Tag: Lamar Stevens

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Grizzlies Fall in Last Road Game of the Season

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 27: Grizz, mascot of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on March 27, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)

The Memphis Grizzlies played and lost their last away game of the season Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, where they were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers, 110-98. The Grizzlies dropped their third consecutive game and the Cavaliers ended a three-game losing streak.

The Grizzlies fell to 27-53 with two games remaining in the season, while Cleveland improved to 47-33, with postseason aspirations. 

Memphis held a 51-48 advantage in the first half, then the Cavs woke up, outscoring the undermanned Grizzlies 30-16 in the third quarter to go up 78-67 entering the fourth. 

With only eight players dressed, there were only three players available for the Grizzlies off the bench. They were outscored 29-6 by the Cavs reserves. 

Memphis finished 18-23 on the road, slightly better than last season’s 16-25. By comparison, the team has a record of 9-30 at FedExForum, with two games remaining. Last season the franchise had one of the best home records in the association at 35-6. 

The Grizzlies were paced by forward Jake LaRavia, who scored a career-high 32 points, with 21 of those coming in a blazing first half. 

LaRavia went 8-11 from the three-point line, while grabbing seven rebounds, adding two steals and a block. 

Rookie sensation GG Jackson II finished with 22 points, two rebounds and two assists. For the season, Jackson II is averaging 13.6 points and four rebounds. 

Scotty Pippen Jr. added 18 points on 46.7 percent shooting, with six assists and four rebounds. 

Former Cavalier Lamar Stevens ended with 16 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots. The Grizzlies picked up Stevens in a deal that sent Xavier Tillman, Sr. to Boston before the trade deadline. 

Up Next 

The Grizzlies will host the Los Angeles Lakers, who are still hunting for postseason position, on Friday night, April 12th at 7pm CT.

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Grizzlies Smash Pistons, 108-90

Maozinha Pereira drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, April 5, 2024 at FedExForum (Photo by: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

At FedExForum on Friday night, the Memphis Grizzlies (27-50) dominated in a 108-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons (13-64). The Grizzlies won the season series 3-0. 

Memphis is now on a three-game winning streak. That hasn’t happened since January 22–26.

There were a whopping 12 players for Memphis on the injury list, leaving only eight who could play. Only three of those players available were on standard contracts; the other five were either on two-way deals or 10-day contracts. 

Scotty Pippen Jr., Jordan Goodwin, GG Jackson II, Jake LaRavia, and Trey Jemison got the start for Memphis. Lamar Stevens, Maozinha Pereira, and Zavier Simpson came off the bench. 

Seven of the eight Grizzlies players available scored in double digits, including all five starters. The last time all five starters scored in double figures was October 27, 2023. 

“Just their effort overall — I thought the ball was moving really well,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on what impressed him about the game. “The conversations throughout the game. … The guys were like, ‘Keep sharing it, keep running, keep finding the open teammate, keep touching the paint’. Some of those made buckets were unassisted because we were able to get right downhill and finish at the rim.”  

Jenkins continued, “So, I thought the ball movement set that up. Defensive effort. We knew the paint was a big priority tonight. Transition defense was a big priority. We did a great job limiting to under 40 points in the paint against a team like this that thrives on getting downhill. I thought our on-ball defense was good; our guards. Jaden [Ivey] had a heck of a game scoring and shooting the three. Limiting their paint points and second-chance points was a big factor. Our guys came up with a good effort there.”

For Memphis, Jemison and Pereira tied for leading scorer with 17 points apiece. Jemison recorded the first double-double of his career with 13 rebounds, a career high. Coming off the bench, Pereira not only scored a career-high in points but also grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.

“I’m just glad I had the opportunity to be here for 10 days, and now 20 days,” Pereira said after the game. “I’m building the trust of my coach, and the assistant coaches. My teammates believe in me and have given me confidence. It was very easy to show what I’ve got because of them. I blame it all on them.”

Pippen Jr. finished with 16 points, seven assists, and four steals.

He compared his time with the Lakers to now with the Grizzlies: “It’s been way different. Last year, I pretty much spent my whole time in the G League, except garbage time in games I played. It’s kind of like my rookie year. It’s my first-time getting NBA minutes. I would say it’s night and day, being over here.”

“I would say just the speed of the game (is) slowing down for me,” said Pippen on his personal growth.  I’m still trying to get comfortable. Like I said, it’s my rookie year, so I’m still making reads and stuff like that but trying to adjust to the whole game and get a feel for it.” 

To close it out, GG Jackson II and Lamar Stevens each added 15 points. Goodwin chipped in 14 points, six assists, and six rebounds while LaRavia ended with 12 points and five rebounds. 

Although Simpson didn’t score in double digits, his presence on the floor helped Memphis in ways that went beyond the box score. 

Up Next 

On the second night of back-to-back games, the Grizzlies will host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 6th. Following the game, there will be a ceremony to retire Marc Gasol’s number 33 jersey. Bally Sports Southeast will air the game as well as the jersey retirement ceremony. Gasol played 11 seasons with the Grizzlies (2008-19) and helped guide the franchise to seven straight playoff appearances, including the franchise’s first postseason victory in 2011 (as a No. 8 seed against the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs and a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2013. He was a three-time All-Star, was named the 2012-13 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and selected to the 2014-15 All-NBA First Team.

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Nuggets Dismantle Grizzlies, 128-103

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. 

Both Desmond Bane and GG Jackson II ended up with 15 points apiece. 

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.

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Blazers Snap Nine-Game Skid With 30-point Win Over Memphis

Memphis Grizzlies forward Lamar Stevens (24) shoots the ball during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at FedEx Forum on March 1, 2024, in Memphis TN. (Wes Hale Photo)

On Friday at FedExForum, the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 122-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, thanks in large part to a stellar third quarter. The Blazers outscored Memphis 40-27 in the third. 

When asked how the team would bounce back from the 30-point loss at home, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins seemed visibly upset and uttered, “We have to — this is embarrassing.”

How embarrassing was it, though? Both teams have been impacted by injuries and were missing key players.

For Jenkins, missing key players was not an excuse for the team’s performance against Portland: “They played extremely well, and we didn’t have it. We played poorly.”

Rookie GG Jackson II who finished with 11 points off the bench on Friday night didn’t like the feeling of letting the fans down. 

“You see your fans leaving with like eight minutes left in the game —that really sticks to us as players,” said Jackson II. “They want to come see us play. That’s kind of like them slapping us in our face saying, ‘We don’t want to see you play.’ We got to change that.” 

The Grizzlies have dropped their third straight game and 12th in their last 14. For an organization that finished second in the West the previous two years, it is a huge letdown. 

Jake LaRavia has been mired with injuries most of his tenure with the Grizzlies. As a reserve on Friday, he led the Grizzlies with a career-high 21 points, going 7-for-13 from the field. 

The second-year forward’s play was one bright spot for Jenkins on the night. “It was really encouraging,” Jenkins said of LaRavia’s performance. “I thought he came out aggressive — shooting the 3-ball, getting downhill, getting to the free throw line, [and] a couple assists. I thought he did some good things defensively. Definitely some things that [he] can clean up on the defensive end; playing a little bit more physical on the ball, better one-on-one. I think, as a team, we just got embarrassed one-on-one, but he was a bright spot for sure. Love his movement off the ball, movement with the ball, but being aggressive, that was the biggest takeaway.”

The 22-year-old forward is averaging 9.8 points, 4 boards, 2 assists, and 1 steal in four games since returning from an ankle injury. 

Lamar Stevens had a season-high 19 points off the bench. With no starter scoring more than 10 points for the Grizzlies, Stevens and LaRavia tried their best to carry the load. 

Since joining the Grizzlies prior to the trade deadline, Stevens has been a reliable frontcourt player. In his last seven games for the team, he has shot 56.3% from the field while averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 boards, 1 assist, and 1 block in just 20.7 minutes per game.

Up Next 

Like deja vu, both teams will play again tonight, at FedExForum with a 7 pm tip-off. 

The Grizzlies will look to put up a better performance in front of the home crowd. “Every loss motivates a basketball player, but this one in particular definitely motivates us,” Jackson II said after Friday’s blowout loss. 

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Clippers’ Late Surge Downs Grizzlies

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. 

Highlight of the Night

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. 

Roster Moves

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. 

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Grizzlies Snap Losing Streak

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. 

Next up

The Grizzlies will host the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, exclusively on TNT at 7:30 p.m. CT.