Tag: Grayson Allen

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Beyond the Arc Sports

The Memphis Grizzlies are Playoff Bound

Dillon Brooks hugs Ja Morant after he hit a go ahead bucket late in overtime. (Photo via Grizzlies Twitter)

The Memphis Grizzlies are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Marc Gasol won’t be present, Zach Randolph has officially retired, Tony Allen hasn’t played in a long time, and Mike Conley will be suiting up for Memphis’ first-round opponent, the Utah Jazz. A 21-year old second-year guard is the leader on this team, and he showed up in one of the biggest games of his young career. 

That’s right, Ja Morant put on a show and sealed the victory in OT of the NBA’s play-in elimination game against the Golden State Warriors, 117-112.

After defeating the Spurs on Wednesday, Morant said the team planned to pack for a three-game road trip having confidence his team would make the playoffs. Those were bold words and he backed it up in an emphatic way. 

Morant showed poise from the start, and the young star isn’t afraid to play against any team. He put on another breakout performance like he did in last season’s play-in tournament elimination game against the Portland Trailblazers. The Murray State alum finished with a team-high 35 points, six rebounds, six assists to go along with four steals in 45 minutes of play. Morant also connected on a career-high 5 of 10 from the three-point line. 

Morant and company heard the noise that most thought the team had absolutely no chance to upset the Warriors inside the Chase Center. The team proved the NBA world wrong again by eliminating both the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors in the second season of a team rebuild. 

Morant spoke to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols after the game.

The real Grizzlies bench showed up and showed out.

Earlier on Friday, I stated in a play-in preview, “Simply put, Memphis cannot and will not win this game if there’s not a good performance from its bench.” And the bench players came up huge after being outworked in the past two games against the Warriors last Sunday and the Spurs on Wednesday. 

The second unit had 40 points behind Grayson Allen, Xavier Tillman Sr., and Desmond Bane. With that performance, the Grizzlies bench proved why they were a top-10 bench in the league during the regular season. 

In 25 minutes, Allen finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and four steals plus some big three-point shots during the overtime period. Allen went 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. 

Tillman played 23 minutes and chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Tillman was huge for Memphis on both ends of the floor and was one of the reasons for the win. The rookie put on a great performance before a national audience after Jonas Valanciunas fouled out and Jaren Jackson Jr. was on the bench. 

Rookie Desmond Bane played the most minutes of the second unit at 29; he added 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists. When most of the bench was struggling, Bane had the trust of the coaching staff to be on the court with the starters. 

Analysis

This truly is a remarkable story for the Memphis Grizzlies to make the playoffs in the second year of a rebuild after defying all the odds and overachieving with the deck stacked against them. 

Memphis should be proud of this team’s resilience and poise. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies will take on Conley and the Utah Jazz in the first round of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in the NBA Playoffs. Here is the schedule: 

Note: All times are Central.

Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | Grizzlies at Jazz, 8:30 p.m on TNT

Game 2:  Wednesday, May 26 | Grizzlies at Jazz, 9 p.m on TNT

Game 3:  Saturday, May 29 | Jazz at Grizzlies, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN

Game 4:  Monday, May 31 | Jazz at Grizzlies, 8:30 p.m on TNT

Game 5:  Wednesday, June 2 | Grizzlies at Jazz, TBD (if necessary)

Game 6:  Friday, June 4 | Jazz at Grizzlies, TBD (if necessary)

Game 7:  Sunday, June 6 | Grizzlies at Jazz, TBD (if necessary)

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Run Out of Gas Against Nuggets in Double OT

Grayson Allen goes to the basket against the Nuggets. via Grizzlies Twitter

Double. Overtime. Also known as 10 minutes of free basketball in Denver that nobody asked for. The Nuggets were on top, 139-137,  when the final buzzer sounded. It was too little, too late from De’Anthony Melton, who sank a three at the buzzer. So, after leading by as many as 13 points, the Grizzlies dropped the third game of the current seven-game road trip by a measly two points. 

Melton returned from injury and demonstrated exactly why the Grizzlies gave him a multi-year contract over the summer. He missed eight games, came back, and torched the Nuggets with six of 10 from beyond the arc. Impressive, but ultimately not enough to push the Grizzlies to victory.  

There are good reasons why Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is the likely MVP, and they were on display. With Jonas Valančiūnas out due to concussion protocol, Xavier Tillman Sr. was left as the man-to-man matchup against Jokić. Which was less than ideal. Jokić had a game-high 47 points, including a clutch three-point basket near the end of the second overtime period that basically sealed the deal for the Nuggets. 

Close but no cigar.

This was one of those games that, logically, shouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Memphis taking the L, but in practice it was excruciating. 


I could point to several careless mistakes that contributed to the loss, but it felt so incredibly close — up until the last two minutes of the second overtime.  

It should be a learning experience for the young bears, who have struggled to close out games in close situations all season. But in the stretch run leading up to the end of the season, every game counts for the purposes of potential playoff or play-in seeding, and this game may well haunt the Grizzlies down the line.  

By The Numbers:  

Ja Morant lead the Grizzlies with 36 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and a block for good measure.  

BLOCKED BY MORANT

Melton lived up to his Mr. Do Something moniker in his first game back from injury, finishing with 25 points, eight rebound, six assists and four steals, including six of 10 from beyond the arc.  

Grayson Allen closed out with 24 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals. 

Xavier Tillman Sr. had the misfortune of being paired against Nikola Jokić, but he still came away with 18 points and 14 rebounds.  

And Kyle Anderson was once again a quiet difference-maker, with 11 points, six rebounds, and six assists.  

Bonus: Things I Learned From Google While Questioning My Life During Commerical Breaks in Overtime 

According to Basketball Reference, Xavier Tillman Sr. (at 6’8”) is somehow only three actual inches shorter than Nikola Jokić’s 6’11”.  That seems low.  

The Denver Nuggets mascot is a mountain lion named Rocky, and not a nugget. Which feels like a missed opportunity for Mile High City.  

Who Got Next? 

The Grizzlies head to Los Angeles, where they will face the Clippers on Wednesday, April 21st. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131-113 in Epic Win

Kyle Anderson celebrates - via Grizzlies twitter

The Grizzlies dominated the Atlanta Hawks behind the power of an unlikely hero. Let’s talk about it.

Pretend this eagle is a hawk. Thank me later.

This victory over Atlanta was a group effort. The Grizzlies starting lineup combined for 101 of 131 total points scored. Every player in the starting five scored in double digits and they played some of their best basketball of the season.  

Is Grayson Allen the greatest heel in Memphis basketball history?  

Grayson Allen popped off for a career-high 30 points against Atlanta, showing perhaps that he takes the matchup between him and Trae Young to heart. 

By the Numbers 

Grayson Allen – 30 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, on 10 of 18 shooting and zero turnovers. Clearly, he remembered the previous meeting with the Hawks and that dustup with Trae Young, Atlanta’s budding star point guard. (There was some chatter via Twitter, it was a whole thing. )

Allen’s career night in the rematch was a masterful performance as he embraces the heel role. Memphis AF, y’all.  

Dillon Brooks – 17 points on 6 of 9 shooting, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. The Villian continues to frustrate opponents on both ends of the floor.  

Ja Morant – 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Ja Morant continues to awe and amaze with his incredible court vision and high basketball IQ.

Morant sees the court in a way that us mere mortals do not, and this is evident watching him play.

When Morant isn’t contributing on the offensive end, he’s still using his skills to set up opportunities for his teammates. Feed him, and everybody eats. It is one of the many reasons why he’s the perfect leader for this franchise – you can always count on 12 to give you something.

Jonas Valanciunas – 19 points, 11 rebound, and 4 assists. JV now holds the title of player with the most consecutive double-double games in Memphis Grizzlies history, surpassing hometown favorite Zach Randolph.  

Kyle Anderson – 16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Can we talk about Kyle Anderson and how freaking valuable he has been this season? I don’t know who needs to hear it but Anderson has been a top-3 player for the Grizzlies this season. He’s criminally underrated this year, and his impact on the team’s success deserves some recognition. 

Paging NBA Top Shot:  

This sequence involving Kyle Anderson and Ja Morant and the after celebration is the perfect distillation of a new era of Grizzlies basketball – flashier than grit and grind and at least as much fun. For best results, watch this on repeat. 

So good there’s already a remix on the TL: 

Who Got Next? 

Closing out a four-game road trip, the Grizzlies will be visiting the World’s Most Famous Arena Friday night to face the New York Knicks. Note the earlier than usual start – tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. CST.  

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Beyond the Arc Sports Sports Feature

Grizzlies Rout Sixers 116-110

The Grizzlies kicked off the first game of a four-game road trip Sunday night with a win in the city of brotherly love against the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference. 

The Sixers were missing their star big man Joel Embiid, and while the remaining players put up a valiant effort, they were vastly outmatched against the Grizzlies. For their part, the Grizzlies played some of the best team basketball they have played all season.

Catching Philadelphia on the second game of a back-to-back was a bonus for Memphis. 

Dillon Brooks Things – via Grizzlies Twitter

By The Numbers 

7 players scored in double figures:  

Dillon Brooks – 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists 

Ja Morant was the only starter to score in single digits finishing with 8 points, but his 10 assists were a sign of the kind of unselfish play that contributed to his teammate’s offensive success.  

Jonas Valanciunas – 16 points and 12 rebounds 

Kyle Anderson – 10 points and 6 rebounds 

Grayson Allen returned to the starting lineup after missing two games due to injury. It’s good to see him back on the court, but I question the allotment of minutes between Allen and Melton. Allen closed out the night with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, but did so over roughly 27 minutes on 5 of 14 shooting.   

Meanwhile, De’Anthony Melton put up 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists on 5 of 8 shooting and in only 15 minutes of playing time. 

Maybe De’Anthony Melton could have some of those Grayson Allen minutes, as a treat? 

Brandon Clarke – 15 points on 6 of 10 field goal shooting 

Desmond Bane – 14 points and 5 rebounds, including 3 of 6 from distance 

Tyus Jones – 5 points and 5 assists 

SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS 

As a team, the Grizzlies shot 42% from beyond the arc (16 of 38) against the Sixers. Combined with their 48% three-point shooting against Minnesota (19 of 39), Memphis is shooting just over 45% from behind the three-point line for the month of April. If they can hold fast to this higher level of outside shooting, the odds of making a successful push for the playoffs will go up considerably.  

The Grizzlies currently hold the 8th seed in the Western Conference and with the win over Philadelphia the team moves above .500 on the season.  

Who Got Next? 

The Grizzlies are taking their talents to South Beach to face off against the Miami Heat. Tuesday night April 6th, with tip-off at 7 PM.  

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Strong Second Half Lifts Grizzlies Over Timberwolves

Grayson Allen and Ja Morant via Grizzlies Twitter

With a win 120-108 win at FedExForum over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Grizzlies are back at .500 (23-23) for the season. After just leading by two at the half, Memphis outscored the Wolves by 10 points in the second half.

“It’s a good team win for us,” said Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones during media availability. “Everyone [was] contributing, everyone [was] playing really well, especially off the bench. That’s how we want to play and contribute to the game. That was good for us. It was a good team win from top to bottom. We’re happy with it.”

Game notes

1. Memphis moved to 12-14 at home this season. Memphis shot 48 percent from beyond the arc after going 19 of 39. Nine different Grizzlies players made a 3-point shot. 

2. Jonas Valanciunas led the Grizzlies with 19 points and 11 rebounds to record his 32nd double-double of the season. Valanciunas has had a double-double in nine straight games. 

3. Grayson Allen finished with 15 points while going 5-of-7 from the three-point line. It was the fifth time this season in which Allen converted on five or more three-point shots. 

4. The Grizzlies bench outscored the Timberwolves’ reserves 56-38. Memphis’ second unit had four players in double figures while Minnesota only one player in double figures off the bench. 

With 39.8 points per game, Memphis entered the night ranked third in the NBA in bench points, first in bench steals with 4.5, second in bench assists at 10.0, and fourth in bench 3-point percentage at nearly 40 percent. 

De’Anthony Melton had a solid night to lead the bench for Memphis. Mr. Do Something finished with 14 points (4-of-6 3P), four rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 24 minutes. Xavier Tillman chipped in 12 points and four rebounds. Brandon Clarke and Jones added 11 points each. 

5. The Wolves had three players in double figures. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 30 points and 16 rebounds. Rookie sensation Anthony Edwards added 22 points and six assists. As a reserve, Naz Reid chipped in 18 points and 5 rebounds as the Wolves dropped to 12-37 on the season. 

 Up Next

The Grizzlies head out for a four-game road trip starting Sunday to take on the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Rally Past Thunder to Win Three Straight

The Grizzlies have won three straight games after defeating the Thunder 116-107 Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

It took a massive third period for Memphis to take control of the game for good. Grizzlies outscored the Thunder 33-20 in that period — after giving up four straight turnovers.

Dillion Brooks led the way for Memphis with 25 points off 8 of 13 from the field and 8 of 9 at the charity stripe. The Grizzlies improved to 9-4 when Brooks scores 20 points or more this season.

Grayson Allen added 20 points and five rebounds. Allen shot 8 of 14 from the field and 4 of 9 from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Jonas Valanciunas chipped in 16 points and 15 rebounds to tally his 28th double double of the season as the Grizzlies improve to 21-20 for the year.

Off the bench, Brandon Clarke chipped in a near double-double with eight points and nine rebounds. Clarke was huge defensively with a career high five blocks plus two steals. Clarke became the third Grizzlies reserve in franchise history behind Stromile Swift and James Johnson to record 2+ steals and 5+ blocks.

Mr. Do Something, De’Anthony Melton finished with 14 points while shooting 4 of 6 three-pointer as a reserve.

The Thunder had seven players in double figures. Moses Brown led OKC with 19 points and 12 rebounds as a reserve. Lu Dort finished with 14 points, three rebounds and three assists as the Thunder fall to 19-25 for the season.

Up Next

The Grizzlies play back to back against the Jazz in Utah, Friday and Saturday night.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Outlast Thunder

On a snowy Wednesday night in Memphis, the Grizzlies defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 122–113. Both teams played on the second night of a back-to-back. After losing to the New Orleans Pelicans 144–113 at home on Tuesday, Memphis fought its way to victory against a Thunder team that wouldn’t give up easily. The Thunder were coming off a disappointing loss to the Portland Trailblazers, 115–104, on Tuesday night.

Grayson Allen led the Grizzlies with 22 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while shooting 60 percent from the three-point stripe (6–10). Allen gave the team a big boost with 14 points in the fourth quarter, to help Memphis improve to 12-12 on the season. 

Grizzlies Outlast Thunder (3)

Jonas Valanciunas also finished with 22 points, and added 12 rebounds, to tally his 13th double-double of the season. Wednesday night was the fifth time this season Valanciunas had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Grizzlies Outlast Thunder (5)

Kyle Anderson added 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, and five steals to finish the night. Coach Taylor Jenkins was appreciative and complimentary of Anderson’s growth this season. By collecting five steals at the half, Anderson became the first Grizzlies player to hit that mark since Tony Allen, who had five against the Golden State Warriors on January 23, 2012. 

Jenkins said after the win, “KA [Kyle Anderson] is playing great and has found a lot of consistency this season. He dropped 20 points and had five assists, with versatility on the defensive end. We just want to put in that effort every single night. That is just great from Kyle. He has been having a heck of a season so far. It’s been a big factor for us this season. So hopefully, he continues to do that and find ways to get better. That is the number one goal for each of our guys and our team.”

Grizzlies Outlast Thunder (2)

Grizzlies Outlast Thunder (6)

Anderson remains confident: “Just being healthy and shooting with a lot of confidence. These last 18 to 24 months, I’ve put a lot of tedious, hard work into shooting the ball. I just remember long days and nights in the gym not shooting past 15 feet for two hours. You know, it’s just paying off finally. Just getting back to where I feel like I used to be with my shot and having the confidence.”

Ja Morant recorded his first triple-double of the season with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. “I feel like we are playing pretty good basketball,” Morant said after the game. “We still have some areas we can get better at, but to have six guys in double figures is big-time for us. It just shows that we have plenty of guys who can make plays.”

Grizzlies Outlast Thunder (4)

Morant discussed finding his teammates and accountability, “For me, it’s just studying film and talking with my teammates,” he said. “I tell them to always hold me accountable if they are open. If I miss them, I told them to curse me out.” 

“By watching the film with Coach [Jenkins] and talking with Coach [Jenkins], Morant continued. Normally when I come off of a ball screen, the defender is sitting at the nail, so it’s a quick pass. Guys are knocking down shots. Once they do that, the help leaves, and it opens up the rest of the floor for us to get downhill.”

Anderson talked about playing with Morant: “Ja makes the game easier for a lot of people when he’s aggressive whether it’s scoring the ball or sharing to setting us up with easy shots. He makes it really easier for us out there.”

Grizzlies Outlast Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led his team with 22 points and six assists as the Thunder fell to 11–17 on the season. Mike Muscala chipped in 21 points while going 5-of-9 from three as a reserve. 

Up Next: 

The Grizzlies will host the Pistons on Friday to continue their four-game homestand. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Barrage Of Threes Helps Grizzlies Maul Hornets

Wednesday night, the Memphis Grizzlies wanted to avoid a five-game losing streak. A franchise-record shooting night with 23 three-pointers sealed the deal, as the Grizzlies defeated the Charlotte Hornets 130–114 at FedEx Forum. Memphis improves to 10-10 on the season. 

Kyle Anderson led the Grizzlies with 27 points while hitting a career high 6 of 8 from the three-point stripe. Anderson spoke about his massive third quarter. He said, “I think I had knocked down a corner three in the first half, and it just felt good. So, it came to me about four or five times in a row again in the second half, just how their defense was guarding pick-and-roll.

“Teams have been getting away with that lately, being up on Ja (Morant) and making him get it out of his hands,” Anderson continued. “So I knew after these last few games that today I’ve got to just be able to make shots when he does give it up.”

Barrage Of Threes Helps Grizzlies Maul Hornets (2)

Barrage Of Threes Helps Grizzlies Maul Hornets (5)

Dillon Brooks added 20 points and four assists on 8-of-13 shooting. Brooks also converted on 4-of-8 from three to get out of his shooting funk. 

Desmond Bane continued to improve his game with his second career start, finishing with a career-high 18 points, two assists, and two steals. 

Barrage Of Threes Helps Grizzlies Maul Hornets

Morant tallied his third double-double of the season, finishing with 15 points and a game-high 11 assists.

“I feel like we have a very dangerous team, knocking down shots,” Morant said after the victory. “We encourage everybody from the first man to the last man to shoot it and let it fly. We all got that confidence in each other.”

After the game, Morant’s work wasn’t entirely done, apparently. He was back on the court putting up shots.

Barrage Of Threes Helps Grizzlies Maul Hornets (4)

“As far as my shooting after (the game), I feel like I have to be better on the court in all areas,” Morant explained. “I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t satisfied, so I just wanted to finish getting some extra work in. That’s really about it.”

Memphis Grizzlies Twitter

Grayson Allen

Grayson Allen led the bench unit with 18 points and three assists while setting a season-high of 3-pointers made with five.

Barrage Of Threes Helps Grizzlies Maul Hornets (3)

For the Hornets, Terry Rozier’s (aka Scary Terry) game-high 34 points weren’t enough to overcome the hot-shooting Grizzlies. LaMelo Ball chipped in 17 points while Gordon Hayward and Miles Bridges both finished with 15 each as Charlotte slipped to 12–14 on the season.

Up Next

The Grizzlies travel out west for a two-game road trip. First up is LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night with a 9 pm CST tip. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

A “Bunch of Hoopers” Defeat the Suns on MLK Day

CREDIT: Memphis Grizzlies twitter

Tanking!! 

There’s gonna be no tanking this season, said Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant, after the team secured its fifth straight victory — against the Phoenix Suns, 108–104 — before a national audience during the 19th Annual MLK Day Celebration Game. 

“We had a slow start, and people were saying that we needed to tank,” Morant said after the win. “That is never on our minds. We want to go out and win. Once again, coach is preaching that ‘next man up’ and to be ready. I feel like we all embrace adversity. We know we have to do even more when adversity hits. I feel like we love that.”

Morant garnered his first double-double of the season in his second game back from injury with 17 points and 10 assists.

A ‘Bunch of Hoopers’ Defeat the Suns on MLK Day (3)

Brandon Clarke finished with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 35 minutes. Clarke praised Mr. Fourth Quarter after the game.

He said, “Ja (Morant) has a crazy good feel for the game. I feel like those first three quarters. He’s just kind of like watching the defense, watching us  —  seeing what the defense gives him. And I think by the fourth quarter, he’s just kind of already figured out everything, and he’s able to get in the paint, get his shots off, and get his teammates shots. I feel like he’s a really, really bright player and that he’s able to read the game and then by the fourth quarter. It’s pretty much over.”

During his post-game walk-off interview, Grayson Allen said the team has a “bunch of hoopers.” The Duke alum hit clutch free throws down the stretch to help his team get the win. Allen led the bench with 16 points and six rebounds. The Grizzlies’ reserves outscored Phoenix 49-31. Memphis bench currently ranks seventh in the NBA in bench points per game at 38.5. 

✖


i

With 1:06 to play, Morant found Allen in the corner for a go-ahead 3-pointer to give the Grizzlies a 101-98 lead.

A ‘Bunch of Hoopers’ Defeat the Suns on MLK Day (2)

It wasn’t pretty, but Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins will take this win. He said, “Tonight, it was struggling. We just had to continue to find ways just to breakthrough. As I said a moment ago, just great execution down the stretch, but you need that on both ends. You need your defense to be there for 48 minutes every single night. That’s what we’ve had. Our offense will get there. We’re seeing a lot of different things thrown at us that are really testing, I guess, and really helping us grow, and we’ll be better for it.”

Jenkins added: “Down the stretch, I just decided that I’m going to put as many playmakers out there: Ja (Morant), Tyus (Jones), (Kyle Anderson). They were able to load up on Ja a lot, at times throughout the game, so I just wanted to see if we could maybe release pressure and get a couple of extra ball-handlers out there, decision-makers, and I’m just proud of the effort that those guys gave late in the game. I’ve told them two games in a row now; it comes down to the last couple of possessions in the fourth quarter.”

Rookie Xavier Tillman garnered his first career start on Monday night in the absence of big man Jonas Valanciunas, who sat out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. He posted 12 points and six rebounds on 5-8 shooting. Tillman said he and his wife were in the car geeked and screaming when he learned he was starting. 

After the game, during the Zoom conference, I asked Tillman about what he was thinking during his free throws at the end of the game. He said gleefully, “’Give me one.’ We were up three with one second left. I said, just give me one and close it out, so we don’t have to get the stop. That was the biggest thing.”

Ja Morant was proud of the rookie for his first career start. “I was very excited for him,” Morant explained. “Being a rookie, he has been playing really well. When he first came in and found out he was starting, I said congrats on your first start; now let’s go get the win. He is playing big-time for us. He has guarded multiple positions, knocking down the three, playing in the mid-range, rebounding; he is doing a lot for us on the floor. That is just a lot of credit to his work.”

The Grizzlies are now one game above .500 this season (7–6) after going 2–6 early.

Up Next

The Grizzlies travel to Portland for a two-game series against the Trail Blazers, starting on Wednesday at 9 pm CT. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Quarter Season Progress Report Part One – The Kids Are Alright

Ja Morant

Disclaimer: The Memphis Grizzlies are in the early stages of a full rebuild, and it is with that knowledge that one should apply criticism or judgment. The scope of possible outcomes for this season is markedly different than if this were a team contending for a playoff spot. 


Which is not to say that there should be no accountability or expectations at all placed on this team for this season, but context is key. The metrics that I have chosen to use for this evaluation were with that context in mind. There is importance in managing expectations in line with where the team has started and for the phase of rebuilding they are in currently.

Read on to see how the Grizzlies have fared in the first quarter of the season, what progress they have made, and what areas could use improvement. 

In the interest of readability, this is going to be broken up into 2-3 parts, starting with the youngest Grizzlies.

Jaren Jackson Jr. – has been shooting the ball well, but his rebounding numbers are an area that could use some improvement. Ideally, Jackson Jr. should be doubling his rebound numbers over the course of the season. Staying out of foul trouble is another area that needs improvement. Grade: B+

Ja Morant – a bit turnover prone, although that isn’t unusual for a rookie. Morant has great assist numbers and is shooting well. He is a dynamic player who is lots of fun to watch, which is good, as he is the future of the point guard position in Memphis. Grade: A

Brandon Clarke – is good at just about everything. Shoots well, rebounds proficiently, doesn’t turn the ball much. Once he is off the injured report, Clarke should see his usage rate go up, hopefully. Also, he is (still) currently rated as the top rookie in the league for Wins produced. Grade: A+

Grayson Allen – so far Allen has been a pleasant surprise. Is he now or will he be a superstar in this league? Probably not. But he is showing that he can be a proficient role player and has statistically improved since his rookie season with the Jazz. Allen has so far improved his shooting percentage, rebound percentage, and free throw percentage. Allen is ranked 11th among sophomores in free throw shooting. Grade: B-

Tyus Jones – his Grizzlies tenure has been a bit underwhelming thus far. His assist numbers are decent, but his scoring has been nothing much to write home about. Even factoring in the increased minutes Jones has been playing with Morant unavailable, he’s still struggling offensively. On a positive note, he does typically stay out of foul trouble. Grade: C