Tag: Dillon Brooks

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Decimate Bucks

Ja Morant (Credit: Memphis Grizzlies Social media via @memgrizz)

On Thursday night, the Memphis Grizzlies put a thrashing on the Milwaukee Bucks at FedExForum, 142-101. At one point, the Grizzlies were up by as many as 50 points. 

Memphis has now won seven in a row and has the longest active winning streak in the association.  

The Grizzlies climbed to 13-2 at home, 19-9 over-all for the season and now sit first place in the Western Conference, after the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Utah Jazz in overtime, 132-129. 

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was impressed with his team’s discipline after the decisive win. “I thought we did a really good job just kind of taking them out of the paint. We held them to 38 points in the paint.”

At one point, [the lead] was in the teens late in the game, so that was a huge priority for us tonight. We knew we had to have multiple efforts showing crowds and getting out, but our guys’ communication … they were dialed in, in that first quarter. That really set a tone for us, and then our pace was just relentless.”

Jenkins added, “We did a really good job rebounding in rebounding. [They have] multiple guys that could hurt us on the boards but our guys kept building a wall early in possessions, late in possessions, and that just let us get out and just play Grizzlies basketball on offense.”

The Grizzlies put up 47 points in the third period, the team’s highest point total in any quarter this season. 

Eight players scored in double figures, including five from the bench unit. The reserves scored a season-high 80 bench points.

Ja Morant recorded his seventh  career triple-double (3rd of the season) with 25 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. He became the first player in the organization’s history to record a triple-double before the start of the fourth quarter.

“We’re playing some of our best basketball right now,” Morant said. “When teams face us, they have to be ready to come out and play. I feel like that’s the message we are sending to the league. Also, showing that we have multiple guys that go out there and score that ball is even better. You go to your scout and you have to name everybody on the list.

“We have a lot of guys playing with extreme confidence. I feel like everybody is in a rhythm. Me and [Desmond Bane] have been talking game-after-game on this homestretch that we felt like we’re about to get on our stride. We had last year, a couple of times, where we won 10 straight. As you can see, we’re flowing and playing pretty good right now. We just can’t let it get away from us. We’ve got to keep our hunger, but also continue to be humble and go out and know every game means something to us.”

Dillon Brooks scored 18 points and Tyus Jones chipped in 16. David Roddy scored 15 points, a career-high, and Santi Aldama added 14.

“Help my teammates, be in the shifts, just playing physical,” Brooks said of his defensive performance. [Khris Middleton] doesn’t like being physical. He caught me on one of those moves to get a foul call. I still wanted to put physicality on him, because I know he can change the game and just my willingness to be disciplined, contest shots, and make everything difficult for him.”

Brooks wanted to hold Middleton scoreless. He said, “Yeah, I wanted to. I honestly thought he already made a layup beforehand, until he hit that three, I looked up and he had three points. That’s just my competitive nature; if I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it all the way.”

Brooks concluded, “Just try to continue to be that defensive presence every single night out, regardless of who I’m guarding — and work on my discipline without fouling. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job this year of not fouling, being able to contest, fight through screens, and get back in front. Put less pressure on my bigs at the rim.”

Brooks believes he should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. He said, “One-hundred percent. I don’t get the steals or the big-time blocks, but I’m going to give fits to whoever I got that night. Whoever’s the ball handler or whatnot, or whoever’s going to be featured in that game with the offense. I’ve been doing it for four or five years now, guarding the best players, and I’m only getting better at it. So, for me to be in the recognition now, it’s only going to be more and more in the years (to) come.”

Meanwhile Brandon Clarke was perfect from the floor, going 6-6 with 12 points. Ziare Williams had his best game of the season with 11 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Steven Adams put up 10 points, 6 rebounds, and a game-high five blocks. 

The Wave

The game got out of hand so bad the crowd and the Grizzlies bench participated in the Wave and Morant was excited about it.

“I’m a big fan of the wave,” the All-star guard said. “I felt like, early on, we all peeped that everybody wasn’t engaged. Once we did it that first time, they were like, ‘They did it!’ and then it went crazy.” 

Morant continued, “I felt like obviously we deserved it, with how we played tonight. The fans have been here the whole time, rooting us on and helping us win games every time we needed them. A lot of credit goes to them. I know that’s a great feeling, for the players to actually be involved in the wave. I know they won’t forget it and it’ll make them respect us even more, love us even more, to start that.”

Morant Responds to Memphian of the Year honor

“Big time, that’s who we represent. That’s what’s across our chest when we’re out there on the floor. Being able to represent Memphis and win that award is an honor for us, and we’re going to continue to do whatever we can to represent the city in a good way and give back and show love to the city as well.”

Up Next

Grizzlies head to Oklahoma City to battle the Thunder on Saturday night. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Extend Win Streak Against Pistons, 113-103

Jaren Jackson, Jr. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak to five games with a 114-103 victory over the Detroit Pistons at FedExForum on a foggy Friday night in the Bluff City. The Grizzlies are now 11-2 at home and have a 17-9 overall record.

Jaren Jackson, Jr. had 20 points to lead the Grizzlies and also added five boards, four blocks, and two steals on 8-12 shooting from the field and 3 of 5 from deep. 

The defensive specialist has recorded four or more blocks in half of his 10 appearances this year. Jackson is averaging 3.2 blocks per game on the season. The 23-year-old also reached 400 career blocks.

Even though Jackson is playing great on both ends of the floor early in the season, he said, hopefully, it’s not his best, so the team can continue improving. 

Jackson has been taking advantage of mismatches, scoring inside, and getting to the foul line more this season. “I’m definitely using my size better and working on getting extra dribbles, not just lunging out there — and getting to the free throw line more,” said Jackson. “I’m emphasizing all that stuff.”

He attributes his increased rate of blocks to his availability on the court. “I’m staying on the floor,” he explained. “I’m able to be out there longer. When you’re out there longer, you can do more things. I’m just staying on the floor better.”

Taylor Jenkins had plenty to say about the improvements he wanted for Jackson after last season. “Obviously, he didn’t have the benefit of being able to work much this offseason, but just continue to challenge him, to build off of what you’ve done the summer before,” Jenkins said. “Defensive activity, versatility, obviously he’s so gifted with what he can do to protect the rim. Continue to challenge him to rebound — four defensive rebounds tonight.”

Jenkins continued: “Offensively, continue to be a playmaker and challenge him to continue to move the ball. A lot of the offense runs through our guards, so trying to find those spots and just really do a good job, being a presence in the post, getting good finishes — a playmaker out there if they double team him, and teams are going to start switching more. We’ve got to be able to punish them with him on the inside.”

“Jaren [Jackson Jr.] helps with everybody; he makes everyone’s job easier when he’s back there protecting the rim,” said Tyus Jones after the win. “It definitely allows us to kind of pressure the ball a little bit more and have that confidence knowing that they really don’t even want to try to get all the way to the rim with him back there. He definitely makes our job easier.”

“Jaren is a huge part of our defense and our offense,” said big man Brandon Clarke. “Really, he is a great anchor for us [defensively]. He can do everything on the other end too, offensively. He can shoot it, he can finish in the post, and I feel like we all have really good chemistry with him too. So, it just makes playing these games much easier.”

Clarke finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and two assists while going 7-of-8 from the floor. 

Ja Morant secured his eighth double-double of the season with 15 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, and a game-high three steals. 

Morant has recorded 10 or more assists in seven games this season. 

Dillon Brooks added 16 points and four assists. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies will look to extend the winning streak to six games on Monday night at FedExForum against the Atlanta Hawks. Tip-off: 7pm CT.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports Uncategorized

Grizzlies Throttle Pelicans, 132-111

Dillon Brooks over Jonas Valanciunas (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

For Ja Morant, it was his first head-to-head win over his former AAU teammate and fellow South Carolinian Zion Williamson, as the Grizzlies cruised past the Pelicans 132-111 at FedexForum Friday night.

The 23-year-old was excited about being on the floor with Williamson. “It’s exciting man, two guys from South Carolina — where most don’t make it out — and live out their dream, playing basketball at the highest level. We’re able to provide, not only for ourselves, but for our families.”

Morant went on to say, “It’s big time. I know we both enjoy it, and being out there on the court together is even better. He’s a special talent, obviously. We’re not used to playing against each other; it’s still good, always room for praying he has a very healthy career, being able to showcase his talent at the highest level, being 100 percent.”

Morant finished with his fourth double-double of the season by tallying 23 points and 11 assists. 

Was it the most complete game of the season for Memphis? Grizzlies head Taylor Jenkins thought so. “It’s definitely up there – super proud of the group,” Jenkins said after the game. “The Pelicans are always a tough matchup for us.”

Yes, the Pelicans have been a tough matchup, particularly when Williamson is available. Memphis is now 1-5 against New Orleans when Williamson is on the floor. 

Jenkins added, “I thought our first quarter defensive activity, the ball movement, the pace we were playing with … Ja set a tone, Dillon [Brooks] set a tone, Steven [Adams] set a tone. Those guys were great on both sides.” 

“I thought our defensive activity was great,” Jenkins concluded. “We held them to 48 points in the first half, knowing that they were going to come out and make a run. We just exploded more in the third quarter. Definitely a really solid win by our group. A lot of guys contributed tonight on both ends.”

That would include Brooks, who had a spectacular night, particularly defending Williamson, who only scored 14 points in 30 minutes of play. Brooks harassed Williamson and had him out of sync most of the game. 

“That plays more into my defense and physicality – trying to meet him before the rim,” said Brooks about guarding Williamson. “He finds ways to jump over you, get by you. And I just try to keep him to his right hand mostly … make him finish with his right hand. That’s the matchup.”

Brooks led all scorers with 25 points, going 8-of-15 from the field. He also had four assists.

After being listed as questionable due to a non-Covid illness, Adams was available, made his presence known early, and nabbed his sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. 

Jaren Jackson, Jr. was in foul trouble early, but it didn’t stop him from having a productive game. He finished with 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting and three blocks. 

Jenkins was pleased with Jackson’s play: “[It’s] more about JJ just doing what he’s great at. Being super active, drives, pick-and-rolls, post-up situations. Just unleashing him to protect our paint with that activity.”

 “I thought he did a great job,” Jenkins continued. “Three blocks tonight, but [he] altered a lot with the emphasis of them trying to get to the paint. Whether it was with Zion [Williamson] or Jonas [Valanciunas] … I think he did a great job.”

Up Next

The Grizzlies head to Madison Square Garden to take on the Knicks, looking to take the season series 2-0. Tip-off: Sunday, November 27th at 5 p.m. CT. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Edge Spurs in 124-122 OT Win

Ja Morant moves up the court after a basket. (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

The years of the Spurs being the Grizzlies’ most feared matchup are in the rearview, with Wednesday night’s seventh consecutive victory over San Antonio.  

Let’s get into it.  

This game had lots going for it – Ja Morant and Desmond Bane each dropping 32 points, Steven Adams feasting on the boards with 19 rebounds, good production from the bench, free basketball, and the Grizzlies’ play-by-play crew ready to square up against the refs.  

Yes, my friends, Ja and Des did the heavy lifting on the offensive end, but the game MVP award goes to announcers Brevin Knight and Pete Pranica.  

In the final 20 seconds of the extra period, the clock never restarted once the Spurs gained possession, resulting in a San Antonio fastbreak and bucket on the other end, all with the game clock stopped. The mishap allowed the Spurs to cut a five-point lead to one point.  

How three officials didn’t notice that the clock had not in fact started is beyond me, but our fearless heroes Pete and Brevin were not ready to let this go quietly, resulting in a very heated exchange with the refs.  

Thankfully, the Grizzlies were still able to come away with the win. But turnovers were not Memphis’ friend in this matchup, with the Grizzlies committing 20 turnovers and giving up 18 points off those turnovers.  

By The Numbers:  

Ja Morant and Desmond Bane each had a game-high 32 points, with Morant putting up 5 rebounds and 5 assists and Bane with 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Their performance marks the first time in franchise history that two Grizzlies players had 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in the same game.

 

If you need a bucket, 12 will get you a bucket

Dillon Brooks scored 13 points, and had 5 rebounds and 3 assists while shooting 3 of 5 from three-point range. 

Tyus Jones finished the night with 11 points and 3 assists, also while shooting 3 of 5 from three-point range. Once again, Jones showed precisely why the Grizzlies were correct to pay him in the offseason.  

Steven Adams closed out with 7 points and NINETEEN rebounds. Adams is currently fourth in the league in total rebounds but leads the league in total offensive rebounds.  

Who Got Next?  

The Grizzlies return home to face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night. The team will be wearing their newly unveiled city edition uniforms. Tip-off is at 8:30 pm CST 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports Uncategorized

No Place Like Home for the Grizz

Dillon Brooks scored 23 points on November 4, 2022 in a 130-99 win over the Charlotte Hornets. (Photo cred: Sharon Brown)

After a lengthy four-game road trip out west, it seemed like a lifetime had passed since the Memphis Grizzlies last played at the FedExForum.

Memphis went 2-2 on the road trip. 

The Grizzlies put on a dominant display before 17,187 delighted fans as they defeated the Charlotte Hornets 130-99, Friday night, proving that there is no place like home. 

Memphis maintained its perfect home record (3-0), marking its best start at home since going 5-0 in 2018–19.

On the night, eight Grizzlies reached double figures, including an efficient Dillon Brooks, who had his best game of the season.

“Staying the course, not overreacting,” said Brooks on his performance this season. Just playing through Ja [Morant] and playing through Des (Bane). Just finding my spots, and then just trying to work out every day. Just work on my shot. That’s really it.”

In true “Dillon the Villain” fashion, he said negative comments about his contributions to the team inspire him. Brooks has been criticized for his shot selection and offensive decision-making.  

He said, “I just use it as motivation. They love you when you’re hot, and then when you’re not, they don’t love you. Even your own fans. So, you know, it’s me, it’s me and my family, me and my guys,” continued Brooks. “They believe in me, and they tell me every day to keep playing our game, keep working on your game, and I continuously do it. I play for me and my guys, so it doesn’t matter what other people have to say.”

Brooks finished the contest with 23 points, making 8 of 12 field goal attempts and nailing 6 of 7 three-point attempts, tying his previous career high. Brooks added four assists on the night. 

“Definitely his best game of the season so far,” said head coach Taylor Jenkins after the game. “He’s been working so hard to get back into his rhythm, the effort he’s playing with. One of his best games in my time here, just the efficiency on offense.”

Jenkins added, “I talked to him before the game. I said, ‘The tone that you’re setting defensively the last couple of games has been phenomenal, especially in the last game in Portland. Keep playing with that tenacity, and then I just love the decision making you’ve been showing.’”

“He’s been putting a lot of work, balance on his shot, playmaking, getting downhill, finishing at the rim,” Jenkins continued 

“You get two-way performances like that, that’s why he’s a heck of a player and an important player for us.”

Steven Adams grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds in the 130-99 win over the Hornets. (Photo cred: Sharon Brown)

Steven Adams finished the game with his third double-double of the year, a season-high 19 rebounds, including 11 offensive rebounds, 13 points, two steals, and two blocks in just 22 minutes of action.

Adams set a franchise record and a career high for rebounds before halftime with 16 rebounds in the first half (as opposed to 17 for Charlotte as a team).

After the game, Adams admitted he’s more comfortable with the team this season. “There’s just something … understanding the system more,” Adams said. “And especially with the guards, how they play the pick-and-roll and the late reads. There’s more of a comfort with that aspect of it. Last year, I was either helping too early or too late, and I think now I’m starting to get a better feel for when to go.”

“Knowing the guys a bit more and what they want to do,” Adams continued. “It’s also a new year. It’s kind of hard not to compare it to last year because you assume that the refs are the same and teams are emphasizing something on defense, but that’s not the case.”

Adams added, “They emphasize different things and especially against us, they’ll change the scout completely. And there’s a lot of that going on too, strategically. I have to be an option in terms of being available offensively or being aggressive to punish them when they try and make an adjustment to deal with [Desmond Bane] and Ja [Morant].”

Highlights

And Brooks’ daughter had her own highlight.

Up Next 

The Grizzlies will take on the Washington Wizards on Sunday (5pm) and the Boston Celtics on Monday (8pm). 

Brooks said he is already thinking about how he will guard Bradley Beal on Sunday.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Do or Die: The Grizzlies Must Win in San Francisco

Growl Towels: Ain't Ducking No Smoke from Game 5 - Warriors at Grizzlies (Credit: Sharon Brown)

Wednesday night’s 134-95 victory over the Golden State Warriors demonstrated the Grizzlies’ “next-man up” mentality in face of elimination. 

Ja Morant is doubtful throughout the remainder of the playoffs with a right knee bone bruise. 

“I mean, this is definitely impressive, but to use our player’s phrase, we deep,” said Taylor Jenkins on winning without Morant. “I mean, we’re deep. It’s as simple as that. I think we say that, not arrogantly. We say that confidently because anybody that steps out on the floor can make an impact for us.”

Jenkins added, “A lot of different guys stepped up. It’s really impressive, no matter who’s out. Ja’s out, anyone else goes out, our guys rally and compete, and tonight was a big win for us.”

“Next man up mentality,” said Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks about playing without Morant. “We know how to respond. … We know how to play with each other better than any team in the NBA. We continuously find ways to keep up in our play. So, it’s just a fun style to play and it starts with the defensive end. Everyone bought in on the defensive end. Guarding, trying to get deflections, rebounding, and it builds into our offense.”

“It almost seems like whenever somebody thinks we can’t do something,” said Desmond Bane after the massive win, “we end up doing it. I never want to put a limit on what we can do, because anything’s possible.”

Tonight the Grizzlies will face the Warriors in San Francisco for Game 6 and will be a must-win to avoid elimination. Here are some things Memphis should do to force Game 7 in Memphis: 

Go big again

With Steven Adams back in the starting lineup, the Grizzlies dominated the offensive glass and outrebounded the Warriors for the first time during the series. Rebounding helped the team finish the regular season with the second-best record in the league. 

Memphis’ +18 rebounding advantage (55-37) in Game 5 swung the game in their favor. As a result, they had a 24-5 advantage in second-chance points. 

Prior to the last game, the Warriors have been winning the rebounding battle. Adams is a key factor for the Grizzlies both offensively and defensively.

“Steve-O [Steven Adams] will find a way to feed them in the paint,” said Brooks. “Same with Jaren, and once we get able to establish the paint, it’s easy for us to make threes. We relentlessly crash the boards. Relentlessly played off the catch and drag their close-outs.” 

“Then, ultimately, it opens up the three, so we have a complete game tonight,” continued Brooks. “It lets me know we’ve got to bring that on the road and keep that same effort and energy on the defensive.”

Make JJJ the focal point on offense

In Game 5, Jenkins made it a point to go to Jaren Jackson Jr. early and often. He finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. JJJ converted on 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. 

He’s been hearing a lot lately about how he needs to be more aggressive.

After the blowout win against the Warriors, Jackson told reporters, “Be aggressive. Take what they give me. Depending on who’s guarding me, probably depends on what I’m going to do. I mean, they want me to be aggressive, so I’m just doing me.”

Tyus Jones said, “It makes my job easy. I tell Jaren every night, dominate. That should be his mindset.”

Jenkins said after Wednesday’s game, “I want to get him going early in the game because I knew he was going to be a big factor early in the game, late in the game. He’s going to be a big factor for the rest of the series.”

“He’s the key,” Brooks told reporters after Game 5. “They got no one to guard him. No one to stop him. He needs to keep demanding the ball. The Warriors are going to have to adjust and double team him soon, and he’s going to have to learn how to pass the ball out to get his teammates shots, and that’s what he needs to do.”

Brooks added, “I try to tell him to stay aggressive, and you’re a walking mismatch out there for every single player that guards you. So just keep attacking.”

Jackson also needs to stay out of foul trouble. 

Everybody eats

Jones and Bane must replicate their performances from Wednesday. 

Jones ended the game with 21 points, nine assists, two steals, and zero turnovers plus he shot 4 of 7 from the three point line. Game 6 has to be the best game of his career as a scorer, passer and playmaker. He has run a consistent offense to avoid getting stagnant like it did late in Game 4. 

“We’re hungry — we’re fighting,” Jones said. “We’re fighting because our season is on the line at this point. And so, you know, we’re just fighting. We’re going to need these guys every single night from here on out. Simple as that. They stepped up. They showed up for us. We’re going to need that again Friday.”

Bane finished with 21 points like both Jackson and Jones. He connected with 4 of 6 three point shots. The Grizzlies need him to shoot lights out like he did in the first round series against the Timberwolves. 

The bench squad has to show up and show out. Last game Memphis bench outscored the Warriors reserves 52-35. Brandon Clarke and company must produce in order to extend the series. 

Will these young Grizzlies continue to do the impossible? Will they upset the Warriors and advance to the Western Conference Finals?

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Advance to Semifinals to Face Warriors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resiliency

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Breakout Game for JJJ 

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

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

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

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

Brandon Clarke Delivers Again 

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

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

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

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

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

Next Up

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

Schedule – All times are central. 

Game 1

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

Game 2

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

Game 3

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

Game 4

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

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

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

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

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Playoff Preview: Timberwolves vs. Grizzlies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dillon Brooks (Photo cred: Grizzlies Twitter)

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

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

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

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

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

SB: Grizzlies in 5 or 6.

AS: Grizzlies in 5. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Records are meant to be broken

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports Uncategorized

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

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

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

No Ja Morant ☑

No Jaren Jackson Jr. ☑

No Desmond Bane ☑

No Steven Adams ☑

No Tyus Jones ☑

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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