memphis reserves outperformed the Warriors’ second unit 82-65, securing a season-high in bench points and proving superior in the showdown between the league’s top two scoring benches.
Santi Aldama delivered a standout performance, leading Memphis with a 21 points and 14 rebounds off the bench. This marked his eighth double-double of the season. Aldama also matched his season high for 3-pointers, going 5-10 from beyond the arc. His impressive play is making a strong case for him as the sixth-man of the year, showcasing his valuable contributions off the bench.
“I mean, when you are talking about the depth, I think it is our attention to detail,” Aldama on the bench production.
“We’ve talked about it, like [we all] are just trying to find ways to keep contributing with the starters. They do such a great job, and in a game like this, it’s important because that’s the difference between winning the game by a lot or maybe giving them some life. With a team like this, they’re obviously super talented, so you can’t let them have a sense that they can come back into game.”
Aldama expressed his excitement about being up 50 points on home court, using a metaphor to describe the team’s killer instinct. He emphasized their desire to dominate opponents consistently, acknowledging that while it may not always be possible, they aim to make a statement and show their strength.
It’s only one win but it pushed Memphis to 19-9 on the season and to it’s eighth-straight home victory.
The Grizzlies connected on a franchise-record 27 3-pointers, and defensively took the Warriors’ lunch money.
Memphis’ defense held Stephen Curry to just two points (2-2 FT) in 24 minutes of play. He went 0-7 from the field. He had a tough night, attempting the most field goals ever in his 16-year career without making a single shot, while playing 24 minutes. Curry also had a -41 in +/-, just brutal.
Draymond Green’s stats were even worse. He had zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists with four turnovers and four personal fouls. Green ended with a -42 in +/-.
Up Next
The Grizzlies are heading to Atlanta to face off against the 14-14 Hawks on Saturday, December 21. The game is set to tip off at 6:30 pm CT at the State Farm Arena.
The Memphis Grizzlies finally got their lick back against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night at FedExForum. The Grizzlies snapped their losing streak against the Nets, taking the final of the season’s three-game matchup, 135-119. Brooklyn had won the first two meetings.
“The biggest thing was just [we were] locked in on the game plan,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on the biggest difference from playing the Nets earlier in the season.
“We had way too many mistakes with our game plan. We learned a lot in the first game, and then we played them less than a week later up in Brooklyn, and we knew the game plan, we talked about it, watched the film, broke it down, all that, and we didn’t execute it.”
Jenkins concluded, “Maybe we just needed a couple extra weeks. I would give the Nets a lot of credit. They helped us a lot with our one-on-one defense and our shell defense, and they still made it tough tonight. When we made a mistake, they made you pay, but when we kind of dictated where our offense went, I thought we benefited.”
Memphis’ high-powered offense has fueled an 11-game streak of scoring 115+ points, matching the second-longest such mark in franchise history. The surge has led to a 10-1 record in those games, including a current four-game winning streak and a season-best six straight home victories.
The Grizzlies’ impressive scoring depth was on display against Brooklyn as four players reached the 20-point mark.
Ja Morant’s stellar play continued, as he notched his seventh double-double of the season, including 28 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. The Grizzlies improved to 18-8 on the season, thanks in part to Morant’s 16-point outburst in the second quarter — a season-high for him and the highest scoring quarter by any Memphis player this season.
Morant really didn’t want to lose to the Nets for the third time. After the game he recalled the difference from the earlier two meetings against Brooklyn: “Our fight — (we) have been coming out ready to play. I feel like [Desmond Bane] set the tone for us from the jump, and I feel like that’s what we were missing. Second half, we played a little slow in both of those [earlier] games when they went on their runs; it was allowing them to continue to score the ball and slow us down offensively. Tonight, I feel like we were more locked in, paid attention to detail.
Morant continued, “Obviously, we know we owed them two for real, but I felt like it was on purpose that they were our matchup after the in-season tournament, and it’s what we needed. Obviously, you lose to a team twice, you get another chance at it. It’s kind of refreshing for us to come and get a win. It’s something to be proud of. You lose to a team; you always want to get your lick back.”
The Grizzlies’ balanced attack saw Bane scoring 21 points and dishing out eight assists, and Jaren Jackson Jr. adding 20 points, seven rebounds, and a season-high five steals.
Santi Aldama delivered a strong performance off the bench, tallying 20 points and grabbing six rebounds, which pushed him past the 1,000-rebound threshold for his career.
Everything is clicking for the Grizzlies right now but Bane has the right mindset going forward: “We have to stay even keeled, it’s a long season,” Bane cautioned. “Adversity is going to hit us at some point, but we have to stay true to what we’ve built, regardless of the results.”
Tid-bits
Prior to tipoff, Jaylen Wells received the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for his outstanding play in October and November. Notably, Wells is the first Grizzlies rookie to receive this recognition since Ja Morant in the 2019-20 season.
Up Next
The Grizzlies are heading to Los Angeles to face off against the Lakers on Sunday, December 15. The game is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. CST at the Crypto.com Arena.
Jaren Jackson Jr. on defense. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)
We are roughly a third of the way through the 2024-25 regular season, and I am pleased to inform you that despite some ongoing injury struggles, the Memphis Grizzlies are back — and they look like a real NBA team after the dumpster fire of last season.
As I write this, Memphis is ranked second in the Western Conference with a 17-8 record.
Compare that with last year’s 6-19 record through the first 25 games, and it looks like we are watching an entirely different team. And in some ways, we *are* watching an entirely different team.
The 2023-24 Grizzlies started the season with their star point guard Ja Morant serving a 25-game suspension for “conduct unbecoming to the league.” This is league-speak for acting like a dumbass and flashing a firearm on Instagram Live, not once but twice in as many months.
It went downhill from there.
He joined the team in December but played in only nine games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. During those nine games, the Grizzlies were 6-3, winning as many games in that brief stretch as they had in the 25 games prior. Morant’s absence was far from the only one.
How about these NBA records for the Grizzlies last year:
** Most players used in a season: 33
** Most starting lineups used in a season: 51
** Most games lost to injury: 578
Morant has missed 11 of the first 25 games of this season with injuries, but unlike last season, Memphis has managed to continue winning in his absence.
Memphis acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics during the 2023 offseason. This was the most high-profile free agency signing the Grizzlies have made since signing Chandler Parsons in 2016.
Smart’s Grizzlies’ tenure has not been anywhere near as execrable as that of Parsons, but that is a low bar. Smart missed considerable time last season because of injury, and his on-court performance when he was healthy was the worst of his career.
He has also struggled with injuries this season, but when he’s healthy, he has been a solid contributor, defensively and offensively. This is after being relegated to the second unit for the first time in his career, in favor of rookie Jaylen Wells.
As I have said before, it speaks to Smart’s level of professionalism that he has seamlessly adapted to this new role; few veterans of his caliber would do that after more than a decade in the starting lineup.
The Grizzlies’ abysmal showing during the 2023-24 season earned them a lottery spot and, ultimately, the ninth pick for the 2024 NBA Draft. After their frontcourt injury struggles (two of their top three bigs – Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke – combined to play six games, all by Clarke), a skilled big man was the team’s biggest need. A need they filled by drafting Zach Edey, a 7’4” center out of Purdue.
Edey was named Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus National Player of the Year in both 2023 and 2024. With the Grizzlies, he was a favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year until he suffered a high ankle sprain against the Denver Nuggets, which has kept him benched since November 17. His status is listed as week to week.
Memphis converted guard Scotty Pippen Jr.’s two-way contract to a standard NBA contract before the season started, a move that has paid dividends when Morant has been unable to play. Pippen is averaging 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
Another new face for the Grizzlies has been center Jay Huff, who also played his way off a two-way contract and into a four-year deal. Huff has been a valuable contributor and has alternated between the starting lineup and the bench, depending on what is needed. He’s averaging 9.5 points and 2.7 rebounds and has become something of a fan favorite.
The Grizzlies have added some excellent new players, that much is clear. But it’s been some familiar faces, like Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama, and Jake LaRavia, who have driven the team’s success this season.
Over the past few years, Jackson Jr. has been quietly working his way into a role as one of the team’s most valuable players. His growth, year after year, has been nothing short of remarkable, and he’s emerged as one of the best players in franchise history.
In many ways, the 2024-25 Memphis Grizzlies are everything that the 2023-24 Grizzlies were not.
Looking at them head-to-head:
** After having the best home record in the league in 2022-23, the Grizzlies won just nine games on their home court during the 2023-24 season.
A third of the way through the current season, Memphis is 11-3 at home.
** After spending two consecutive seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23) leading the league in points in the paint, Memphis ranked dead last in 2023-24.
Now? They are ranked second in the paint and lead the league in shooting from the restricted area. And this year’s bench is the best in the league.
Here is how the Grizzlies have fared through December 10th compared to other Western Conference teams:
Above all else, what is the biggest difference between last year’s hospital Grizzlies and this year’s team? This year’s Grizzlies team can win with whomever on the roster is available on a given night. That’s great news for Grizzlies fans. Scary news for the rest of the league.
Jaren Jackson Jr. battles for the opening possession. (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images.)
On the second night of back-to-back games, the Memphis Grizzlies decimated the Washington Wizards without Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.
With a final score of 140-112, the Grizzlies emerged from their weekend road trip 2-0.
After a hard-fought win against the Boston Celtics in which he scored a season-high 31 points, Ja Morant sat out against the Wizards with back soreness.
Expect Memphis to continue its cautionary approach to managing Morant’s injuries.
But even without two of their best players, the Grizzlies looked poised, prepared, and just plain better than their opponents, largely thanks to their incredible depth.
Scotty Pippen Jr. and Marcus Smart moved into the starting lineup, but even without them, the bench outscored the starters 76-64.
The Wizards were led on both ends of the court by a familiar face — Lithuanian big man Jonas Valančiūnas, who played for the Grizzlies from 2019-2021.
Despite Valanciunas’ 20-point, 14-rebound double-double, the Wizards had no answer for the Grizzlies. Washington held a two-point lead for a grand total of 47 seconds in the first quarter.
— Grizzlies On FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Grizzlies) December 9, 2024
Memphis was led offensively by Jaren Jackson Jr., who fielded 21 points, four rebounds, and four blocks on 8 of 15 overall shooting and 3 of 8 from beyond the arc — all in a mere 16:46 minutes of playing time.
Scotty Pippen Jr. looked right at home back in the starting lineup, delivering 14 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals on 6 of 11 shooting from the field.
Marcus Smart was similarly at ease moving from the bench unit to the starters, putting up 13 points and three rebounds while shooting 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 6 from three-point range.
Brandon Clarke was coming off his best game of the season against the Celtics but still had a respectable showing against the Wizards. He finished the night with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Jay Huff and Santi Aldama celebrate during the game against the Washington Wizards. (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images.)
Santi Aldama was the leading scorer off the bench with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal, and three blocks while shooting 7 of 11 overall and a team-best 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.
Reserve center Jay Huff finished the night with 17 points and three rebounds while rookie shooting guard Cam Spencer added 14 points, four rebounds, and five assists on 4 of 8 shooting from the field and 2 of 4 from three-point range in his third ever NBA game.
We even got a brief appearance from Yuki Kawamura in the fourth quarter:
SUNDAY SCARIES DON'T EXIST WHEN WE LIVE IN A WORLD WITH YUKI KAWAMURA SPLASHING IN STEPBACK THREES IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL pic.twitter.com/kAKI1hMh6H
The next two games are recent additions to the schedule, among other teams that have also been eliminated from the NBA Cup: Friday, December 13th, at home against the Brooklyn Nets, with a 7 p.m. CST tip-off time, and Sunday, December 15th, on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers, tipping off at 8:30 p.m. CST.
