Jaren Jackson Jr. goes up for a shot against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 2, 2025 (Photo: Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies moved to 33-16 with a 132-119 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on Sunday, securing their seventh win in eight games and a 2-0 season series sweep.
Memphis dominated the boards, outrebounding Milwaukee 61-36, with a 22-8 edge in offensive rebounds. The Grizzlies also held a significant advantage in the paint, outscoring the Bucks 66-36.
Memphis seized control of the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bucks 39-20. During this decisive period, the Grizzlies made 15 of their 27 shot attempts.
All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Memphis Grizzlies with 37 points, including 16 in the final period. This performance showcased his ability as one of the league’s top fourth-quarter scorers, where he ranks ninth with an average of seven points per game.
Jackson Jr. had a solid shooting performance, making 12 of his 26 field goal attempts and seven of his 13 three-pointers.
In the absence of star guard Ja Morant due to injury, the Grizzlies received significant contributions from others as Santi Aldama scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench. Desmond Bane also had a strong outing, posting 22 points and nine rebounds while shooting 9-15 from the field.
Zach Edey nabbed his sixth career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes of play. Off the bench Scotty Pippen Jr. had nine points, 10 assists — eight of which came in the final frame
Although GG Jackson II didn’t have a good shooting night, he did have a highlight block against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Jackson II chipped in five points and eight rebounds.
The Grizzlies are back at FedExForum tonight, February 3rd, to take on the San Antonio Spurs at 7 p.m. CT. Memphis has a 2-0 edge in the season series.
Jaren Jackson Jr. goes up for a shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, January 20, 2025 during the 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Game. (Photo by: Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images)
Déjà vu struck as the Memphis Grizzlies overcame a late deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-106 at FedExForum during the 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Game on Monday.
It was the Grizzlies’ second comeback win over Minnesota in under two weeks in almost the same eerie fashion. The Timberwolves built a sizable lead, topping out at 16 points in the first half, and held a 95-86 edge midway through the fourth quarter.
However, the Grizzlies rallied with a decisive 11-0 run, taking a 106-100 lead with 2:20 remaining, and withstanding a last-ditch three-point effort to win. The comeback win improved Memphis’ home record to 16-5. The Grizzlies outscored Minnesota 37-30 in the final period.
Following the game, Grizzlies head coach Jenkins offered his assessment: “We finally got our legs, mind, or whatever it was. The last couple of games have been a tale of two halves. Both teams were struggling in the first quarter. It was a low-scoring affair. We found our groove in the third quarter.”
The Three-headed Monster
Jaren Jackson Jr. picked up three fouls in the first half that limited his first half minutes. He was one of the first players out of the locker room at halftime getting up shots.
The 25-year-old big man notched his fourth double-double of the season, leading the team with 24 points and 11 rebounds. He caught fire in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points to match his season high for points in the final period. Jackson Jr. made a significant impact on the game’s outcome, finishing with a +24 in 32 minutes.
After the game, Jackson Jr. reflected on the different closers the team has relied on as of late, saying, “I feel like with us being in control or having a ball or being spots we want … when we’re in those situations, I like all of our options.”
It is usually call 12, but on Monday they dialed 13 and 22 (Desmond Bane).
Jackson Jr. said he’s on the same network as Ja Morant. He credited his clutch fourth-quarter performance to finding his shooting rhythm, saying the shots felt great. It was a notable turnaround from a tough start to the game.
The Michigan State alum said that late-game situations are what the NBA is all about, especially at this point in the season. He noted that many teams tire and lose focus, but the Grizzlies were aware of this and made a conscious effort to bring extra energy to mount a comeback, as Memphis improved to 28-15 on the season.
The former Defensive Player of the Year has been one of the best isolation players in the league this season. He said he spent the summer working on iso situations, training with live defenders instead of cones or pads. He believes this approach helps him better understand how defenders will react to his moves.
Jackson Jr. is solidifying his position as one of the Western Conference’s most reliable big men. Since the start of January, Jackson Jr. has consistently delivered impressive numbers, averaging 24.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game.
According to the Grizzlies, the All-Star candidate ranks 10th in the NBA in Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM) and is one of four NBA players (min. 30 games played) to rank in the 92nd percentile or higher in both Offensive EPM and Defensive EPM (along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Domantas Sabonis, Victor Wembanyama).
Desmond Bane continued his hot streak, scoring 22 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists, marking his fifth straight game with 20+ points. He has averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game in that span.
Morant contributed 19 points and dished out seven assists. He attributed the win to improved defense in the second half, which sparked their momentum. He also credited Jackson Jr. and Bane for closing out the game strong.
Morant believes Jackson Jr. is a clear-cut All-Star, stating “there’s no question” about his deserving the honor. Morant thinks Jackson’s consistent performance at an “All-NBA level” warrants recognition, particularly given his durability and nightly contributions on both ends of the court.
Tidbits
GG Jackson made his NBA season debut after foot surgery, contributing four points on 2-of-5 shooting, and one rebound, in 11 minutes of playtime.
Jackson, selected 45th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, had a notable rookie season. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 25.7 minutes per game, while shooting 42.8% from the field, 35.7% from 3-point range, and 75.2% from the free throw line. Jackson achieved these impressive stats as the youngest player in the league.
Up Next
The Grizzlies are gearing up to host the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum on Wednesday, January 22, at 7 p.m. CT. The matchup marks the second game of Memphis’ four-game home stand. Both teams are currently on a three-game winning streak.
Ja Morant (12) and Yuki Kawamura dance at the Memphis Grizzlies open practice on October 6th at FedExForum. (Photos: Wes Hale)
Injuries and frustrations plagued the Memphis Grizzlies for most of the 2023–2024 season, beginning with standout point guard Ja Morant’s 25-game ban. Even after making a triumphant return, Morant was sidelined with a season-ending shoulder surgery that limited him to playing just nine games.
Coming off two seasons when they were near the top of the Western Conference, this young club was humbled and finished near the bottom of the standings.
By the time the regular season ended, Memphis had most of its roster on the injured list. They took on a record number of 10-day contracts to have the minimally allowed number of available players and relied heavily on the players on two-way contracts. No team in NBA history has employed more players and starting lineups than the Grizzlies last season.
The departure of Steven Adams to the Houston Rockets and the minimal playing time that backup Brandon Clarke had in the previous season after undergoing Achilles tendon surgery left the Grizzlies in dire need of a competent big man heading into the offseason.
With the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Grizzlies acquired 7’4” Purdue center Zach Edey, who addressed a gap in the team’s roster. The remainder of the league is in for some terrifying hours if Edey’s preseason dominance continues into the regular season and beyond.
Along with Edey, the Grizzlies selected small forward Jaylen Wells with the 39th pick in the draft. As the lone Grizzlies player to reach double digits in five preseason games, Wells was a shining example of the team’s potential on both ends of the floor.
After Derrick Rose asked to be waived and subsequently retired from the league, another roster spot became available. As a result, Scotty Pippen Jr.’s two-way contract was converted to a standard multi-year deal while Yuki Kawamura went from having an Exhibit 10 contract to having a two-way offer.
Scotty Pippen Jr. shoots the ball during warm-ups before the preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum on October 10th.
New Beginnings
Will both atonement and vengeance drive the Grizzlies’ efforts this year?
The Grizzlies will be considered underdogs to begin the season due to recency bias in the national media’s expected rankings. That being said, it’s for the best because that’s where this squad excels.
“We know who we are; we know what we’re capable of. It’s just about going out there and doing it now,” Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane said during media day.
The previous two seasons prove that Memphis can inflict havoc at the top of the Western Conference when healthy, so fans should see last season’s dismal record as more of an outlier than anything else. They have the ability to get back on track in the standings. It may not be returning to the second seed, but it definitely will be an improvement over the previous position in last year’s campaign.
With former Defensive Players of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marcus Smart plus defensive menace Vince Williams Jr., this organization has a strong defensive foundation. Memphis was 12th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, despite their entire season being a train wreck.
Solid role players, including three-point shooters and young, adaptable talent, complement the club’s depth that is already strong thanks to Bane, Jackson Jr., and its spark Morant.
Forward GG Jackson II, who made a meteoric rise to prominence last season at the tender age of 19, is someone the Grizzlies are keeping their fingers crossed for. He was the game-changer in a doomed season and earned himself a standard contract. With 6’9”, highly athletic Jackson II on the court, it provides the team dynamic options, particularly in half-court sets. Last season, fans didn’t get to witness Jackson II and Morant develop a connection on the court.
Since Jackson II is still healing from foot surgery, we should expect to see him start the season sometime in December, so we will need to exercise patience till we witness his and Morant’s synergy.
The Grizzlies need to get back to their brand of basketball. When Memphis was the Western Conference runner-up in 2021–22 and 2022–23, they averaged more points in the paint than any other team in the league. They had the worst point differential and placed 13th in the Western Conference a season ago.
The squad now is looking to boast a more dynamic offensive game thanks to Taylor Jenkins and his reorganized coaching staff. Last year, Memphis’ offensive rating was the worst in the league.
Edey and Morant’s pick-and-rolls will feed families this season. Edey’s fit into the starting center position will allow Jackson Jr. to play at the four, where he excels.
Making a deep run in the playoffs is within reach if Memphis can avoid significant injuries this upcoming season.
12 Is Back
Given that the NBA is known as a “what have you done for me lately” league, some may have forgotten about Morant’s presence on the court.
“A happy Ja is a scary Ja,” according to Morant, who made the bold proclamation during last month’s media day.
Morant showed flashes of his dominance in the last preseason game this past Friday. In 25 minutes of play, Morant ended with 17 points and six assists in the preseason finale. He called his performance light and implied a secret weapon will be seen in the season opener in Utah.
The South Carolina native was thrilled to return to FedExForum after injury, citing fans as his driving force and motivation to perform. It was his first time playing before the home crowd since January 3, 2024.
In 2022–23, his last complete season (61 games), he played 31.9 minutes per game and averaged 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.
He understands that his availability is crucial to the Grizzlies’ success, so he’s been making an effort to avoid injuries and off-the-court issues like those that nearly derailed his career.
The two-time All-Star is still one of the league’s most exciting players, and he will make sure the league remembers who he is.
GG Jackson #45 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbles the ball up the court during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at FedExForum on April 14, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
In the last game of the season at FedExForum, the Denver Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 126-111.
The Nuggets held the Grizzlies to just two points through the first five minutes of the third period and broke the game open to take a 19-point lead going into the final frame.
No one expected the Grizzlies to wen the game with 13 injured players and Denver starting some future Hall of Famers. The Nuggets swept the season series, 4-0.
Denver finished the regular season with a 57-25 record and clinched the No. 2 seed in the NBA Playoffs. The Grizzlies were 27-55 overall and 9-32 at home.
The Grizzlies set NBA season records by using 33 different players and 51 different starting lineups.
GG Jackson II led the Grizzlies with a career-high 44 points and 12 rebounds to secure his second double-double of the season. At 19 years old, Jackson II became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 44 points in a game. The rookie’s performance was a welcome relief from a season plagued by injuries.
“I think what he’s been doing on the court is an absolute reflection of what he’s been doing off the court,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on the rookie’s development. “GG has been unbelievable since day one when he came in as a wide-eyed rookie, which he still is — a wide-eyed rookie. But coming in, trying to figure out his routine, what are the habits he’s got to develop to be a consistent pro. I think his work ethic has been phenomenal every single day. I’ve said it all throughout the season, how he learns within the game, tries to not repeat the same mistake. He’s got this care factor.”
“There will be times where I don’t have to be ball-dominant, and I can just knock down shots and stuff,” Jackson, II said. “Then, there’s other times when I catch fire that I can still affect the game defensively. This is going to be huge for me to serve. We’ve been working on a lot, and I started to notice, but it took the last game for me to notice. All of our lifts are lower body based, and, in my mind, I was like, ‘They’re trying to build the foundation before they build on top.’”
“I’m really comfortable in a sense, with Coach [Jenkins] trusting me and my teammates having my back,” said the South Carolina native. “There will be times where I’m frustrated and I’m like, ‘You should’ve hit me on that one.’ And I come to the bench, and I don’t want to be that guy. I got a bad rap for doing that in college. Even in high school, someone told me they didn’t like me because I had that kind of attitude and stuff. So, that was huge for me to keep that toned down. That behavior doesn’t really lead to a great performance.”
Jake LaRavia added 29 points, five rebounds, and four assists in his third straight game with 25+ points. LaRavia has averaged 29.7 points per game over the last three games, including a career-high 32 points April 10 at Cleveland.
“That was my biggest goal coming back from All-Star break, after I had that little ankle injury, just playing through whatever I had, trying to play as many games as I could, trying to stay healthy,”LaRavia on his play after injury.
“I think I did a really good job of that. I ended up missing those two games, but I think for the most part, I did a good job of staying healthy and playing through. … When you talked about confidence, I think I’m a very confident player, regardless. It might be showing more because I’m in a higher role right now, but this was my goal, to get as much momentum as I could going into next season.”
Strictly for the fans
Jenkins’ closing message to the fans:
“I also just wanted to shout out our fans. They’ve been phenomenal. I know this was probably a difficult season, but the love our fans have for us, I could feel it all season long. I could feel it the last couple days. We’re going to miss them tremendously over the next couple of months. There’s nothing like coming here to work and compete at the FedExForum with our great fans. And hopefully, we’re going to put the work in behind the scenes to come out and set a great tone, come October 2024, for the next campaign. So, I want to just thank all of our fans, thank all of you all for your commitment throughout the season.”
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 27: Grizz, mascot of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on March 27, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
The Memphis Grizzlies played and lost their last away game of the season Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, where they were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers, 110-98. The Grizzlies dropped their third consecutive game and the Cavaliers ended a three-game losing streak.
The Grizzlies fell to 27-53 with two games remaining in the season, while Cleveland improved to 47-33, with postseason aspirations.
Memphis held a 51-48 advantage in the first half, then the Cavs woke up, outscoring the undermanned Grizzlies 30-16 in the third quarter to go up 78-67 entering the fourth.
With only eight players dressed, there were only three players available for the Grizzlies off the bench. They were outscored 29-6 by the Cavs reserves.
Memphis finished 18-23 on the road, slightly better than last season’s 16-25. By comparison, the team has a record of 9-30 at FedExForum, with two games remaining. Last season the franchise had one of the best home records in the association at 35-6.
The Grizzlies were paced by forward Jake LaRavia, who scored a career-high 32 points, with 21 of those coming in a blazing first half.
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) April 11, 2024
LaRavia went 8-11 from the three-point line, while grabbing seven rebounds, adding two steals and a block.
Rookie sensation GG Jackson II finished with 22 points, two rebounds and two assists. For the season, Jackson II is averaging 13.6 points and four rebounds.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 18 points on 46.7 percent shooting, with six assists and four rebounds.
Former Cavalier Lamar Stevens ended with 16 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots. The Grizzlies picked up Stevens in a deal that sent Xavier Tillman, Sr. to Boston before the trade deadline.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will host the Los Angeles Lakers, who are still hunting for postseason position, on Friday night, April 12th at 7pm CT.
Maozinha Pereira drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, April 5, 2024 at FedExForum (Photo by: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
At FedExForum on Friday night, the Memphis Grizzlies (27-50) dominated in a 108-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons (13-64). The Grizzlies won the season series 3-0.
Memphis is now on a three-game winning streak. That hasn’t happened since January 22–26.
There were a whopping 12 players for Memphis on the injury list, leaving only eight who could play. Only three of those players available were on standard contracts; the other five were either on two-way deals or 10-day contracts.
Scotty Pippen Jr., Jordan Goodwin, GG Jackson II, Jake LaRavia, and Trey Jemison got the start for Memphis. Lamar Stevens, Maozinha Pereira, and Zavier Simpson came off the bench.
Seven of the eight Grizzlies players available scored in double digits, including all five starters. The last time all five starters scored in double figures was October 27, 2023.
“Just their effort overall — I thought the ball was moving really well,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on what impressed him about the game. “The conversations throughout the game. … The guys were like, ‘Keep sharing it, keep running, keep finding the open teammate, keep touching the paint’. Some of those made buckets were unassisted because we were able to get right downhill and finish at the rim.”
Jenkins continued, “So, I thought the ball movement set that up. Defensive effort. We knew the paint was a big priority tonight. Transition defense was a big priority. We did a great job limiting to under 40 points in the paint against a team like this that thrives on getting downhill. I thought our on-ball defense was good; our guards. Jaden [Ivey] had a heck of a game scoring and shooting the three. Limiting their paint points and second-chance points was a big factor. Our guys came up with a good effort there.”
For Memphis, Jemison and Pereira tied for leading scorer with 17 points apiece. Jemison recorded the first double-double of his career with 13 rebounds, a career high. Coming off the bench, Pereira not only scored a career-high in points but also grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.
.@TallT_23 with that double-double😤 17 points + 13 boards
he is your player of the game presented by @IntlPaperCo
“I’m just glad I had the opportunity to be here for 10 days, and now 20 days,” Pereira said after the game. “I’m building the trust of my coach, and the assistant coaches. My teammates believe in me and have given me confidence. It was very easy to show what I’ve got because of them. I blame it all on them.”
He compared his time with the Lakers to now with the Grizzlies: “It’s been way different. Last year, I pretty much spent my whole time in the G League, except garbage time in games I played. It’s kind of like my rookie year. It’s my first-time getting NBA minutes. I would say it’s night and day, being over here.”
“I would say just the speed of the game (is) slowing down for me,” said Pippen on his personal growth. I’m still trying to get comfortable. Like I said, it’s my rookie year, so I’m still making reads and stuff like that but trying to adjust to the whole game and get a feel for it.”
To close it out, GG Jackson II and Lamar Stevens each added 15 points. Goodwin chipped in 14 points, six assists, and six rebounds while LaRavia ended with 12 points and five rebounds.
Although Simpson didn’t score in double digits, his presence on the floor helped Memphis in ways that went beyond the box score.
Up Next
On the second night of back-to-back games, the Grizzlies will host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 6th. Following the game, there will be a ceremony to retire Marc Gasol’s number 33 jersey. Bally Sports Southeast will air the game as well as the jersey retirement ceremony. Gasol played 11 seasons with the Grizzlies (2008-19) and helped guide the franchise to seven straight playoff appearances, including the franchise’s first postseason victory in 2011 (as a No. 8 seed against the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs and a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2013. He was a three-time All-Star, was named the 2012-13 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and selected to the 2014-15 All-NBA First Team.
Jaren Jackson Jr. dribbles the ball against Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Grizzlies faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
On the road in Milwaukee, the Grizzlies topped the Bucks, 111-101, Wednesday night. The Grizzlies have won five in a row over the Bucks, and they also swept the season series.
Milwaukee made 18 three-pointers, while the Grizzlies made just seven. That is generally not a recipe for a win. However, Memphis dominated in the paint, outscoring the Bucks 76-36 and shot 50.5% from the field.
It was the JJJ show in Milwaukee. Jaren Jackson Jr. was by far the best player on the floor Wednesday night. In the final minute of the game, Jackson Jr. gave Memphis a 10-point advantage with a baseline fadeaway 3-pointer over two defenders.
Jackson Jr. scored a game-high 35 points on 14-for-26 shooting, along with four assists and three steals.
“I was taking what the defense gives me,” the 24-year-old said after the game. “I’ve been working on my game a lot and I was glad to get the opportunity to get out there and show it a little bit.”
Rookie GG Jackson II finished with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for his first career double-double.
Jackson II has been on fire ever since he was moved to the starting lineup, with respectable stats overall and 10 straight starts in which he scored 10 or more.
Brandon Clarke keeps impressing. in just his fourth game of the season as he makes his way back from an Achilles injury suffered in March 2023. He finished with 14 points off of 7-for-10 shooting, and added seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
“It means a lot; everybody here wants to win. We don’t really want to lose,” said Clarke about Memphis winning two in a row, after the struggles the team has faced. “I think it’s about pride, really. It’s about just finding ways to win for next year too; finding ways to get better even when you know it’s tough in the season.”
With 13 points, 12 boards, and seven assists, bench player Jordan Goodwin nearly recorded a triple-double. He has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in each of his last three games.
Lamar Steven shoots a jumper against the Denver Nuggets on March 25, 2024. (Photo by: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies finished off a four-game road trip with a 128-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets (51-21) at Ball Arena on Monday night.
Denver improved to 15-2 since the All-Star break and currently are in first place in the Western Conference and is one game ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies have lost five of their last six games to fall to 24-48 on the season.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins is 5-11 against Denver in his coaching career.
“Obviously, we’ve fallen quite a bit throughout this season, but the spirit of this group has been great,” Jenkins said. “I just lean into that. What are the opportunities for us as a coaching staff to get better and the players individually and collectively? The dialogue has been great on what we can build on for the rest of the season and going into next year.”
After sitting out six games due to a left adductor strain, Lamar Stevens returned to lead the team with 19 points as a reserve. In his 13 games with the Grizzlies since coming over from Boston, Stevens is averaging 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 17 points and four assists in his 6th start of the season. Pippen Jr. is shooting 51 percent from the field, 55 percent from beyond the and averaging 1.3 steals in 11 games with Memphis.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had 11 points, five assists, four rebounds, four blocks, and two steals.
The Grizzlies return to FedExForum to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday March 27, at 7 p.m. CT.
Jenkins said his team has to play better Wednesday and “it’s as simple as that.”
Injury news
Brandon Clarke continues to rehab an Achilles injury that has sidelined him since last March 3, 2023. Clarke was upgraded to doubtful on the injury report against Denver and prior to the contest Jenkins said he would likely return in the next game or two.
Jaren Jackson Jr. drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Photo by: Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 137-116, on Wednesday night. The Warriors won the season series against the Grizzlies 2-1. Golden State improved to 18-18 at home, snapping a three-game home losing streak.
With the score tied at 58 in the second quarter, the Warriors went on a 22-0 run for an 80-58 lead. Memphis lost its fourth-consecutive game, fell to 23-47 on the season, and has been officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Golden State is still fighting for postseason position, at 10th in the Western Conference, to be eligible for the Play-In Tournament.
The Jacksons and Aldama led the way for Memphis. GG Jackson II scored a career high 35 points, and added five rebounds and three assists. Jackson also converted on a career-high seven 3-pointers and became the youngest player in the NBA history (19 years, 94 days) to do so.
With six consecutive games in which he has scored 19 points or more, Jackson II is now enjoying his best scoring performances of the season. The South Carolina rookie has solidified his position as a starter for the remaining weeks of the regular season.
Warrior’s Chris Paul had good things to say about the 19-year-old after the game.
"Honestly, the most fulfilling thing about tonight was GG Jackson."
Chris Paul used to coach GG Jackson on his AAU team, and tonight they got the chance to go head-to-head 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JNxIfNiB1w
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 21, 2024
This marks the fifth game in nine games since the All-Star break that the 24-year-old center has scored 25 points or more. Jackson Jr. has now appeared in 60 games for the season, averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals.
The Warriors bench outscored the Memphis reserves, 63-20.
Golden State had 20 fast-break points while the Grizzlies only had 3.
The Warriors outscored Memphis 62-46 with points in the paint.
Golden State had a season-high 43 assists while the Grizzlies had 29.
The Warriors shot 58 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range and held Memphis to 43 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Up Next
The Grizzlies travel to San Antonio to take on the 15-54 Spurs on March 22 at 7 p.m. CT.
Mar 13, 2024 - Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) handles the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Vasilije Micic (22) guards during the first half at FedEx Forum. (Wes Hale Photo)
The Memphis Grizzlies (23-44) were defeated 110-98 by the Charlotte Hornets (17-49) at FedExForum on Wednesday night. Despite not having done so since the 2018–2019 season, the Hornets cruised to a 2-0 series victory.
For the game, Memphis extended their franchise record for most starting lineups in a season with 40 different lineups deployed.
There were stretches when the Grizzlies cut the lead to single digits, but Charlotte always had a counter.
In this game, turnovers were the deciding factor. In all, 41 turnovers were committed by both squads. The Hornets finished with 20 turnovers, while Memphis finished with 21. The Grizzlies scored 24 points off of turnovers, while Charlotte scored 31.
“We were flat to start,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on the team’s performance. “[The Hornets] definitely took advantage of that in the first half. Too many miscommunication breakdowns, transition, rotations, definitely pick-and-rolls. Not our best effort tonight.
“Obviously, we have a bunch of guys out there that have never really played together, so the chemistry is going to take some time,” said Jenkins on the costly turnovers.
“We tried to force the issue a little bit. We fumbled the ball at times. Guys trying to get some game reps as guys are in and out, but overall, I was still impressed that we were trying to move the ball. Our spacing was off. We didn’t really bounce the floor really well, so that made it tough to find those passes.”
With the Grizzlies, GG Jackson II is firmly establishing a long-term significant role. With Memphis battling a number of injuries, the 19-year-old got the nod to start for the third time in his career.
Jackson II led the Grizzlies with 26 points while connecting on six 3-pointers. The rookie is averaging 25 points in his last three games.
“With guys in the locker room like Des [Desmond Bane] — I talk to him a lot — he tells me when everybody’s out, much of the load may be on me to shoot those shots,” said Jackson II on his increased production with consistency.
“You just have to take everything day by day, watch film and study where you can get better at. Because I’ve been watching film, I feel like I’ve been passing a lot recently, and if I continue to do that, the sky’s the limit.”
Scotty Pippen Jr. was back in action after missing the Grizzlies’ previous 12 games with a lumbar disc bulge and joined the Grizzlies starting lineup and came through with a top-notch performance. Pippen Jr. had a near double double with nine points, 10 assists, two steals plus a highlight dunk.
His father, six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen, was in attendance to watch his performance and had an awesome reaction to the dunk.
Jenkins had complimentary things to say about Pippen Jr. after the game: “What we’ve learned from Scotty in his few weeks with us is just his ability to get to the paint, touch the paint, come off the pick-and-rolls, close out situations.”
“He had 10 assists and got a couple of turnovers,” Jenkins added. “It’s his first game in a long time playing, so he was just kind of finding his rhythm, but just him being able to get down, low center of gravity, get blows, defend and create advantages for us by touching the paint, and then his ability to distribute, I thought was really on point tonight. That’s what we love about him — his ability to kind of play that playmaking role. He’s got some scoring ability, of course, with the fact that he’s embracing that playmaker role is impressive.”
Injury Update
Grizzlies star guard Desmond Bane is a step closer to returning to action after spending the last two months out with an ankle sprain. Bane, Brandon Clarke (left Achilles tendon repair), and Yuta Wabanabe (right wrist sprain) were assigned to the G League’s Memphis Hustle for practice earlier on Wednesday.
Prior to the game, Jenkins said Bane is on course to return in the next game or two while Clarke will hopefully return later in the month.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will have two days off before returning to action on Saturday inside FedExForum to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7 p.m. CT.
