Tag: Jaren Jackson Jr.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Jaren Jackson and Justice Winslow to Play Soon

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Good news from the Memphis Grizzlies Monday afternoon regarding Jaren Jackson, Jr and Justice Winslow. The team announced Jackson and Winslow both are likely to return within the next week.

Jackson has been sidelined since February 21st due to a knee injury and Winslow has not seen playing time with his new team since being traded. Winslow suffered a back injury while playing with the Miami Heat and has been out of action since January 8th.

Brandon Clarke suffered a right quadriceps strain on February 24 against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies announced Clarke is progressing well in his recovery and is expected to return this season.

Jackson and Winslow are likely to return to action as soon as the Grizzlies’ upcoming three-game road trip that begins Thursday in Portland against the Trailblazers, who are also vying for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

With just over a month remaining in the regular season, Memphis holds a four-game lead over the ninth-place Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans.

New Locker Room Procedures
The NBA will take active precautionary measures against the coronavirus, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He reported that the NBA will prohibit non-essential personnel from entering team locker rooms, including media. The league will reportedly keep media members at a six-to-eight feet distance from players.

Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) issued a joint statement on Monday: 

“After consultation with infectious disease and public health experts, and given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms, and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice. Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting.”

Statement from the Memphis Grizzlies regarding the new directive:

“This will go into effect starting with our game tomorrow against Orlando, and we will have one interview room available for each team’s media availability starting with shootaround. The media dining room located inside the Don Poier Media Center will now be turned into a mixed-use press conference/dining room on a consistent basis for Memphis Grizzlies media availabilities (practices, shootarounds, pre and postgame). For tomorrow’s shootaround, please gather in the media dining room and we will take interview requests from this location. The Memphis Grizzlies communications team will be happy to show credentialed media the location of the visiting team’s interview room or answer any further questions.”

I understand why the NBA is taking these precautions, but I wonder about others who have access to the players when they are not around their team. Will teams limit what players do outside of work? Will the NBA limit family members or business partners? Will the players and essential personnel be quarantined?

There are so many questions that need to be answered. But it is understandable why the NBA is being proactive in this situation.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

How Will Injuries Affect the Grizzlies’ Playoff Push?

The injury bug has hit the Memphis Grizzlies. First, Jaren Jackson Jr. went down against the Los Angeles Lakers with a knee injury, and then Brandon Clarke, who replaced Jackson in the starting lineup, went down with a hip injury against the Clippers after just four minutes of play on Monday night at Staples Center. Both are to be re-evaluated in two weeks. How will these injuries affect the Grizzlies’ playoff chances? It’s anyone’s guess.

Larry Kuzniewski

Jaren Jackson Jr.

The Grizzlies have lost three in a row and will be without Jackson and Clarke from seven to 10 games, or possibly longer, depending on the healing process. It doesn’t help that Dillon Brooks and Jonas Valanciunas have been in a funk lately, averaging a combined 13.66 points over the last three games. With Jackson and Clarke out, the Grizzlies can’t win when Brooks and Valanciunas aren’t playing well. And rookie phenom Ja Morant can’t carry the load alone if the Grizzlies want to continue to make a push for the playoffs.

What will the starting lineup look like without Jackson Jr. or Clarke? 

Larry Kuzniewski

Brandon Clarke

Josh Jackson more than likely will become a starter, since he has been more comfortable playing as of late. He is averaging 15 points over the last three games and has been helping when the Grizzlies’ offense has gone stagnant. Gorgiu Dieng is another player who may get starter minutes. In the past two games, Dieng has averaged a double-double, with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

How will Coach Taylor Jenkins tweak it? He will certainly have to make adjustments. And Morant really might have to put the team on his back and play out of his mind until Jackson and Clarke return. And the now-depleted bench has to continue its strong play.

Memphis still has a hold on the eighth spot in the Western Conference at 28–29 on the season, three games in front of the Portland Trail Blazers, and 3.5 games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs.

Adjustments will have to come quick, starting tonight in Houston against the Rockets, who will have Russell Westbrook available to play. Westbrook hasn’t played in either game against Memphis this season. The series is tied 1–1.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Trial by Fire: Can the Grizzlies Survive Without Jaren Jackson Jr.?

CREDIT: via Memphis Grizzlies twitter

As the run-up to the end of the season approaches and the battle for the 8th seed in the West continues to heat up, the very last thing the Memphis Grizzlies needed was an injury sidelining one of their starters. But the injury bug is fickle, and it seems like no team is ever truly safe from its clutches. 

Trial by Fire: Can the Grizzlies Survive Without Jaren Jackson Jr.?

Jaren Jackson Jr.’s sprained knee and subsequent absence from the court are no doubt going to be problematic for the Grizzlies. However, it is not an insurmountable obstacle. Pushing through and continuing to stack wins without one of its best players will be a unique learning experience for the young squad, if nothing else.  

 

In the meantime, prepare for the inevitable wacky lineups that Coach Jenkins will employ to fill the nearly 7-foot void. Expect to see increased usage for both Brandon Clarke and Gorgui Dieng during Jackson Jr.’s absence. In addition to needing increased production from its bench unit, the Grizzlies will also need Jonas Valanciunas to be at the very top of his game. 

via Memphis Grizzlies twitter

Brandon Clarke posterizes Ian Mahinmi

It feels weird to be saying this in the first year of a rebuild, but every game from now until the end of the regular season counts if the Grizzlies want maintain their status as the 8th seed. The Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans are staring down the same stretch of games with the intention of eliminating Memphis from playoff contention.

A Brief Rant: YGTMYFT
Now, let’s talk about free throws. Did someone decide that the Grizzlies just aren’t making them anymore and I missed a memo?


In last Friday’s match up against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Grizzlies shot an abysmal 51.6% from the charity stripe. In a game that the Grizzlies lost by 12 points, leaving those extra 15 points worth of free throws on the floor really stings.

If I am Coach Jenkins, every member of the team would be shooting at least 100 free throws during the next practice. 

This should be the easiest shot on the floor, one that any player can practice ad infinitum. The atmosphere in each arena may change, but fundamentally the process of shooting (and making) free throws does not. Scoring with the clock stopped is a valuable skill for players to utilize.  


If ever there was a hill I was willing to die on, this is the one.
You’ve. Got. To. Make. Your. Free. Throws.


Moving along…


Who Got Next? 
The Grizzlies will once again be playing in Staples Center tonight as they face off against Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Tip-off is at 9:30 pm CST, so be sure to grab one or more of your favorite caffeinated beverages beforehand.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

In Shy’s Corner: These Grizzlies Exude Confidence

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

One thing that can be said about the Memphis Grizzlies is that the young team ‘ain’t never scared’ to compete with any team in the league. This bunch has told the entire NBA: “We ready, (we ready) … For y’all.”

Star rookie Ja Morant always exhibits with the confidence of David against Goliath: “Whoever I’m going against put on their shoes the same way I do, there is nothing I should be afraid of.”

In Shy’s Corner: These Grizzlies Exude Confidence (2)

Morant and his teammates truly believe they can compete against any team in the league — and it’s showing. The team has a chip on its shoulder and is proving doubters wrong.

After a recent win against the Washington Wizards, Morant talked about the mentality of the team. He said, “It feels like we’re all just preaching the same thing. We have this mentality to just fight to the end, go out and compete. At the end, just try to get a win.”

In that interview, the three-time NBA Rookie of the Month took a shot at the haters for doubting the Grizzlies, “What were we supposed to win, 26 games this year? I think we just passed that. Appreciate you all who bet against us,” the Murray State alum said. 

The South Carolina native can back up his talk with his play on the court. In his first NBA season, Morant is averaging 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 29 minutes. He’s also Mr. Fourth quarter; Morant is ranked fourth in the league in fourth-quarter scoring with an average of 7.6 points. 

The 20-year-old is also the front-runner for the 2020 Rookie of the Year Award.

The other half of the dynamic duo, Jaren Jackson, Jr., has the same attitude as Morant. Jackson sat down with HoopsHype during All Star Weekend and shared his thoughts on proving everyone wrong.

The Michigan State alum said, “It was definitely motivating, because 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.”

Jackson continued, “When we go out there, you have to put five on the court, just like we have to put five on the court. It don’t matter if you’re young or old. There’s only one basketball. You have to literally beat us down if you want to win this game against us, because we like to compete. We’ll have off nights, for sure. But at the end of the day, we’re going to play hard.”

Jackson also has the receipts to back up his talk. In his sophomore season, his TS% (true shooting percentage) is an exceptional 59 percent. Jackson is averaging 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, with 1.7 blocks (ranked 9th) per game in 28.1 minutes. 

Another young Grizz, Dillon Brooks, feels the same way as his teammates. (“Dillon Brooks always talks shit,” said one of my colleagues who covers an opposing Western Conference team.)

So it wasn’t surprising Brooks was the one who called out former Grizzlies asset Andre Iguodala near the trade deadline. According to the Commercial Appeal’s Mark Giannotto, Brooks said, “A guy that’s on our team doesn’t want to be on our team. I can’t wait til we find a way to trade him so we can play him and show him what really Memphis is about.”

Brooks got support for his remarks from his teammates and Grizzlies fans. Eventually, Iggy was traded in a deal to the Miami Heat, along with Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill. The Grizzlies ended up with Justise Winslow, Gorgui Dieng, and Jordan Bell when the dust settled. 

Brooks had some parting shots for Iggy after the trades were finalized. 

In Shy’s Corner: These Grizzlies Exude Confidence

Brooks is having a career year with 15.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. The third-year guard only played 18 games last season due to injury, after playing all 82 games in his rookie season. Memphis is 17–1 when Brooks scores 20 or more points.

The Grizzlies are 28–26, two games above .500, and have a hold on the eight seed in the Western Conference, with a five-game lead in the loss column on Portland. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Real Talk: The One Where I Walk It Back for the Stretch Run

Jonas Valanciunas and Jaren Jackson Jr.


As everyone is winding down from the excitement of All-Star Weekend and we enter the stretch run to the end of the regular season, now seems like a good time to publicly rescind a thing that I said here in this space last month.

At the time, it seemed like a pretty reasonable position – this early in a rebuild, the playoffs shouldn’t be the season’s goal, and thus the Grizzlies should continue their focus on developing as a team, not altering plans in a pursuit to win now.

It was not meant to disparage any part of this fledgling squad. I didn’t realize how many people would misinterpret it or just be plain mad about it. I’m looking at you, Memphis Twitter. 


But now the trade deadline has passed and with it my biggest fear (an ill-advised roster move in an effort to win now). The Grizzlies seem to have landed organically in the 8th seed, so I’m ready to reconsider my previous position on the playoffs. 

Two things have set us on this path. One, this team has been light years better than anyone expected. Two, other teams in the West have been a lot worse than expected.

It’s amazing how much can happen in the space of a month. Since I published that article in early January, the Grizzlies have played 16 games, posting a 12-4 record, including a seven-game winning streak.

During that time we have also seen: a career-high scoring game from Brandon Clarke, Ja Morant’s first NBA triple-double, and the aforementioned players, plus Jaren Jackson Jr. playing in the Rising Stars Challenge game during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Along the way the team has managed to surpass the overall expected win total they were predicted to have, with still 28 games left to play in the regular season.  

This squad has absolutely proven me wrong and I am not above admitting that.

They truly are so much better than anyone anticipated, and I can’t recall having this much fun watching winning Grizzlies basketball in years.

There is a part of me will always feel sentimental about the Core Four era of Grit ‘n Grind. That team meant a lot to this city, and even in today’s RINGZ culture, that still means something. 


But I have quickly grown to love the new GNG era, the #GrzNxtGen one. If this is the future of our franchise, I will take it.

So, in conclusion: F*ck it, let’s go to the playoffs. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies’ Rising Stars at NBA All-Star Weekend

Brandon Clarke went up against teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, Jr. in the NBA Rising Stars game. Clarke started on Team World while Morant and Jackson started on Team USA. The game began with Morant lobbing to Jackson for a bucket, but Clarke had the best stats of the trio. 

The Canadian finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, including some dazzling dunks. Jackson had 12 points and seven rebounds and Morant added 10 points and six assists, including some highlight plays, to lift Team USA to a 151–131 win. 

After the game, Clarke spoke to the media about playing against his teammates. “I was just kind of in awe watching them really,” Clarke said about Morant and Jackson. “So I wasn’t really telling my teammates what they were going to do. I actually would just say, ‘Jaren is pulling left heavily,’ which he did. But that’s pretty much it.”

Clarke added “It’s kind of cool guarding Ja, because I see why he is so tough to guard. I think he had a really good finish going left on me and I see why that shot is so hard to block. I’ve seen Ja do that move so much going left and doing that double layup and I still couldn’t stop it. So it shows how hard it is to guard him.”

Ja Morant talked about playing against Clarke.  “Brandon [Clarke]? It definitely was,” Morant said when asked if it was odd playing against his teammate. “I kind of knew what he was going do, though. So, I got out of the way on a couple dunks. I tried to box him out early because I know he likes getting rebounds and then dunking it back.” 

“We are just young, very athletic and just get out and run,” Morant said about the Grizzlies team. “I feel like we all have something to prove. We just go out with this chip on our shoulder. We keep proving people wrong.”

More quotes from Morant:

What was it like to play with all those guys you have never played before?
It was nice. I mean, like they said, Rising Stars. That’s what this game is for, for guys coming up in the league trying to be big-time players. Definitely special playing with the best young talent in this NBA.

Can you talk about your first NBA All-Star experience?
It was just having fun. I attack every game the same way. Obviously today is not the same as playing with the Grizzlies, but still have fun.

Any butterflies for this game?
No, I don’t even get nervous for games anymore. I feel like at the end of the day, it’s basketball and there is nothing I should be afraid of, because whoever I’m going against put on their shoes and stuff the same way I do. 

How do you feel about being in your first NBA All-Star and doing all the NBA Cares stuff in this city and the message it sends to the local youth?
It’s special. Had fun, enjoyed every bit of everything that I was involved in this weekend. Hopefully, I’ll be in a lot more. 

What kind of things are you looking forward to this coming weekend?
Enjoying it, that’s it. Having fun. It’s my first one. My family is here and we are all going to enjoy it.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Morant Saves the Day as Grizzlies Top Wizards 106–99

Ja Morant

Is anyone else sensing a pattern here? It will almost certainly not be the last time we witness Ja Morant put this Grizzlies team on his shoulders, but watching it against the Wizards on Monday reminded me of just how special a player this young man is. Down five heading into the 4th quarter, and by as much as 12 earlier in the match, it seemed as though it was all over but the shouting. Spoiler alert: Reader, it was not. 

It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s SuperJa! 

If you didn’t think some variation of that phrase last night during the 4th quarter of the Grizzlies @ Wizards game, do you even basketball? 

Messed Around and Got a Triple-Double
Morant achieved his first ever NBA triple-double against the Wizards. When the dust had cleared, Morant led all scorers with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

The Good
Ja Morant’s 4th quarter heroics combined with some lockdown defense won the game, as Memphis was able to hold Washington to just 14 points on 4-25 shooting in the final frame. 

Brandon Clarke finished the night with 9 points and 6 rebounds, including a clutch 3-point make in the 4th that helped spur the team to victory. 

The Grizzlies came up big in the 4th on both the offensive and defensive glass, with 6 offensive rebounds and 17 defensive rebounds. You did read that correctly, Memphis had 23 boards in just the 4th quarter. Most of those rebounds came courtesy of … you guessed it: Ja Morant.
Overall, the Grizzlies won the rebounding battle with 62 total boards to the Wizards 50. 

The Bad and the Ugly
Once again, outside shooting woes plagued the squad, with just 5-of-32 makes from distance. This is the second game in a row where the Grizzlies have struggled to get outside shots to fall. Free throws were also a struggle as the Grizzlies went 15-of-25 from the charity stripe.

Turnovers remain a problem for Memphis as well, as does preventing their opponent from converting those turnovers into points. Case in point – the Wizards scored 18 points off the Grizzlies 15 turnovers. 

The Grizzlies might have the highest assist percentage in the league, but the Wizards came out ahead with 25 assists on 35 made baskets, while Memphis had just 19 assists on 43 made baskets. 

Jaren Jackson Jr.  and Dillon Brooks both got into foul trouble early. Unfortunately, this is a familiar story from Jackson Jr.  and Brooks this season, and an area I hope we will see some improvement on after the All-Star break. 

 

By The Numbers:

Ja Morant – 27 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists 

Kyle Anderson – 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, 5 rebounds, 2 assists 

Jaren Jackson Jr. – 14 points, 11 rebounds 

Jonas Valanciunas – 8 points, 18 rebounds, 2 blocks 

Tyus Jones- 13 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists 

 

Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will return to their home court Wednesday night, as they face off against the Portland Trail Blazers in the last game before the All-Star break. Tip-off is at 7PM CST

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Rising Stars Challenge Looks to Be Very Grizzly

Brandon Clarke, Ja Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr.

The selections for the Rising Stars Game held during NBA All-Star Weekend were announced this morning, and there are three Memphis Grizzlies on the Team USA and Team World rosters. 

Brandon Clarke, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ja Morant have been selected to participate in this year’s Rising Stars Game. Clarke will be suiting up for Team World, while Jackson Jr. And Morant will be representing Team USA on the court. 


Congratulations are in order for these three members of the #GrzNxtGen.

See the full roster for both teams here.

Want to watch the game? 

The 2020 Rising Stars Game  will tip-off at 8 pm CST on February 14, 2020, airing nationally on TNT. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

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

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

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

Larry Kuzniewski

Dillon Brooks, Taylor Jenkins

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Grizzlies Fall to Pelicans 126–116

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

 

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

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

 

 


By The Numbers:

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

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

 

What They Said … 
Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins:

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

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

 

Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr.:

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

Who Got Next:

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