Tag: Jaren Jackson Jr.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Go Wire-to-Wire Against the Kings

The Grizzlies closed out a three-game homestand on Sunday with a wire-to-wire 128-101 win against the Sacramento Kings, their first such win this season. The victory also snaps a two-game Memphis losing streak.

A Morant-less Memphis team made a big statement against the Kings, leading by as many as 37 points. This is the kind of team-effort-oriented basketball that the Grizzlies need to play while their star point guard is on the injured list. Sharing the load becomes incredibly important now, and the better they manage to do it, the better they will fare during this stretch.

Every player that took the floor made a positive contribution of some sort. Several guys on the roster whose names you don’t often hear played hefty minutes in the second half, and all but one scored at least one basket. Jarrett Culver has the distinction of being the only Grizzlies player finishing the game scoreless.

More Is More:

The Grizzlies not only beat the Kings overall, but they also beat them in rebounds (68-49), they beat them in the paint (72-36), they beat them on fast-break points (20-10), they beat them from beyond the arc (13-9), and they beat them in assists (30-17).

By the Numbers:

Dillon Brooks finished with a game-high 21 points, 6 rebounds, and two steals, and Brandon Clarke closed out with 15 points, 6 rebounds. Shoutout Canada!

After dominating in the first quarter, Desmond Bane finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and two assists.

Jaren Jackson Jr. played big minutes and ended with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and two blocks.

De’Anthony Melton came off the bench and made his presence felt with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will go north of the border where they will face off against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, November 30. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports Uncategorized

The Grizzlies Lost Their Mojo Against Atlanta

(via Grizzlies Twitter)

The Memphis Grizzlies did indeed have a “Black Friday” the day after Thanksgiving.

Memphis lost 132-100 to the Atlanta Hawks in a lopsided affair. With 3:12 left in the first period, the team’s most significant setback was losing Ja Morant to injury, which the team is now classifying as a knee sprain. Morant eventually made his way back to the bench in a black hoodie to show his support for his team.

After the game Taylor Jenkins was asked about the locker room mood regarding the loss and Morant’s injury. He stated, “I think the guys are trying to stay positive. Obviously, a really tough loss. Sticking together through all of this. Trying to find ways to continue to get better. Obviously not our night and hopeful for the best.”

Jenkins added, “I think seeing the way he [Morant] went off the floor sent shockwaves through the team. Obviously, the Hawks played really, really well tonight. We had a lot of looks that didn’t fall tonight so definitely the mojo was kind of lost.”

In the end, the Hawks made the Grizzlies pay for losing their mojo.

Back-up guard Tyus Jones also discussed the team’s mood after Morant went down. “Any time you see that, it kind of takes the wind out of your sail,” Jones said.

“We tried to rally together, but everyone knows how kind of a big deal that was. We fought the first half. Felt like we left some points on the board. The second half they just came out and hit us first. That was the difference in the game.”

Afterward, Jaren Jackson Jr. struggled to articulate his thoughts on Morant’s injury.

“It’s tough when you see stuff like that,” Jackson said. “He brings a lot to the game, he brings a lot to our team, to people who are riding for him. And for us, that’s our brother, I don’t want to see anybody hurting. I don’t want to see him hurting like this. I don’t want to see that.”

Both Jones and Jackson realize that the team must come together to deal with the loss of Morant.

“Ja’s going to be there every step of the way for however long he’s out,” Jackson went on to say. “His voice is going to be definitely around. He’s going to be supporting guys. He’s going to be telling everybody what they need to hear. We know that from the jump. That’s just his mentality. I just know that’s how he’s going to be.”

He continued, “In whatever he needs to do, he’s going to give it his all and work like how we know he is. We know that every single person in the locker room is a warrior too.”

“Everybody’s going to ride for each other. You’re supposed to lean on your brother so you can lean on each other. That’s what it’s going to be. It’s going to take a lot. There’s a gap there. You know what he brings. Everyone has to find a way to bring it. We all have to step up. It does have to be that mentality. That’s the mentality he would want. He would want us to just go out there and fight no matter what. That’s what we’re going to do. We’ve got a game in two days, so it’s time to lock in. Every day is a process. You’re not going to win the game during the game. Tomorrow we’re going to regroup and figure out what we need to do and be ultimately ready. It’s that time.”

For Morant’s return, there was no set timetable. It’s time for the Grizzlies to get their act together because they’ll be facing a hungry Sacramento Kings team on Sunday at 5 p.m. CT at the FedExForum. On Friday night, the Kings beat the Lakers in a dramatic triple overtime thriller.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

The Grizzlies Snap Skid With 136-102 Victory Over Rockets

Jaren Jackson, Jr. going up for the two-handed slam. (Photo credit: Memphis Grizzlies Twitter)

Memphis avoided a four-game losing streak on Monday night with a resounding victory over the Houston Rockets.

The Grizzlies’ defense had been shaky in their last three games, leading to losses by double digits.

Last season, the Grizzlies were known for their defensive prowess. They finished the season with the sixth-best defense in the league.

Fans were agitated following the three-game losing streak, and panic set in as if everything had fallen apart. In addition to those losses, the manner in which they lost was jarring and unsettling. 

The question is “Have they made a major shift in the right direction?” Winning masks a wide range of problems.

Defense Wins Games

“It was definitely a much-needed bounce back,” Taylor Jenkins said after snapping the three-game skid. “Obviously I’m really proud of how the guys came out with an edge in that first quarter, 20-point defensive quarter.”

Jenkins wasn’t too thrilled about giving up a ton of points to the lowly Rockets in the second period. He noted, “I got on them at halftime about giving up 36 points in the second quarter — there were too many breakdowns.” 

“We knew paint defense was a priority,” he added. “There were a lot of cutters, drives. Our one-on-one defense, our shifts weren’t there. I challenged them to re-find that edge.”

After halftime, his players responded to his call and gained a 40-point lead over the Rockets.

“They came out and it was a 15-point defensive quarter in that third quarter,” Jenkins continued. “Definitely a good bounce back, a mini step in the right direction for embracing our habits. Now we’ve got to get back to work tomorrow and the next two days before our next game.”

Triple J 🦄

On 7-of-14 shooting, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 18 points, seven rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. Jackson rebounded from his four-point performance in the New Orleans Pelicans’ 112-101 loss on Saturday.

Jaren Jackson Jr. shot chart – 11/15/21 (via NBA.com)

His coach was impressed by Jackson’s performance. Jenkins said, “A lot of good work inside. I thought he [Jackson] found the right times to seek advantages with some of the small ball they were playing to post up. He shot the ball pretty good from the outside. Defensively, two blocks again. Rebounding, I thought he did a really good job with our pick-and-roll defense as well tonight. We didn’t change any coverages. The discipline to be in the right spots, to man the paint, man the rim, he did a really good job defensively.”

Energy and Effort

In his third game back from injury, Dillon Brooks had 16 points, three assists, and two steals on the night. 

Brooks delivered a strong message after the game about the team’s energy. He stated, “That should never die, the energy every single game, every single day, practice … your vitamins, your workouts. You should never lack energy. We’ve been together for so long that every game from now on we should have super energy to play, to prove something every time we come out there.”

The Grizzlies’ leading scorer had a productive and efficient night. Ja Morant netted 22 points (9-15 FG, 4-6 3P) with six rebounds and six assists in 25 minutes of action.

Brooks’ sentiments were echoed by Morant. “Just our energy and effort,” Morant said of the team’s defense. That was my message after the game — we got to play with that same energy and effort every game for a full 48 minutes.” 

Then he added, “I feel like tonight we had our brothers back. We didn’t leave anybody on the island. We had great run protection and rotations out of it. We just got to be like that, not saying we want to be in rotations all the time, but when we are, we got to make that run or whatever it is.”

Who Got Next?

Action speaks louder than words. Against the L.A. Clippers, Memphis has a chance to put the words into action on Thursday night. Memphis prevailed 120-114 in their first encounter on October 23rd.  Start time will be 7 p.m. CT at the FedExForum.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Suns Scorch Grizzlies, 119-94

Ja Morant goes for a floater. (Photo cred: Memphis Grizzlies on Twitter)

Tidbits from the Grizzlies’ 119-94 loss to the Suns. 

There’s a bit of a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde vibe going on in Memphis. The Grizzlies haven’t decided what type of team they want to be yet.

The Suns took a commanding lead from start to finish and were up by as many as 38 points.

Phoenix shot 48.9 percent from the field and 48.6 percent at the three-point line, while Memphis was 37.8 percent from the field and 21.2 percent at the three-point line. A season-high 18 3-pointers were made by the Suns in this game.

In the last four games, the Grizzlies have given up more than 115 points.

After the loss, Taylor Jenkins didn’t hold back. He said, “I’d just say we’ve got two versions of the Grizzlies: the six wins, we play disciplined basketball, we make shots, we do what we need to do defensively, and then outside of the Lakers game, the ones where we’ve gotten smacked, our defense hasn’t been disciplined and we’ve missed a lot of shots. You’re not going to win games when you shoot 38 percent and 21 percent [from the 3-point line].”

“I’m not going to use youth as an excuse or anything like that,” Jenkins continued. “It’s just a matter of just finding consistency and just going out there and just playing better.”

For the time being, Ja Morant appears to be the only consistent Grizzlies player. He finished the game with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists as the Grizzlies fell to 6-6 for the season. 

When he’s on the bench, it seems like everything goes downhill.

Just two points were scored by the bench in the first half. Nine shots were attempted, but only one was successful. The Phoenix bench outscored the Grizzlies bench 48-32, including a 33-7 advantage in the first three quarters.

However, Morant has a solution for the team’s problems. “Play harder, for 48 minutes,” he re-enforced. “Games we won, it is that simple, ready to play to the end, all four quarters.”

In addition to Morant, Jaren Jackson, Jr. was the only other Memphis player to score in double digits. Jackson tallied 19 points, four rebounds, and two blocks on 7-of-18 shooting from the field.

Two-year guard Desmond Bane shared his thoughts on what it takes for the team to get back on track. He said, “A strong defensive effort. I think we need to get back to enjoying playing defense and flying around for 48 minutes. I feel like our defense has let us down in the games we lose. We are better when we get out in transition, and are able to run, play at a faster pace. We have not been able to do that, because teams are scoring at a high rate.”

Bane continued, “It goes back to defense. We are not being consistent guarding, and we dig ourselves a hole. It’s tough to climb out [of]. We have had a tough start to the season, played a bunch of good teams. Almost all of our losses will probably be to playoff teams this year, or last year. We just have to bounce back, but we have a resilient group, so I think we will be fine.”

He went on to say, “It is a lack of discipline. It showed in the games we have lost. Whether it has been coverages, schemes, or game plan. When we are not making shots on the offense end, those things usually start to magnify.”

Bane scored nine points, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked two shots.

The time has come for the group to step it up a notch. As a result, a faster start is required. In many cases, they often fall behind early and have to fight their way back. However, they’ve got another 70 games to work through it. Hopefully they’ll figure it out sooner rather than later.

Up Next

Even if things go south, there’s always hope for a turnaround in the NBA. The Grizzlies and Pelicans meet tonight at 6 p.m. CT in New Orleans for an early tip-off. The Grizzlies will face Jonas Valanciunas for the first time since he was traded to New Orleans. Valanciunas spent three seasons in Memphis.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

The Future is Bright for the Memphis Grizzlies

Mike Conley and Ja Morant embrace after Game 5 (via Grizzlies Twitter)

The Memphis Grizzlies exceeded almost everyone’s expectations in the second year of a rebuild with one of the youngest teams in the NBA. 

This team wasn’t supposed to be competing in the playoffs according to NBA experts and fans around the league. They had no business taking Game 1 in Utah against the Jazz. 

Regardless of what others think, the team had the kind of resilience and resolve that’s rarely seen in young teams. Their mindset is always to try to prove others wrong. They truly are a “bunch of hoopers” as Grayson Allen eloquently phrased after a victory against the Phoenix Suns in 19th Annual MLK Day Celebration Game.

The Utah Jazz did what they were supposed to do — defeat the 8th seeded Grizzlies and move on to the next round. However, those pesky kids didn’t make it easy for them. 

In Game 5, the Jazz ended the Grizzlies’ improbable playoff run 126-110 on Wednesday night in the elimination game to take the series 4-1. 

Something to build upon

The consensus after the game was, “We will be back.”

Taylor Jenkins said those were Ja Morant’s words to the team. Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr. echoed them. Then Morant uttered them again.  

Taylor Jenkins shared his reflections on the season during his postgame press conference.

“This was an unbelievable season. Many people are saying  what a good season — this was a great season for the Memphis Grizzlies. So much individual growth and team growth, to get to this point. Every team in the NBA has gone through this unique season with unique challenges,  but our team has stuck together and put ourselves in this great position to play meaningful basketball at the end of season, push through and break through and make the playoffs to go up against the best team in the NBA.”  

Jenkins is a coach that values his young team and he is adamant they will become better. 

“And do some great things and do some things that are going to motivate us moving forward,” Jenkins added.  

“Just so proud of them — the togetherness of this team, the fighting components of this team, day in and day out. And we’ve got a bright, bright future ahead of us that I know if we continue to work on the things that we are capable of and we will work on any investment everyone’s put in, we’re gonna have just this bright future that I’m so excited about.”

During his postgame conference Dillon Brooks was pleasantly optimistic, “We will be back — I think the taste of the playoffs is on everybody’s mind, and this offseason got to be a special offseason for every single one of my teammates.” 

When asked about the team’s resilience to overcome all the challenges it faced during the season, Brooks said, “That’s how we’re built. We hit adversity and we hit it hard. Other guys had to step up, and that’s growth in itself. We fight it head-on, and we find a way every single night to battle. I don’t see a lot of teams playing as hard as us, and that’s contagious throughout our team.

“We hold the standard that when you come on the floor you gotta play just as hard. And we will be back.”

“I get to play with a bunch of guys that care so much about the game,” Jackson said after the game. “It’s so refreshing to be around, and they play so hard. I’ve seen them work so much behind the scenes. I get to see what you don’t get to see. It comes from a place of real joy and effort. It really translates through everybody. I’m so blessed to be a part of this team. They make it easy for me.”

For Jackson, experience is the best teacher for this young team. “We got a lot of guys who were young, so we got this experience of being in the playoffs,” he said. We had a little taste of it so we can build on that. We got a taste of what it’s like to lock in on a team multiple times and make adjustments and have to make adjustments quickly. Every possession matters and a lot of the late games we were playing because we’re fighting to get a good seeding and then we’re fighting to stay in the playoffs so those are the biggest things.”

He added, “That’s what championship teams have, they have that mentality that switches where it’s like okay every possession matters, they’re not coasting, they’re not checked out — they’re locked in every single time because they know that it matters.”

Jackson went on to say, “We’re young, so at the end of the day we can take this and take it all forward. We never want to use youth as an excuse. It never is, we don’t care. I don’t care who’s out there, we just love competing, but at the end of the day, experience goes a long way.”

Jackson has no doubts about the team’s ability to get back on the big stage. 

After being asked what he needed to work on this off season, Morant replied with one word, “Everything.” 

Morant had a breakout postseason and has put the entire NBA on notice with his performance. 

“I feel like throughout this series we had the fight and never gave up no matter what was going on,” Morant said about the positive outlook of the team. “That’s one of the biggest positives we had in the playoffs.”

Morant discussed the players shared mentality. He said, “It just shows everybody here is bought in and wants to be better. We all have that never-satisfied mentality -— we all want to work, to be better, for it to be everybody is a big plus. We just got to continue to do what we’ve been doing. Lock in this offseason and just be prepared for next season.”

With their play in the postseason, it appears to be just the beginning for this young, gritty, and hungry Grizzlies team. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Ja Morant’s Career Night Wasn’t Enough to Hold off the Jazz

Ja Morant going up top for the finish. (Photo courtesy of Grizzlies PR Twitter account)

Ja Morant left it all on the floor after playing 43 minutes along with the entire second half against the Utah Jazz. 

Morant’s performance on Wednesday night was nothing but spectacular. However, the 21-year-old isn’t satisfied with his record-breaking night after falling in Game 2 to the Jazz, 141-129.

He finished with 47 points on an incredibly efficient 15 of 26 from the field plus 15 of 20 from the charity stripe.

“It’s an honor to be able to do that. I’m blessed to be in the position that I’m in, be able to play the game at the highest level,” Morant said during the postgame media availability. “But that’s not on my mind at all. We lost, so obviously it wasn’t enough.”

Morant is getting whatever shot he wants as he drives through the lane off the dribble. The Jazz simply have no answer for Morant at this point. 

Even though the Murray State alum wasn’t just satisfied with his elite performance, his teammates took notice. “I looked up and I saw he had 47!’” said forward Kyle Anderson after the Game 2 loss. “I was like, ‘Wow!’ That’s big time — we kind of knew the player he was, and we knew he’s highly capable of it. He’s just putting you guys on notice now. You guys are getting to see it.” 

After the game Jaren Jackson Jr. was proud of Morant’s playing. I’m happy for him,” Jackson proclaimed. “That’s a good feeling, something he’s going to remember forever.”

Not only will Morant remember, but the entire NBA will never forget his coming out party on the big stage. The second year guard is in elite company. 

“It’s obviously an amazing feat in his early career,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. “But I know all he will talk about is how he can’t wait to come back and get a win. That’s his focus. He’s all driven to win.”

Donovan Mitchell had to give Morant his props. “Honestly, it’s not that surprising,” Mitchell said. “He’s a gamer. He goes out there and competes — tonight, he was aggressive from the jump. At a young age, for him to be able to have that is definitely special. That’s something that I respect about him and about his game. He doesn’t quit.”

The old saying goes, “There’s no quit in the Grit.”

The Jazz evened the series but the night belonged to Morant who elevated his status as a bonafide superstar in Memphis who will back down to no one. 

Grizzlies fans, the team’s future is bright with Morant as the cornerstone. 

Run It Back

The series shifts to Memphis at the Grindhouse where towels will be waving from more that 10,000 fans as the capacity increased to 55 percent.

Memphis has a chance to go up 2-1 on Saturday night. Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. CT. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports Sports Feature

Grizzlies Down Blazers in a Nail-Biter

(via Grizzlies Twitter)

Close games haven’t been too kind to the Grizzlies this season. Until Friday night, Memphis had lost five straight games decided by five points or less. 

Those losses have been difficult and disappointing, to say the least. It was good for the team to get that monkey off of their backs against Portland. In a pivotal win, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Trailblazers 130–128 at the Moda Center. 

With playoff implications, the Grizzlies got the job done behind Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, and Jaren Jackson, Jr. who was appearing in his second game of the season. It was the Blazers’ fourth straight loss.

With the win, the Grizzlies moved to 30–28 on the season, while the Blazers fell to 32–27. With the loss, the Blazers moved to the seventh spot in the West and fell a half-game behind Dallas, with Memphis 1.5 games behind Portland. 

An Aggressive Morant

Morant finished with 33 points, 13 assists, and five rebounds on 11 of 17 shooting with zero turnovers, and he was aggressive from the start. During the post-game media availability, Morant explained why he has been attacking early: “I just got to be more aggressive”, he said. “Whether it’s attacking downhill to help find my teammates or for me to score. I feel like some of these games when we start out slow is my fault. Since I’m the point guard, I gotta push the pace.”

Morant set another franchise milestone with his performance

Dillon the Menace

Brooks chipped in 25 points and tried his best to make it difficult for Damian Lillard. After the game, Brooks said, “I just try to tire him out and full-court him every time. (I) use a lot of physicality, give him something different a lot of players don’t give to him. Physicality and a little trash-talking making every single shot tough. Obviously, he’s a great player and he’ll score his points, but I just try to make it tough on him.” 

Welcome Back, Jaren Jackson, Jr

“I still have my minute caps so you know it’s going game by game and progressively get back to full form and I’m playing like 28 to 30 minutes a game,” Jackson said.

He added, “But for now I feel pretty good out there. There are times at the end of stretches where you’re a little tired, but I’m feeling pretty good.” 

After only playing 18 minutes in his season debut on Wednesday night against the Clippers, Jackson played 25 minutes against the Blazers and hit clutch free throws to help seal the victory. He finished the game with 23 points on 10 of 14 shooting off the bench. An impressive night for the Michigan State alum. 

Xavier Tillman Sr. was on fire from the start and chipped in 12 points on 6-8 shooting, six rebounds, and two blocks in 23 minutes. Tillman has been huge for Memphis in the absence of starting center Jonas Valanciunas. 

Up Next

The same teams will do it all over again on Sunday afternoon with the same playoff implications. Tip-off at 3:00 pm CST at the Moda Center. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Has the Bubble Popped for the Grizzlies?

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

Larry Kuzniewski

Jaren Jackson Jr.

The Memphis Grizzlies entered the NBA Bubble sitting nicely in position for the 8th seed.
They were ahead of the other Western Conference teams volleying for the final playoff spot by 3.5 games. Players such as Brandon Clarke and Grayson Allen, who had been sidelined with injuries before the season was put on hold, returned from the hiatus healthy and ready to play. Trade deadline acquisition Justise Winslow was said to be healed and ready to be put into rotation.

So, entering the bubble, the squad was healthy, hungry, and ready to compete for their playoff spot. Things were looking up for a change, and the immediate future for the young Grizzlies appeared bright. Unfortunately, it was not to be meant to be. Much like the year 2020 itself, things have rapidly gone from bad to worse, health-wise, for this team.

Not Great:
First, there was Winslow re-injuring himself in practice and once again landing on the injured list. When he was signed, it was already expected that Winslow would not hit the court in a Grizzlies uniform until next season. Injuries always suck, and by all accounts, Winslow had been playing well in resumed practices. However, as disappointing as it was, it did not leave the Grizzlies any worse off than they were when the season was put on hold back in March.

Next came the series of scrimmage games, the Bubble’s version of a preseason. In those three scrimmage games, the Grizzlies finished 1-2. Again, not great but could be attributed in part to rust from the long hiatus.

Bad:
On July 29th Grizzlies PR informed us that guard Tyus Jones was experiencing knee soreness.

Has the Bubble Popped for the Grizzlies?

The Grizzlies went on to play the first of eight seeding games on July 31st — which they lost to the Portland Trailblazers in overtime. This loss can be attributed largely to poor decision making down the stretch and missing free throws.

Game two was a loss against the San Antonio Spurs. Game three was an even bigger loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Sensing the pattern here yet? Hint: It’s not winning.

The Worst:

Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks have both struggled with shooting in the games played so far. In fact, it has been Jaren Jackson Jr. who has been the biggest standout through the first three games. In a heartbreaking turn of events, it was revealed that Jackson Jr. had suffered a season-ending injury in Sunday’s loss to the Pelicans.

Has the Bubble Popped for the Grizzlies? (2)

There are still five games remaining in the season, in theory still time to stack some wins and hold on to their playoff spot. But the loss of Jaren Jackson Jr. might be too much for this young team to overcome. The odds are not in the Grizzlies favor.
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From My Seat Sports

Live Sports: Pandemic Therapy

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

I went to bed angry Sunday night for the first time in months. Truly pissed off. Having waited more than four months to see my hockey team of choice — the Stanley Cup-champion St. Louis Blues — play a meaningful game, I watched them lose their opening playoff tilt by the narrowest margin possible in a timed contest. The Colorado Avalanche scored the game winner with a tenth of a second on the clock, and it took almost 10 minutes of video review to confirm that tenth of a second existed. Infuriating, that ice hockey game played in August.

And damn, did the anger feel good.
Larry Kuzniewski

Ja Morant

For the first time since the novel coronavirus changed our planet — at least that part occupied by the United States — in mid-March, we have a packed sports calendar. The NBA has resumed its season with 22 teams each playing eight “seeding games” in Orlando, a one-city “bubble” designed and operated to contain that insidious virus and still provide televised basketball at its highest level.

Likewise, the NHL has opened its postseason with two bubble cities, both north of our border: Edmonton and Toronto. If you like sticks and pucks, you can turn on the NBC Sports network today — a Monday in August – and watch live playoff hockey for more than 12 hours, a total of six games to be played (starting with the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes at 11 a.m. central). This is a new, if disorienting, form of bliss.

Major League Baseball is trying, too. Instead of localized, condensed play within one or two bubbles, MLB is trying to coordinate 30 mobile bubbles — one for each team — and present a 60-game regular season followed by an expanded postseason. And it’s not working entirely, not if you ask the Miami Marlins or St. Louis Cardinals. The two National League franchises have each been locked down after virus outbreaks, quarantined in hotels while rapid testing measures just how many players or staff in traveling parties of more than 50 carry the contagion. And let me tell you, the only thing worse than no pandemic baseball is pandemic baseball with your favorite team not allowed to play. It’s waking up on Christmas morning with gifts under the tree . . . for everyone but you.

It still feels good. For more than 100 days, sports fans have pined for the “welcome distraction” of games and scores to track. Well, guess what? Some of that distraction isn’t welcome in normal circumstances: a blown lead, a narrow loss, a game-changing call that goes against your team. It purely stinks. And it lingers. In all the right ways.

The Memphis Grizzlies lost their first two of eight seeding games as they cling to the final (eighth) playoff spot in the Western Conference. They lost to a pair of teams — Portland and San Antonio — below them in the standings, teams unlikely to catch Memphis for a postseason berth . . . unless the Griz allow them. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are as electric as any young tandem in the league, and they both had moments over the weekend, Jackson burying a late-game three-pointer against the Spurs that forced overtime . . . until it didn’t (thanks to a buzzer-beating foul that led to game-winning free throws for the bad guys). What if we’ve waited all this time to see our Grizzlies, and the “show” becomes a bubbled-season collapse into the draft lottery? (Memphis plays New Orleans Monday, then will face five playoff teams. Should the Grizzlies make the postseason, they will have earned it.)

More than 1,000 Americans are dying each day from COVID-19. The U.S. president, here in August, is calling into question the very lifeblood of democracy: our voting system. Children and teachers from coast to coast are wondering if they’ll become the lab rats for a “return to normal” no one feels comfortable defining. Times are still really, really tough. But we have sports again, at least a version. Justin Thomas is now a Memphian for life, his win in the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational highlighting the beautiful TPC Southwind — and countless tributes to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital — for a national TV audience, including the thousands of Memphis fans forced to watch from their living rooms. It felt good, and it felt right, watching Thomas barely hold off defending champ Brooks Koepka.


And even when sports don’t feel right — when the game-winning goal is scored by a villain — it still feels good. Let’s stay healthy, and let’s play on.
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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies vs. Trail Blazers Preview

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Memphis Grizzlies return to regular season action Friday afternoon after nearly a five-month absence. The Grizzlies will face a hungry Portland Trail Blazers squad that has playoff aspirations. 

Grizzlies vs. Trail Blazers Preview

Memphis leads the Trail Blazers by 3.5 games in the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies have to keep the momentum ahead of the five trailing Western Conference teams in order to keep the eight seed and advance to the playoffs. Here’s the play-in scenario for the eighth seed:

If the Grizzlies are more than four games ahead of the team in ninth place, Memphis qualifies for the playoff berth. If the team in ninth place is within four games of the Grizzlies, 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 Grizzlies wins one to clinch the eighth playoff spot.

This is a pivotal game for both contenders and “must-win” for both teams, much like a playoff game. 

Keys to a win for the Grizzlies

Kyle Anderson continues his offensive swagger

In the three scrimmages, Kyle Anderson averaged 14.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.33 blocks in 23.5 minutes. After going 16–59 from three in the regular season games before the season suspension, the UCLA alum connected on seven three-point shots during the scrimmages. 

If Anderson can play at this level during the eight seeding games, it will be a huge lift for Memphis. Anderson’s aggressive play will be a problem for the Blazers. 

Bench production must be on point

During the regular season before the hiatus, the Grizzlies ranked in the top five in efficiency. The Memphis reserves bench ranks first in the NBA in field-goal percentage (.479) assists (12.1) and steals (4.1). The bench averaged 41.4 points per game before the league stoppage. 

Tyus Jones, a key member of the bench unit will be out of action due to knee soreness. Memphis will miss his leadership on the second unit. Jones is a great facilitator who knows how to take care of the ball. The Duke alum leads the NBA with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.2. 

The Grizzlies will likely have to rely more on DeAnthony Melton to run the second unit in the absence of Jones. Ja Morant and Anderson might have to play heavy minutes with the bench as well. 

Jaren Jackson Jr. must control his fouling

Jackson Jr. is prone to foul trouble. The 6–11 forward fouled out in 8 of 54 contests during the regular season and in two of three scrimmages at the restart. The Michigan State alum averaged 16.9 points and shot nearly 40 percent from three in 28 minutes before the hiatus. Jackson must learn to defend without fouling because he is needed on the floor in order for the team to be successful — against the Blazers and in the other seeding games. During a recent media availability Zoom session, Jackson said, “I don’t think I am nearly at my potential level  —  definitely a lot of decision-making with or without the ball on offense, and defensively limiting fouls.” 

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Friday, July 1, 2020
3 p.m. CT Tip-Off
TV: FOX Sports Southeast
Radio: 92.9 FM ESPN