The Grizzlies dropped another excruciatingly close game to a Western Conference contender. Wednesday’s 121-119 loss to the Clippers extends the team’s current losing streak to a season-high five games and marks the 4th consecutive loss on their home court. There were some clear stand-out performances from individual players, but once again the Grizzlies blew a double-digit lead with sloppy play, and ultimately, the game in the final moments.
Death, Taxes, and the Grizzlies Unable to Closeout a Game
This seems to be one of the themes of the season: an inability to put together four consistent quarters of basketball. A team in the early stages of the sort of scorched-earth rebuilding process that Memphis is currently undergoing should almost be expected not to be very good. However, there is still room for both criticism and praise regarding the outcomes along the way. What makes these losses so frustrating is the carelessness that leads to them.
Jonas Valanciunas was the clear player of the game for the Grizzlies, with a season-high 30 points and a season-best 16 rebounds. Ja Morant also stood out with his second consecutive double-double, scoring 20 points and racking up 11 assists, and 14 of those 20 points in the 4th quarter.
Per Grizzlies PR: “The Grizzlies entered the game with the league’s best three-point field goal percentage over the last three weeks (.408 since Nov. 6). The team continued its hot streak from long range, shooting 39.3 percent (11-of-28) from beyond the arc.” Jonas Valanciunas
What They Said – Coach Taylor Jenkins
On tonight’s game:
“Heck of an effort by our guys, proud of them especially after how we played in Indiana. Defense wasn’t there in the first quarter, giving up 35 points, but then holding them under 30 … which was a trend of ours, giving up a lot of 30-point quarters in recent games. Our guys stuck with it; I was proud of them on how they came out being down at four at half time. Take, I think on a 7-0 run, take a three-point lead.
These are those moments where we are getting better, withstand some runs against a heck of a team and score 119 points against currently the best defense in the league. It’s those pivotal moments throughout the game, a couple of missed cues here and there on offense and one of our Achilles heels is just getting rebounds.
Same thing happened in the Lakers game. Anthony Davis gets a rebound uncontested, we have a chance, we give up two offensive rebounds on the last possession, and you are snake bit by it. We have to get better. I thought our urgency was great to start for most of the game, coming into the game it was a heck of a game. Credit the Clippers for coming up with some big plays, some big threes and rebounding down the stretch. We have to get better from it and we have to know that this stuff is important for us to move forward and get better from it.”
On the last play, when the Grizzlies had the ball with 2.3 seconds left, and a chance to tie:
“So, we were hoping to get a defender to fall asleep with his [Jaren Jackson Jr.’s] cut to the rim and then kind of snap him out into a corner three, and if that wasn’t open Solo [Solomon Hill] was going to be open at the top of the key. I thought we set a good screen, they did a great job getting through, kind of put him off balance, which put him in a tough spot. That is a play we have worked on. Credit to the Clippers on taking that away.”
What They Said – Jaren Jackson Jr.
On finding the balance of shooting threes and playing down low:
“I just want to take the right shot at the right time and take what the defense gives me. Team-to-team, they are going to play me differently. They’re going to close out on certain shooters more so I’m just taking what they are giving me.”
On having the big plays called for him at the end of the game:
“I have to do better with it. Two straight times I didn’t get it done. Once I get it done, I’ll probably have a better reaction to it. I’m happy they go to me, but I’ve got to finish the job for them.”
On what happened during the last sequence of the game, when the Grizzlies had the ball ant a chance to tie with 2.3 seconds left. “When I came off, I caught it and he kind of took up the space when I gave him time as I was turning around. I probably turned around too slowly. I should have gotten a better look at it. That’s on me. I need to be a little smarter with turning and reading them (the defense). If they were switching, I could have come off in a different way or quicker. Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.” The Grizzlies return to FedExForum on Friday, November 29th to once again face off against Mike Conley and the Utah Jazz.
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