Tag: Ja Morant

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Smoke Nuggets in First Wire-to-Wire Win of the Season

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Memphis Grizzlies successfully defended their home court Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets, coming away with a 104-96 victory and securing their first wire-to-wire win of the season. And defend it they did, holding Denver to a rare sub-100-point game. 

Larry Kuzniewski

Dillon Brooks, Taylor Jenkins

There were a lot of things to be excited about from this game if you’re a Grizzlies fan. 
Winning is always great, but some of the things they did to secure the win were spectacular to watch. Jaren Jackson Jr. finishing the night with only one personal foul feels like a victory in its own right. As does Memphis scoring 20 points off of 19 Denver turnovers.

By The Numbers:
Dillon Brooks – 24 points, 3 assists
Jonas Valanciunas – 23 points, 12 rebounds
Ja Morant – 14 points, 7 assists, 4 steals
Jaren Jackson Jr. – 10 points, 7 bocks
Brandon Clarke – 12 points, 6 rebounds


We Go Hard in the Paint
The Grizzlies outscored the Nuggets 76-22 in the paint. Yes, you read that correctly —SEVENTY-SIX PAINT POINTS. On a night when making outside shots is a struggle, the ability to score in the paint is especially valuable — a lesson the young Grizzlies appear to have learned.

Per Grizzlies PR: “This is the second-highest paint scoring total in franchise history behind the record of 78 set on Feb. 26, 2011 vs. Sacramento. This is the third time this month that Memphis, the most-prolific paint-scoring team in the NBA this season, has scored at least 70 points in the paint.”


We Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends
32 assists on 46 made field goals? Yes, please! This was yet another game in which the Grizzlies had 30 or more assists, bringing that total to 18 games so far this season. Memphis also currently leads the league in assists per game.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Would Like to Invite You to the Block Party
While tying his career-high of 7 blocks, Jackson Jr. also extended his career-best streak of games with multiple threes made and multiple blocks to five games.

Grizzlies Smoke Nuggets in First Wire-to-Wire Win of the Season

Free At Last, Maybe?
With Grayson Allen, Bruno Caboclo, and Jae Crowder all sidelined due to injuries, Coach Jenkins has had to get a bit more creative with lineups. He’s also called up two-way players Yuta Watanabe and John Konchar, as well as swingman Josh Jackson.

John Konchar scored his first NBA points during 12 minutes of playing time. Both Yuta Watanabe and Josh Jackson were listed as DNP-Coach’s Decision.

Time will tell if the calls to #FreeJoshJackson have actually been heeded for real.

Jackson has spent the entirety of the season to date playing with the Grizzlies G-league affiliate, the Memphis Hustle.

Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are headed to “The World’s Most Famous Arena” to face off against the New York Knicks on the second game of a back-to-back. Tip-off is at 6:30 PM CST, and a win against the Knicks would put the Grizzlies at .500 for the season. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Beat the Suns; NBA Mourns Kobe Bryant

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns 114–109 on Sunday night. But basketball was the furthest thing from most minds after the tragic death of NBA great Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli Alyssa Altobelli,Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and pilot Ara Zobayan in a helicopter crash in California.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins really didn’t want to talk about the game that had transpired before 17, 214 fans. All he wanted to talk about was the loss of Bryant. “Gutsy win by our guys, but I’m not really in the mood to talk about the game as much,” he said. “Obviously, today is a very tough one for a lot of people  —  the NBA community, the basketball world, the Bryant family, the families of those who have lost family members in a horrific crash today. I said it before the game, it’s obviously something that you don’t wish you were talking about.” 

Jenkins continued with his praise of Bryant, “Basketball-wise, to lose a legend, to lose an individual who made a profound impact on the court and off the court not only in the Los Angeles community, but globally. Kobe stood for so many great things  —  greatness, competitiveness, drive, commitment, inspired generations. So many of our young guys have been touched by what he paved the way for. There are really no words.” 

No words is really what many in the NBA community and fans around the world are feeling at this moment. It hit hard. 

Jenkins went on to say, “I’m fortunate to be up here today to be able to speak on behalf of our organization, our players. Words only mean so much. It is going to be tough to overcome, but hopefully everyone rallies around not just the families and the organizations, but everyone that has been touched by Kobe and his legacy. He’s carved an unbelievable path. As I said, I wish we weren’t talking about this today but we do have to find a way to celebrate. It’s very raw and emotional right now. Today’s game pales in comparison to the new reality we face without one of the best in the game.”

It was a raw emotional day after the news broke of Bryant’s demise. NBA games were still played and private grief became public. 

Larry Kuzniewski

Ja Morant

Prior to tip off, the Grizzlies and the Suns honored Bryant with a moment of silence. After the Grizzlies won the opening tip, Ja Morant dribbled the ball for 24 seconds for a shot-clock violation, then the Suns’ Ricky Rubio held the ball for eight seconds for a backcourt violation to show respect to Bryant. Bryant wore numbers 8 and 24 during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Everyone was on their feet chanting, Kobe! Kobe! Kobe! A very emotional moment in FedExForum. 

Grizzlies Beat the Suns; NBA Mourns Kobe Bryant

After the game, Jenkins explained the tributes to the fallen star. “When the news broke, you’re shocked  —  you don’t know what words to say, Jenkins explained. “My mind went immediately to those who had relationships with him, coached against him, coached with him, played with him, played against him. Finally, we got around to we have to be able to honor him at some point in our small part. A lot of credit goes to our head video guy, T.C. Swirsky. He talked about jersey 24. Can we somehow take a shot clock violation?”

Jenkins went on to say, “I contacted Monty [Williams] and he was thinking the exact same thing. I went over there and talked about how we could, in our small part, pay tribute. Unbelievable by our fans. Obviously, our organization doing a moment of silence, but the fans to chant his name. The players on the court to recognize the impact that those two possessions could have to bring, hopefully, a celebration in a very, very tough time. As I said, I think other teams are doing the same thing. It’s our small part. Now it’s on us to continue to celebrate this beautiful legacy gone way too soon.”

The Grizzlies won the season series against the Suns 3–1 after Sunday’s victory and improved to 22–24 on the year. 

Morant scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Dillon Brooks added 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists. In 34 minutes, Jaren Jackson Jr. also tallied 20 points while going 7-of-12 from the field and 3-of-6 from the 3-point line, along with three rebounds and two blocks before fouling out late in the final period. Brandon Clarke chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds as a reserve. 

With the loss, the Suns dropped to 19–27 for the season. Devin Booker led all scorers with 36 points, five assists, and two rebounds. Kelly Oubre Jr. tallied 27 points, nine rebounds, and three assists while going 8-of-19 from the field. Deandre Ayton posted his 11th double-double of the season with 17 points, 15 rebounds and two assists. Former Grizzlies player Jevon Carter added eight points, two assists, and three steals off the bench.  

Quotables
Jaren Jackson, Jr.

On playing today after hearing of Kobe Bryant’s passing:

“To be honest, I didn’t feel like doing it, to keep it 100. You’ve got to be a pro. That’s what 2–4 (Kobe Bryant) stood for and there’s no better way to go out there and honor him than to play pro basketball and do what you love, so that’s what we did today. Both teams.”

On what Kobe Bryant means to him:

“Just for the game of basketball and in general and in life, he’s an icon and someone who we all saw growing up. Through all his runs, through everything, he was able to teach and to bring back to the younger playing through camps and Nike, just being able to do a lot. His impact is something that you can’t really fathom because it’s just so great. It definitely hurts.”

On whether playing the game helped him cope and forget about the loss of Kobe Bryant:

“No, it didn’t to be honest. It still hasn’t helped me forget. You ever just know you have to do something so you just try to figure it out and you find a way? That’s what we call it every day. You find a way o go out there and put your best effort out there, and thank God we got a win today. Despite the circumstances, I’m glad we came together as a team and got the job done.”

Who Got Next

The Grizzlies will host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, January 28, at 7 p.m.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall to Pelicans 126–116

It has become an annual tradition for the Grizzlies to play at home on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in a nationally broadcast game. Unfortunately for them, they finished this 6-game homestand with a loss, snapping a seven-game winning streak in the process. The effort was there from the Grizzlies, but the Pelicans clearly wanted to leave with the W and made it happen.  

 

The Grizzlies showed that defending well is still sometimes a problem, and the whole team struggled with outside shooting. In fact, the Grizzlies closed the night having shot just 9 of 33 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday set a new career high with seven made three pointers, and New Orleans as a whole shot 44 percent from distance.
 

The Grizzlies might have lost the outside shooting battle, but they outscored the Pelicans 70-36 in the paint. The turnover and rebounding battles were other high points, with the Grizzlies out-rebounding the Pelicans 51-43, as well as converting New Orleans’ 17 turnovers into 20 points.  

 

 


By The Numbers:

Four of the five Grizzlies starters finished in double-digits.  

  • Jae Crowder continued to struggle offensively with just 2 points. 
  • Dillon Brooks tied his season-high with 31 points, and his career-high with 9         rebounds and 4 assists. 
  • Jaren Jackson Jr. finished the night with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
  • Ja Morant closed out with 16 points and 9 assists. 
  • Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, for his 21st double-double of the season. 

 

What They Said … 
Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins:

“Give the Pelicans tons of credit. They played amazing tonight and were firing on all cylinders. They’ve been playing great, and they proved it again tonight. Jrue Holiday stepped in and set a tone for them, but [Brandon] Ingram’s playing well as are the guys off their bench. They played great, and we didn’t have it today. Just timing was off and all of that. I’m proud of the guys competing, and we cut it down to five. It was definitely ugly for a good majority of the game. It was a product of them playing great and us really not playing that good. I’m proud of the guys, but we’ve just got to turn a corner and get ready for the next game.”

On how much defensive movement affected offensive movement: “I’ll have to go back and watch. I felt like we were trying to switch a lot and just our communication wasn’t there. It was there sporadically throughout, and they ran a whole lot of movement, But if we’re switching, we should be able to stop all that movement and just keep it in front. That’s where I said that they played great but there were miscues on our part for sure. Offensively, I felt like we didn’t really have the timing, regardless of what was going on on the defensive end. We’ll be better. Guys have been playing hard and their spirits were great. They were trying and trying, but we just didn’t have it. We could’ve easily just put our head down and folded, but to take it from a 21-point lead down to five, that’s impressive and indicative of the competitive team we have. They fought until the end as tough as it was.”

 

Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr.:

On how this game demonstrated the team’s ability to fight out of a deficit: “We always do that no matter what the situation is. We’re going to fight; we’re not going to lay down for anybody. We’re not going to go out sad. I’m glad we brought it in the fourth, but we need to bring it earlier.”

On whether this loss is a wake-up call for the matchup with Boston: “Yeah, we have to come out stronger. Boston’s a good team, and especially at their crib, they’re going to be loud. Lot of good scorers there. So, just come out strong, throw the first punch, and keep it going.”

 

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant: 
On team’s performance: “They made shots. They had career nights. We missed shots… It’s just one of those nights, I guess. Nobody likes losing. That’s no good, but we are turning the page. We play in two days, travel and practice tomorrow, watch film and go into the next game as if tonight didn’t happen. I was in the bed for like three quarters. We got a spark in the fourth quarter, but we fell short.”

On the fourth-quarter run: “I think it shows our fight. We just kept playing until the buzzer sounded. They had some tough baskets late that sealed the win. I think we were down almost 30 points, and we cut it to like five points. It just shows our fight with the players we got. It just shows that we are going to compete and never give up.”

 

All Is Not Lost
While it is true that the Grizzlies lost Monday night, it shouldn’t negate the progress we’ve seen from this team in the past 10 games. One thing fans should take comfort in is that the young squad continued to fight right up until the last possession.

 

Who Got Next:

After a six-game homestand, the Grizzlies are heading back on the road. First to Boston, where they will face off against the Celtics on Wednesday, and then off to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Friday.  

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From My Seat Sports

Ja’s World

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

You could win an NBA championship without a superstar in uniform, but it’s not the recommended approach. Over the last 40 years — since the dawn of the Magic/Bird Era — exactly one team has raised the Larry O’Brien Trophy without a certifiable, Grade-A superstar on the roster. (Definition: a player who has earned first-team All-NBA honors at least twice.) Ironically, the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons beat a team in the NBA Finals — the L.A. Lakers — that featured four such players in its starting lineup.

Larry Kuzniewski

Ja Morant

The Memphis Grizzlies will not win the NBA championship this year. But 43 games into the Ja Morant Era, an NBA title seems less of a stretch than it has since the 2013 Western Conference finals (a sweep at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs). The 20-year-old Morant is well on his way to Rookie of the Year recognition, but his ceiling for stardom goes beyond the numbers he’s posted to date (17.9 points and 7.0 assists per game). There’s an eye test for basketball superstardom. Whether it’s Morant schooling a former MVP (James Harden), dunking with the nearest defender crotch-level, or draining three-pointers with a Curry-esque stroke, the 20-year-old guard has Memphis in playoff contention at least a year ahead of schedule.

Morant averaged 19.3 points over the Grizzlies’ recent seven-game winning streak. But then on Martin Luther King Day he seemed to disappear in a loss to New Orleans. The stat sheet says he had 16 points and nine assists, a fine night for mortal NBA guards. But the Griz were down 19 by halftime. That’s the catch (for now) with Morant: superstars don’t disappear against the Pelicans on national TV.

It’s outlandish to discuss Morant among first-team All-NBA candidates, right? With Harden, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, and another wunderkind — Dallas’s Luka Doncic — in the mix, such an honor will come hard-earned. But in 2021? Perhaps 2022? In the 25 years since the Grizzlies debuted in Vancouver, only one player has earned first-team honors, and Marc Gasol did so only once (2015). A half-season is but a blip in the NBA career of a superstar, but Ja Morant appears to be fitting himself for a cape.

• A suggestion for the NBA’s schedule-makers: Why not find a way for the Atlanta Hawks to visit Memphis for the Martin Luther King Day game in the near future? It would seem to add extra meaning to an already powerful event on the NBA calendar. The Grizzlies have hosted New Orleans the last two years and four of the last seven. Bring some variety to the game. Inviting the team that represents Dr. King’s hometown would be a poignant start.

• Look for Isaac Bruce to finally be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the modern-era class is announced on February 1st. The former Memphis Tiger is a finalist for the fourth time (no more than five modern-era finalists are inducted each year). A member of the inaugural class of the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame, Bruce ranks fifth in NFL history with 15,208 receiving yards. The four men ahead of him are either already in the Hall of Fame (Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss) or still active (Larry Fitzgerald).

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Beyond the Arc Sports

The Next Generation Grizzlies Appear to Have Arrived

Brandon Clarke against the Golden State Warriors

Much to the surprise of pretty much everyone, this Grizzlies team has done a complete 180 from the team we saw at the start of the season.

Memphis has won eight of their last ten games and are now the proud owners of a league-high seven-game winning streak. For reference, the Grizzlies have not won seven consecutive games since 2015. Now they are sitting comfortably in the 8th seed, with no signs of slowing down. What a time to be alive.

The Kids Really Are Alright

It’s hard to overstate how special this has been — the group of young players who are making the team their own. If the future of the franchise is in their hands, the Memphis Grizzlies are going to be just fine.

Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke are the first- and second-best rookies in the league, respectively. Morant is a human highlight reel that makes his teammates better, with an incredibly high basketball IQ. Saying Morant should be the unanimous frontrunner for Rookie of the Year would be an understatement at this point. 

The Next Generation Grizzlies Appear to Have Arrived (3)

The Next Generation Grizzlies Appear to Have Arrived

Clarke is just quietly good at almost everything, making a huge impact off the bench.
De’Anthony Melton has been incredibly valuable off the bench this season as well, currently averaging eight rebounds and six assists a game. Having a strong bench is especially important if one or more of your starters land in foul trouble during a game, a not unusual occurrence for the Grizzlies this season. 

Injury prevented him from having the sort of breakout rookie year he might have had otherwise, but Jaren Jackson is currently the fifth-best sophomore player in the league, and possibly one of the best shooting big men. He also leads the Grizzlies in total scoring this season with 729 points. 

The Next Generation Grizzlies Appear to Have Arrived (2)

Dillon Brooks is blossoming into the scoring threat we all hoped he would be. Brooks is tied with Morant as the Grizzlies second-best overall scorer, with 646 points to date. That the Grizzlies are undefeated when Brooks scores 20 or more is not a coincidence.

Can They Keep The Streak Alive?
The Grizzlies will finish up this six-game homestand on Monday, January 20th against the New Orleans Pelicans, as they go for their eighth-straight win. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Hold Off Cleveland for Seventh Straight Victory

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Memphis Grizzlies knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers 113–109 on Friday night at FedExForum to extend their winning streak to seven straight games. The last time Memphis won seven consecutive games was in the 2014–2015 season. The Grizzlies now have the longest active winning streak in the NBA. 

Lawrence Kuzniewski

Dillon Brooks

The Grizzlies are now 20–22 on the season and in the eighth spot in the Western Conference. Memphis is three games back of the 7th seed held by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Memphis is 14–6 in their last 20 games, after starting the season 6–16.

Dillon Brooks was the catalyst for this team’s victory. The Grizzlies are 13–0 when Brooks scores 20 or more points this season. Brooks led Memphis with 26 points (9–16 FG, 4–7 3P). The Oregon product has connected on multiple 3-pointers in eight of the last nine games. “This is the longest winning streak I’ve ever been on since I got here,” Brooks said after the game. “Jaren [Jackson, Jr,] and I were just talking, and I was telling him ‘That’s the longest streak I’ve ever been on.’ And he was telling me, like, ‘You’ve seen it all.’ Like I told him, the longest streak I’d been on was like three games. I’ve seen this group grow from when I first got here, seeing the fans coming to the arena more, and it’s a great feeling, makes you want to play harder every time out.”

“It can become great,” said Brooks about the team’s growth. “Even with some guys with foul trouble, guys can pick up the load. Every time, it comes to guys like Melt [De’Anthony Melton], Grayson [Allen], Tyus [Jones], Kyle [Anderson]. Those guys are always ready, even when guys like me or Jaren are in foul trouble. Guys are ready to step up.”

Grizzlies Hold Off Cleveland for Seventh Straight Victory

The anticipated Rookie of the year, Ja Morant, was sensational once again. In 33 minutes, Morant finished with 16 points, 7-of-14 from the field, eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Before the game, Morant was awarded his second Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for the month of December. More than a thousand fans from his alma mater, Murray State, were at the game.   

Grizzlies Hold Off Cleveland for Seventh Straight Victory (2)

Grizzlies Hold Off Cleveland for Seventh Straight Victory (4)

Grizzlies Hold Off Cleveland for Seventh Straight Victory (3)

Brandon Clarke was a spark off the bench with 15 points, three assists, and two rebounds while going 6 of 8 from the field. Meanwhile, Grayson Allen added 11 points and two assists on 5-of-6 shooting as a reserve. 

Grizzlies Hold Off Cleveland for Seventh Straight Victory (5)


The Other Guys
Cleveland was led by Collin Sexton, who finished with 28 points (11-of-25 shooting), plus six assists and four rebounds. Kevin Love added 19 points to go with nine rebounds and two assists. Love was limited to 0-of-6 from three. Larry Nance Jr. added 16 points, six rebounds, and two steals on 7-of-8 shooting as a reserve. Alfonzo McKinnie garnered a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Cleveland. 

Tony Allen

Larry Kuzniewski

Tony Allen is one of the Griz veterans whose future has yet to be decided.

Before the game, Coach Taylor Jenkins confirmed that former Grizzlies guard Tony Allen is now a player development coach for the Memphis Hustle. Jenkins’ statement:

“I am super excited. At the start of the year, Tony came to us and talked about his passion for the organization. When we sat down and he talked about how much he could not wait to get back, we tried to find a good opportunity. It took us some time to figure out what would make sense. Allowing him to dive into player development, which he is passionate about, we thought the Memphis Hustle would be a good avenue for him. He knows the game. He loves the game. We think he will be a great teacher of the game with the things that he does on his own. But to give back to the team that meant so much to him, it is going to be awesome to have him in the fold.”

Who Got Next
The Grizzlies will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day for a 4 p.m. tip. It will be broadcast regionally on FOX Sports Southeast and nationally on TNT. The game’s 15th annual Sports Legacy Award recipients will be former WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, former NBA stars Robert Parish and Caron Butler, and former NFL quarterback Doug Williams.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies’ Mid-Season Check-up

CREDIT: Lawrence Kuzniewski

At the beginning of the season, absolutely no one predicted the Memphis Grizzlies would be in playoff consideration. As of today, the Grizzlies are 19–22 on the season and in the 8th spot in the Western Conference. 

Lawrence Kuzniewski

Ja Morant and Taylor Jenkins

The team was an afterthought for most around the league after trading Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz in the off-season. But Memphis is currently on a six-game win streak, a feat the team hasn’t accomplished since 2016. Shocker! 

This is a fun team and they are finding ways to win. Speaking of: “A lot of fun — it’s always fun to win,” rookie Ja Morant said after a huge win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. Morant added, “I’m having a lot of fun, enjoying every bit of it. Thankful and grateful to even be here to play for Memphis in front of this crowd with these guys. It’s a blessing.”

Who would have the audacity to think this young team would be any good and figuring out how to win so soon? Memphis’ last loss was a heartbreaker against the Sacramento Kings on January 2nd. 

Jae Crowder has provided value to the team with his veteran leadership, and he is a big part of the reason why this team is getting it done. After practice on Thursday afternoon, Crowder, the de facto locker room leader, says it’s a sense of urgency for the team in everything they do in practice, and with their attention to detail. Crowder said, “We have guys locked in right now, and it is paying off with wins, but we gotta stay the course and put our best foot forward every game.” One game at a time is his motto, and the elder statesman keeps preaching it to his teammates.

Crowder says it’s being like a proud father — seeing the growth of his teammates from the start of the season through 41 games. The Marquette product believes in accountability for himself, his teammates, and the coaching staff. 

Larry Kuzniewski

Jae Crowder

Crowder is not only a voice in the locker room but also a voice on the court. He says he tries to help the young guys on the floor when they make mistakes, and he says the veterans have look themselves in the mirror first — and walk the walk. 

Head Coach Taylor Jenkins is appreciative of Crowder on and off the court. After a recent game Jenkins said: “With him, the consistent quality is his leadership, and his communication with his teammates on the court and in the timeouts — even what is going on behind the scenes in the locker room — by what he is doing game in and game out getting the team together.”

Jenkins continued: “I lean on him a lot to communicate coverages or communicate to a player about a previous possession. He is just a great voice and another leader out there that can be an extension of me. He does it innately, which is awesome. He has done it at a high level. He knows what winning habits take and what they are. The fact that he is going out there and communicating and trying to showcase them as an example; it has been a great quality.”

NBA.com

Taylor Jenkins

The first-year coach knows he has something to be proud of after 41 games of his rookie season. “We have been competing since Day 1 . We have been playing unselfish, and it was a struggle early, but we have gotten progressively better,” Jenkins said after the big win over the Rockets. 

Jenkins says he didn’t want to put himself or his team in a box, coming into the season. He wanted to focus on just competing, and he wanted his players to play as a team. He knew they team would figure it out eventually. 

The rookie coach added, “These guys come in and they embrace their mentality. It’s been at the forefront, so to be at the midway mark and to be 41 games in, we don’t even look at the records. Can we be that aggressive, disciplined, and unselfish team? We took huge steps, each game, these last couple of weeks, this last month. We are seeing some big-time growth individually, and that just translates into the team’s growth.”

Jenkins believes that the team chemistry is a big part of their success. “I think our chemistry has been there for a majority of the season  —  we just hadn’t necessarily gotten the results. The consistency in our play has been there. We are playing with leads, playing from behind. The process in which we compete defensively and our execution of game plans is getting better. We definitely have our lapses here and there. Offensively, our unselfishness continues to be there, but it is consistent, too. Night in and night out, we are getting consistent production on both ends of the floor. Our bench has been huge for us the past couple of weeks. They are making impact with not only their scoring, but also rebounding and assisting especially. The fact that we are getting consistent play, the chemistry has been there. That has helped us get to this consistent stretch.”

One game at a time is how the Grizzlies are approaching the rest of the season. The players are aware that they have room to grow in the midst of the winning streak and know they can’t take any opponent lightly. Players just want to play basketball, have fun, and continue to win. Grizzlies fans need to continue to believe and enjoy the ride — because the future looks bright for these Memphis Grizzlies. 

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We Recommend We Saw You

Grizz Bash

I wasn’t giving Ja Morant any basketball tips at the Grizz Bash because I don’t know any.

I noticed Colton Rhoads carrying a basketball covered with autographs at the Grizz Bash. He and his girlfriend, Anna Belle George, were among the guests at the St. Jude Children’s Hospital of Memphis fundraiser, which was held January 11th at FedExForum.

The Grizz Bash, which featured games, eats, and music, replaces the Tip-Off Luncheon, where guests also could meet Memphis Grizzlies players.

Rhoads, 22, was collecting autographs from as many Grizzlies players as he could for the heavily-inscribed basketball.

“We counted last night and there’s 85 now,” Colton told me when I called him the next day. “Last one we got was Tyus Jones. Everybody was pretty easy to get except Ja Morant. I feel everybody was trying to go get him.”

But the intrepid Rhoads got him. “He is real shy. He didn’t speak much.”

Collecting autographs from basketball players began with his dad, Brian Rhoads, Colton says. “It started with him when he was a teenager. He always loved basketball. He started off collecting NCAA basketballs.”

His dad, who now has more than 200.autographed basketballs, used to get autographs on one ball, but then he got one player to one ball. “The ones he does have multiple autographs on are team balls. Or players related in some way. Or the coaches.”

The ball Colton had at the Grizz Bash was one of his dad’s basketballs. “But we both put work on it. I have some. We kind of take turns. If I’ll go to an event, I’ll do it. It’s just whoever happens to be there.”

Colton got his first Grizzlies autograph when he was six years old. “I believe the first autograph I got was Pau Gasol for the Grizzlies, the first year they came to Memphis. I was about six. He was really nice. I was a little nervous because he was my favorite player at the time. That was my first introduction with any NBA player. I was meeting an idol.”’

Colton and his dad used to go to the old Tip-Off Luncheon, but, he says that event “always seemed a lot more hectic and it seemed a little more difficult to get to different players before they headed out. They didn’t stay for the whole luncheon.”

He enjoyed the Grizz Bash, which he described as “more of a close-quartered kind of experience. It was easier to interact with them (the players) and play games with them.”

Colton, who is majoring in communications at the University of Memphis, says their collection includes “a lot of the older players like Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, and people like that.” But they’re really trying to get an autograph from Zion Williamson. “He’s a rookie. Just got drafted. So, we’re trying to get after him whenever he comes to Memphis. That will be our opportunity.”

He sees Williamson becoming as big as LeBron James. “They’re saying he’s going to be a real superstar. And we’re trying to get after him before he gets that big. From our experience, whenever stars get big they get the tendency to not sign as much.”

Asked if any players have ever been rude to him, Colton says, “Not many rude ones. But (for some) you kind of sense them not feeling like signing an autograph.”

And then, he says, “Some blatantly ignore you. You call out to them and they just keep walking.”

The Grizzlies used to host “Grizz Gala,” another St. Jude fundraiser, which was in Tunica. I remember Marc Gasol’s size 17 basketball shoes in the silent auction at a Grizz Gala held in January, 2014 at Gold Strike Casino. The event, where guests could mingle and take photos with Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Miller, and the other players, featured music by the Memphis Grizzlies House Band.

MIchael Donahue

Colton Rhoads and Anna Belle George with Jaren Jackson Jr. at the Grizz Bash.

Dillon Brooks with a fan at the Grizz Bash

MIchael Donahue

Jonas Valanciunas at the Grizz Bash.

Michael Donahue

Brandon Clarke at Grizz Bash.

Michael Donahue

Jae Crowder at Grizz Bash.

Michael Donahue

Grizz Bash.

Colton Rhoads with his hero, Pau Gasol, who gave him his first Grizzlies autograph.

Marc Gasol with Colton Rhoads.

Brian Rhoads autographed baskeball collection.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Thump Timberwolves; Sweep Season Series

Dillon Brooks (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)

After a sluggish start, the Grizzlies overcame their largest deficit of the season with a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 119–112, at FedExForum Tuesday. The Grizzlies have won three in a row and improved to 16–22 on the season. 

Lawrence Kuzniewski

Dillon Brooks

The Grizzlies have scored 110 or more points in nine straight games, marking the longest such streak in franchise history and the longest active streak in the NBA.

“What a game; obviously a great comeback win for us,” Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Jenkins said about his team’s fourth-quarter comeback. “Didn’t start off with the edge that we needed to [have], which we had seen the last couple of games. Defense wasn’t there pretty much in the first half, maybe even until the start of the second half, but we just found a way, picked it up. To end up with 12 steals, six blocked shots — obviously Jae [Crowder] set the tone for us with five steals. JJ [Jaren Jackson Jr.] continuing to block shots, three blocks. You go down the whole roster: starters, guys off the bench, [all with] three, four-plus rebounds. Obviously we started making some shots in that second half.”

Jenkins added, “I told the guys, ‘You know, they’re playing great in the first half, we just didn’t have it in the first half. We’re down five — we’ve got to pick up our urgency, pick up our aggressiveness on the defensive end.’ They’re hitting some good shots, they’re hitting some tough shots. Found a way to just get some more impactful plays on the defensive end. Just a huge run there in the fourth quarter. Obviously winning the third quarter was huge, being [that we were] down at halftime. One of our better come-from-behind wins this season. We talked about before the game [about] getting back in front of our home fans, about how the building was rocking in that fourth quarter. It wasn’t just the made shots.”

“When JJ hit that big three[-pointer], the crowd erupts, they call timeout,” Jenkins went on to say about his team’s late-game heroics. “But you could just sense our crowd just continue to stay behind us all game, especially when we were getting some big stops. The Timberwolves gave us a heck of a game for 48 minutes, it came down to the wire. Proud of the execution in that fourth quarter against some different coverages. Ja [Morant] with some big plays, JJ with some big plays, other guys with some big plays, really stepping up as well.”

Memphis recorded its 13th game this season with at least 60 paint points. The team leads the league in points in the paint per game. 

“They are a team that plays with confidence, no matter of being up, being down — I give them credit,” Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders said about the Grizzlies’ fourth-quarter push. “I think Taylor [Jenkins] is a very good coach too. I give that staff credit for having them ready and keeping them in. They got physical with us offensively and defensively, I thought. We just didn’t do a good job coming up with defensive rebounds,as well.”

The Grizzlies are 10–0 this season when third-year guard Dillon Brooks scores 20-or-more points. Brooks led the way for the Grizzlies with 28 points off of 11-of-20 from the field and 2-of-4 from deep to go along with three rebounds and a steal. 

During their three-game sweep of the Timberwolves this season, the former Oregon standout has averaged 28.3 points, while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor and 68.8 percent from deep.

Jaren Jackson Jr. became the first player in NBA history to record at least three 3-pointers and three blocks in three straight games. Jackson ended the night with 21 points and seven rebounds, along with those three blocks. Jackson began the final period 1 of 7 from the three point line, but went 3 for 3 in the fourth period, including 2 clutch threes to seal the victory. The Michigan alum has now made multiple three-pointers in 10 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in Grizzlies franchise history 

“We had to lock in and make sure we went out in the second half, brought some more energy,” said rookie guard Ja Morant. “Like Jae [Crowder] started back for us, layups, got us going a little bit. We had to ramp it up even more, get some stops to be able to come out with a win.” Morant finished the game with 25 points (12–18 FG), seven assists, and four rebounds. This marked Morant’s 15th game with at least 20 points and five assists (tied for seventh-most in the Western Conference).

Crowder tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, and a career-high-tying five steals. Crowder tied for the most steals from any Grizzlies player this season. Morant had 5 steals on November 23 against the Lakers.

De’Anthony Melton chipped in six points, four rebounds, and an assist off the bench for Memphis. Melton now has a +76 plus-minus in 132 minutes over his last seven games, including a +24 in 21 minutes in the win over the Timberwolves.


The Other Guys

Jarrett Culver had a career night for the Timberwolves as he finished with a season-high 24 points (8–11 FG, 3–5 3P) along with five rebounds and two steals. Jeff Teague had 18 points, six assists, and two steals in 29 minutes off the bench. Robert Covington added 17 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Andrew Wiggins tallied 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists as Minnesota dropped to 14–22 on the season.

Quotes from Grizzlies veteran forward Jae Crowder

On getting a win after a long road trip:

“Me being in the league this long, I’ve realized that when you come off a West Coast road trip like that, usually, probably 75-80 percent of the time you lose that game. That’s a tough game to play, the first one back home, fresh off a road trip. We dug in deep and found a way and got a win today on our home court.”

On beating Minnesota:

“It speaks volumes to our growth. I think we’ve done a good job of growing each and every game — win, lose or draw. We’re doing a good job of watching film, trying to get better, trying to make the right plays on both ends of the court. I think all our guys are on the same page, more times than not, when we’re on the court and that’s a sign of a good team, a good team growing and trying to do the right thing.”

On how habits and attitudes have changed over the last two weeks:

“Our guys are just on the same page. We’re trying to buy into the team. Obviously, there’s a lot of different ages on our team, so we’re just trying to come together, continue to grow from each and every game, and continue to learn.”

On if there’s anything holding the Grizzlies back from being a playoff-caliber team:

“We’re going to take it one game at a time. A young team, I don’t want to get too excited. Obviously, we’re right there where we need to be to gain ground in the playoffs, but we have to take it one game at a time. We did a good job on our road trip, taking it one game at a time, bouncing back from a tough loss in Sacramento and winning the last two. We have a good stretch at home, so hopefully we’ll take it one game at a time and see where we fall.”

On being a veteran:

“I’ve been in this situation before. Obviously, our team was counted out and we’re surprising people with wins here lately. I really feel like that’s the message we should preach, is to just take it one game at a time and let the chips fall where they fall.”

On surprising teams:

“I’ve been the underdog my whole life, so I’m in familiar territory here. I’ve not been a high draft pick or nothing like that. I’m just a guy who comes to work each and every day. I think our team has taken on that identity. We’re not buying into the hype of the media. Obviously, we got counted out early as not a playoff team, but you’ve got to play basketball in this league and that’s what we’ve been doing. We’re trying to get better each and every night.”

Up Next

The Grizzlies continue their home-stand against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at FedExForum. The Grizzlies are only a half-game back of the Spurs in the Western Conference for the eighth playoff spot. Tip off is at 7 pm CST. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month

CREDIT: Image from Twitter

Memphis guard Ja Morant was named the Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in December. Morant is the first player in franchise history to be honored with back-to-back Rookie of the Month awards. The South Carolina native previously was honored for October and November, making December a trifecta. 

According to the Grizzlies, “The second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Morant led all qualifying rookies in December in scoring average (15.5 points) and assists per game (6.5) and posted shooting percentages of 48.5 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three-point range and 83.7 percent from the free-throw line. Memphis posted a 7–4 record in Morant’s 11 December appearances (all starts).”

We all remember when he posterized Aron Bynes and nearly ended Kevin Love’s professional playing career by jumping over his head. Check out these:

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month (6)

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month (7)

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month (5)


 More December highlights:

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month (8)

Here’s what Morant and Coach Jenkins had to say about this back to back honor:

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month (4)

The Murray State alum leads all rookies in scoring and assists per game this season, with 17.4 points and 6.5 assists. Morant also ranked 10th in All-Star voting among Western Conference guards in fan voting returns in the NBA All-Star Voting presented by Google. 

Morant’s playing style has attracted national attention from sportswriters and casual fans. To my knowledge, I don’t believe a Grizzlie player has garnered this type of attention nationally. Morant already has name recognition. When he makes a ridiculous pass, break ankles, make defenders look lost, almost dunks and posterizes opponents, he trends on social media. 

Here’s what Pete Pranica, Grizzlies play-by-play announcer had to say about the first-year guard on Twitter: 

Morant Does It Again! December Rookie of the Month (2)

Morant is a special talent and almost everyone knows it. The future looks bright for Morant, and for the Grizzlies.