Tag: Jaren Jackson

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Grizzlies Down Warriors, 133-119

Jaren Jackson, Jr. drives to the basket on Saturday, March 18, 2023 against the Golden State Warriors (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Memphis Grizzlies were back at home against their most hated rival, the Golden State Warriors. 

The Grizzlies controlled the game in the first half, but Golden State came roaring back and put up 41 points in the third quarter to cut the lead to single digits. However, Memphis held the Warriors to 19 points on 7-of-21 shooting (1-8 3P) in the fourth period, and scored 29 points of their own to beat the Warriors 133-119. 

The Grizzlies have won five of their last six games, and have a best-in-the-NBA home winning percentage (.853) after improving to 29-5 at FedExForum this season. Memphis also tied its season high with its eighth consecutive home victory.

With their eleventh consecutive road loss, Golden State dropped back to 7-29 on the road this season. The Warriors have not won a road game since January 27th. 

The Block Panther Game 

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies, tying his season high with 31 points by going 12-of-22 from the field, with seven boards, four blocks, and three assists. 

Jackson Jr. has scored 25+ points in three consecutive games, the longest such streak of his career.

“My teammates are requiring a lot out of me offensively” Jackson, Jr. said on balancing offensive assertiveness and efficiency. “They want me to view the mismatches and find different opportunities for me to score, especially when I have someone smaller than me, but even when I have somebody slower. I have to do both.”

Jackson, Jr. went on to say, “So, when I’m getting that many attempts, especially in the right spots, it’s really just about the spots I’m getting. If I can get in a better spot, higher chances of going in rather than trying to force it when doubles come, trying to find guys to review the double team rather than just go head-to-head without looking. You know, it all helps.”

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said,  “I thought Jaren [Jackson Jr.] played a great game tonight. I thought he was aggressive, he was scoring in the lane, knocked down a few threes as well, but he had it going tonight for sure.” 

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins spoke about Jackson Jr’s improved offensive game. “It’s been a huge growth area for him, for us as a team, for me,” Jenkins said. “It’s all the above. It’s the work he’s been putting in when it comes to post-ISO situations, the reads he’s making off of drives, whether that’s on a go-and-catch, coming off a pick-and-roll situation.” 

“I think what it really comes down to is finding the times to assert himself when it’s in the flow of offense and when we make a call for you, Jenkins added. “He’s finding a lot of success. He’s making angles, he’s making efficient moves to get to the rim. Tonight, a great example of kick-outs and dump-offs for three assists.”

Jenkins concluded, “Huge growth area for him. Just being efficient, as you said, but it’s just within the flow of the offense and when we make play calls for him. Just allowing him to be the decision maker. We know what he does defensively, but when he can give you that production inside out, from the free throw line, some playmaking on top of that, that’s huge for us.”

Jackson Jr. knows he’s a walking mismatch every game. “I feel like that every night, but you have to control it,” said the 23-year-old. “You have to do it in the right form, and if you if you just think like that and you just start jacking it, it just doesn’t look as good. I feel like that, but I’m really just reading how the games go.”

The All-Defensive forward has what it takes to be elite both offensively and defensively, but he has to have balance. “You just got to have the legs to be able to do both,” the All-Star big man said after the game. “So a lot of endurance is needed for that kind of activity. I’m not just doing one thing. So, it’s just about getting enough rest and having your legs. That helps because I know I have enough strength to get it done.”

The Dillon Brooks Effect 

Stephen Curry was limited to 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting, snapping a 17-game streak of scoring 20+ points. Curry was too not thrilled about being asked about his matchup against Brooks. Curry said, “We played the whole Memphis Grizzlies, not just him. That’s my thoughts.”

After the game, Brooks spoke about his plan for guarding Curry. He said, “Just being obsessed about him. Just watching film. Just understanding his whole game, the whole game plan. I love playing against him. He’s a competitor. I don’t think he likes the way I operate, but it’s working, so he’s going to have to figure out how to score on me. But, like I told everybody else, with a guy like him, he’s been doing it for so many years, seen so many defenses, so many coverages that you got to finally do something different. His desire to be the greatest shooter in the NBA, on this Earth, is the same desire that I want to guard him every single night.”

Jenkins had one word to describe Brooks after the game. “Spirited,”said Jenkins. “He’s got great spirit. He’s got great energy. I always say he’s an ultimate competitor. He embodies so many things you want out of a basketball player every single night, just how he lays it on the line. He leads by example, leads on the floor, leads off the floor with his voice. I could probably elaborate more, but you said, ‘How would I describe it?’ I can give you the one word: it’s very spirited.”

Jenkins also said he believes Brooks should be on the NBA All-Defensive team this season. He said, “The numbers don’t lie. The film doesn’t lie, so I think it’s a no-brainer that he should be an All-Defensive player.”

“This is elite level intensity, and he’s a master at it honestly,” Jackson, Jr. said of Brooks’ intensity. “Being able to have that level of intensity and still being able to lock in and have a calm approach to still get stuff done. You can’t just be erratic all the time, so there is a method to his madness for sure.”

Brooks added 18 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 from 3-point range.

The Grizzlies need this version of Brooks going forward. 

Up Next

The second game of a four-game homestand continues when the Dallas Mavericks come to town on Monday night with possibly both Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic available. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall to Celtics, 119-109 

Brandon Clarke doing Brandon Clarke things. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies headed to Boston for a Sunday afternoon game on national television, and it didn’t go well.  

Let’s get into it.  

How do you solve a problem like the Boston Celtics? I don’t know, and clearly the Grizzlies don’t either. 

Boston beat them on the boards, on the assists, and from three-point range. Getting cooked from outside is not a new phenomenon for this Grizzlies team, but the disparity in three-point shooting was on display and it was not a good look. Trading two-pointers for threes on the other end of the floor isn’t going to give the Grizzlies the outcome they want.  

Also, getting beat on the offensive glass, 14-3, highlighted just how much Memphis misses Steven Adams. Xavier Tillman Sr is a lot of things, but a 7-foot kiwi that feasts on rebounds is not one of them.   

The Celtics played nine players in Sunday’s matchup, and eight of them scored in double figures. In contrast, the Grizzlies played 10 players and only five of them scored in double figures. Jaren Jackson Jr getting into foul trouble was also a hindrance that hurts even more with Adams out.  

Ja Morant mentioned recently that he wasn’t stressing over any Western Conference teams, but the Celtics were on his mind. Sunday’s matchup shows that match-up remains a valid concern for Memphis.  

Grizzlies’ fans did get their first look at Luke Kennard, who put up 4 points and 3 rebounds in his Grizzlies debut. Kennard was a trade deadline move that is supposed to get more three-point shooting for Memphis. They are definitely going to need it for the stretch run after the All-Star break.  

By The Numbers: 

Ja Morant had a game-high 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Morant struggled from distance, shooting 0 of 4 from beyond the arc.  

Desmond Bane finished the night with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, while shooting 3 of 7 from beyond the arc.  

Jaren Jackson Jr closed out with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Jackson fouled out in just over 20 minutes of playing time.  

Dillon Brooks ended up with 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists, while shooting 3 of 7 from three-point range.  

Brandon Clarke led the bench unit with 14 points and 2 rebounds, with a very efficient 7 of 8 field goal attempts.  

Who Got Next? 

The Grizzlies will be returning home to FedExForum for their final game before the All-Star break. They will host the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, February 15th. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies’ 2020 Season Resumes

On March 11, 2020, the NBA suspended its season after Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Now, more than four months later, 22 teams are in Orlando, Florida, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Walt Disney World). All 22 teams have had mini training camp sessions and will participate in three inter-squad scrimmages before the remainder of the shortened “regular season” kicks off on July 30, closely followed by the playoffs.

All teams will be playing eight regular-season games before the playoffs. The Grizzlies will face the Philadelphia 76ers today (July 24) at 2:30 p.m. CT. The other two scrimmages will be against the Houston Rockets on July 26 at 7 p.m. CST and the Miami Heat on July 28 at 1 p.m. CST. The scrimmages will be shown live on Grizzlies.com with commentary from Pete Pranica and Rob Fischer. 

When the season was interrupted, The Grizzlies sat in the eighth spot in the West with a 32–33 record — 3.5 games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings. 

Here’s the play-in scenario for the eighth seed. If the team in eighth place is more than four games ahead of the team in ninth place, the eighth-placed team qualifies for the playoff berth. If the team in ninth place is within four games, those two teams would compete in a play-in tournament for the eighth seed in the playoffs. The ninth-place team must win two games before the eighth-place team wins one to clinch the eighth playoff spot. 

The Grizzlies eight seeding games are as follows:

  • Friday, July 31  —  Trail Blazers, 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, August 2  —  Spurs, 3 p.m.
  • Monday, August 3  —  Pelicans, 5:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, August 5  —  Jazz, 1:30 p.m.
  • Friday, August 7  —  Thunder, 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, August 9  —  Raptors, 1 p.m.
  • Tuesday, August 11  —  Celtics, 5:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, August 13  —  Bucks, TBD


Here are five questions that face the Grizzlies as the NBA restarts:

1. The Grizzlies roster makeup has changed since the start of the regular season, and since the hiatus. Do you think the new-look Grizzlies can succeed?

Aimee Steigemeyer: It will be the core group of players that put together wins before the hiatus who will be the deciding factors in whatever success the Grizzlies have going forward. Having all those key guys healthy when the season resumes will be a huge asset in the team’s favor. The new additions are like sprinkles on a cupcake  —  nice if you can get it but not critically necessary.

Sharon Brown: Yes, I believe it will lead to success. If Gorgui Dieng or Anthony Tolliver can go in to knock down shots or defend to give the starters a bit of rest then it will be beneficial for the team. But make no mistake about it, success will ultimately rely on all the players that are there. 

At the beginning of the season, Josh Jackson was in Southaven, playing for the Hustle, before he was called up to the main roster. Jackson had been performing well and was finding a groove before the season was suspended. In his last five games, the Kansas product averaged 16.6 points. 

2. Speaking of success, how will the season be viewed if the Grizzlies make a playoff run — or not?

Aimee: Given where this team was “supposed” to be, the season is already a success. But it would absolutely make it much sweeter to see them hold onto the eighth seed and try to make whatever kind of splash they can in the playoffs. I know that I am still eating crow for my comments in January about the playoffs not being a realistic goal for this team. I don’t have a problem admitting when I am wrong, and I will happily wear my clown mask and root for a playoff run. I don’t think you put an asterisk on this season either.

And if ever there were a year when a young and hungry team could be a dark horse threat in the postseason, it is this year and this team. If by some chance #GrzNxtGen manages to run through the Lakers in the first round, it will not be the craziest thing to happen in 2020.

Sharon: The 2019–2020 will be a success for the team whether they clinch the playoffs or not. Memphis was supposed to be at the bottom of the league and projected to win 20 to 23 games. This is a fun team that fans can be proud of for years to come. This season will be something the players can build upon and grow to eventually become a championship contender. 

3. According to a number of reports, the NBA informed teams that the 2019–20 NBA Awards (MVP, Rookie of Year, Sixth Man, Defensive Player, etc) will be based upon the regular season through the date the season was suspended on March 11. What are the chances the Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will win Rookie of the Year?

Aimee: I’d say damn near 100 percent. Morant should be the unanimous Rookie of the Year (ROY) and it’s not even close. I know the national media loves Zion Williamson, but it would be outright favoritism to consider him a ROY candidate having played less than two dozen games.

Sharon: Morant most definitely should be the Rookie of the Year and it should be a unanimous decision. Morant has put in the work and then some. He leads all qualified rookies in scoring (17.6), assists (6.9) and double-doubles (11). The three-time NBA Rookie of the Month for the Western Conference (October/November, December, January) is the only rookie this season to post a triple-double (with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Washington Wizards in February). 

There’s more  —  the first-year guard also is Mr. Fourth Quarter. He ranks sixth in fourth-quarter scoring at 7.3 points. 

4. Besides Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., who will be the X-factor in the season restart?

Aimee: [Justise Winslow could be another piece that fits.] That would have been my answer to this question before the announcement of his hip injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Said injury is unfortunate, but if you take into account that no one really expected Winslow to play at all until next season, I don’t think this puts them in any worse shape.

Brandon Clarke and Grayson Allen being healthy and available will be significant factor in any success the Grizzlies achieve during the restart. I also hope that Coach Jenkins has paid attention to the campaign to #FreeJoshJackson, especially now that he’s spent some time under Tony Allen’s wing.

Sharon: Dillon Brooks is definitely an X-factor. This season the Grizzlies are 18–4 when he scores 20 or more points a game and are 4–15 when he scores in single digits. Memphis needs Brooks to ball out along with the other young core in order to stay on pace to clinch its first playoff berth since 2017. 

Also, the Grizzlies bench is a big key to victory and is ranked in the top five in efficiency. The Grizzlies’ reserves average 41.4 points a game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The bench ranks first among benches in field goal percentage (.479) assists (12.1) and steals (4.1). The hiatus was a blessing in disguise since Brandon Clarke and Grayson Allen will be healthy and back in action. 

5. Have your expectations for Memphis changed from the beginning of the 2019-2020 season through the hiatus and the season restart?

Aimee: Honestly, I will be happy just to watch some basketball again. That said, I hope to see them retain their position as the 8th seed. If they do, no one can say they didn’t earn it. (I’m looking at you, Pelicans Twitter)

Sharon: Of course. Many thought it would take years for this version of the Grizzlies to be successful. But somehow, the team found a way to win and are knocking on the door to the playoffs. The team collectively isn’t afraid to compete with any other team and has the mindset of proving everyone wrong. Jackson Jr. summed up that feeling back in February. He said, “Nobody really thought that we’d be in this position at this point. People just said to us, “Oh, you have time. Don’t worry about it! You’re young!” We kind of were just like, “We don’t care.” That’s how we play and how we are  —  we just don’t care.”

My apologies for doubting the team, Jaren. It won’t happen again. 

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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. 

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Jackson’s Historic Night Not Enough to Tame Bucks

Jaren Jackson Jr. launches one of his seven third-quarter 3-poinnters

The Memphis Grizzlies put up a good fight Friday night, until reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo took over in the final period to extend the Milwaukee Bucks’ win streak to 17 straight games, beating the home team, 127–114. The Bucks improved to 23-3 on the season. 

Jaren Jackson, Jr. had the best game of his young career, setting several franchise and NBA records with a monster third quarter. Jackson had a career-high 43 points, while going 14 of 21 from the field. He scored 26 points in the third quarter and connected on 9 out of 15 three-pointers for the game, tieing a Grizzlies franchise record. 

Jackson’s Historic Night Not Enough to Tame Bucks (2)

Tyus Jones was in awe of his teammate’s performance: “Big time, but we know that’s what he’s capable of . Those performances are special.”

“Jaren Jackson (Jr.) is obviously a stud,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, adding, “It was a pretty incredible individual performance from the three-point line, and everywhere.”

Antetokounmpo couldn’t believe what he was seeing while he was sitting on the bench in the third quarter. “Someone’s got to stop him,” he said. “He made seven threes and when I was out, he made five. I’m thinking that I have to come back in. I got to help my team.” 

Antetokounmpo continued, “This is where the leader of the team takes a step forward. That’s what happens when he makes seven. You just got to execute and win the game. Tried to stay focused and know that I was going to come back in the fourth quarter.”


Historical Stats for Jackson
Jackson became the youngest player since Brandon Jennings on Nov. 14, 2009, to score 40 or more points in a game. He is also the youngest player in NBA history to make nine three-pointers in a single game and is the only player under 21 to do so.

Jackson’s 26 points in the third quarter set a new franchise record for most points scored in a quarter, passing Troy Daniels and Greg Anthony (22, each). His 26-point third quarter is the third most in a quarter in the NBA this season, behind James Harden (29) and Zach LaVine (27).

Jackson’s nine 3-pointers tied Mike Miller for the Grizzlies’ record for most in a game. Miller did it twice in the 2006–2007 season. Jackson’s seven 3-pointers in the third quarter set a new franchise record for most threes in a quarter. Daniels held the previous record with six. 

The Michigan State alum’s 43 points tied Pau Gasol for the third-most points scored by a Grizzlies’ player in franchise history. Miller holds record with 45, followed by Pau Gasol with 44. 

.@jarenjacksonjr ran his streak of games with 1+ 3PM and 1+ BLK to nine straight tonight, a @memgrizz franchise record.

That is tied (with Giannis Antetokounmpo) for the longest such streak in the @NBA this season. https://t.co/yIIg4Bj1Yi

— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) December 14, 2019

Jackson’s Historic Night Not Enough to Tame Bucks


Notes

Dillon Brooks finished with 19 points and three assists while going 4-of-7 from deep. He is averaging 24.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals per 48 minutes this season. 

Jae Crowder recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, plus four assists. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied a double-double with 37 points (17 in the fourth quarter), 11 rebounds, and two assists on 12-of-23 shooting. 

Brook Lopez tallied a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds

Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke sat out due to injury/load maintenance. 

The Grizzlies now have lost seven straight games on the home floor and are 8-17 on the season, overall.

Quotes from Jaren Jackson, Jr. on his historic night:

On whether he has ever had as good a quarter as he had in the third:

“No. There hasn’t been anything like that, because just everything for a minute was going in for me. I felt like just a crazy rhythm and the basket got bigger. It just felt good.”

On when he realized he was having a great game in the third quarter:

“Probably the banker. The banker was just like, ‘Thank you for the backboard being there,’ because otherwise, I would’ve air-balled it. That one was cool.”

On going head-to-head with Giannis Antetokounmpo:

“He’s just a great, great player coming at you with a full head of steam. You’ve got to pick your battles a lot. Tonight he was hitting the three a little bit, so you had to plan certain ways, doing euros trying to get around him and stuff. I always like that match-up though. He’s a great player.”

On what changed in the last seven minutes of the fourth quarter:

“Giannis (Antetokounmpo) kind of took control of the game a little bit more. Throughout the game, we were putting him at the free-throw line and we kind of gave up a lot in there. At the time we had our drought, they picked it up, so it was kind of just bad timing, honestly.”

On his confidence:

“I guess I always have confidence, just by the work I put in. In terms of shooting and getting my balance right and just getting my feet right so that I can make those shots when it’s harder and it’s like a hand up.”

On how he is attacking the ball differently now versus at the beginning of the season:

“My teammates are finding me a lot more in terms of the three-point line. They’re finding me in better spots and they’re looking for me a lot more, so that helps. Definitely in the summer, just working on my balance and working on having to get it off quicker because you have to get your release quicker and your feet down set. So, when you do that, you can take deeper ones and if it goes in, it goes in.”

Up Next
In a home back-to-back, the Grizzlies will face Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards at FedEx Forum tonight at 7 pm CST. Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke are expected to return to the lineup tonight. 

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Grizzlies Shade Suns in Phoenix

CREDIT: Screen shot

A resilient Grizzlies team went into Phoenix on Wednesday night and came away with its second consecutive road victory, beating the Suns 115-108. The team hadn’t won consecutive games in almost a month. 

Screen shot

Ja Morant posterizes Aron Baynes. (see video below)

Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson, Jr. led the Grizzlies, who ended a 10-day road trip with the win. The Grizzlies (8-16) are now three games behind the Suns (11-13) for the eight spot in the Western Conference.

Brooks went 10-of-18 from the stripe, finishing with a game-high 27 points, plus two steals. Memphis is 6-0 this season when Brooks scores 20 or more points.

After the game, Brooks said, “We were taking it personally. They beat us at our house and we wanted to beat them in their crib and we were just guarding our ass off. We made the necessary plays. We went to the line and shot free throws and we didn’t back down. We guarded and rebounded.”

Grizzlies Shade Suns in Phoenix (4)

Jaren Jackson, Jr. added 24 points, six rebounds, and four assists, including 10-of-18 from the field, with three three-pointers and several strong finishes in the paint. Like the one below.

Grizzlies Shade Suns in Phoenix (2)

De’Anthony Melton, who came into his own after Morant missed four games due to back soreness, continued to make good use of his extended playing time off the bench. He finished the night with nine points, six rebounds, and a +22 in 19 minutes of play. 

Grizzlies Shade Suns in Phoenix (5)

Brandon Clarke returned to action after a four-game absence due to a sore left oblique. He led the bench unit with 15 points, seven rebounds, and two blocked shots in 22 minutes of action. Clarke still continues to be incredibly efficient, going 5-of-6 on the night, with 2-of-2 from three. Grizzlies fans should expect more from the Melton and Clarke duo. 

Grizzlies Shade Suns in Phoenix (3)

In 32 minutes, Jae Crowder stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals

Frank Kaminsky led the Suns with 24 points (season-high) and five rebounds while Ricky Rubio added 22 points and a game-high eight assists.

HOLY SH*T JA MORANT
Ja Morant has become a human highlight reel in his young NBA career. Mr. Fourth Quarter has had mind-blowing, jaw-dropping plays in nearly every game he has played this season. And Wednesday night in Phoenix was no exception.

Morant posterized Aron Baynes with a vicious dunk that brought #NBATwitter to life. It was the second time Morant has posterized Baynes. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe this nasty dunk.

Morant talked about the dunk after the game. He said, “That’s my game — I’m going to try to finish every time. The first time was an and-1, the second one was a dunk.” He says it felt good. See it below.

Morant added, “I feel like everybody knows that’s my game. To go to the rack with force and try to finish the play aggressive, and I was able to get one tonight. They (the bench) was just laughing, (saying) “It took you two months to get one.” They were just excited and it just shows the type of team we have.”

Brooks was ecstatic about the dunk. “Oh my gosh, I was screaming, Brooks proclaimed. “That’s how electric he (Morant) is — he’s a special player. If he’s having a tough game or whatever he finds a way to electrify the game to put us over the top.”

Grizzlies Shade Suns in Phoenix

Grizzlies Shade Suns in Phoenix (6)

Morant finished the game with 13 points, nine of which were scored in the final period with the game on the line. 


What They Said!!
Taylor Jenkins, Grizzlies Head Coach
On the game:

“Unbelievable effort by our guys tonight, two nights in a row. You could maybe chalk this up to being another complete game for us. The Suns went out and got a couple early runs on us; we were a little too casual. But when we locked in, our guys were really good defensively. A team that’s been killing it on the boards and second-chance points, we just outrebounded them with all their crashers and athletic guys going in there. That was huge for us. Great job.”

Jenkins continued: “Multiple guys guarded Devin Booker; Kaminsky got hot early, but we changed up some matchups and some coverages and I thought our guys handled that great. Offensively, as we have been talking about all season long, when teams go on runs against us, continue to trust the offense. There were a couple of moments there when we forced some things, but the ball kept moving around, some big plays down the stretch.

“One sequence I have to mention: they have a fast break play; we have two guys go in and I think De’Anthony (Melton), Brandon (Clarke) block the shot, we go down to the other end, we get a tip-in off an offensive rebound. Plays like that. There’s more of them throughout the game, but that one sticks out. The bench was huge for us tonight. Just credit to our guys going out getting two big wins to finish this road trip. These games are always hard at the end of a road trip. Proud of our guys’ effort tonight.”

Up Next

The Grizzlies return home to Memphis to host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night at FedExForum. Antetokounmpo missed Wednesday night’s contest against the New Orleans Pelicans due to right quad tendon soreness. The Bucks extended their winning streak to 16 games against the Pelicans. It is unclear Antetokounmpo will be available to play in Friday’s game. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Blues on Beale: Grizzlies Lose to Jazz 103-94

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Memphis Grizzlies suffered their sixth straight defeat, losing to the Utah Jazz on Friday night, 103–94. The Grizzlies’ last win was against those same Jazz on Nov 15th at FedExForum before a national TV audience in the teams’ first matchup. Memphis is now 5–13 on the year. 

Utah outscored Memphis 63–39 in the second half, after the Grizzlies led 55-40 at the half. The Grizzlies shot 45.7 percent in the first half, but the Jazz held them to 33.3 percent shooting in the second half. The Jazz scored 12 straight points to open the third quarter. 

Third-quarter woes continue to plague Memphis early in the season. “We didn’t do what we needed to do in the third quarter, because we let them come out and punch us early and we didn’t respond,” said Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson, Jr. “Credit to them. They were active on the glass, actively just making the right plays, hitting a lot of shots, but we have to know that that’s coming. Especially because we played well in the first half.”

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins didn’t mince words after the game. He said, “Great first half, terrible second half . Credit the Jazz. They came and played a whole lot harder than us in the third quarter, and that’s why they won the ball game.”

Jenkins described how the Jazz set the tone for the second half, “We turned over the first possession. We gave up an offensive rebound. They scored. We controlled the boards in the first half, and then the next possession, they go down and miss a wide-open layup in transition —  get an offensive rebound, put it in, call timeout, come out and continue to get offensive rebounds. I think they had [13] second-chance points in the second half or something along those lines. It’s been a weakness of ours. We just didn’t come ready to play in the third quarter, and they took full advantage of it.”

“We came out with a sense of urgency,” said Utah guard Donovan Mitchell. “We knew we were better than what we showed. So, for us, it was just continuing to battle. It helps when Bojan [Bogdanovic] gets hot. Mike [Conley] made some crucial plays. Royce [O’Neale] had defensive stops, and we all did our best to do our part.”

Difficulties maintaining leads

For the sixth time this season, the Grizzlies blew a double-digit lead — the most in the NBA.

“We just have to execute,” said Jackson. “We have to continue to do the things that we were doing and expect the team to play harder, but we can’t expect them to bring the same energy or drop their energy because they’re losing. They probably got ripped at halftime. They’re probably feeling a type of way, and they’re probably getting amped up. We have to come out there and make sure we deliver.”

Sharon Brown


Playing with the same energy a full 48 minutes

“We have to play all four quarters like we did in the first half,” said rookie guard Ja Morant. “It helped us get out to a bigger lead, I think like 15 points. We just have to do that all four quarters.”

Energy and effort may be an issue. Morant said of the second half, “It was us — high energy just died down and they just took advantage of it.”

“I feel like it was just us mainly coming out in the third quarter with a lack of energy, lack of focus and they capitalized on that,” said Grizzlies rookie forward Brandon Clarke. 

The Grizzlies can’t win when Morant and Jackson combine for 7-of 26 from the field. Morant ended the game with 11 points (4-of-13) and four assists. Jackson chipped in nine points (3-of-13) and four assists plus four blocks. With his fourth block, he reached 100 career blocks and became the third-fastest player in franchise history to tally 100 career blocks, behind only Pau Gasol and Roy Rogers.

For the second consecutive game, Jonas Valanciunas was the Grizzlies high scorer with 22 points and 17 rebounds. He posted his 11th double-double of the season. 

Sharon Brown

Jonas Valanciunas

Clarke tallied 13 points off the bench and went 5-of-6 from the field. Clarke has a 64.3 percent field goal percentage this season.

Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic tied his season-high with 33 points while shooting 12-of-20 from the field (4–8 from three). He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter. Donovan Mitchell added 20 points, while Rudy Gobert notched his 11th double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies will travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Sunday. Tip-off at 2:30 pm, CST. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies hosted the Utah Jazz at FedExForum Monday night, where Memphis had been undefeated for the first five home games of the season. It was the third matchup between the Jazz and Grizzlies, with Memphis winning the first two.

Memphis entered the night having played their most exciting home game thus far with Saturday’s Wrestling Night win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Mike Conley’s shooting bounced back in a major way (32 points on 12-24 shooting, 4-8 from deep).
Larry Kuzniewski

The win against Philly was a trademark Grizzlies nail-biter, with Memphis coming back late, and winning by 6 in overtime. Unfortunately, they lost Dillon Brooks to a freak injury that will leave him sidelined 6-8 weeks with a Grade 2 MCL sprain.

The Grizzlies started Monday night’s game in a stupor, playing sloppy on defense and shooting poorly (1-9) from the field, and stumbling out of the gate. Meanwhile, the Jazz got a Thanksgiving spread’s worth of open looks from three in the opening period, but only converted on four of 12.

Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies defense stabilized, however, holding the Jazz to 36 percent FG shooting for the half, and Memphis was able to claw ahead midway through the second quarter to head into halftime with a 43-40 lead.

Mike Conley and Marc Gasol led the way in scoring for the Grizzlies in the first half, pouring in 16 points. Despite missing Dillon Brooks’ punch on both sides of the ball, the Grizzlies bench contributed 14 points in the half between Wayne Selden, Shelvin Mack, and MarShon Brooks. Surprisingly, Jaren Jackson led all Grizzlies in assists with 3 dimes in the half, and Memphis crushed the Jazz in the paint, 28-14.

Things were pretty much the same after halftime, with both teams struggling to score in a brawling defensive matchup. Both the Jazz and Grizzlies remained very much in the mud.

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88 (2)

One notable defensive stop (that featured two new Grizzlies) happened when Donovan Mitchell drove to the hoop and Garrett Temple kept his position between Mitchell and the basket, and guided Mitchell right into a Jackson weak-side block.

Speaking of Jaren Jackson, his defensive impact was felt throughout the game, and he avoided foul trouble (earning his first personal with 5:59 left to go in the third quarter). Moreover, he notched his first NBA career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Strangely, he only played 25 minutes, though he finished with 3 fouls, and wasn’t on the court at the end of the game.
Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies tied the Jazz at 62 with about 3 minutes left in the third, but Utah pulled ahead and didn’t relinquish the lead. Memphis kept the game within striking distance until late in the fourth, and looked like they might make another late comeback, but couldn’t hit enough shots (especially from deep).

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88 (4)

Defense was the star of the matchup tonight, with Gasol continuing to helm the Grizzlies on that end of the floor in Defensive Player of the Year fashion. Unfortunately, Rudy Gobert (15 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks) looked very much like the reigning DPOY, and held Jackson at bay. True to form, the Jazz played tremendous, and highly physical, team defense.

One area of weakness for Memphis on defense was their coverage on the perimeter. The defense gave up a lot of open looks beyond the arc, and I’m surprised the Jazz didn’t convert on more of their three-point attempts. Monday night also marked the first time this season the Grizzlies had more turnovers than their opponent, and the Jazz capitalized on those opportunities. Memphis lost on the offensive boards as well, pulling down 8 to Utah’s 13.

In his postgame press conference, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the game got away from the Grizzlies due to choppiness. He said the game was choppy in the way it was being called, and the team struggled to find a rhythm amid funky, injury-adapted rotations and offensive disorganization.

Bickerstaff also spoke about how the Grizzlies need re-establish the strong bench chemistry they had before Dillon Brooks’ injury.

Joe Ingles played exceptionally well for the Jazz, finishing with 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Garrett Temple’s defense on Donovan Mitchell was pretty impressive. Mitchell had 12 points on 3-14 shooting and went 0-2 from deep.

Mike Conley had another good shooting game, leading all Grizzlies with 24 points on 43.8 percent shooting from the floor, and converted on 3 of his 8 attempts from three.
Larry Kuzniewski

Gasol looked way more aggressive in this game, and has been talking about how he needs to step up his game in that regard. He banged around in the paint, took quick shots, and made assertive moves to the rim. He finished with 16 points on 7-13 shooting (missing all four of his three-point attempts), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. The Grizzlies need everything they can get on the offensive end, so hopefully Gasol maintains this level of aggression.

Kyle Anderson had a horrid shooting night, failing to convert on his sole three point attempt, leaving shots short at the rim, and shooting 27.3 percent from the floor on 11 shots. Anderson had a positive impact in other areas, however, gobbling up 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal. But the Grizzlies will need Anderson to pick up his shooting if they want to stay above .500.
Larry Kuzniewski

Garrett Temple’s defense was on point, but he had a cold shooting night, contributing just 6 points on 25 percent shooting, and missing all four of his attempts from deep. Shelvin Mack also failed to hit a triple.

MarShon Brooks had 10 points off the bench, shooting 4-9 and 1-2 from deep, but was often trying to manufacture a shot totally on his own when the Grizzlies offense went stagnant. The Grizzlies can’t toss the rock to Brooks and expect him to pluck buckets out of thin air against an elite defensive team like the Jazz. Memphis definitely needs him to take shots, but he needed help getting better looks in this game.
Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies return to action on Wednesday, when they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Greek Freak Bucks.

Spicy Stat of the Night:

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88

Cursed Tweet of the Night:

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88 (3)

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies lose game and Gasol in Sacramento

Memphis led confidently for the first half, boosted by nice bench play, only to come out flat in the third quarter. The Kings’ defense overall was impressive in the second half, and allowed Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox to help them claw their way back from behind to win the game. Far worse, Marc Gasol left the game after fighting for a rebound when De’Aaron Fox came down on his head/neck/shoulder area.

But first, some fun things that happened in last night’s game.

Usually when the Grizzlies play the Kings, nothing too notable happens. You don’t get storylines like ZBo vs the CP3 and Blake Griffin Clippers. Tonight was different, however.

Grizzlies and Kings factions were at each others throats on social media about which franchise had the better draft pick: Jaren Jackson or Marvin Bagley? The real deal outlived the hype. Jackson showed his skill and touch, posting and toasting Bagley in the first half. Bagley fought back in the second half, proving difficult for Jackson to guard without fouling.

De’Aaron Fox and Mike Conley’s duel down the stretch was a treat as well. Conley scored in the 20s for the second game in a row. Fox, however, stole the show in this game. He was unstoppable in the fourth quarter.

I’ve seen Greg Wissinger, the editor of SB Nation’s Sactown Royalty, keep track of which players that sat out (or were afraid of) playing against Fox. Fox took over the game at the end, and I’m legitimately going to have nightmares about him for a week. He finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists.

The Grizzlies had no answer for Fox. I kinda wish the Grizzlies had thrown Andrew Harrison out onto Fox late in the game, but there was too much ground to make up.

Fox’s defensive energy was equally impressive. Jackson fouled out with 1:24 left in the game while trying to set a screen for Conley that Fox fought around. The rookie bumped Fox, and Fox slid back on the court, clapping his hands gleefuly as a dejected Jackson shuffled to the bench. I know I’m not the only one looking forward to all the Bagley vs Jackson battles yet to come.

Grizzlies lose game and Gasol in Sacramento (3)

I wish these matchups had defined the night. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies suffered a potentially catastrophic blow when Gasol went down. Was Gasol already dealing with an injury before this happened? He did look off in the second half, airballing a shot or two. Peter Edminston of The Athletic had this to say:

Grizzlies lose game and Gasol in Sacramento

On the other hand, maybe the crazy pace the Kings imposed gassed Gasol’s legs.

Grizzlies lose game and Gasol in Sacramento (2)

In any case, Gasol laid on the ground for an uncharacteristically long time before getting up and walking to the locker room. Worst-case scenarios are festering on the mind for the Grizzlies and their playoff hopes. If Gasol suffered a serious injury, the tanking conversation is likely around the corner.

P.S.

Wayne Selden started to break out a little bit in this game. He shot spot up threes well (3-6) and had a particularly bouncy hop step that allowed him to knife between some Sacramento defenders and get into the paint for a bucket.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

Larry Kuzniewski

Everybody poops. Just ask my 8-month-old daughter. Or the Grizzlies when they shat the bed in a 111-83 loss at the Pacers to start the season. It’s a part of life. Poop is smelly and gross, but it can also be funny and heartwarming. Need proof?

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117

As far as Grizzlies gamebreak entertainment goes, this one is immediately in my top ten. The premise is perfect for Conley and Gasol, both fathers with young children. The video says so much about them, even though the two men barely utter a word. You see them as humans and fathers. You see their personalities. You see how they’re able to have a conversation without words.

Conley and Gasol scored 11 and 13 points, respectively, with heavy minutes in the season-opening blowout loss against the Indianapolis Pacers. The Grizzlies’ overall team offense looked flat and dysfunctional. Nobody could break down the Pacers’ defense. Grizzlies fans were quick to hit the panic button on Twitter, with some calling Gasol washed up.

That foul mood changed Friday night, when Conley and Gasol revived their high-level two-man play, proving they can still be the engine of a successful team. Conley sped all over the court, breaking down defenders off the dribble, swishing two threes, and setting up his teammates with 11 assists. Gasol didn’t appear to be limited by the back spasms he experienced earlier that morning, running the floor normally and whipping crisp passes to his teammates to the tune of 5 assists.
Larry Kuzniewski

Although they didn’t lead the way in scoring, Conley and Gasol’s two-man game set the table for the rest of the team. The Grizzlies would hope to see this pattern repeated throughout the regular season, as Conley and Gasol are aging veterans with lots of mileage, and they should conserve their energy and health as much as they’re able before the Grizzlies are (hopefully) wrestling for playoff seeding.
Larry Kuzniewski


In his first regular season game with the Grizzlies at FedExForum, Garrett Temple quickly caught fire, and that blaze raged for the rest of the night. He lit up the Grindhouse with 30 points on 10-11 shooting, and was nearly flawless from deep, hitting 5-6. He also defended and handled the ball well.

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117 (2)

Was he 100 percent happy with his performance? In the locker room after the game, Temple said “I was actually real upset at myself for giving up that three to Taurean Prince — the first three he got.” When asked about Temple in his postgame presser, Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was quick to laud his defense, saying that there will be some nights where Temple won’t hit as many shots, but he’ll lock down the opponent’s best player.

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117 (3)


Larry Kuzniewski

How did the Grizzlies’ top draft pick do in his first home game of his first NBA season? Let’s just say he’s doing a pretty good job at endearing himself to the fanbase.

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117 (4)

Triple-J poured in 24 points off the bench, shooting 8-12 and going 2-4 from deep. His length and quickness transformed the defense. His shooting and defensive impact come as no surprise. What does surprise me, however, is how good he looks in the post and attacking the paint. Consistently, he was able to use his size, strength, and athleticism to work his way into the paint and finished over defenders like 7’1″ Alex Len. His touch around the rim has been impressive.

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117 (5)

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117 (7)

Chandler Parsons got the start over Kyle Anderson, but played fewer minutes than Anderson. Parsons shot 3-6 from deep and contributed 11 points in the game. One sequence stood out to me in particular: Conley beep-beeped through the defense and jumped beneath the rim, and slung a pass to Gasol at the top of the arc. Gasol immediately swung the ball to a wide-open Parsons for a made triple. It was a rare glimpse at the power of what the three highest-paid Grizzlies can do to a defense when they’re healthy and in sync.

I wrote about this in-depth for the Flyer‘s cover story this week, but the Grizzlies basically haven’t seen and don’t know the capabilities of a healthy version of this team. I’m betting that those unknowns play out as unexpected positives. Did you know that the Grizzlies set a franchise record last night by scoring 77 points in the first half?

Larry Kuzniewski

The one down note from the home-opening win was JaMychal Green’s injury. He broke his jaw colliding with a player’s elbow while contesting a fast break dunk attempt. He hit the ground, pounded the court with his hand, hopped up, and ran straight to the locker room. He underwent a “surgical stabilization procedure” this morning.

J.B. Bickerstaff said the injury shows how selfless Green is — that he was the only one contesting a difficult play. And how tough do you have to be to leap up off the floor and jog to the locker room with a broken jaw?

Dillon Brooks saw limited minutes, logging just two in the first half, but got more run in the second. Even though he was (conspicuously, for Grizzlies fans) on the bench for most of the first half, Brooks was highly engaged, celebrating when Shelvin Mack hit a buzzer-beating floater, and jumping up and cheering harder than anyone else when Jackson slammed home a lob.

Andrew Harrison didn’t play at all in the home opener. And unlike Brooks, he seems disengaged, seclusive, and dissatisfied sitting on the bench. I don’t know how much to read into that, though, since their personalities are so different and perhaps that’s just how Harrison is in general. In any case, people forget how good Andrew Harrison was at the end of last season, and he’s by far the best defender among Grizzlies point guards. I hope Memphis manages to work him into the rotation again, because he brings a lot to the table when he’s playing well.

The Grizzlies de-escalated an anxious fanbase on Friday. They’ll look to build some momentum when they take on one of the West’s scariest teams, the Utah Jazz, on Monday on the road.

Burn of the night:

Grizzlies Maul Hawks 131 – 117 (6)