Desmond Bane drives to the basket against the Chicago Bulls. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images,)
In their fourth game of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies suffered a disappointing 126-123 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
The game started similarly to their other loss this season, with the Grizzlies taking a double-digit lead in the first half only to squander it in the second. The third quarter continues to be kryptonite for this team. There is little to say about defensive intensity in the second half because it all but disappeared.
The Bulls shot the lights out from three-point range, going a scorching 25-of-53 from beyond the arc. Chicago’s 23 three-pointers were the most ever recorded against the Grizzlies.
Chicago forward Zach LaVine and guard Coby White combined to go 7-of-14 from long range in the second half. Eleven players took the court for the Bulls, and nine of them finished the game with at least one three-point make.
Memphi led by as many as 20 points and held Chicago to 54 points in the first half, and then were outscored 72-55 in the final two periods. Turnovers were again a thorn in their side, as the Grizzlies gave up 16 points off seven turnovers after halftime.
Desmond Bane scored a team-high 30 points, with 23 of those coming in the first two quarters, tying his career high for points in a half. Bane shot 11 of 19 overall and six of 10 from beyond the arc, and also had seven rebounds.
LIGHT IT UP 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥@DBane0625 with a cool 23, grizz +14 at the half
Ja Morant was sidelined for the game with thigh soreness, and the starting point guard’s playmaking was, well, sorely missed. There is no word yet on whether he will be available against the Nets on Wednesday.
Jaren Jackson Jr. played less than 25 minutes, presumably still on a minutes restriction after being sidelined in the preseason and the first two games with hamstring issues. Jackson finished the night with 19 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
Marcus Smart only played 25 minutes and struggled with his worst offensive game since joining the Grizzlies, ending the night with just one point from a made free throw, and shooting 0-of-11 overall and 0-of-8 from three-point range from the field. Smart did contribute seven assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Santi Aldama closed out the night with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, with 10 of those rebounds coming in the first quarter. Yes, you read that right, Santi Aldama grabbed 10 rebounds in the first quarter, making him just one of six in Grizzlies franchise history to do so.
The second unit continues to shine for this Memphis team, with four of five bench players scoring double digits.
Jake LaRavia led the bench in scoring, adding 17 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. LaRavia shot 7-of-11 overall and 2-of-5 from the free-throw line.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 14 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists, his second points-assists double-double of the season.
Jay Huff finished the night with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Shortly before the game, it was announced that the Grizzlies were converting Huff’s two-way contract into a regular-season deal, with the first two years guaranteed.
Rookie Jaylen Wells had 11 points on 5-of-12 overall shooting, and six rebounds.
Who Got Next?
Memphis is opening the season with a brutal six games in nine days, with another set of back-to-back games coming up: They take on the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. Both games tip off at 7 PM CDT.
Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic on March 30, 2024. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
On Saturday night at KIA Center, the Orlando Magic thrashed the Memphis Grizzlies 118-88.
The first quarter came to a close with Memphis already down 20 points. Orlando put up 33 points, while the Grizzlies managed just 13, shooting a dismal 21.7 percent from the field.
The victory snapped the Magic’s three-game losing streak. Earlier in the week, they lost close games against the Sacramento Kings, the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Orlando ended a five-game losing streak against the Grizzlies. The previous meeting ended in a nail-biter at FedExForum, 107-106, with a Grizzlies win on January 26th.
Memphis dropped to 24-50 for the season, with eight games remaining, a mark they’ll want to forget. It appeared early on in Saturday night’s contest that Memphis’ players were focused on something other than basketball, and it showed.
Reserve Jordan Goodwin led the Grizzlies with 16 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.
In his second game back from injury, Brandon Clarke had a solid showing, with 13 points and four rebounds off the bench.
“It was already out of hand — they won every single quarter,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins after the game. “You have to give the Magic tons of credit. They played with a lot of physicality; their defense was phenomenal tonight. Couldn’t get in the paint — couldn’t knock down an open shot. They played beautiful basketball, shared the rock.”
Jenkins added, “So you know we just kept trying to fight. I thought we had a chance to win that second quarter — have some momentum, but the Magic had an answer for everything; so many different guys stepped up and played well.”
“I thought BC [Clarke] did a really good job; liked seeing Jordan [Goodwin] have kind of a bounce-back game. I thought he did some good things. Well, obviously Luke [Kennard]’s been out for a couple of weeks now, just seeing him have some pop with his conditioning and stuff. And we’re just trying to find every way possible to have some positives and move forward. And obviously we’ve got to respond on Monday against Detroit.”
“Keep fighting, keep making something out of each every day,” Jenkins said about his message to his players as the season is winding down. “That’s what we’ve done all season long. Every year that I’ve been here we got different guys that are gonna hear that message for the very first time. Over and over again. Obviously we haven’t been in this situation since I’ve been here, but you gotta make the most of every day. That’s what we stand for.”
Memphis travels to Detroit to take on the Pistons, Monday, April 1st, at Little Caesars Arena at 6 p.m. CT.
Jaren Jackson Jr takes the ball to the basket against Rudy Gobert. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images
With a final score of 118-103, the Memphis Grizzlies were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday night, in the first game of a four-game road trip, with a little help from an old friend.
Let’s get into it.
This is one game where the final score doesn’t tell the whole story, as much as a 15-point loss can. Memphis played three excellent quarters of basketball. Unfortunately, it was still a four-quarter game, and a 20-point deficit in the 4th was too much for the Grizzlies to overcome.
The first quarter was going well for Memphis until Naz Reid checked in for Minnesota and ruined it by scoring 13 points on 5 of 5 field goal shooting (3 of 3 from three-point range), as the Timberwolves ended the quarter on a 13-3 run and overshadowed a 15-point quarter from Jaren Jackson Jr.
The teams were tied at 30 points apiece going into the second quarter, and the Grizzlies took a 5-point lead into halftime. In the second half, Luke Kennard put up 15 of his 18 points in the third quarter, shooting 5 of 6 overall and 4 of 4 from beyond the arc. Anthony Edwards scored 14 of his 28 points in the third quarter, keeping the Timberwolves in the game.
The fourth quarter is where the wheels fell off for Memphis, starting with Jaren Jackson Jr picking up his 5th foul with 10 minutes remaining. Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins not challenging any of Jackson’s fouls was an ill-advised decision.
Mike Conley added insult to injury in the final frame, shooting a perfect 3 of 3 overall and 2 of 2 from three. Conley’s 17 points for the game matched the Grizzlies’ 17 points for the fourth quarter.
By The Numbers:
Jaren Jackson Jr finished the night with a game-high 36 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block.
Please enjoy this clip of Jackson Jr knocking down a three in the face of Rudy Gobert:
Kennard took advantage of his appearance in the starting lineup, closing out the night with 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Vince Williams Jr added 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, Xavier Tillman Sr closed out with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.
From the second unit:
Santi Aldama put up 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. David Roddy added 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are heading to the Windy City Saturday night to face off against the Chicago Bulls. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.
G.G. Jackson II drives the ball against Isaiah Hartenstein. Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images.
With a final score of 106-94, the Memphis Grizzlies were defeated by the New York Knicks, making it their second loss in as many nights. Injuries continue to plague the Grizzlies as they have all season, but adding Jaren Jackson Jr and Desmond Bane to the injured list made this a hard game to watch.
Let’s get into it.
Memphis began the season with a starting lineup that while missing its star point guard and center, still included two all-star caliber players. They entered Saturday night’s matchup with eight players who were more fitting as G-league all-stars and then lost one of those players after just 1:19 of playing time.
Here is a visualization of the Grizzlies’ current roster situation.
All of the players listed in orange are unavailable due to injury.
Keeping in mind that two of the eight players shown are on two-way contracts, that leaves the Grizzlies with six available active roster players.
It’s hard to be positive about how this season has gone for Memphis, who now have more of their active roster on the injured list than off it. But one bright spot in Saturday night’s game was seeing rookie and two-way player G. G. Jackson II put up a career-high 20 points in his seventh career NBA game. Jackson was drafted by the Grizzlies as the 45th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
Head coach Taylor Jenkins had nothing but praise for Jackson postgame, remarking that “he took advantage of the opportunity” and that “it was a good step in the right direction getting his first true NBA minutes.”
After last season’s ill-advised focus on rookies David Roddy, Jake LaRavia, Kennedy Chandler, and Kenneth Lofton Jr, the Grizzlies have had no choice but to lean on Roddy and to some extent LaRavia this season.
Jake LaRavia, who has spent most of the season with the Memphis Hustle, was called up for the game against the Knicks but was checked out with a sprained left ankle after less than two minutes of action.
In the first half, the Grizzlies outscored the Knicks 57-53, but that small lead was obliterated in short order after the Knicks outscored the Grizzlies 30-15 in the third quarter.
The team accumulated a season-high 14 steals, led by Xavier Tillman Sr.’s six steals, a career-high.
Even after taking advantage of 23 New York turnovers and converting them to 23 Memphis points, shooting struggles and lack of depth prevented the Grizzlies from clawing out a victory.
The team’s 19-game streak of 10 or more made three-pointers came to an end as Memphis struggled from long-range, shooting a collective 23.7% (9 of 38) from beyond the arc.
In an unusual showing, the Grizzlies highest scoring player of the night came from their second unit. G.G. Jackson II led the team with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. He was followed by Vince Williams Jr., who closed out the night with 17 points, 8 rebounds, a career-high 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
David Roddy finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Luke Kennard also put up 14 points, along with 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Tillman added 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and a career-high 6 steals.
From the second unit, Ziaire Williams added 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will complete their three-game homestand Monday, facing off against the Golden State Warriors in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Game. Tip-off is at 5 PM CST.
Desmond Bane drives to the basket against the Denver Nuggets. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images
With a final score of 142-105, the Grizzlies lost to the reigning champions the Denver Nuggets and broke their longest winning streak of the season.
Let’s get into it.
Due to illness, Memphis was missing Ja Morant and Santi Aldama, and the Grizzlies had no answer for Nikola Jokic’s 26 points, 14 rebound, and 10 assists for a perfect-from-the-floor triple-double.
It was a stark reminder that the team without Ja Morant looks entirely different than the one that just won four straight games.
The Grizzlies managed an eight point lead to start the first quarter, but quickly lost that and would struggle to find an offensive rhythm in the second. Memphis went into the second half down by 17, and that number continued to grow.
Shooting was a struggle throughout, particularly from three-point range, where the Grizzlies shot 37 percent compared to the Nuggets 48.8 percent. Their overall field goal shooting also suffered as Memphis finished the night at 41.6 percent compared to Denver’s 57.3 percent overall shooting.
Another area that was lacking for Memphis was their performance in the painted area, typically a strong point for the team. But the Grizzlies were outworked in the paint by the Nuggets 46 to 64. Denver also beat Memphis on the glass, with 53 rebounds compared to 36 for the Grizzlies, and in the assists department – 43 to 23.
By The Numbers:
Desmond Bane had a team-high 23 points and 2 assists.
Marcus Smart followed with 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished the night with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
From the second unit, David Roddy put up 15 points, and John Konchar contributed 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
Who Got Next?
No rest for the weary; the Grizzlies will play their final road game of the year tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers. This is a late game for those watching in Memphis, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice. Tip-off is at 9:30 p.m.
New year 2024 concept, beginning of success. Text 2024 written on asphalt road and male runner preparing for the new year. Concept of challenge or career path and change.
What do you mean it’s almost January? If you’re anything like us, the encroaching new year has really seemed to have come out of left field. The churning news cycle means that we’ve had our heads down covering the arts, a mayoral race, the Tennessee legislature, and everything in between. But despite a packed 2023, there are plenty more stories on the horizon. With 2024 just around the corner, our writers take a look at what we can expect in Memphis news next year.
Breaking News
Paul Young
Paul Young taking the mayor’s seat will be the Memphis news story to watch in 2024.
Memphis hasn’t had a new mayor for eight years; hasn’t done things differently for eight years — for good or bad. So, Memphians can expect new ideas, fresh faces, and new approaches to the city’s same-old problems (but maybe some new opportunities, too).
Paul Young (Photo: Paul Young for Memphis)
Some could argue too much emphasis is put on the mayor’s office, much like the president’s office. But that office is where the city’s business is done daily, from police and fire to trash collection and paving. Yes, these ideas are later shaped by the Memphis City Council and, yes, the mayor is expected to carry out rules formed entirely by the council. But all of that is executed (executive branch, get it?) by the mayor and his team.
Young has already named a few key staffers. Tannera Gibson will be his city attorney and Penelope Huston will be head of communications, according to The Daily Memphian. Young told the Memphian, too, that he’ll keep the controversial Cerelyn Davis as chief of the Memphis Police Department.
Memphis in May
This next year could be make or break for the Memphis in May International Festival (MIM).
It ended 2023 with a whimper. The nonprofit organization posted a record loss of $3.4 million and record-low attendance for Beale Street Music Festival. Also, its longtime leader Jim Holt announced his retirement.
MIM leaders put Music Fest on hiatus for 2024. It also moved the Championship Barbecue Cooking Competition to Liberty Park.
Meanwhile Forward Momentum and the Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) announced a new three-day music festival at Tom Lee Park (called River Beat) and a new barbecue contest, both in May.
It’s unknown if these new events could supplant MIM. Speculation, though, has the future of the nonprofit in question. It’ll be worth watching.
Tennessee General Assembly
State lawmakers are hard to predict.
Last year, for example, one GOP member spent countless hours persuading his colleagues to add firing squads to the list of options for the state’s death row inmates. Another wanted to add “hanging by a tree” to that list.
However, one can easily predict Republicans will seek to make life harder for the LGBTQ community. One bill paused last year, for example, would allow county clerks to deny marriage rites to anyone they choose (wink, wink).
The little-known but hard-working Tennessee Medical Marijuana Commission may approach lawmakers next year with a plan to get a state system off the ground. Dead medical cannabis bills have become too many to count over the years. But the hope is that the group’s expertise after years of study may help tip the scales.
Easy bets are also on bills that mention “abortion” or “trans.” — Toby Sells
Politics
Oddly enough, the city’s incoming chief executive, Paul Young, remains something of an unknown despite his extensive exposure (and his consistently adept campaigning) during the long and trying mayoral race that concluded in October. Nor will the aggressive ballyhoo of his preliminary activities — parade, concert, and inaugural ball, no less! — have shed much light on his intentions in office, though his inaugural address will be highly anticipated in that regard.
Major changes may be in the offing, though so far the shape of them is not obvious. Young’s announced reappointment of police director C.J. Davis at year’s end may be an indication that, in the personnel sense, anyhow, there may well be a continuum of sorts with the administration of outgoing Mayor Strickland.
C.J. Davis (Photo: Memphis Police Department)
The newly elected council, meanwhile, is expected to be measurably more progressive-minded on various issues as a result of the election than was its predecessor.
A city task force already launched — GVIP (Group Violence Intervention Program), which involves an active interchange of sorts between governmental players and gang members (“intervenors,” as they are designated) in an effort to curb violence on the streets. It will be picking up steam as the year begins.
And follow-up readings will still be required in 2024 on an initiative sponsored by outgoing Councilman Martavius Jones and passed by the council conferring lifelong healthcare benefits on council members elected since 2015, upon their having completed two terms.
(News of that move prompted an astounded Facebook post from former Councilman Shea Flinn, who served back when first responders’ benefits had to be cut and a controversial pension for city employees with 12 years’ or more service was rescinded. Said Flinn: “Do I have this correct? Because I don’t want to be gassing up a flamethrower for nothing!”)
The Shelby County Commission, having worked in tandem with Mayor Lee Harris in the past year to secure serious funding for a new Regional One Health hospital, continues to be ambitious, hoping to acquire subpoena power from the state for the county’s recently created Civilian Law Enforcement Review Committee and to proceed with the construction of a long-contemplated Mental Health, Safety, and Justice Center.
The commission is also seeking guidance from the DA’s office on the long-festering matter of removing County Clerk Wanda Halbert from office.
At the state level, almost all attention during the early legislative session will be fixed on Republican Governor Bill Lee’s decision to push for statewide application of the school-voucher program that barely squeaked through the General Assembly in 2019 as a “pilot” program for Shelby and Davidson counties. (Hamilton County was later added.) The program was finally allowed by the state Supreme Court after being nixed at lower levels on constitutional grounds. Democrats are universally opposed to its expansion, as, for the record, are the school boards in Shelby County’s seven school districts. Prospects for passage may depend on how many GOP legislators (a seriously divided group in 2019) are inclined this time to let the governor have his way.
Also on tap will be a series of bills aimed at stiffening crime/control procedures, some of which may also try to roll back recent changes in Shelby County’s bail/bond practices.
Oh, and there will be both a presidential primary vote and an election for General Sessions Court clerk in March. — Jackson Baker
Music
No sooner does yuletide appear than it’s gone again in a wink, as we turn to face a new notch on life’s yardstick. Yet even before 2024 dawns, Memphis has great music brewing on this year’s penultimate day, December 30th, from the solo seasoned jug band repertoire of David Evans (Lamplighter Lounge) to the revved-up R&B-surf-crime jazz-rock of Impala (Bar DKDC) to Louder Than Bombs’ take on The Smiths (B-Side).
Ironically, DJ Devin Steele’s Kickback show at the Hi-Tone is keeping live music on the menu with a six-piece band alongside the wheels of Steele. Down on Beale Street, bass giant Leroy “Flic” Hodges and band will be at B.B. King’s, and the Blues City Café will feature solid blues from Earl “The Pearl” Banks and Blind Mississippi Morris.
Susan Marshall (Photo: Jamie Harmon)
While New Year’s Eve seems particularly DJ-heavy this December 31st, there are still some places to ring in the new year with a live band. Perhaps the most remarkable will be when three of the city’s most moving women in music — Susan Marshall, Cyrena Wages, and Marcella Simien ringing in midnight — converge at the freshly re-energized Mollie Fontaine Lounge. A more up-close, swinging time will be found at the Beauty Shop’s meal extravaganza set to the music of Joyce Cobb. Orion Hill’s Mardi Gras Masquerade will feature Cooper Union (with Brennan Villines and Alexis Grace), and Blind Mississippi Morris will hold court again at Blues City as a gigantic disco ball rises up a 50-foot tower outside on Beale. For that Midtown live vibe, Lafayette’s Music Room’s elaborate festivities will feature the band Aquanet.
For many Memphians, the new year will begin with a look backward as a smorgasbord of bands — from Nancy Apple to Michael Graber to Oakwalker and beyond — gather at B-Side to honor the late Townes van Zandt on January 1st. The revival of the 1970 musical Company, opening at the Orpheum the next day, also honors an earlier era’s muse, but its five Tony Awards suggest that even today it “strikes like a lightning bolt” (Variety). And the historical appreciations continue: On January 14th, Crosstown Arts’ MLK Freedom Celebration will feature the Mahogany Chamber Music Series, curated by Dr. Artina McCain and spotlighting Black and other underrepresented composers and performers; and on January 20th GPAC will host jazz trumpeter, vocalist, and composer Jumaane Smith’s Louis! Louis! Louis!, blending his own compositions with those of Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, and Louis Jordan — three giants of the last century.
Who knows, maybe reflecting on all this past greatness will teach 2024 a thing or two? — Alex Greene
Coming Attractions in 2024
2023’s dual WGA and SAG strikes disrupted production, so 2024 should be an unpredictable year at the multiplex. Studios are currently engaged in a high-stakes game of chicken with the release calendar, so don’t take any of these dates as gospel. In January, an all-star apostle team led by LaKeith Stanfield and David Oyelowo tries to horn in on the messiah game in The Book of Clarence.
February has the endlessly promoted spy caper Argylle, a Charlie Kaufman-penned animated film Orion and the Dark, the intriguing-looking Lisa Frankenstein, and Bob Marley: One Love left over from 2023, as well as Ethan Coen’s lesbian road comedy Drive-Away Dolls.
March is stacked with Denis Villeneuve’s return to Arrakis, Dune: Part Two; Jack Black voicing Kung Fu Panda 4; Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire; and Focus Features’ satire The American Society of Magical Negroes.
Monsters will collide in Godzilla x Kong.
April starts with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Alex Garland’s social sci-fi epic Civil War.
May features Ryan Gosling as The Fall Guy and Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in Back to Black. On April 24th, we have a three-flick pile-up with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, The Garfield Movie (animated, thank God), and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. ALL HAIL IMPERATOR FURIOSA!
Anya Taylor-Joy in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
June brings us Inside Out 2, which adds Maya Hawke as Anxiety to the Pixar classic’s cast of emotions. There’s another Bad Boys film on the schedule that nobody has bothered to title yet. Meanwhile, Kevin Costner goes too hard with punctuation with Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter One. (Chapter Two drops in August.)
In July, there’s the horror of Despicable Me 4 and Twisters, a sequel to the ’90s tornado thriller that lacked the guts to call itself Twister$. Ryan Reynolds returns as the Merc with a Mouth in Deadpool 3, the first Marvel offering of the year.
In August, Eli Roth adapts the hit game Borderlands, which, if you think about it, could actually work. James McAvoy stars in the Blumhouse screamer Speak No Evil. Don’t Breathe director Fede Álvarez directs Priscilla’s Cailee Spaeny in Alien: Romulus.
September is looking spare, but Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, and Winona Ryder are getting the band back together for Beetlejuice 2, so that could be fun.
October looks a tad more promising with Joker: Folie à Deux, a psychosexual (emphasis on the “psycho”) thriller with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. There’s also the cheerful Smile 2, evil clown porn Terrifier 3, and a Blumhouse production of Wolf Man.
November sees a remake of The Amateur, Barry Levinson’s mob thriller Alto Knights, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 with Denzel Washington, and Wicked: Part One, led by Tony Award-winner Cynthia Erivo.
Then, the year goes out strong with Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim, an anime Tolkien adaptation from Kenji Kamiyama.
This time next year, we’ll be gushing over Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King, Robert Eggers’ boundary-pushing Nosferatu remake, and an ultra-secret Jordan Peele joint. — Chris McCoy
Memphis Sports
Here’s a one-item wish list for Memphis sports in 2024: Ja Morant videos that are exclusively basketball highlights. The city’s preeminent athlete stole headlines this year with off-the-court drama that ultimately cost him the first 25 games of the Grizzlies’ 2023-24 season. Morant’s absence was more than the roster could take, particularly with center Steven Adams sidelined for the season with a knee injury. More than 10 games under .500 in mid-December, the Grizzlies must hope the star’s return can simply get them back to break-even basketball. If that happens — and with the rim-rattling displays that have made Ja a superstar — the new year will have brought new life to the Bluff City’s flagship sports franchise.
And how about a first regular-season American Athletic Conference championship for Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers? The AAC is a watered-down version of the league we knew a year ago (no more Houston, no more Cincinnati), with Florida Atlantic now the Tigers’ primary obstacle for a league crown. A controversial loss to FAU in the opening round of the NCAA tournament last March created an instant rivalry, one that will take the floor at FedExForum on February 25th. David Jones is an early candidate for AAC Player of the Year and sidekick Jahvon Quinerly gives Hardaway the best collection of new-blood talent since “transfer portal” became a thing.
Seth Henigan (Photo: Wes Hale)
With Seth Henigan returning to quarterback the Tigers for a fourth season, Memphis football should also compete for an AAC title and an 11th consecutive bowl campaign. AutoZone Park will hum with Redbirds baseball and 901 FC soccer throughout the warm-weather months, and the PGA Tour will make Memphis home when the FedEx St. Jude Championship tees off on August 15th.
But let’s hope 2024, somehow, becomes the Year of Ja in this town. The heart of Memphis sports echoes the sound of a basketball dribble. And one player speeds that heartbeat like no other. — Frank Murtaugh
Oscar Jimenez will suit up for 901 FC next season. (Photo: Courtesy USL/Louisville City FC)
Meanwhile, 901 FC can look forward to welcoming some unfamiliar opponents to the confines of AutoZone Park next season. A restructured United Soccer League means Memphis will bid adieu to the Eastern Conference and kick off its 2024 season as part of the Western Conference. That means that 22 of 901 FC’s 34-match schedule will be against Western Conference opponents, starting with a March 9th home season opener against Las Vegas Lights FC. There’s a new COO in Jay Mims, while we can expect plenty of new players to suit up before Stephen Glass leads the team out for its first game.
One thing that soccer fans will not be looking forward to, however, is a new stadium, with plans for a soccer-specific Liberty Park arena scuppered after $350 million in state dollars earmarked for sporting renovations did not include any provisions for 901 FC. — Samuel X. Cicci
Ja Morant drives the ball defended by Trae Young. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images
With a final score of 125-119, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Atlanta Hawks and pushed their winning streak to three games, their longest such streak this season.
Let’s get into it.
Once again, the Grizzlies big three of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. each scored 20 points or more, as they have in each of the games since Morant’s return. Memphis is 3-0 since his return and looks like an entirely different team on the court.
The Grizzlies were somewhat sluggish in the first half, and as has been their practice as of late, they came out in the second half and scorched their opponent. 31 of Desmond Bane’s game-high 37 points came in the second half, with 18 coming in the third quarter.
Atlanta could not withstand the Grizzlies’ second-half onslaught even with Trae Young scoring 19 of his 30 points and Sadiq Bey and Dejounte Murray scoring 10 or more points in the second half.
Memphis continues an upward trajectory since the return of Morant, and all signs point to Marcus Smart returning in the next two games. Luke Kennard should not be too far behind him, and there are reports that Brandon Clarke could be ready to return to the court after the all-star break. Suddenly moving up the standings to earn a play-in spot doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
By The Numbers:
Memphis scored a season-high 76 paint points in their victory over the Hawks. They converted Atlanta turnovers into 24 points and finished the night with 51.5 percent overall shooting.
Desmond Bane put up a game-high 37 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, and was responsible for 5 of the Grizzlies 11 made threes.
Ja Morant closed out with 30 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Jaren Jackson Jr. spent most of the game in foul trouble, but was able to put up 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting in 23 minutes.
Ziaire Williams led the second unit with 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Santi Aldama and Xavier Tillman Sr. contributed 6 points each.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies continue their road trip after the holiday with a return to the Big Easy on Tuesday to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CST.
Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama on the court with Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer
With a final score of 102-100, the Memphis Grizzlies put up a hell of a fight against the Boston Celtics, the current top team in the league. They have been playing shorthanded all season long, were on the second night of back-to-back games, and by all accounts had no business making the game as close as it was.
The Celtics are a team the Grizzlies have long struggled against. Memphis has had just two wins over Boston since January 2016 and are 19-36 in the 55 regular season meetings between the teams. Anyone with any sense watching the Grizzlies this season had this matchup against the Celtics as a scheduled loss, but Memphis fans should feel good about the effort made.
“Take it every day of the week” was how head coach Taylor Jenkins described the Grizzlies’ effort postgame. They got a career night from Santi Aldama, who played multiple positions throughout the game due to foul trouble on Bismack Biyombo and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Aldama finished the night with a career-high 28 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and two steals, including 6 made three-pointers.
Jenkins was effusive in his praise of Aldama postgame: “He’s got so much versatility, just really proud of the offensive effort tonight. We needed that. It didn’t matter what his position was. He started at the three, slid to the four. I think with our second unit, he had to play some [at the] five, and he can be a playmaker for us. … The aggressiveness, especially from the 3-point line, is something he’s been working a lot on since the start of the season … Just really impressed with how he really was in attack-mode tonight.”
Desmond Bane closed out the night with a game-high 30 points and 8 assists, while shooting 7 of 14 from beyond the arc. Jaren Jackson Jr was the only other Memphis player to score in double digits, with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Holding the number-one offense in the NBA to just over 100 points is wild, and the fact that they did it being wildly shorthanded and exhausted from the previous night’s matchup against the Spurs was superhero-level defense.
This is a better team than their current record depicts, they just need to stay the course until the return of Ja Morant. Just 12 more games until we get 12 back.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will be hitting the road to face off against the Houston Rockets and former Grizzly Dillon Brooks on Wednesday, November 22. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.
David Roddy takes a shot against Shaedon Sharpe. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images
With a final score of 115-113 in overtime, the Grizzlies’ woes continued, as they dropped yet another winnable game to the Portland Trail Blazers and moved to 0-6 to start the season.
We are watching the second-worst season-start in franchise history. Memphis hasn’t lost this many games in a row to begin a season since 2002-2003, when they opened 0-13.
The Grizzlies are presently the lone winless team in the league. Friday night’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers also marked their first game in the league’s new in-season tournament.
So far this season, the Grizzlies haven’t put together a complete game of winning basketball for 48 minutes, not even last night, when they had five additional minutes to achieve it.
Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. continue to lead the team offensively. But the defensive struggles are concerning, with Memphis allowing opponents to shoot 41.4% from three-point range, and 46.7% overall.
Friday night, the Grizzlies gave up 28 points off 17 turnovers, while capitalizing on Portland’s 14 turnovers with a mere 16 points.
Memphis shot 9-of-13 from the free throw line compared to Portland’s 28-of-36. The free throw disparity of -23 reflects the ongoing struggle this team has faced getting to the free throw line this season. They are averaging 19.7 free throw attempts per game while their opponents are averaging 24.3 attempts. In six games, Memphis has attempted 118 free throws while their opponents have attempted 146.
Bane had a game-high 33 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks, and Jackson Jr. closed out the night with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, putting up his first double-double of the season.
David Roddy made an appearance in the starting lineup and finished the night with a season-high 16 points.
Marcus Smart was doing too much, and I need someone to inform him that he is not in fact Ja Morant and his passing skills are not on Morant’s level. Smart finished the night with 8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and a team-high 5 turnovers.
The second unit contributed an abysmal 13 points.
Something must give, and soon. There are 19 more games until the return of Ja Morant, but hopefully fans will not have to wait that long to see winning Grizzlies basketball.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies face Portland again on Sunday to cap off the three-game road trip. Tip-off is at 8 PM CST.
Al Kapone performing “Whoop That Trick” at BSMF 2022 (Photo: Chris McCoy)
The latest Ja Morant contretemps has been batted around so much by sports pundits that it’s almost old news. The Grizzlies’ star point guard has been involved in a troubling series of incidents in the past year, including a near-fight with a teenage kid at his house, threatening a sales clerk at a mall, an incident with a laser beam being pointed at an opposing player’s vehicle, and the now-infamous Denver strip club lap dance/gun-waving scenario that got him sent to counseling and suspended for eight games by the NBA. Finally, there was the recent Instagram Live clip that showed Morant bouncing to hip-hop with a friend in a car and briefly flashing a gun. Morant issued a statement saying that he took “full accountability” for his actions.
As I write this, Morant’s fate with the NBA is in limbo, with most predicting a multi-game suspension at the beginning of next season. Is that a fair ruling, given that GOP legislators and politicians all over the country routinely run ads brandishing guns to demonstrate their love of the ammo-sexual culture? Or given that Kid Rock and other culture-war morons are now joyfully shooting cases of cross-dressing beer? Not really.
Morant did nothing illegal in that IG clip. He lives in a state where anyone can buy a gun and wear it into the nearest Arby’s — or wave it around in his car while listening to hip-hop. He lives in a state where Johnny Cash sang that he “shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.” This incident isn’t troubling to the NBA because it’s illegal. It’s troubling because what Morant did is contrary to the image the league wants to present, which does not include the gangsta rap culture of drugs, strip clubs, gang fights, and hookers.
So maybe the Memphis Grizzlies front office ought to do some soul-searching of its own on this subject. I’m referring to the team’s embrace of the gangsta rap song, “Whoop That Trick” — which it uses as its anthem when the Grizzlies are closing out a win at home. It’s an inclusive, joyous scene, as kids, adults, and senior citizens — Black, white, and brown — chant those inspirational words about whooping someone in a strip club.
You may recall that the song was written by Memphis rapper Al Kapone for director Craig Brewer’s 2005 film, Hustle & Flow, which chronicled the rise of a Memphis pimp/would-be rapper named DJay, played by Terrence Howard. There’s a scene in the film where DJay is sitting in a studio pondering his potential hit, which he’s calling “Beat That Bitch.” His associate wisely suggests that the song wouldn’t receive much radio play, so they change the name to “Whoop That Trick.” The lyrics are still about going into a strip club and beating someone. Man or woman? Google the lyrics and decide. (And check out the words to “Fresh Prince of Utah,” another hip-hop song that became an unofficial victory anthem with its line, “It’s a parade inside my city …”)
On Twitter, when I said that “Whoop That Trick” was about a pimp beating one of his girls, many were quick to assure me that the song was “actually” about DJay whooping up on a dead-beat john and was therefore an inspirational Memphis fight song about overcoming obstacles.
So, I guess when the L.A. Johns whooped the Memphis Pimps in the playoffs last month, that was hella embarrassing, right?
The Grizzlies adopted a variation of the song (“Whoop That Clip”) during a playoff series during the team’s Grit ’n Grind era. But that was a team with a notable mean streak. Nobody messed with Z-Bo or Tony Allen. The current Grizzlies roster, with the possible exception of Canadian performance-villain Dillon Brooks, looks about as dangerous as a bunch of young Rotarians. The New Zealand center raises sheep. Brandon Clarke (another Canadian) talks like a surfer. Morant acts tough, but at his size, he’s not scaring anyone.
I get that “Whoop That Trick” is performative and part of the team’s historic ethos, but it glorifies a dead-end culture that suckers in way too many of our city’s kids — including our All-Star point guard. So maybe it’s time for everyone — from the top of the organization down to its soon-to-be-disciplined star — to do some image reassessment.
