Tag: Jaren Jackson Jr.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Adams, Brooks Lift Memphis to 11th Straight Win

Steven Adams up high Wednesday, January 18, 2023 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The two best defensive teams in the NBA went back and forth Wednesday night, like a boxing match with uppercuts and body blows. In the end, the Grizzlies’ dogged defense in the final seconds was enough to secure the home victory over Cleveland. 

There were 17 lead changes and nine ties. Both teams gave up double digit leads. The Cavaliers were up by 10 early while Memphis was up by as many as 19 in the third quarter. 

The Cavaliers held a one-point lead with 27.4 seconds left, when Jaren Jackson Jr. blocked Darius Garland’s driving layup attempt out of bounds. On Cleveland’s ensuing in-bounds attempt, the Grizzlies forced a five-second violation.  

With 17 seconds left in the game, Ja Morant attacked the basket with a floater but it bounced off the rim; however, Steven Adams secured the rebound with a tip in for the go-ahead bucket. 

Jackson Jr. praised Steven Adams on the intangibles, “He’s the best screener in NBA history and probably the best offensive rebounder ever. When you do those things, it just saves us time and time again.”

While the 16,892 in attendance chanted “DEFENSE!!,” Cleveland brought the ball upcourt and Dillon Brooks blocked a shot by Garland on the game’s final play to give the Grizzlies a 115-114 victory — their 11th-straight. 

The 11-game winning streak for Memphis matches the longest in franchise history, and is the longest-active streak in the NBA. The Grizzlies are now 31-13 for the season and 20-3 at FedExForum. 

After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said, “We found a way. I told the guys afterwards that that’s a great team win; that’s a great team that we just played and competed against for 48 minutes.” 

Jenkins went on to say, “Timely buckets, and then that last sequence where we got that five-second counter. Guys executed the game plan coming out of the timeout. I chose not to call a timeout. I trusted the guys to go and make plays. We had talked about the spacing we wanted. Ja [Morant] drives, collapses, three guys come to him, and then Steven [Adams] cleans it up. Big winning play at the end of the eight minutes. First game winner, he said, so he’s definitely hyped.”

“And then the defense on the tail end, we had been switching some,” Jenkins added. “They broke off a pick-and-roll. [Dillon Brooks’] one-on-one defense was phenomenal. [Desmond Bane] shifts, gets back, [Dillon Brooks] then gets the block to seal the win. So, clearly, I just said a lot of things because there was a lot going on in that game. It was two competitive teams that played pretty high-level basketball. There were definitely ebbs and flows, highs and lows, but at the end, we made the plays.”

“I told these guys, ‘This is huge to get a game like this tonight,’ especially playing from behind in the last minute or so. I just said this is a game to grow from. The poise, the conversations that our guys were having, as frantic as it was, they were looking at me, they were looking at each other, and we dialed up the defense that we needed down the stretch, despite them making it really hard on us for the meat of the game.”

Jenkins concluded, “So, it’s great for us. We’ll watch the film tomorrow, talk about the winning plays that we made. … We’ve got to build on it because this is not the last time we’re going to see a game like this.”

Desmond Bane finished with a game-high 25 points, four rebounds, four assists, and five 3-pointers. Morant added 24 points and eight assists. 

Off the bench, Santi Aldama chipped in 16 points and two rebounds while making a career-high four 3-pointers. Jackson Jr. filled the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and two steals while Adams had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. 

Aldama credited the team’s chemistry for the winning streak. He said, “I just think that togetherness is what stands out the most. I mean, last year, we were a very good team. I think this year, we have a little bit of a different team, but we just find a way to win games.”

“Today (Wednesday), I think, was a very good test for us,”Aldama added. “I think we haven’t had a game like this in a while. Especially the last two or three possessions were huge for us. We got the five second call. [Jaren Jackson Jr.]’s block before that, [Dillon Brooks]’ game-winning block came, and then the [Steven Adams] tap-in. So, I think that just shows how everybody makes an impact and how together we are, just rooting for each other.”

Memphis’ first 11-game win streak came last season from Dec. 26, 2021 to Jan. 13, 2022. Bane spoke about the difference this time around. He said, “We just take it game by game. Last year, obviously, was our first time doing it, so there was a lot of excitement, but it’s a new season. We’re trying to set new heights and do new things. The past is the past. We’re just focused on one game at a time.”

Up Next 

The Grizzlies will embark on a five-game road trip. Friday night is the first meeting with the Lakers this season, where Memphis will be poised to break the franchise record with 12th straight wins. Meanwhile, LeBron James and company will definitely look to spoil the party. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Top Suns, Extend Winning Streak to 10 Games

Ja Morant, getting a bucket. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images)

Yesterday the Memphis Grizzlies played their 21st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Game against the Phoenix Suns. It was a resounding victory in which the Grizzlies defeated the Suns 136-106, and extended their current winning streak to 10 games, the longest in the NBA.  

Let’s get into it.  

Before the game tipped off, women’s basketball legend Nancy Lieberman, former NBA stars Gary Payton and Luol Deng, and NFL star Eddie George were all presented with the 18th Annual National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award. 

On the court, the Suns closed out the first quarter with a seven-point lead. The Grizzlies responded by outscoring the Suns 107-70 in the remaining three quarters.  

The three-point shooting drought appears to be over for this Grizzlies team — five players had two or more three-point makes. 

Turning defense into offense remains one of the cornerstones of Grizzlies basketball, and this game was no exception. Memphis forced Phoenix into 15 turnovers, and then converted those into 24 points on the other end of the floor. Their ability to get stops on the defensive end allowed the Grizzlies to take nine more shot attempts overall than the Suns. 

By the Numbers:  

Ja Morant had a game-high 29 points and 7 assists, including 5 of 8 from three-point range.  

Desmond Bane closed out the night with 28 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals, while shooting 3 of 4 from distance.  

Jaren Jackson Jr finished with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 6 blocks.  

From the second unit, Brandon Clarke put up 13 points and 6 rebounds on 6 of 8 field goal shooting.  

Tyus Jones had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists, and rookie David Roddy put up 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists.  

Who Got Next? 

The Grizzlies will face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, January 18th at FedEx Forum. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Grind Out Win Against Spurs

Tyus Jones and Jaren Jackson, Jr. on January 10, 2022 against the San Antonio Spurs (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs 121-113 to complete their seventh straight victory, which is the longest active winning streak in the association. 

Memphis’ record at home now stands at 17-3 after the victory. The Grizzlies improved to 27-13 on the season. 

Due to right thigh soreness, Ja Morant missed his second consecutive game. In Morant’s absence, Tyus Jones assumed the role of floor general and put on a performance of his own, leading all scorers with 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting, six assists and three steals. 

After the game, Jones talked about his relationship with Morant. He said, “Me and Ja are extremely close. We’re always talking hoops and what we see to help one another out. Coming here, I knew what my role was going to be, but Ja was extremely open to welcoming me, welcoming that relationship, and that was extremely huge.” 

“You don’t always see that with No. 2 picks coming in with the keys to the franchise but still being open to learning or pointers, talking through what you see and just being a good teammate,” added Jones. “Our relationship has taken off since that first year with us both being point guards and both wanting to get better and not feeling like we know it all. That’s been huge. Both of us are humble enough to say we don’t know everything and talk the game through and take pointers from each other.”

Jones has scored 20 plus points in his last four starts. So what’s the secret behind Jones’ improved play? One word: confidence. 

The Duke alum said about the difference in his aggressiveness this season, “Just confidence. Confident in my abilities, confidence in my game. The guys in this locker room, this coaching staff are extremely confident in me as well and just give me that freedom to hoop. I’m just trying to take advantage of that, playing my game and doing what everybody needs me to do on a nightly basis. And if that’s scoring, if that’s being aggressive, looking to score, if that’s setting my guys up… just doing whatever it takes. That confidence is definitely there, and I can tell.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. continues to impress on both ends of the floor. The Block Panther finished with 16 points, six rebounds and back-to-back games with five blocked shots. The 23-year-old set new franchise records with 11 straight games of 2 or more blocks, surpassing Pau Gasol, and six-straight games with three or more blocks. He now ranks third in the NBA in total blocks (79) after having played just 24 games this season.

“There are so many great stretches that he’s done protecting the rim,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on Jackson’s rim protection. “He set a tone on that first quarter with multiple; I think there were a couple possessions. One, in particular, where he had two blocks on the same; he does that seemingly every single night.”

Jenkins continued: “It’s just very impressive what he does on both ends of the floor. I think he’s playing really well on the offensive end too. When he sets a tone defensively, that means a lot. We had him switch in, guarding shooters there. At one point in the fourth quarter, I thought he did a really good job. We know what he can do on the on the rim, protection wise. I’m not [going to] apply a grade, but this is definitely a great stretch.”

In the last seven games, Jackson is averaging 18.4 points, 7.1 rebounds,  3.9 blocks while shooting 55 percent from the field. 

Jackson believes he’s a better shot blocker now than he was in his younger years. He said, “I think guards were just worse back then, and I could just let them go by and surprise them, but now I think I’m definitely better. Who knows? It wasn’t really in my head to do all this. Blocking shots, like maybe a year ago, I wasn’t even thinking about it. I was just trying to stay out there, play solid defense and be stronger and just deter shots. Blocks are icing on the cake.”

Up Next 

Both teams will play again at FedExForum on Wednesday night, as Memphis looks to extend its win streak to a season-high eight straight games. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Jackson, Morant lift Grizzlies to Fifth-Straight Win

Jaren Jackson after his 31 points and 10 rebounds performance against the Orlando Magic on January 5, 2023. (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

Jaren Jackson, Jr. was a man on a mission from the start of the game on Thursday night in Orlando, putting on arguably one of the best performances of his career. He finished with a season-high 31 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks to help the Grizzlies improve to 25-13 on the season by beating the Orlando Magic, 123-115. It was the Grizzlies’ fifth win in a row.

Grizzlies color analyst Brevin Knight says no offensive player is safe when the 23-year-old is on the floor.

Jackson showed his defensive prowess and offensive precision. He shot an astonishing 90.9 percent in the paint area and 85.7 percent overall while going 12-of-14 from the field. 

And Jackson had historic night for the franchise. According to Statmuse, Jackson was the first Grizzlies player to put up 30 points and 10 rebounds on 80 percent shooting since two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was impressed with the Michigan State alum’s efforts. “He was a force on both sides,” Jenkins said. Obviously, offensively scoring inside, scoring outside. I thought he set a tone in that first quarter for us blocking a number of shots. 

Jenkins continued: “He really got rolling in that first quarter. And then when we needed some crucial buckets, put him in iso situations, post-up situations, he just made great reads, great plays. Overall, they felt his force tonight and his physicality on both sides is definitely one of the most impressive, if not the most so far this season for JJ”

Jackson’s walk-off interview with Bally Sports sideline reporter Rob Fischer.

“We knew they were going to throw a lot at Ja (Morant), which they definitely did throughout the game, especially in that fourth quarter,” Jenkins concluded. “Just having that balance of pick-and-roll motion play, dribble handoffs, post iso, something that we’ll continue to work on just so we’ll have better balance.” Morant was the game-high scorer with 32 points, six assists, and five rebounds. 

It marked the first time in their careers that Jackson and Morant both scored 30+ points in the same game in the regular season. Grizzlies fans would love to see more of that on a regular basis from this dynamic duo. 

After the game Morant shifted his praises to Jackson. “It was definitely one of the most complete games I’ve seen him play,” Morant said. “It helped us big time.”

“It makes the game a lot easier – opens the floor up,” said Dillon Brooks of Jackson’s defensive effort. “It gives us confidence to press up on the defenders and force them to come downhill to him. We are really tough to beat.”

Brooks finished with 11 points, six rebounds and tied his season-high with six assists. 

“Today they were just shifting a lot and they were in the paint so I was able to find my teammates,” said Brooks on his improved playmaking. “It has always been a priority for me to pass the ball.”

Brooks believes Jackson is a one-of-a-kind talent. “He’s one of our guys who’s a mismatch nightmare, so we need him to be aggressive every night on both ends.”

In the game, Ziaire Williams was outstanding, coming off the bench for Memphis and scoring a season-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting with three 3-pointers and a +13 in only 14 minutes. The 21-year-old versatile wing is an important piece for the Grizzlies championship aspirations.

“Long overdue,” Williams said after the game. “Long overdue, for sure.”

The 21-year-old went on to say, “I told myself to have extreme confidence. You can only do so much work, but if you don’t trust it, it’s worthless.

Up Next

The Grizzlies return home to face the Utah Jazz on Sunday at 5pm CT inside FedExForum. Memphis is seeking retribution against the Jazz after two back to back losses in Utah earlier in the season.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Morant, Jones Lead Grizzlies to Win Against Kings

Ja Morant and Steven Adams slap hands on January 1, 2023 in a match-up against the Sacramento Kings. Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

In a 118-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings on New Year’s Day at FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak to three games. This victory came on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Grizzlies improved to 15-3 at home and marked the first time in team history that a game had been played on New Year’s Day in Memphis.

With the win, Memphis raised their record to 23-13 that has them in a tie for second place in the West with the New Orleans Pelicans, and one game behind the first place Denver Nuggets. 

As Kool Moe Dee said, “The Wild, Wild West.”

Ja Doing Ja Things 

There were plenty of Ja-dropping plays on Sunday for Ja Morant, who led all scorers with a game-high 35 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. 

“It’s gotta be a mindset – you got to want it,” Morant said after the game. You just have to come out and be ready to play from top to bottom. It has to be everybody.” 

“That’s our message right now to each other as a team,” Morant added. “We got to come out and play, no matter if we play a Western Conference or Eastern Conference team, or if we play on a team who is down main guys. We got to still come out and play and go out and make a statement and win the basketball game.”

Stones

Tyus Jones was a man on a mission on Sunday night against the Kings. Jones has been struggling as of late, but he started the new year off with 18 points, eight assists, and six rebounds off the bench. Stones tied his career high with 3-pointers made by going 5-of-7 from the long line. 

Take a look at a point guard to point guard connection between Jones and Morant. 

Morant talked about his synergy with Jones:

After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins had high praise for Jones. Jenkins said, “No matter what his role is: Come off the bench, be a starter, play with different lineups, play longer stretches, shorter stretches – when he has an aggressive mentality, it’s usually good for Tyus.”

King of Rebounds 

Steven Adams had a really productive night for his team. 

Career-high with 13 offensive rebounds ☑

Career-high tying 23 total rebounds ☑

First player in franchise history with consecutive 20+ rebound games ☑

Tied franchise record for rebounds in any two-game span (44) ☑

“I mean, it’s just part of our job as the bigs,” said Adams on his contributions to help his team win in the trenches. “It’s just part of our coverage. We enjoy just getting a stop, so we don’t have to play any more defense. That’s the main thing. The less defense we could play, the better.” 

Adams continued, “That’s why we try and emphasize the defensive rebounding, that’s why it is such a demoralizing thing if you give out offensive rebounds, then you have a 14-second shot clock while you have to play defensive again. So, just trying to be active. I think I’m more comfortable in the system, getting more calm. Last year was a bit of a learning curve on how players move and if they were in front or not; it’s kind of weird reads on the body language, but I’m getting used to just reading the players a bit better when they need help and when not to.”

The Block Panther 

Jaren Jackson, Jr. finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Jackson had two blocks on the same possession against the Kings’ Malik Monk. He also had six blocked shots on New Year’s Eve against the Pelicans. The All-Defensive First Team big man is making his case as one of the best rim protectors in the game. Ask Malik Monk; he didn’t dare to try to get a bucket again with The Block Panther lurking at the rim. In 20 games, Jackson Jr. is averaging 3.2 blocks. 

A Special Gift

A young fan, Zander Carr, was gifted with a pair of Morant’s signature shoes, Ja 1, after the game. 

“I can tell – I actually saw him during warm up, so I could tell how big of a fan he was,” said Morant on giving the fan his shoes after the game. He was screaming my name, cheering for me making shots from warmup. So, I knew he was a big fan, and I’m actually doing this thing where I give a pair of my shoes out.” 

Morant went on to say, “Obviously, I know a lot of people want them right now, and it’s not released yet in stores and online. I read the sign and, from then on, I knew who was getting a pair of shoes, and you can tell how much he wanted it and loved it.”

Morant has a campaign going with the hashtag #Jas12DaysOfChristmas where 12 fans will be selected to receive a pair of Ja 1s on January 12th. 

“It’s a great thing to see,” Morant added. “Leaves you speechless when you see somebody is that big a fan of you to burst out and cry, and then there, it was even more crazy to notice his mom crying as well. I know that touched both of their hearts, and that’s something that I’ll never forget.” 

Yes, Zander and his mom will never forget the gift and kindness of Morant for his birthday. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies look to extend their winning streak against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday in Charlotte. Tip-off: 6 pm CT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Brooks Leads Grizzlies Past Raptors

Dillon Brooks matched up against Gary Trent, Jr. on December 29, 2022 (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Toronto Raptors 119-106 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night after dropping two straight games. 

The victory over the Raptors in Toronto was a welcome relief after they had dropped four of their previous five games, including a crushing loss on Christmas Day to the shorthanded Golden State Warriors. 

The recent slump has dropped them from first place in the Western Conference to third. They are currently one game behind the Western Conference-leading New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets.

Many questioned their swagger and competitive spirit after the disappointing losses. 

Some were too quick to write off the Grizzlies, but they proved them wrong on Thursday night by just having fun and finding their footing again. The NBA is a long season, and Memphis must continue to take it one game at a time. 

All five of Memphis’ starters scored in double figures. Dillon Brooks led the way for Grizzlies with 25 points and six assists for his homecoming. Brooks is from Mississauga, Ontario near Toronto.

After the game, Brooks revealed his coaches want him to be more of a playmaker. 

On his six assists, Brooks said, “Kudos to me. I tried to shoot the open ones and I work on my game every single day to be confident in my shot.” 

Ja Morant tallied his 12th double-double of the season with 19 points and a career-high 17 assists. 

Desmond Bane added 16 points, five rebounds, and two steals. It’s his best game back since his return from injury.

Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Jackson is averaging 3.0 blocks per game this season. 

Steven Adams posted his eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 17 rebounds, while John Konchar added 11 points and seven rebounds as a reserve. 

Sharing is Caring 

The Grizzlies recorded a season-high 37 assists. Memphis is 8-0 this season when registering 30 assists. 

With his 17 assists, Morant recorded the highest assist total by a single Grizzlies player since Jason Williams set a franchise record with 19 more than 20 years ago in March 2002. 

Three-Point Shooting

The Grizzlies went 13-of-29 from beyond the arc after going four straight games shooting in the single digits. Brooks shot four, Memphis’ best 3-point shooter Bane connected with three, and Konchar added two 3-point shots.

Up Next 

The Grizzlies will host the New Orleans Pelicans at FedExForum on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m. CT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Get Blasted by the Suns

Desmond Bane drives to the basket during the game against the Phoenix Suns (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

It was a revenge game for Phoenix, and they fought harder to end the night with a 125-108 victory over Memphis. The loss to Phoenix also snapped Memphis’ seven-game winning streak at home, becoming one of only three teams (Boston, Sacramento) to beat the Grizzlies on their home court this season.  

Let’s get into it.  

After a thorough walloping on by the Golden State Warriors on the Grizzlies’ first ever Christmas Day game, one would think this Memphis team would rage back with a vengeance. It started well, with the Grizzlies putting the first 8 points on the board, but the Suns looked like the more dominant team.  

Desmond Bane has continued to struggle finding his shot since returning from injury. The Grizzlies desperately need his accurate three-point shooting, as the loss to Phoenix marks the fourth consecutive game the Grizzlies have hit a single-digit number of shots from distance.  

Memphis struggled to hit the long ball, going just 8 for 30 against the Suns. In today’s NBA, they are going to need to shoot better from beyond the arc if they want to win.  

They also need more from their second unit in games like this. The Phoenix bench outscored the Memphis bench 60-41.  

We are by no means in panic territory, but I suspect Coach Jenkins is going to have some very strong words for his team after their last two performances.  

The Grizzlies will get a chance in the coming weeks to avenge this loss, as they will play Phoenix during the annual MLK game held in Memphis.  

By the Numbers:  

Ja Morant led all scorers with 34 points and 6 assists. Morant set a new career high for scoring in a single quarter when he put up 22 points in the third quarter.  

Desmond Bane was the only other Grizzly to end the night in double figures, finishing with 14 points and 2 rebounds.  

Xavier Tillman Sr. led the bench unit with 9 points, and Brandon Clarke followed closely with 8 points.  

Who Got Next?  

The Grizzlies are taking a quick trip to the frozen north. Thursday night they will be in Toronto to face off against the Raptors. Tip-off is at 6:30 PM CST. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Warriors Spoil Christmas for Memphis

Ja Morant debuting his Ja 1 signature shoe (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

Sunday night in primetime on ABC, the Memphis Grizzlies fell short against the Golden State Warriors, 123-109. 

It was the first Christmas Day game in franchise history. The Grinch stole Grizzmas from Memphis in a decisive fashion. 

Ja Morant seemed as if he was the only one ready to make a statement on national TV. Morant was the game-high scorer (near triple double) with 36 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. 

To round it out, Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones finished with 13 points each. 

Desmond Bane struggled, plus Jaren Jackson, Jr. was in foul trouble and on the bench most of the night. Steven Adams was relegated to the bench after the Warriors started fouling him to send him to the line. 

It seemed as if Memphis really wasn’t ready for the game. 

In essence, the Warriors beat the Grizzlies at their own game: Trash-talking, the supporting cast playing out of their minds, and having fun. 

This wasn’t a championship game that eliminated them from contention. It was a regular season game that the Warriors were more than ready for. 

There’s no need to put the blame on players for their struggles. Memphis is still 20-12 on the season and sits third in the Western Conference. 

The team will make adjustments and not let this loss linger in their minds. The team will still trash-talk and have fun. It’s who they are, and nothing will change anytime soon. 

The Grizzlies will have their chances for revenge on January 25th, March 9th and March 18th. This has the makings of a good rivalry that will have everyone talking. 

Ja Morant Signature Shoe 

Despite the loss, Christmas was good to Morant as he fulfilled a lifelong dream of a signature shoe. Nike unveiled the Ja 1 shoe prior to the game. 

Morant’s daughter Kaari helped him with the unveiling. 

“It’s a shoe for underdogs who have the dog in them, kicks for anyone who has been underrated or overlooked, who’s been told they’re too small, or their dreams too big,” Morant said in the announcement. 

“Now, I know everyone wearing my shoes isn’t going to posterize a 7-footer,” Morant concluded. “But I want everyone to feel like they could. Tap into that underdog inside of them.”

Morant paid homage to the cities that shaped him on Twitter. 

This means so much for the city of Memphis. To have its adopted son put the city on the map is rewarding. No other player in franchise history had as much popularity as Morant. He’s a generational talent that will be talked about for years to come. 

Up Next

Grizzlies return to Memphis to take on the short-handed Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. The Grizzlies throttled the Suns 125-100 this past Friday night in Phoenix without Devin Booker. The Suns were embarrassed at home and look to return the favor. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Go Supernova in the Valley of the Sun

Desmond Bane lets it fly from beyond the arc. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

It’s freezing here in the 901, but the Grizzlies did their part keeping us warm Thursday night by scorching the Phoenix Suns 125-100 in a wire-to-wire win. And so, it is my distinct pleasure to inform you that after a brief two-game losing streak, the Memphis Grizzlies are back to their winning ways.  

Let’s get into it.  

First things first: The best part of the night was the return of Desmond Bane. Bane returns to the lineup after missing the previous 18 games with a sprained toe.

It also marks the first time this season that the Grizzlies were able to play with their desired starting five.  

Phoenix was missing Devin Booker but that hardly puts an asterisk next to this victory. Memphis was the best team on the court from wire-to-wire and dominated the game on both ends of the floor.  

The Grizzlies remain at the top of the Western Conference with a 20-11 record, now tied with the Denver Nuggets.

Thursday night’s victory also put head coach Taylor Jenkins (148) ahead of former coach Dave Joerger (147) as the second-most winningest coach in Grizzlies franchise history. Lionel Hollins holds the record with 214 regular season wins, but I will be shocked if Jenkins does not surpass it during his tenure in Memphis.  

During the game, no Grizzlies starter played more than 28 minutes and they got a big boost from the bench unit led by Brandon Clarke and Santi Aldama. 

By The Numbers:  

Lots of good stuff from this one, including a better than usual showing from the free throw line. I will overlook ten missed free throws when they win by 25 points.  

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the team with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks, along with Brandon Clarke who put up 24 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals from the bench in his best scoring game of the season.

Clarke also had a career-high free throw shooting game, going 10 for 10 from the foul line. Shoutout Canada! 

Desmond Bane put up 17 points, 3 rebounds, and two assists in his return from injury. He struggled from the beyond the arc only shooting 2 of 8 from distance. But he too had a perfect night from the charity stripe, going 7 for 7. 

Dillon Brooks contributed 16 points, 10 of which came in the first quarter. Also notable is that Brooks only had 9 shot attempts. 

Ja Morant had a quiet night offensively, but he elevated his teammates, finishing with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists.  

Who Got Next?

In a franchise first the team will be playing on Christmas Day. Expect it to feel like a western conference semifinals rematch in the Bay as the Grizzlies face off against the Golden State Warriors.

Tip-off will be at 7 PM CST. There will not be a local broadcast so tune in on ABC or ESPN.

It’s going to be a very Merry Grizzmas indeed.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall in Denver

Ja Morant (Credit: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

After a seven-game winning streak, the Memphis Grizzlies have now dropped back-to-back games. And the schedule doesn’t get any easier. On Tuesday night at Ball Arena, the Denver Nuggets defeated Memphis 105-91 to take the number one spot in the Western Conference standing.  

Memphis’ record now stands at 19-11 overall and 6-9 on the road.

A slow start reared its ugly head for Memphis again, as Denver held the Grizzlies to just 14 points in the first period. “It’s just our mentality, we’ve got to be more focused,” said Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones after the loss. “We can’t ease our way into the game, especially against a good ball club like that. We can’t ease our way into the game and try to feel out how the game is going to be, and then we’re playing from a deficit the rest of the way and even if you’re playing with the ball, the margins of error are so slim that we have to play great basketball the rest of the way to continue to chip away at that lead.

“It’s just being more focused and locked in, trying to be the aggressors,” Jones added. “We’ve got to be the aggressors coming out from the jump. We had been playing like that. The last couple of games now we’ve been a little more relaxed and we have to get back to playing Grizzlies’ ball.” Jones finished with five points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Center Steven Adams conceited that it is very difficult to win on the road, even though last season Memphis went 26-15 on the road. He said, “It’s hard to win on the road, regardless. But most of all, I think everyone’s just trying to win the game, regardless. In terms of development, I think there’s plenty of times like last year, that I wouldn’t give us that easy of an excuse. We came out like shit. We did well actually in the second quarter, third quarter, and in the fourth quarter was kind of like the first.” Adams chipped in four points and 10 rebounds.

Memphis is now 8-8 against the Western Conference and Jones understands the team has to put forth a better effort than the last two games. “We can’t sneak up on anybody,” Jones admitted. “We knew that going into this year, we’re 30 games in now and we’ve got to know that, but it still takes some getting used to.”

Jones continued, “It’s a long season, it’s a lot of games, and it takes a lot to get up every single night, especially when you’re not going to sneak up on anybody. That’s what’s testing us and that’s how we’re going to continue to grow as a team and continue to get better. We’re a work in progress still. I’ve still got things to get better on and we’re not hanging our heads. We’re continuing to look at ourselves in the mirror, look at the drawing board, and figure out how we’re going to take steps forward.”

Ja Morant continues to put on MVP-caliber performances on a nightly basis. The South Carolina native finished with 35 points and 10 assists in 38 minutes of play. 

To round it off, Jaren Jackson, Jr. continued his defensive dominance with a game-high five blocks and three steals to go along with eight points. It marks the fifth time this season the 23-year-old has swatted five or more shots. Jackson is averaging 3.2 blocks on the season. 

Up Next

No rest for the weary. The Grizzlies are headed to Phoenix to take on the Suns Friday night and are heading to San Francisco for its first ever Christmas Day game against the defending champs, Golden State Warriors.