Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) shoots the ball as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13), John Konchar (46) and Ja Morant (12) attempt to block the shot during the first half at FedExForum on October 30, 2024 (Wes Hale Photo)
The Memphis Grizzlies dropped to 2-3 on the season, falling 119-106 at home to the Brooklyn Nets. Injury woes continued, as starters Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane exited the game with ankle issues.
Despite favorable expectations, Memphis underperformed, hindered by careless ball handling which led to 22 turnovers that Brooklyn capitalized on for 31 points.
The Grizzlies’ quest for a faster tempo remains elusive, marred by sloppy execution and costly mistakes.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins expressed disappointment in the Grizzlies’ defensive performance, and praised the Nets offense. He admitted his team failed to execute their planned strategy and took responsibility for not adequately preparing them.
“We just have to fill our cup,” Jenkins said, on dealing with injuries. “Tomorrow, [we play] a great [Milwaukee] Bucks team, and they’re going to be hungry for a win. We’re hungry for a win. It’s going to be two teams battling.”
He continued, “We have to bring a better effort tomorrow, and whoever’s available to play has to go out there and compete even better than we’ve done the last two games. The guys are feeling it. They know it’s unacceptable.”
“We [the coaches] have to find a way to be included,” Jenkins concluded. “I have to lead better —I have to prepare them better. Our guys have to go out and play better, so it all comes down to responsibility. We’ll just take it day by day. I don’t know where we’re going to stand tomorrow, but once we get through, we know we’ve still got depth that can go out there and can be better [than] before.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. poured in a season-high 30 points, shooting 83% from the field (10-12) and perfect from three (3-3), with 7-10 from the free throw line, his 23rd career 30-point game.
Ja Morant posted 14 points, eight rebounds, and 11 assists, securing his 64th career double-double and second of the season, despite shooting 5-16 from the field and 1-6 from three.
Zach Edey tied his career high and Brandon Clarke set a season high, each scoring 13 points. Edey went 6-9 from the field and 1-2 from the line, while Clarke shot a perfect 5-5 from the field and 3-3 from the free throw line.
No Time to Panic
Although disappointing, it’s only 5 games out of 82. As Jackson Jr. said last night, “Can’t panic. Soldiers don’t panic. Should never panic. Panic just makes it worse, makes anything worse. You just stay calm and work on what you have to do — work on your craft.”
Up Next
The Grizzlies’ four-game home stand comes to a close on Thursday, October 31, with a showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 PM CST.
Ja Morant (12) and Yuki Kawamura dance at the Memphis Grizzlies open practice on October 6th at FedExForum. (Photos: Wes Hale)
Injuries and frustrations plagued the Memphis Grizzlies for most of the 2023–2024 season, beginning with standout point guard Ja Morant’s 25-game ban. Even after making a triumphant return, Morant was sidelined with a season-ending shoulder surgery that limited him to playing just nine games.
Coming off two seasons when they were near the top of the Western Conference, this young club was humbled and finished near the bottom of the standings.
By the time the regular season ended, Memphis had most of its roster on the injured list. They took on a record number of 10-day contracts to have the minimally allowed number of available players and relied heavily on the players on two-way contracts. No team in NBA history has employed more players and starting lineups than the Grizzlies last season.
The departure of Steven Adams to the Houston Rockets and the minimal playing time that backup Brandon Clarke had in the previous season after undergoing Achilles tendon surgery left the Grizzlies in dire need of a competent big man heading into the offseason.
With the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Grizzlies acquired 7’4” Purdue center Zach Edey, who addressed a gap in the team’s roster. The remainder of the league is in for some terrifying hours if Edey’s preseason dominance continues into the regular season and beyond.
Along with Edey, the Grizzlies selected small forward Jaylen Wells with the 39th pick in the draft. As the lone Grizzlies player to reach double digits in five preseason games, Wells was a shining example of the team’s potential on both ends of the floor.
After Derrick Rose asked to be waived and subsequently retired from the league, another roster spot became available. As a result, Scotty Pippen Jr.’s two-way contract was converted to a standard multi-year deal while Yuki Kawamura went from having an Exhibit 10 contract to having a two-way offer.
Scotty Pippen Jr. shoots the ball during warm-ups before the preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum on October 10th.
New Beginnings
Will both atonement and vengeance drive the Grizzlies’ efforts this year?
The Grizzlies will be considered underdogs to begin the season due to recency bias in the national media’s expected rankings. That being said, it’s for the best because that’s where this squad excels.
“We know who we are; we know what we’re capable of. It’s just about going out there and doing it now,” Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane said during media day.
The previous two seasons prove that Memphis can inflict havoc at the top of the Western Conference when healthy, so fans should see last season’s dismal record as more of an outlier than anything else. They have the ability to get back on track in the standings. It may not be returning to the second seed, but it definitely will be an improvement over the previous position in last year’s campaign.
With former Defensive Players of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marcus Smart plus defensive menace Vince Williams Jr., this organization has a strong defensive foundation. Memphis was 12th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, despite their entire season being a train wreck.
Solid role players, including three-point shooters and young, adaptable talent, complement the club’s depth that is already strong thanks to Bane, Jackson Jr., and its spark Morant.
Forward GG Jackson II, who made a meteoric rise to prominence last season at the tender age of 19, is someone the Grizzlies are keeping their fingers crossed for. He was the game-changer in a doomed season and earned himself a standard contract. With 6’9”, highly athletic Jackson II on the court, it provides the team dynamic options, particularly in half-court sets. Last season, fans didn’t get to witness Jackson II and Morant develop a connection on the court.
Since Jackson II is still healing from foot surgery, we should expect to see him start the season sometime in December, so we will need to exercise patience till we witness his and Morant’s synergy.
The Grizzlies need to get back to their brand of basketball. When Memphis was the Western Conference runner-up in 2021–22 and 2022–23, they averaged more points in the paint than any other team in the league. They had the worst point differential and placed 13th in the Western Conference a season ago.
The squad now is looking to boast a more dynamic offensive game thanks to Taylor Jenkins and his reorganized coaching staff. Last year, Memphis’ offensive rating was the worst in the league.
Edey and Morant’s pick-and-rolls will feed families this season. Edey’s fit into the starting center position will allow Jackson Jr. to play at the four, where he excels.
Making a deep run in the playoffs is within reach if Memphis can avoid significant injuries this upcoming season.
12 Is Back
Given that the NBA is known as a “what have you done for me lately” league, some may have forgotten about Morant’s presence on the court.
“A happy Ja is a scary Ja,” according to Morant, who made the bold proclamation during last month’s media day.
Morant showed flashes of his dominance in the last preseason game this past Friday. In 25 minutes of play, Morant ended with 17 points and six assists in the preseason finale. He called his performance light and implied a secret weapon will be seen in the season opener in Utah.
The South Carolina native was thrilled to return to FedExForum after injury, citing fans as his driving force and motivation to perform. It was his first time playing before the home crowd since January 3, 2024.
In 2022–23, his last complete season (61 games), he played 31.9 minutes per game and averaged 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.
He understands that his availability is crucial to the Grizzlies’ success, so he’s been making an effort to avoid injuries and off-the-court issues like those that nearly derailed his career.
The two-time All-Star is still one of the league’s most exciting players, and he will make sure the league remembers who he is.
Memphis Grizzlies against the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum on October 10, 2024.(Photo: Wes Hale)
The Memphis Grizzlies are back in action, but their preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets didn’t quite go as planned, with a 119-94 loss. Missing key players like Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, Vince Williams Jr., and GG Jackson II made it tough to gauge the team’s performance.
As I was sitting in the FedExForum talking to another reporter, I said the game looked eerily similar to the previous regular season games which included key rotation players missing from action.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins acknowledged the challenges, saying the team lacked pace and key ingredients, but he’s optimistic about the progress.
He said, “I definitely think sometimes we’re missing some key ingredients, for sure, which makes it a little bit tougher. … We didn’t have our pop for sure. We weren’t playing at the pace that we needed to [and] guys that have been training hard just kind of fell flat today. You could see that early in the first quarter. We weren’t getting in the paint as much as we could. Obviously, we were taking the ball out of the net.”
Jenkins continued, “I told these guys on nights like this where we don’t have our pace, we can still control the defensive activity. We turned it up in the third quarter, but obviously the Hornets had a heck of a night. But I’m liking what I’m seeing from all these guys. The movement’s been there. We’ve got to initiate some advantages a little bit differently. That’s stuff that we’ll just continue to add. But stressing the movement, the pace, we just fell a little bit flat.”
Rookies Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells are getting valuable NBA minutes, which will aid their development.
The good news is that Morant, Jackson Jr., and Clarke are expected back for the season opener, while Williams and Jackson II will take a bit longer to recover.
Overall Memphis is focusing on player development and preseason preparation despite injuries. Again, it’s preseason, so no need to panic. The Grizzlies will regroup and refocus for their next game.
Up next: Grizzlies face the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, 7 p.m. tipoff.
Jaren Jackson Jr. dribbles the ball against Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Grizzlies faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
On the road in Milwaukee, the Grizzlies topped the Bucks, 111-101, Wednesday night. The Grizzlies have won five in a row over the Bucks, and they also swept the season series.
Milwaukee made 18 three-pointers, while the Grizzlies made just seven. That is generally not a recipe for a win. However, Memphis dominated in the paint, outscoring the Bucks 76-36 and shot 50.5% from the field.
It was the JJJ show in Milwaukee. Jaren Jackson Jr. was by far the best player on the floor Wednesday night. In the final minute of the game, Jackson Jr. gave Memphis a 10-point advantage with a baseline fadeaway 3-pointer over two defenders.
Jackson Jr. scored a game-high 35 points on 14-for-26 shooting, along with four assists and three steals.
“I was taking what the defense gives me,” the 24-year-old said after the game. “I’ve been working on my game a lot and I was glad to get the opportunity to get out there and show it a little bit.”
Rookie GG Jackson II finished with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for his first career double-double.
Jackson II has been on fire ever since he was moved to the starting lineup, with respectable stats overall and 10 straight starts in which he scored 10 or more.
Brandon Clarke keeps impressing. in just his fourth game of the season as he makes his way back from an Achilles injury suffered in March 2023. He finished with 14 points off of 7-for-10 shooting, and added seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
“It means a lot; everybody here wants to win. We don’t really want to lose,” said Clarke about Memphis winning two in a row, after the struggles the team has faced. “I think it’s about pride, really. It’s about just finding ways to win for next year too; finding ways to get better even when you know it’s tough in the season.”
With 13 points, 12 boards, and seven assists, bench player Jordan Goodwin nearly recorded a triple-double. He has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in each of his last three games.
Lamar Steven shoots a jumper against the Denver Nuggets on March 25, 2024. (Photo by: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies finished off a four-game road trip with a 128-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets (51-21) at Ball Arena on Monday night.
Denver improved to 15-2 since the All-Star break and currently are in first place in the Western Conference and is one game ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies have lost five of their last six games to fall to 24-48 on the season.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins is 5-11 against Denver in his coaching career.
“Obviously, we’ve fallen quite a bit throughout this season, but the spirit of this group has been great,” Jenkins said. “I just lean into that. What are the opportunities for us as a coaching staff to get better and the players individually and collectively? The dialogue has been great on what we can build on for the rest of the season and going into next year.”
After sitting out six games due to a left adductor strain, Lamar Stevens returned to lead the team with 19 points as a reserve. In his 13 games with the Grizzlies since coming over from Boston, Stevens is averaging 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 17 points and four assists in his 6th start of the season. Pippen Jr. is shooting 51 percent from the field, 55 percent from beyond the and averaging 1.3 steals in 11 games with Memphis.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had 11 points, five assists, four rebounds, four blocks, and two steals.
The Grizzlies return to FedExForum to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday March 27, at 7 p.m. CT.
Jenkins said his team has to play better Wednesday and “it’s as simple as that.”
Injury news
Brandon Clarke continues to rehab an Achilles injury that has sidelined him since last March 3, 2023. Clarke was upgraded to doubtful on the injury report against Denver and prior to the contest Jenkins said he would likely return in the next game or two.
Jaren Jackson Jr. drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Photo by: Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 137-116, on Wednesday night. The Warriors won the season series against the Grizzlies 2-1. Golden State improved to 18-18 at home, snapping a three-game home losing streak.
With the score tied at 58 in the second quarter, the Warriors went on a 22-0 run for an 80-58 lead. Memphis lost its fourth-consecutive game, fell to 23-47 on the season, and has been officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Golden State is still fighting for postseason position, at 10th in the Western Conference, to be eligible for the Play-In Tournament.
The Jacksons and Aldama led the way for Memphis. GG Jackson II scored a career high 35 points, and added five rebounds and three assists. Jackson also converted on a career-high seven 3-pointers and became the youngest player in the NBA history (19 years, 94 days) to do so.
With six consecutive games in which he has scored 19 points or more, Jackson II is now enjoying his best scoring performances of the season. The South Carolina rookie has solidified his position as a starter for the remaining weeks of the regular season.
Warrior’s Chris Paul had good things to say about the 19-year-old after the game.
"Honestly, the most fulfilling thing about tonight was GG Jackson."
Chris Paul used to coach GG Jackson on his AAU team, and tonight they got the chance to go head-to-head 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JNxIfNiB1w
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 21, 2024
This marks the fifth game in nine games since the All-Star break that the 24-year-old center has scored 25 points or more. Jackson Jr. has now appeared in 60 games for the season, averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals.
The Warriors bench outscored the Memphis reserves, 63-20.
Golden State had 20 fast-break points while the Grizzlies only had 3.
The Warriors outscored Memphis 62-46 with points in the paint.
Golden State had a season-high 43 assists while the Grizzlies had 29.
The Warriors shot 58 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range and held Memphis to 43 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Up Next
The Grizzlies travel to San Antonio to take on the 15-54 Spurs on March 22 at 7 p.m. CT.
The Oklahoma City Thunder gave the Memphis Grizzlies an old-fashioned beatdown on Sunday evening, 124-93.
It wasn’t surprising for the number-one team in the Western Conference to embarrass a team that has been without key players. The Thunder also recalls the 152-79 humiliation they suffered at the hands of the Grizzlies in December 2021, the largest winning margin in NBA history.
The Grizzlies had a total of 10 players on the injured list, as the team has been short-handed much of the season. Desmond Bane remains out with a sprained left ankle. Marcus Smart is still out with an injured finger on his right hand. Plus Ja Morant is out for the season due to shoulder surgery, among other injuries for Memphis.
The Thunder were up by as many as 38 points in the second half. OKC converted 21 three-point shots compared to the Grizzlies with just 11 threes.
As a starter, Rookie GG Jackson II led the Grizzlies with a career-high 30 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Jackson II is emerging as a longterm asset for Memphis as the youngest player in the NBA at 19 years old. In 31 games this season, he is averaging 11.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 21.2 minutes.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 16 for Memphis. Jackson Jr. has played in 57 games this season, the most by any current player on the roster. The 24-year-old is averaging 22.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on the season.
Jake LaRavia continues to show improvement during his extended play. LaRavia finished with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting, four assists, and two steals with his first career start for Memphis. Over his last eight outings, LaRavia is averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 24.7 minutes of play.
Newcomer DeJon Jarreau who signed a 10-day contract with Memphis on Saturday chipped in seven points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 28 minutes of action.
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 10, 2024
On Tuesday night, the Grizzlies will host the Washington Wizards at 7 p.m. CT. Tyus Jones, who was traded from the Grizzlies last summer, will be making his first visit to Memphis. The Grizzlies look to even the series after a 113-106 loss back in October 2023.
Despite being down 12 points entering the fourth quarter, the Memphis Grizzlies rallied to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 115-109 on Wednesday night. They went on an 11-0 run near the end of the quarter and outscored the 76ers, 34-16.
Memphis has won their last two games after snapping a five-game losing run after the All-Star break.
“I challenge the guys at halftime — I mean that was pretty poor performance in the first half, lack of urgency, lack of communication,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. “The Sixers got whatever they wanted in the first half, rotation, second chance points — through three quarters they had 30 second chance points and ended up with 35.
Jenkins continued, “So [a] better job in the fourth quarter but challenged them at halftime a little bit better even though we lost the third quarter by four. I said, hey, flush the first three quarters, we’re gonna come out, we’re gonna play our best quarter in the fourth.
“We just found a way to execute down the stretch and came down to just being in the right spots, the ball movement, multiple guys with multiple assists, but Vince [Williams Jr.] and Santi [Aldama] especially. Those guys did a great job facilitating some big time shots, knocked down some big free throws, and then just limiting them at the end of the game, second-chance points was huge for us to get this victory.
“These guys have just been really hanging in,” Jenkins said. “There’s still a lot more basketball left to play in the season. We keep reminding them, here’s what’s in front of us, here’s our reality. What are we going to do about?
“We go out there, we just keep pushing them to make the winning plays by our standard, and guys have been rising to the occasion,” Jenkins added. You see a lot of different guys rise to the occasion and get this opportunity. It’s pretty special to see and hopefully carries forth this season and beyond.”
After missing three games with right quad tendon pain, Jackson returned to the lineup and wasted little time making an impression. The All-Star forward finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks. Jackson Jr. recorded a double-double for the seventh time this season, and tied his season high for rejections.
Jaren Jackson Jr. gets it done on both ends to lead the @memgrizz to the W in Philly 💪😤
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 7, 2024
Jake LaRavia had another solid game 19 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. For the second game in a row, the sophomore forward recorded back to back double-doubles as a reserve.
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 7, 2024
To close it out Vince Williams Jr. chipped in 17 points, team-high nine assists, seven rebounds, and two steals. Santi Aldama added 17 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and three blocks.
The Grizzlies return home on Friday, March 8th, to face the Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM ESPN.
Feb 23, 2024; Memphis Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) shoots the ball as Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) defends during the first half at FedExForum. (Wes Hale Photo)
Late game mistakes cost the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, 101-95. The Clippers went on a 12-4 run late in the final period to seal the deal.
For most of the game, it was a tightly contested matchup with the Clippers leading by as many as 8 points, while Memphis’ biggest lead was 7.
“I think we should have won,” said Lamar Stevens, who finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. “I don’t really like the moral victory stuff; I think we should’ve won. I think that we kind of gave it away down the stretch; some of the turnovers and offensive rebounds really hurt us, but those are all things that we can control.”
“We just got a bunch of dogs in here that are hungry— everybody has something to prove,” Stevens said, about how the team is playing well on defense despite missing key players. “Everybody’s getting a different kind of opportunity. You get that opportunity in this league, you want to make the most of it and take advantage of it and just control what you can control. I think people come in here looking at the roster and don’t really know who this person or that person is, but they’re dogs and they’re hungry. I think that’s what’s able to keep us in games and keep us in position to win.”
Stevens received praise from Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins after the game: “I love what I’ve seen with Lamar [Stevens]’s defensive activity, switch ability. He’s given us a little pop in our scoring ability. He’s kind of figuring out his role on the opposite side. He’s playing a unique position at the five there, but his versatility on defense really just jumps off the page. Doesn’t matter who he’s guarding, whether it’s a guard or it’s a big.”
“It’s encouraging what we’ve seen the last couple of games,” Jenkins added. “That kind of gave us some confidence to put him into that five spot.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 29 points, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 4 rebounds. Jackson Jr. has scored 25 or more in 20 games this season. He continues to improve his playmaking ability for himself and his teammates.
GG Jackson II continued to impress off the bench, finishing with 11 points and 2 rebounds. Vince Williams Jr. added 9 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds.
After getting a steal, John Konchar raced down the floor and threw a spectacular lob to Ziaire Williams. Williams finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.
The Grizzlies announced the signing of Jordan Goodwin to a two-way contract and have waived guard Jacob Gilyard. Gilyard had nearly reached his 50 game limit with the Grizzlies as a two-way contract player.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will host the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, February 26, at FedExForum at 7 pm CT.
GG Jackson #45 of the Memphis Grizzlies dunks the ball during the second half against Houston at FedEx Forum on Feb. 14, 2024, in Memphis TN. (Wes Hale Photo)
The Memphis Grizzlies snapped a nine-game losing skid Wednesday night by beating the Houston Rockets, 121-113 at FedExForum.
The bench came up huge with 57 of the Grizzlies’ 121 points. Wednesday was Valentine’s Day with love and basketball when Grizzlies’ ex Dillon Brooks stepped on the floor for the Rockets, but the Memphis newcomers spoiled his revenge story.
Lamar Stevens had a “Welcome to Memphis” moment in just his second game with the Grizzlies. He finished with 14 points (4-of-8), eight rebounds, and two blocks, as a reserve.
“It is just good communication and talking throughout the game,” Stevens said. “We are trying to get on the same page. We were talking on the defensive end how we were going to adjust and play together. It’s like putting a puzzle together and trying to figure it out. It’s a bunch of good guys that want to win.”
After he sat out against the Pelicans due to violating a team rule, GG Jackson II came back with a vengeance, leading the Grizzlies with 20 points off of 8-for-15 shooting, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks, off the bench.
“You know, I don’t want to use my age as an excuse, but you make some mistakes here and there, and it’s on you to learn from them,” Jackson II said. “The coaching staff expressed to me how they know I’m better than that, and they know I’m going to continue to get better. They told me to get ready for Wednesday’s game, so I kind of got an extra day to prep, just making sure my shot feels good. I got in the gym, taking care of my body.”
Newcomer Jordan Goodwin’s first game with the Grizzlies yielded good dividends with 10 points, three rebounds, three assists, plus a stock. Goodwin signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies just Tuesday afternoon.
“I just go out there and just play hard, don’t do too much — try to go out there and play my game,” said Goodwin after the game. “…Just go out there, just being myself, doing all the right things off the court, being a good teammate. Listening and paying attention, just taking everything in. I didn’t know it was this culture here. This is a cool group of guys. Everybody’s pulling for each other.”
Luke Kennard finished with a season-high 19 points, shooting 71.4 percent from the field.
Vince Williams Jr. finished with a near triple-double 12 points, eight rebounds seven assists, and three steals while going 10-of-12 from the free throw line. It marks Williams Jr.’s fourth consecutive game with seven or more assists.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had only five points in the first half and was hampered by foul trouble again. He came up big in the final period to finish with 11 of his 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting, and added three assists.
“I think he’s got a great ability to kind of figure out how teams are guarding him,” said Coach Taylor Jenkins on Jackson Jr.’s performance. “I think they were swarming him. He ended up with four turnovers, was missing some of his teammates, and he was aware of it, but just after the fact.
“And then he was able just to kind of reset, see the crowds. I think there were a couple of drives late where he saw the defense not in their shifts and he was able to drive and kick. I thought he did a good job of moving the ball, and then, obviously, he was a product of just being a spacer. We talked about maybe him being off the ball, creating those advantages on the second side, using Lamar [Stevens] more as a screener, and I thought he just kind of adjusted as the game went on, which was impressive.”
Tid-bit
Welcome back Ziaire Williams and nice dime by Goodwin. He was out for about two weeks with hand soreness.
