Tag: Lebron James

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Lakers Edge Grizzlies in Thrilling Matchup

Jaren Jackson Jr. goes up for a layup in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. (Photo by: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two Western Conference rivals delivered an electrifying performance Wednesday night, with the Lakers narrowly defeating the Grizzlies 128-123, capping off their second exciting matchup this season. After allowing L.A. to score nearly 40 points in the first quarter, Memphis rallied to pull within one point at halftime. The game see-sawed through the second half, but All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined to hold off a late Memphis charge.

In the loss, Memphis show-cased impressive depth and balanced scoring, with seven players — including four reserves — reaching double-digits.

The Lakers achieved a season-best 20 three-pointers, but were outpaced by the Grizzlies, 58-36, in points scored in the paint.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the way for Memphis with 29 points and seven rebounds. Despite the team’s injury-plagued start to the 2024-25 season, Jackson Jr. has been a consistent bright spot, scoring in double digits in every game he’s played. Through 10 appearances, he is averaging 22.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. 

After the game Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins shared his thoughts about the team’s performance, “Yeah, great fight by the guys. [We] dug ourselves a pretty big hole. [We] can’t give up 40 points in the first quarter on the road. I thought we let them get a little too comfortable. Way too comfortable, honestly. In the first quarter, we were taking the ball to the net too much and there were fouls and then we couldn’t run.” 

“Luckily, we found our groove in the second and third quarters,” added Jenkins. “We made that run in the fourth quarter. It just was a battle until the end. [I’m] proud of the fight. We definitely had a learning opportunity here. We got to come up better in the first quarter on the road.”

Jenkins concluded, “We had a couple of breakdowns defensively. They had some great execution with some zooming action and backdoor play for LeBron [James]. I thought we had some pretty good looks from the offensive side that didn’t fall. But I give them credit. They executed pretty well the last five minutes.”

History Maker

LeBron James will go down as one of the best players who ever stepped on a basketball court. He continues to make history, and Wednesday night against Memphis was no exception, as James, at 39, became the oldest player in NBA history to record three consecutive triple-doubles, surpassing his own record, set five years ago. Against the Grizzlies, he racked up 35 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds. It marked James’ 40th career 30-point triple-double and his fourth triple-double this season, solidifying his position as one of the all-time NBA greats.

That’s What They Said

Before fouling out, Zach Edey finished with 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench. 

“He’s a big body. He’s 7’4,” said Davis, who defended Edey. “When you have a guy like that, it’s hard to score and rebound, especially on the rebounding. He made a couple shots over me. And then you go to Friday against another guy in Victor Wembanyama. These guys are extremely tall, so you definitely have to put your work in a little early trying to push him out.”

The Grizzlies’ Luke Kennard on Edey:  “He’s been doing a great job of continuing to run the floor, being aggressive, protecting the paint, and that’s big for us. One of our biggest defensive keys is protecting the paint with everything that we’ve got. So having him down there, just being that presence; it really defers a lot of guys going to the rim. It’s stuff that really doesn’t show up on stat sheets. But I know personally, if I drive and I see a dude like that in there, it makes me want to pass the ball. But he’s been doing a great job. I feel like he’s picking stuff up really fast. We’re only … 11 games in now, or 12? He’s done a great job and [I’m] proud of him, how he’s really handled things.”

Who Got Next

The Grizzlies are set to face off against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Friday at 9 p.m. CT, for NBA Cup Group Play. The matchup marks their first meeting of the season. The Warriors, with a 9-2 record, are looking strong. The Grizzlies stand at 7-5. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Lakers Win Game 4; Put Grizzlies On the Brink of Elimination

Desmond Bane dribbling in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 24, 2023 (Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Although they entered the season as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies find themselves down 3-1 to the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers in their first round matchup. That puts Memphis on the brink of elimination, after losing to the Lakers in OT, 117-111, on Monday night.

After falling behind by as many as 15 points in the first half, the Grizzlies rallied to take a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers came back and tied the game with 0.8 seconds remaining with a driving layup from LeBron James. The Grizzlies were outscored by six in the extra period, and that was the ballgame.

Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 36 points and seven rebounds. Jaren Jackson, Jr. ended with 14 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocked shots. 

Ja Morant had 19 points and seven assists. Morant and Dillon Brooks declined to speak with the media after the disappointing loss. 

Shy’s Point of View 

A one game at a time. It is difficult to overcome a 3-1 deficit when facing the a legendary franchise led by one of the best players in NBA history. It will be challenging, but not impossible, to make up the difference. But there is still basketball to be played.

Bane is confident. After the loss he said, “We would have liked to get that one, but I’m feeling good. We get a chance to go back home. We had the best record at home this season — go protect the home floor. We got two opportunities there. And in order to win a series, you’re gonna have to win one game on the road. So when we come back here for Game 6, we’ll come with the right edge, right mentality and steal one on the road and see what happens in Game 7.” 

To be honest, I have no idea. The Grizzlies were in fact competitive in Game 4. At the end, in overtime, they were unable to execute in key moments that cost them the game. It has been clear in this series that the Lakers have taken advantage of that lack of execution. 

The squad has faced a lot of challenges recently, and this loss is only the latest blow. Do they have what it takes to band together and upset a King who seems determined to retain his dominance? We will see how they perform Wednesday night in Game 5 at 6:30pm CT at FedExForum — maybe for the last time in this unforgettable season. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Routed by Lakers in Game 3

Ja Morant throws it back against LeBron James. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies played one of their worst games of basketball of the year. Unfortunately, it happened in national television and in the first round of the NBA playoffs. When the final buzzer sounded, the score was 111-101 with the Los Angeles Lakers on top and taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Let’s get into it.

Y’all. This was a mess. In the first quarter, the Lakers outscored the Grizzlies 35-9. Yes, the Grizzlies only scored NINE POINTS in the first quarter. Lowest-scoring quarter in franchise history.

In that first quarter, Memphis shot 12% (3 of 25) overall and 7.7% (1 of 13) from three-point range. They also turned the ball over six times, which the Lakers converted into 10 points.

The second quarter saw the Grizzlies playing better and managing to cut the Lakers’ lead to 16 points by halftime. They outscored the Lakers 28-18 in the second quarter, even after giving up seven points off five turnovers.

Dillon Brooks managed to get ejected 17 seconds into the third period for clocking LeBron James in the groin area. But that might have been an unexpected gift to this Memphis team, which played considerably better once Brooks left the game. The Grizzlies outscored the Lakers in the second half 64-58, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit created by their nine-point first quarter.

Dillon Brooks talked a lot of smack about LeBron after Game 2, and predictably, his comments were picked up by all the major sports media outlets. LeBron James might be old (for an NBA player) but he is still one of the greatest players of all time.

Let’s be clear, the Grizzlies are by no means out of this series, but they are going to have to play a lot better than they did Saturday night. Poor shot selection, careless ball handling, weak defense, and Dillon Brooks acting a fool — these are all things the Grizzlies need to shore up between now and Game 4 on Monday.

The one bright spot in this whole mess was Ja Morant returning to the lineup and putting up a masterful performance.

Hopefully, the Grizzlies treat this game as a learning experience and come out playing with a greater sense of urgency in Game 4.

By The Numbers:

Morant led all scorers with 45 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists while shooting 6 of 10 from three-point range and 13 of 14 from the free-throw line.

Desmond Bane finished the night with 18 points, 5 rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

Jaren Jackson Jr had a quiet night offensively, with just 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday, April 24th and once again tip-off will be at 9 PM CDT.

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Film Features Film/TV

Now Playing In Memphis: Parties, Planes, and 3 Women

Normally, this is the time for the midwinter blues at the multiplex, but 2023 is starting strong, thanks to our robot friend M3GAN. Here’s my full review of this killer flick.

Stepping up to challenge M3GAN is a reboot of the cult 1990 hip hop comedy classic House Party produced by baller supreme, LeBron James. To answer your first question, yes, Kid N’ Play are in it. So are Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and a whole house full of celebrities who show up when cleaners Kevin (Jacob Latimore) and Damon (Tosin Cole) hijack King James’ crib for an epic throwdown. 

Gerald Butler is Brodie, a pilot who crash lands in the Philippines with a full load of passengers in Plane. He soon discovers that the jungle is ruled by a feral, anti-government militia who takes his survivors hostage, hoping to get big ransoms from their families. Bodie must enlist a convicted murderer (Luke Cage’s Mike Colter) who was being extradited on his plane to help rescue the passengers. Beatings ensue.  

In Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, the cutlass-armed kitty cat from Shrek returns with Antonio Banderas in the lead voice role as a swashbuckler on a mission to restore eight of his nine lives. But Florence Pugh as Goldilocks, the leader of the Three Bears crime family, wants the Wishing Star, too. The DreamWorks film was nominated for a Best Animated Feature Golden Globe. 

Never bet against James Cameron, they say. And they’re right! Avatar: The Way of Water recently topped Top Gun: Maverick as 2022’s biggest box office draw, and it’s quickly closing in on the $2 billion mark. It helps that there’s actually a decent story to go with the next-level visual effects. If you’re going to see this one, make sure it’s the IMAX 3D version, and go soon!

At Black Lodge on Sunday is a triple feature of 90’s comedy, including Amy Heckerling’s 1995 classic Clueless. Like, duh!

On Thursday, Jan. 19, the Crosstown Arts film series presents Robert Altman’s 3 Women. The director’s follow-up to his seminal improv comedy Nashville is based on a vivid dream Altman had. Starring Shelly Duvall in her greatest role, and the legend Sissy Spacek before she was legendary, the mostly scriptless film owes some of its psychological complexity to the third woman, Janice Rule, who had just completed her PhD, and went on to retire from acting and become a practicing psychiatrist in Hollywood.

See you at the movies!

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Beyond the Arc Sports Uncategorized

Grizzlies Win Nine Straight Games

Ja Morant auditions to be the new Superman. (Credit Grizzlies Twitter)

The Memphis Grizzlies set a franchise record with nine straight wins after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers, 127-119 on Sunday night.

Acting head coach Brad Jones is 3-0 this season. Jones took the reins as Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins is out due to health and safety protocols. 

After the win, Jones talked about the winning streak. He said, “I don’t think we’ve talked to the guys about that at all, but then they told us right before we went into the locker room. We told them we made history tonight, so they were pretty excited about that. The streak has been fabulous just because of all the variables that’s been into it.” 

“With the Covid, we’ve had injuries, guys in and out of the lineup, it’s a whole group effort from the top all the way down to the bottom. We’ve just stayed consistent, and we play basketball no matter who’s out there. It’s been fun, it’s been real fun. Congratulations, and then one other big monument tonight is Taylor Jenkins’ 100th win. He’s in his room at the Ritz over there in quarantine, but we also had him on Zoom to celebrate with him over there. It’s exciting for him in what he’s been able to accomplish in a short two and a half years here.”

Steven Adams is also out due to health and safety protocols and a lot has been put on Jaren Jackson Jr.’s shoulders. JJJ was up for the challenge against both the Clippers and the Lakers. 

He credits Adams for his improved play.

“I think our commitment to our defensive end,” Jackson Jr. said.  “Our commitment to each other, how we’ve grown together for a longtime actually. It’s been a long time coming. We did a lot of work to get to this point where we just have cohesion. We’re all on the same page; we know what’s expected of us out there. Every single one of each other’s goals is our own so we just strive for that. We strive for everybody’s success.”

Jackson Jr. continued, “We wanted to make sure we focus on the key guys that are out there who are going to score the ball. [AnthonyDavis] hasn’t been back for a while so obviously that helps; he’s a great player but we know where the ball is going to at times. We know who is going to look to be more aggressive. They’re playing [LeBron James] at the five some so it just changes how we play, but we play with the same effort. It helps.”

The Michigan State alum arguably had his best game of the season on both ends of the floor with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and six block shots. Since Pau Gasol in 2007, Jackson Jr. became the only player in team history to have five or more blocks in a row. 

Take a look at the 22-year-old’s block party.

“Well, I want to credit Memphis first, they played great,” said Lakers head coach Frank Vogel after the game. “They’ve been playing great. One of the hottest teams in the league. Not having [Steven] Adams out there, obviously he’s a big part of what they do but they get a little faster and a little more spread out. A little more difficult to guard in some ways. We had trouble getting back from transition and I thought this was one of those games where we let a lot of misses of the basket affect our defensive focus. We weren’t scoring. We lost focus of what we were supposed to be doing on the defensive side. That can’t happen. Obviously, that was the big reason they built a big lead.”

He added, “and credit Memphis’ defense; they’re a good defensive team, they forced a lot of turnovers. We were just a little out of sync.”

The Block

There are Ja Morant highlights and then there are Ja Morant “WTF and do you believe what we just witnessed moments.”

LeBron James was amazed by the block. “It starts with timing — just stalking your prey and that’s exactly what Ja was doing that whole play and I saw it happening,” James said. “I didn’t know he was going to do it in that fashion, but he has rockets in his calf muscles. It was a spectacular play. It was a great play. Salute.”

That is surely one way to describe it, rockets in his calf muscles for sure. 

His teammate was in awe as well. “That was probably the best block I’ve ever seen live,” Jackson Jr. said. “Probably the best I’ve ever seen, period. But definitely the best block I’ve ever seen live; that was crazy. I knew he was going to do it too because he always loads up before; I just saw him before load up, I knew he was going to get it I just didn’t know how high he was going to have to jump. It was crazy. I think he jumped higher than he did on the lob. His head was at the top of the square.”

Morant recounted his awesome play after the game. “First start with the turnover,” Morant recalled. “It was a bad mistake on my part. Obviously, the game had been going on for a while, so I should’ve recognized they were doubling and blitzing me to get out of the ball quicker. I just got careless with the ball. Avery Bradley got a deflection and went on the break. I just got back and made an incredible play, but I was just trying to gather the ball. Most times on a break like that, if you block it, they might have a player trailing to get the ball and lay it up. I was trying to block the shot, stop him from scoring and secure the ball at the same time and it worked out for me. Now I’m probably all over the Internet for it.”

Yep, that block is still being talked about and it probably will help Morant to become a starter in the NBA All-Star game. 

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies look for their 10th straight victory on Tuesday, January 11th as they host Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors inside the FedExForum at 7 p.m. CT.

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Film Features Film/TV

Space Jam: A New Legacy

LeBron James and Bugs Bunny star in Space Jam: A New Legacy.

If you were expecting a true sequel to the original Space Jam released in 1996, I regret to inform you that this is not that movie. If you were expecting a well-written cinematic masterpiece, I regret to inform you that this is also not that movie. Space Jam: A New Legacy is less of a sequel to the original and more like a modernized ABC Afterschool Special.

LeBron James plays LeBron James, a basketball superstar and bumbling dad insistent on pushing his sons to follow in his basketball footsteps. The movie opens with a flashback of a young LeBron heading into a school gymnasium before a basketball game and being gifted a hand-me-down Game Boy from his friend Malik. LeBron is so engrossed in this new toy that his coach must call him to attention during the game. Later, when he’s leading the charge on a final play, he misses what should have been the game-winning shot. After the game, his coach takes him aside to express disappointment that LeBron had been distracted by video games and had not given his all on the court.

Flash forward to present-day, where LeBron’s sons are on a private basketball court. Older son Darius (Ceyair J Wright) practices shooting while his younger brother Dom (Cedric Joe) sits on a nearby bench playing a handheld video game. LeBron joins the boys on the court, and calls out Dom’s halfhearted effort. 

Later, LeBron visits Dom’s room, where he plays a game his son created called “DomBall,” which combines realistic basketball moves with bonus video game abilities. Dom would rather go to a game design camp than basketball camp. Later, he accompanies LeBron to a meeting at Warner Bros. Studios, where two executives (Sarah Silverman and Steven Yeun) attempt to pitch LeBron on an augmented reality device called the Warner 3000, which gives users the ability to insert themselves into WB movies and livestream it to all their social media followers. 

Four-time NBA MVP and two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner LeBron James (left) with Tweety, the star of 1941’s “A Tale of Two Kitties”

SJ: ANL is doing a lot, and not in the best way. What it lacks in plot development it more than makes up for by packing in cameos and top-notch hand drawn and computer-generated animation. If you told me a group of executives sat around brainstorming how to cram in as many culturally irrelevant intellectual properties as possible, I would absolutely believe it.

The Warner 3000 is a creation of a sentient AI called Al G Rhythm (played fabulously by Don Cheadle), who tries to persuade LeBron to help him promote this new innovative technology. After LeBron rejects the pitch, Al G tricks him and Dom into entering “The Serververse.” He then kidnaps Dom and challenges LeBron to play a game of basketball to get his son back and free them from the Serververse. If he loses, they must stay forever. LeBron travels to Toon World to enlist Bugs Bunny in his quest to assemble a basketball team to beat Al G’s Goon Squad. LeBron and Bugs hijack Marvin the Martian’s spaceship and set off through the Serververse to collect various Loony Toons characters to build the Toon Squad: Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety, Sylvester, Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzalez, Foghorn Leghorn, Taz, Lola Bunny, and a hairy red monster called Gossamer.

The Toon Squad

Meanwhile, Al G exploits Dom’s resentment toward his dad, and convinces him to give up the code to DomBall. That makes the big game a lot more interesting. Al G’s Goon Squad includes characters based on, and voiced by, real NBA and WNBA players: Wet-Fire (Klay Thompson), Chronos (Damian Lillard), The Brow (Anthony Davis), White Mamba (Diana Taurasi), and Arachnneka (Nneka Ogwumike). TBS’s Ernie Johnson and Lil Rel Howery from Get Out are transported in to serve as play-by-play announcers. 

Whew. I told you this movie was doing a lot. It is not a great film by any metric, but Space Jam: A New Legacy does have something for everyone: feel-good family moments, Porky Pig dropping a rap verse, fictional character cameos, an entertaining battle of something akin to basketball, and a metric ton of CGI. 

If you have elementary school-aged children or nostalgia for the ’90s, this might be a movie for you. Everyone else can safely skip it.

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News The Fly-By

MEMernet: Lemon for Sale, Worst Place to Sh*t

Lemon

Want to buy a guaranteed “lemon edition” 2020 Lemon? Head on over to the Memphis section of Facebook Marketplace. Facebook user Drakkor Washington has it on offer for only $4,000.

Chicken Shit

Instagram’s ever-vigilant Memphis bathroom connoisseur memplops gave a rare look into the facilities of one very special chicken last week.

If you read the Flyer, you know Hernando’s Hide-A-Way offers Chicken Shit Bingo every Sunday night. Haven’t been? Well, have a look at the board.

As for a review, memplops gave the bingo chicken coop a 0/10 on ambiance as “hundreds of people are going watch you take a shit.”

King Flop

Lebron James gave a stunning performance in Memphis Saturday in a loss to the Grizzlies at FedExForum.

Griz shooting guard Dillon Brooks tapped James on the chin; no question about that. But “replays caught The King executing an Oscar-worthy flop” in exchange, according to the Clutch Points sports blog.

Posted to Twitter by The Bleacher Report

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Jackson and Morant Shine as Grizzlies Fall to Lakers 109–108

CREDIT: Sharon Brown

There are no moral victories; a loss is still a loss. However, a young Grizzlies team can take positives away from Saturday night’s loss to the Lakers — and learn from it. 

Jaren Jackson, Jr. and Ja Morant performed like the Grizzlies must have envisioned they would when they were paired together. It was the first time this season that Jackson and Morant scored 20+ points in the same game.

Morant ended the night with 26 points, six assists, and a career-high five steals in 33 minutes. It was Morant’s eighth game of 20-or-more points this season. The rookie point guard entered the game averaging 23.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in 27.3 minutes in his last seven home games. 

“I think it just flat out shows (our game),” said Morant about the loss to the Lakers. “That no matter what, we can be in ball games and win ball games. We weren’t able to close out tonight, but tonight showed what type of team we are and who we want to be. I’m never satisfied with losing, but I can say I’m satisfied with how we played tonight. We played together, competed to the end and just came up short.”

Morant had many “wow” moments in the game. See below. 

Jackson and Morant Shine as Grizzlies Fall to Lakers 109–108

Jackson and Morant Shine as Grizzlies Fall to Lakers 109–108 (2)

According to Grizzlies PR, Morant became the first NBA rookie to record 25+ points, 5+ assists and 5+ steals in a game since John Wall on Nov. 2, 2010.

Jackson Jr. finished the night with 20 points, seven rebounds, and two steals, shooting 8-of-16 from the field and 4-of-7 from deep. It was Jackson’s fourth game with four-or-more three-pointers in his first 14 games this season after having two such games in the 58 games he played during his rookie season.

Jackson also saw the positives in the loss. “It just shows that we came to compete today — we brought all the energy; it started on defense,” Jackson said. “I am just proud of the effort we gave. Obviously, we wanted to pull it out at the end but the ball doesn’t bounce your way. We just got to take the good things and move on and the bad things and try to figure them out, too.”

Jackson added, “We understand that if we bring it we’re always gonna be in ball games. Little things like that, we learn more and more every day. We have to focus on our effort because our youth and energy can sometimes win out if we’re running hard and we’re playing defense and we’re scrambling and wearing teams down and playing in transition. So, I think those are the things we’ve gotta focus on.”

Jackson and Morant Shine as Grizzlies Fall to Lakers 109–108 (4)

Jackson and Morant Shine as Grizzlies Fall to Lakers 109–108 (3)

Jae Crowder chipped in a season-high 21 points while knocking down 4-of-9 from the three-point line. 

After the game, Crowder said, “We have to play better on any given night. I feel like we brought it tonight because of who we were playing. Good teams bring it every night, no matter their opponent, so once we learn from this game, we can continue to build, take this to Indiana and get us a win on the road. It’s definitely something to build off of.”

Crowder acknowledged that the team doesn’t bring it every night. “I think it’s just being with a young team,” he said. “Knowing that shots may not fall on a nightly basis but your effort and energy have to be there on a nightly basis. So you have to take care of your bodies and be prepared to play at a maximum level each and every night.”

Kyle Anderson came off the bench and garnered 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists while shooting 5-of-11 from the field.

LeBron James led all scorers with 30 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while grabbing his 9,000th career rebound.


What They Said!
Taylor Jenkins, Grizzlies head coach

On the game: “Heck of a game by our guys. I’m super proud of their efforts from the beginning of the game to the end of the game. One-point loss against the best team in the league. I know there are no moral victories, but how our guys competed for 48 minutes, I’m beyond proud given how we played the last two games. (We) had a chance to win at the end — a couple of plays on offense, big time rebound at the end that we have to learn from, but we got significantly better today, and I’m proud of how they played. If we can play like that every night we give ourselves a chance.”

On Jackson Jr.’s contribution to the offense: “For him to be very versatile, plays off the bounce, hitting threes. … He’s an inside-out player. It’s huge for his growth. He’s still really young in his career, so as he’s identifying those opportunities to be in attack mode I think it really benefits our offense. We need another dimension outside of just our point guards being playmakers. To have him be a playmaker for us is huge.”


On the Grizzlies’ youth: “Like I said to them after the game: super proud. Their effort was unbelievable. Our defensive activity set a tone to start the game. If we can play up to that standard night in and night out you’re going to hopefully have a chance to win more ball games. Obviously, in the fourth quarter, a couple of moments there where we have to execute a little bit better. But what they were able to do for a majority of the game, that’s where we have to be. That’s what we’ve hung our hat on. A week ago, it kind of slipped away from us, but if they can kind of engrain that into their mind, this is what it is. This is the fun style to compete that way. I’m super proud, and that’s the Grizzlies I love to be a part of.”

Up Next
Grizzlies travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers on Monday night. Tip-off at 6 pm CST. 

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From My Seat Sports

The NBA’s Supermen

Quentin Tarantino likes Superman. A lot. There’s a scene in his 2004 film, Kill Bill, Vol. 2, in which Bill (played by David Carradine) explains to Beatrix (Uma Thurman) the singular trait that makes Superman superior to all other costumed heroes. As Bill tells it, Batman wakes up every morning as Bruce Wayne. Spider-Man eats his breakfast as Peter Parker. Only Superman starts his day as the hero he truly is, forced to “costume” himself as a mere mortal, one of us all-too-frail humans, Clark Kent.

Kawhi Leonard in his new Superman outfit.

It occurred to me earlier this month that Tarantino must love the NBA. That’s because the greatest basketball league on the planet has become a collection of supermen, players who shape the costumes, er, uniforms they wear far more than the teams — represented by those uniforms — shape them. Kawhi Leonard may have won the 2019 NBA championship without the Toronto Raptors (and their jersey on his back). There is no way the Raptors win the 2019 NBA championship without Leonard. Kawhi Leonard, in NBA terms, is a superman. And NBA championships are the reserve, almost exclusively, of basketball supermen.

Think about the NFL and its resident dynasty. Aside from Tom Brady (granted, a Thor in shoulder pads), those who don the helmet of the New England Patriots are interchangeable, yet the franchise has won three Super Bowls this decade after winning three the previous. They are Batman, and it doesn’t matter who’s wearing the utility belt. And baseball? Name three players who played for all three San Francisco Giant championship teams this decade. (Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey are gimmes.) That franchise was a slick-fielding, pitching-strong Spider-Man. Check out Into the Spider-Verse if you think it matters who is wearing the web-shooters.

There was a time when NBA players became stars by making their team — one team, mind you — a dynasty. Think Bill Russell with the Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson with the Los Angeles Lakers, or Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls (twice). Those days predate flip phones, for crying out loud. In today’s NBA, the superstars — supermen – decide where (and for whom) they’d like to win a championship. LeBron James couldn’t get it done in Cleveland, so he took off for Miami (two titles). Kevin Durant won an MVP in Oklahoma City that he sweetly dedicated to his mother. But Mom couldn’t help win a championship, so off to Oakland flew Durant, where he won two titles with Steph Curry and the Warriors. Cast off by San Antonio, despite credentials as a Finals MVP, Leonard won the same hardware in what would prove to be his only season in a Raptors uniform. You see, Kawhi Leonard wakes up as Kawhi Leonard … every day.

At the end of each season, 15 players earn All-NBA recognition (five first-team, five second-team, and five third-team). No fewer than six of those players in 2019 changed teams earlier this month. Leonard is now an L.A. Clipper, along with former Thunder forward Paul George. Durant has taken his torn Achilles tendon to Brooklyn, where he’ll join Kyrie Irving, making the Nets early (very early) favorites to win the Eastern Conference title in 2021. Kemba Walker departed Charlotte to replace Irving in Boston. And talk about Superman: Russell Westbrook — a man who has averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons — has joined forces with 2018 MVP James Harden in Houston. We might as well add new Laker Anthony Davis — not All-NBA this year, but three times a first-teamer — to this collection of supermen changing the color of their capes.

Is this Superman effect good for the NBA? That’s in the eye of the beholder. An informal poll of my Twitter pals suggested a Grizzlies championship with a one-and-gone superstar (like Leonard in Toronto) is significantly preferable to a team of merely very good teammates leading a lengthy run of playoff appearances without a title. Basketball has become a player’s league to the point that the jerseys they wear are merely incidental. Don’t be offended if you see Clipper jerseys in FedExForum when L.A.’s “other team” visits next winter. No, those are Kawhi Leonard jerseys. 

Perhaps Ja Morant will become an NBA superman. Maybe Jaren Jackson Jr. can leap a building in a single bound. When or if they bring a championship to Memphis, the color of their jersey will matter to those of us who call the Grizzlies our team. They alone know what it’s like to wake up every day as Ja Morant and Triple-J. Until they bring that parade to Beale Street, though, consider them Clark Kents, blending — however uncomfortably — among the rest of professional basketball’s mortal talents.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Iguodala Acquisition Means Decision Time for Grizzlies

CREDIT: NBA.com

Sunday, during the first night of NBA free agency, the Memphis Grizzlies, as expected, were quiet as far as trying to sign a new player. But that didn’t mean that they weren’t active. The team acquired veteran wing Andre Iguodala in a deal with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were desperately trying to come off of Iguodala’s contract in an effort to make room to facilitate a sign-and-trade involving Kevin Durant and former Brooklyn Nets point guard, D’Angelo Russell. The Grizzlies were able to absorb Iguodala’s contract into their own $25 million trade exception that was created as a result of the Mike Conley trade. As compensation, the Grizzlies also received a conditional future first-round draft pick from the Warriors.  NBA.com

Andre Iguodala

The pick has very favorable protections for the Grizzlies — starting with a top four pick protection in 2024. If not conveyed, the pick becomes number-one overall protected in 2025 and is completely unprotected in 2016. Since Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will be 36, 34, and 34 years old, respectively, in 2024, the assumption is that the Warriors will be rebuilding by the time that the trade is available. If so, the Grizzlies more than likely would be receiving a lottery pick from them.

This could be an enviable opportunity for the Grizzlies, in the event they are able to acquire a high-draft pick from a Warriors team in transition. The Grizzlies could add a young player to their own roster or they could use the pick as a trade piece between now and then. Since the Grizzlies also own a future Utah Jazz first-round draft pick, they could package the two assets along with other players to acquire a star level talent via trade. This happens often when star players decide to part ways with their team and the team lays desirable assets on the trading block to acquire or replace a missing piece.

Iguodala should definitely be able to contribute and help this rebuilding Grizzlies team — on and off the court — if that is the direction that the team decides to go. A former NBA Finals MVP, Iguodala is a proven professional and one of the best defenders and crunch-time shot makers in the league. At 35, he is past the form that once had him labeled as one of the most athletic and versatile wings in the league, but he’s still a capable contributor who can help accelerate the Grizzlies’ rebuilding process. Whether Iguodala is willing to be a part of a team that’s rebuilding is still a question mark.

One of the best outcomes would involve the Grizzlies being able to trade Iguadola to a contender for another future asset before the coming season’s trade deadline. In the event that the Grizzlies are able to obtain not only the pick that came from the Warriors, but a second draft pick for Iguadala, it would be a definite win for their new front office.

There has also been rising speculation about the Grizzlies simply buying out the $16 million remaining on the final season of Iguadala’s current contract. This would allow Iguodala to go to any team he chooses. There are reports that if the Grizzlies did agree to a buyout agreement with Iguodala, he would join Lebron James and Anthony Davis with the Lakers. This narrative has been inflated by some in the national media. If Iguodala does not, in fact, want to be a part of a rebuilding and non-contending team in Memphis, that would be understandable. My hope is that the Grizzlies don’t allow their hand to be influenced by those media narratives. Iguodala is under contract with the Grizzlies now, and, regardless of anyone else’s opinion, it’s ultimately their decision about what to do with him.

The Grizzlies may not want the blow-back of negative criticism that could come if Iguodala says he wants to be traded and the team holds him “against his will.” But, whether it is mutually agreed upon that Iguodala can be a benefit to the team or not, the hope here is that the Andre Iguodala era in Memphis — however long it lasts — is one that ends on a positive note for all.