Tag: Luke Kennard

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Win Third in a Row

Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half against Orlando Magic at FedEx Forum on January 26, 2024, in Memphis Tennessee. (Wes Hale Photo)

On the court at FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies haven’t had much luck this season, with a disappointing 4–15 home record going into Friday night. Nevertheless, they defeated the Orlando Magic in a nail-biter, 107-106, to win their second consecutive home game. It marked Memphis’ fifth straight win against the Magic.

Memphis has now won three games in a row and recorded at least 30 assists in each victory. 

“Moving forward, continue to make that a priority — it’s as simple as that,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on how the team’s assists correlate to a winning formula. “We know that’s got to be a big part of our identity. We’ve had to work all season to catch this wave of a couple of games in a row. Keep prioritizing the spacing.” 

Jenkins went on to say, “I talked about the willingness to see it on film, see it in the practices, see it within the game — that’s what our guys have to continue to focus on.”

“In terms of a correlation, we know what our identity is,” Jenkins explained. “It’s our defensive activity that generates that excitement and momentum. We know when we play like that, you’re getting the production as well. When you’re setting your teammates up, that’s the excitement that we’re used to playing with. Encouraged by the play the last couple of games, and these guys know I’m not going to stop hitting them over the head with it.”

Despite starting 11 different lineups in January, the Grizzlies managed an 8-5 record for the month.

Leading the way for the Grizzlies Friday night was Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored 30 points, snatched 8 boards, and dished out 2 assists. It was Jackson Jr.’s eighth 30-point performance this season.

Jackson Jr. bullied the Magic bigs under the hoop and scored around the rim with consistency. He tied a season-high with 24 points in the paint for the Grizzlies, who finished with 50 paint points.

Jackson Jr. is the lone regular part of the Grizzlies core who is not sidelined for Memphis. His improved play has been another bright spot of this tumultuous season. 

“Yeah, for sure — very well said,” was Jackson Jr.’s response to a question about whether playing without Ja Morant and Desmond Bane is helping him grow. “Try (to) go out there every day and work on my game. Work on what I work on, doubles, shifts, and more attention. It is all going to be good because you don’t always get opportunities like that. So, you got to make the most of it and really grow when your name is called in situations like that.”

For Jackson Jr., it’s a good feeling to win in front of the home crowd. “It’s always good to win here,” he said. “I know we’ve had a better record on the road. So, every time we come back here, and we can get it done, all these games are going to mean something at this point.”

“We’re trying to crawl back,” Jackson Jr. continued. “We’re trying to make this push right here, which we are going to get that done. But it’s going to take a lot of fights. So, every game is going to be played like a playoff game.”

Off the bench, Ziaire Williams added 17 points (7-10 FG, 3-6 3P), four rebounds, and five assists. Williams has been struggling mightily as of late and has received plenty of criticism about his performances. 

After the game, Williams responded to the criticism, “I’ve just been taking it one day at a time, taking the good with the bad and the bad with the good — staying true to myself and putting the work in. I’m glad it paid off today. I just have to keep it up and believe in my ability.”

Luke Kennard added 15 points (5-11 FG), connected on five 3-pointers, and dished out six assists. In his last four games, Kennard has made 19 3-pointers.

Up Next

The Grizzlies travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers, Sunday, January 28 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

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From My Seat Sports

Grizzlies Defeat Raptors

Jaren Jackson Jr. goes up for a bucket against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2024. (Photo by: Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images)

On Monday night in Toronto, the Memphis Grizzlies secured their first wire-to-wire victory of the season by beating the Toronto Raptors 108-100. Memphis improved to 12-12 on the road while just being 4-15 at home on the season.

Memphis seems as if it has been cursed for most of the season with multiple key players dealing with injuries. In their abscence, Jaren Jackson Jr., the longest-tenured player on the roster, continues to dominate opponents and is at times unguardable. He was in his bag against the Raptors and finished with 27 points on 12-for-22 shooting, six steals (career-high), five assists, and four rebounds in 32 minutes.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year now has 5+ assists in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.

Luke Kennard added a season-high 19 points and dished out seven assists. Kennard converted on 5-of-13 from the three-point line, and seems to have found his rhythm as of late.

Vince Williams Jr. continued to be dominant on both ends of the floor, adding 18 points and 10 rebounds (7-of-11 FG) for the first double-double of his career.

Jon Konchar scored six points, and had five rebounds, five blocks (career-high), and four assists.

Tid-bits

Every player that entered the game for Memphis recorded an assist.

Analysis

In my summation, with half the season gone, the Grizzlies have nothing left to play for. The chances to make the play-in tournament are all but over. And the team still might not have a poor enough record to get a lottery pick.

The NBA Trade Deadline is fast approaching: February 8, 2024 (3 p.m. CT). Memphis is linked to a number of players in trade rumors, but it would surprise me if the Grizzlies make a major trade at this point. I do think minor trades will likely happen. Memphis needs to solidify its bench for seasons to come.

With a healthy Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jackson Jr., this team is hard to beat, but with better role players, they would be championship contenders. For the rest of the season, Memphis should just continue to develop the young talent on the roster to have them prepared for next year.

Next Up

The conclusion of the Grizzlies four-game road trip is Wednesday night in Miami against the Heat. Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. CT

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Out ‘Hustle’ Warriors

GG Jackson II after the win against the Golden State Warriors on January 15, 2023. (Photo credit: @memgrizz)

Unlikely heroes emerged in FedExForum on a snowy and bitterly cold evening in Memphis. Vince Williams Jr. led the short-handed Grizzlies with a career-high 24 points on 6-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals as Memphis beat the Golden State Warriors, 116-107.

Williams Jr. has been a force to be reckoned with as of late. “Just me being more confident and coach believing in me a little bit more,” said the VCU alum on his improved play. “Some of the guys are out. So, obviously I had to step up and really just take advantage of my opportunity at the end of the day. Even GG [Jackson] is doing very well right now. Just staying ahead of the game and not really looking back.”

The 23-year-old defensive specialist is taking advantage of his opportunity to be on the court consistently. He said, “It means a lot. Being able to go out there and make mistakes and knowing that we’re going to learn from them while in the game – not having to look over our shoulders at the moment.”

In Monday night’s nationally televised MLK game, GG Jackson II also delivered a breakout performance with a career-best 23 points going 5-of-8 from the three-point line, six rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.

“I guess I prayed a little bit more today,” said Jackson II on the difference in the last two games. “I watched some nice game film, studied where I was supposed to be on the floor, and I just got to capitalize on opportunities when the ball comes my way.”

“Just like Vince said, with multiple guys being out, I’ve had to step up as well,” Jackson II said about showcasing his offensive abilities. “And when you step up and play the amount of minutes that me and him both played, the ball is naturally going to find you on the court. But you know, you just got to remember those reps. Your body has to create a carbon copy every time you shoot the ball and every time you dribble. Just trying to lean on the things that you learned. We’ve just got to keep stacking up days like this. … We all dial in, listen to coach, listen to what he has to say — more opportunities open up.”

The two-piece combo did it on both ends of the floor. At 19, Jackson II became the only third player behind Lebron James and Kevin Durant in NBA history to have had back to back 20-point performances at his age or younger. And his response was: “Stay humble. Don’t get too caught up in that. … It’s obviously a great sentiment to be a part of. But these guys already made it and for me, I feel like their game was way more advanced at this age. I’m just lucky enough to have this opportunity to get out there and play.”

Along with Williams Jr. and Jackson II, Memphis had seven players in double figures. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals.

David Roddy 12 points and seven rebounds and two-way player Jacob Gilyard chipped in 11 points, eight of which came in the final period, three assists, and 2 steals.

Santi Aldama 11 points, six rebounds, and three blocks and Luke Kennard ended with 11 points, with eight in the fourth quarter, and 5 assists.

Tid-bits

Players with experience with the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League scored 87 of the Grizzlies’ 116 points.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said after the game, “Big time win— and I’ve definitely got to shout-out a big win for the [Memphis] Hustle as well. I mean, this is a product of full-on development. So proud of our group.”

He added, “Vince Williams … unbelievable job defensively, playing with aggression on both sides of the floor, trying to make it tough on [Stephen] Curry as much as possible. Big growth for him.”

Jenkins continued, “GG Jackson, back-to-back games (with) multiple rebounds, but just the shot-making. Right spot on the floor for his teammates to find him, shooting with tons of confidence, offensive rebounding. [Jacob Gilyard] coming in. I thought he was great in the second half, not just knocking down shots, but you saw a number of steals and just his playmaking and setting up guys in transition coming off screens and connecting the dots for us.”

“This was a huge win for us overall. So, tons of credit to these guys,” said Jenkins. “I think GG [Jackson] may have shouted out the Hustle staff, I’ve got to shout them out as well. They’ve been pouring into these guys every opportunity they’ve gotten, to stay ready, and these guys have got to continue to take advantage of the opportunities with the Grizzlies when they’ve got them.”

Yes, a big night for the Memphis Hustle!!

The Grizzlies finished with 20 three-point baskets while the Warriors had just 10. Meanwhile, the Warriors outscored the Grizzlies 62-20 in the paint. Usually Golden State shots more threes and Memphis’ bread and butter is in the paint.

Strictly from the Fans

Tredarion Hampton: “This victory feels incredibly rewarding. Despite the adversity we faced with multiple injuries, Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson stepped up phenomenally, showcasing the depth and resilience of our team. It’s a testament to our collective effort and determination.”

Janice Frazier-Scott: “It’s good to see our G League players gain confidence playing and winning against the Warriors. We’ve got some future stars coming up!”

Up Next

The Grizzlies will embark on a four-game road trip beginning Thursday night in Minneapolis to take on the Timberwolves. Tip-off is at 9 pm CT on TNT.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall to Kings to Ring In the New Year

Ja Morant takes the ball to the basket against Domantas Sabonis.
Ja Morant takes the ball to the basket against Domantas Sabonis. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.

Defensive struggles continue as the third Grizzlies opponent in as many games shot 50 percent or better overall. With a final score of 123-92, the Sacramento Kings thumped the Grizzlies at FedExForum in the last game of the year. The return of Luke Kennard and his shooting 5 of 8 from three-point range could not put the Grizzlies over the hump.

Let’s get into it.

Woof. That is the first word that comes to mind to describe how the Kings outworked Memphis on both ends of the floor. Sacramento put up a season-high 59 rebounds to the Grizzlies 34. In no universe was it acceptable for the Grizzlies to only have one offensive rebound in the entire game, but the fact that the Kings could grab 25 more rebounds than Memphis adds insult to injury. The Grizzlies also recorded just one block for the game.

 Combine that with beating the Grizzlies in made threes (16 to 12), made field goals (47 to 30), and points in the paint (58 to 32), and Sacramento handed them one of their worst losses of the season.

The Kings’ bench unit outscored the Grizzlies’ bench 58 to 28, with Malik Monk scoring a game-high 27 points in 21 minutes on 4 of 5 three-point shooting and 10 of 13 overall. One player nearly outscoring the entire second unit is nasty and overshadows the return of Luke Kennard in his first game since November 17.

When head coach Taylor Jenkins was asked postgame about the defense allowing opponents to shoot 50 percent in the past three games, he had this to say:

“We’ve got to look at the trends that we’ve seen all season long. Obviously small sample size, looking more at the last two games, it’s definitely things we’ve been talking about, pick-and-roll coverages, what we can do a little bit better there, our shifting obviously, teams are really hurting us in the high quad, how we can clean that up. That’s something that we got to talk about, some of the second chance kick outs as well, pickup points, discipline there. It’s definitely something that we’re seeing a lot and obviously we’ve regressed the last couple of games.”

Emphasis mine. Yes, thank you, Captain Obvious.

It was a low-scoring night for Memphis, being held under 100 points, and their usual big three struggled offensively.

Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with a team-high 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

Three players finished with 17 points: Ja Morant had 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists; Desmond Bane closed out with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists; and Luke Kennard put up 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on 6 of 9 overall shooting and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc.

The only other Grizzlies player to end the night in double figures was Marcus Smart with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will play at home again Tuesday night, January 2nd, facing off against one of the few teams with a worse record in the West, the San Antonio Spurs. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Happy New Year, Grizz Nation. I hope everyone is eating their black-eyed peas and greens because we need all the luck we can get.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Another Disappointing Home Loss for the Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks squared off at the FedExForum on Monday, December 11, 2023 (Photo by: Sharon Brown)

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins’ answers were short when he spoke to the media after the team’s 120-113 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum. 

The Grizzlies went from having the best home record in the association last season, 35-6, to having one of the worst, 1-10, this season. 

Jenkins was visibly frustrated with the team’s effort and energy. He said, “It’s pretty high. I mean, we’ve got to come out and create our own energy and we can’t have teams coming in here, regardless of what our roster is or whose playing and all that stuff. You’ve got to protect home court. We’ve got to come out with a better edge. We’ve found it on the road in the recent stretch. I can’t put my finger on it, but we’ve just got to play better. Our fans deserve better. We’ve got to come out here and play with more energy.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. had one of his best offensive games of the season, finishing in the paint and from beyond the arc. He led Memphis with a season-high 41 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. Over the last four games Jackson Jr. has been consistent on the offensive end, averaging 30.8 points while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 52 percent from the 3-point line. 

Desmond Bane continued to put the team on his back with a 28 points and eight assists performance. He said the team just has to be better when the opportunity arises. 

The Dallas bench outscored the Grizzlies bench 42-23. Vince Williams Jr. was the lone Memphis reserve in double digits, getting a near double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. 

He also had words with the Dallas Mavericks All-NBA forward, Luka Doncic. “He was just talking shit the whole time,” Doncic said about his back-and-forth with Williams Jr. “I told him – I wish I could play him one-on-one. That’s when I got a tech. So, I don’t know. The refs have to just let us talk, you know. It’s a part of the game. I love it. I think he’s a great defender …. This game, we were both talking, and only I got the tech, so I don’t know.”

Williams Jr. descibed it as friendly competition with Doncic. When asked how he feels about guarding players like Doncic, he responded: “I feel like I have been doing a good job since the Boston game guarding the stars; so I’ve been prepared.” Doncic went 2-of-9 from the field when Williams Jr. was his primary defender. 

The two-way wing has the trust of his teammates and the seal of approval from Bane. 

“He’s a dog. He competes each and every night on the defensive end,” said Bane of  Williams, Jr. “He’s selfless and he’s out there to make the right play. If he’s open, he’s gonna shoot it. If he’s not, he’s gonna drive it or pass it to the open teammate.”

“Those are the type of guys that that win basketball games,” Bane continued. “I think you see it every time he steps out there, that he has an impact on winning. It’s not always with scoring or flashy plays, but he’s gonna make the open shot and he’s gonna dive on the floor to get the loose balls. He’s the type of guy I want on my team for sure.”

Reinforcements are Near

Ja Morant’s return can’t come soon enough for the Grizzlies. He has only three games left in his 25-game league suspension. Plus, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart are close to returning from injury.

Jackson Jr. was reminded of how the Grizzlies had a comeback from a 6-16 start in Morant’s rookie year. He said, “Regardless of the trend of last year, whatever happens, you just think about the next games and how you can be effective and how you can turn around, and I believe we’re going to do that. I mean you never make excuses for what’s going on.”

Jackson Jr.. continued, “Everyone’s learning each other still. Everyone’s syncing up and when we sync up, we look good. Like when we’re all clicking, and we know what’s going on we look good and then we have reinforcements on the way. So, it’s good.”  

For the organization’s and fans’ sake, let’s hope that the reinforcements make a difference.

Up Next 

The Grizzlies have a two-game away and home series with former teammate Dillon Brooks and the Houston Rockets. The Grizzlies travel to Houston on Wednesday and return home on Friday for the second match-up. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Beat Milwaukee; Secure Second Seed in Western Conference

Jaren Jackson, Jr. goes up for a dunk against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 7, 2023. (Credit: Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

With their 137-114 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night, the Memphis Grizzlies clinched the West’s second seed for the second consecutive season. The Bucks sat key players, including former league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Despite shooting 65 percent in the first two quarters, the Grizzlies entered halftime trailing Milwaukee by a single point. However, Memphis outscored the Bucks 37-15 in the third quarter to pull ahead for good. The Grizzlies also had a season-high in assists, with 39.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 36 points, grabbed four boards, and made three blocks while shooting 12 of 18 from the field and 5 of 6 from beyond the arc to help the Grizzlies sweep the season series with the Bucks for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

The 12 to 13 connection is getting better right before our eyes.

Plus The Block Panther was on the prowl defensively. 

Luke Kennard finished with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and made 5-of-7 from the 3-point line after being inserted into the starting lineup. As Kennard is getting more comfortable, it appears he may be the missing piece that the team has lacked. 

Desmond Bane put up 16 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. 

John Konchar had 13 points, seven rebounds, and a game-high five steals as a reserve. Jitty had a good game. 

Ja Morant added 12 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. “It’s very important,” Morant said after the game, about securing the second seed. “We’re a very good team at home, so we obviously want that home-court advantage. Definitely big time for us.”

While trying to contest a shot from former teammate Jae Crowder, Morant got his fingers caught in Crowder’s uniform and had to head to the locker room with a hand injury in the first quarter. He returned to the game in the second quarter with two fingers taped together on his right hand. 

And he did this with one hand …

Morant eventually told reporters he was good when asked about the injury.  

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said after the game it wasn’t a significant injury. “We shouldn’t have any concerns – they did X-rays in the first half,” Jenkins said. “He [Morant] obviously had a little collision there in front of our bench. The X-rays were negative. Our medical team cleared him to come back and then we were just precautionary in that second half. Ice it up and hopefully we are good to go.”

Up Next 

Regular season play for the Grizzlies will end on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 9th. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Home Win Caps Record-Setting Season

Ja Morant going up for a dunk between two defenders on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

In their FedExForum season finale on Tuesday, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 119-109, sealing the best home record in the NBA for the first time in franchise history. 

Memphis had a record 35 wins at home, the most by any NBA club since the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors went 36-5. The Grizzlies set a new benchmark for home victories and home winning percentage for the organization (.854). It is also the sixth 50-win season in team history, and the second in a row, with a record of 50-29 with three regular-season games remaining.

“They are not frequent throughout the NBA – not many teams get 50 (wins) in a season,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on the team’s back-to-back 50 win seasons. “Proud of our group – still got three more (games) to focus on, but anytime you can clip that 50-win mark, that’s pretty special.”

Desmond Bane led Memphis with 30 points, seven rebounds, and five assists 5-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Ja Morant tallied 23 points, nine assists, six rebounds and more highlight dunks to his resume. 

Luke Kennard chipped in 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals while shooting 6-of-10 from three.  

After the game, Kennard spoke about how he feels about playing alongside Bane and Morant. 

He said, “Me and [Desmond Bane] out there is just going to open it up for Ja [Morant] to do his thing. It’s my job to be out there and be ready to shoot because the ball is going to find me. There’s still some things we can clean up here and there. Trusting each other, trusting the pass, and making the right play. We’re confident in what each other can do, just continuing to gel together and me continuing to be with them more to continue to grow, and hopefully it helps us out in the long run.”

“It’s great — I feel the love from everybody in the crowd every time I touch the ball,” Kennard said about the “Luke” chants. “It’s definitely something that just makes me feel good being out there, knowing the crowd has faith in what I do and what I can bring. I just want to continue to grow here and give the fans what they want. It’s been really cool.”

Jaren Jackson, Jr. added 17 points, seven rebounds and two assists while 

David Roddy chipped in 16 points off the bench. 

Jenkins was emphatic about his belief that Jackson, Jr. should be Defensive Player of the Year. “He’s making improvements but you can see it when he’s on the floor. I’ve obviously been asked about the impact he’s made, his net rating is like number one in the league,” Jenkins said. “Defensive Player of the Year, it’s a no brainer, in my opinion. You see what we do when he’s on the floor and off the floor. His ability to be on the floor and be available for us and be that impact player and not just defensively but offensively. You see what he’s done offensively during this last month and a half. It’s powerful. But when he sets a tone as a Defensive Player of the Year guy and then can back it up with offensive play this is the special two-way player, we talk about all the time.”

Up Next

The Grizzlies head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans tonight at 7 p.m. CT.  

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Bane, Kennard Help Grizzlies Storm Back to Victory

Desmond Bane going up for a layup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, March 31, 2023. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Friday night’s bad weather didn’t stop the Memphis Grizzlies from beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 108-94. The Grizzlies overcame a 20-point deficit in the first quarter to secure their 34th home victory of the season. 

The 14-point victory was the largest margin of victory in team history in a game where the Grizzlies trailed by 20 or more points, according to Sportradar.

“We kind of just settled down towards the end of the first. I just reminded them to just keep staying the course,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s a long game. We’re starting to feel out what this game is going to need from us. Then we battle back, have a great second quarter.”

Jenkins continued, “We take a lead and build a 20-point lead in the second half. Proud of the guys. It’s a 48-minute game, and we had these looks in our eyes like ‘Hey, what’s going on right now?’ in the first quarter. Luckily, we were able to turn the corner before it got too late.”

Desmond Bane was in his bag, scoring 22 points and tying a career-high nine assists, plus three steals to lead the Grizzlies to 49-28 on the season. 

Luke Kennard tallied 17 points and six rebounds off the bench while connecting on 5-of-10 from the 3-point line. 

Ja Morant praised Kennard’s shooting after the game. “He could shoot then [with the Clippers] and he can shoot now,” Morant said about Kennard as an opponent, and now a teammate. “He’s on our side now. We believe in him 100 percent.” Morant finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists. 

Xavier Tillman Sr. had a solid 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks, while Santi Aldama got 13 points and eight rebounds as a reserve. 

Surprising highlight dunk

David Roddy absolutely destroyed Ivica Zubac.

“That definitely surprised me, I say that respectfully,” said Jenkins on Roddy’s emphatic dunk. “I know he’s got some bounce, and he’s got some force, but that was a pretty epic dunk for sure. Once he gets a runway, you watch out.”

Tibits

Kenny Lofton, Jr. was named Kia G League Rookie of the Year. Lofton Jr. averaged 20.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in 17 games during the regular season.

Jaren Jackson Jr. improved on his previous personal best in blocks, and set a franchise record in the process. The All-Star forward added three blocks in last night’s game to reach 180 and set a new franchise record for most blocks in a season, which he achieved last year with 177 in 78 games. This year, Jackson Jr. only needed 59 games to set the new mark. He leads the NBA with a career-high 3.1 blocks per game.  

Jackson Jr. also had nine points and two steals against the Clippers. “It’s cool – glad we could do it at home,” said Jackson Jr. on setting the single season franchise record in blocks. “Glad we could get a win; glad all my teammates signed the basketball, kept the jersey. I mean, it all fits. It’s a cool feeling.”

For the Grizzlies, unsung heroes emerged to give them a victory before a happy home crowd. For those fans, it was fitting to get revenge on the Clippers. 

Up Next 

The Grizzlies will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 2. 

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News The Fly-By

MEMernet: Palindromes, Parades, and Potholes

Posted to Facebook by Steve Mulroy

Memphis on the internet.

Savor It

“3-20-23. The first day of a week of palindromes,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy wrote on Facebook. “Savor it.”

It’s a Parade

Posted to YouTube by NBA on ESPN

Ja Morant interrupted Luke Kennard’s post-game interview this weekend with a victorious, hilarious, “It’s a parade inside my city, yeah!” The line is from rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s single “Fresh Prince of Utah” and has become a rallying cry for the Griz this season. It’s also a viral TikTok hit. One video mash-up of Morant saying the line has more than 3.3 million views.

Potholes

Posted to Facebook by Char-Neal Capps

“Memorizing pothole locations is a survival skill in Memphis,” Char-Neal Capps wrote on Facebook last week. h/t to Memphis Memers 901.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Morant, Bane Lift Grizzlies to Sixth-Straight Win

Ja Morant goes up for a layup against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, March 26, 2023. (Credit: Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

After coming off the bench in the first two games after serving an eight-game ban, Ja Morant was reinstated in the starting lineup against Atlanta Sunday night for the Grizzlies. He took advantage of the opportunity.

Morant put up 27 points, six assists, and three rebounds as Memphis defeated the Hawks 123-119, and clinched a top-4 seed and home court advantage in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The Grizzlies previously clinched a playoff berth on Friday night with a win against the Houston Rockets.

Morant said he’s not quite himself just yet. “I’m getting there,” he said after the win. “I’m getting a lot more comfortable. Getting my legs under me a little bit. My staff is preparing me the right way, having me ready for games each and every night. I believe in them 100 percent in how they’re managing me and ramping me back up.”

Morant said he studied film while he was away from the team. He said, “Obviously I watched pretty much all the games – how they were moving the ball and playing no-point-five basketball, sharing the ball, being very unselfish and that’s one of the reasons I decided to come off the bench early on to get that feel of that playing style. 

Morant went on to say, “I feel like we [have] to keep continuing to play like that. We have a lot more guys that can contribute and be in rhythm playing with confidence and we’re tough to guard.” 

The 23-year-old said it was nice to hear the young fans cheer for him. However, he knows he has a responsibility as a role model to the younger generation. “I got to set better examples,” said the All-Star guard. “Mistakes I made in the past [are] not examples they need to see. It’s only right, I correct them and show them the right way. Having them still behind me brings joy to me, makes me happy.”

Morant didn’t have any issues in the opposing arena since he said it was home for him. He was born in Georgia and spent time there growing up. 

Morant also said he can’t wait to get back to Memphis in front of the home crowd in the playoffs. Like Dillon Brooks, he’s ready to hear, “Whoop That Trick,” the Grizzlies playoff rallying cry. 

The Grizzlies are now 47-27 on the season and hold the longest active winning streak in the NBA with six consecutive victories.

Desmond Bane added 25 points, five assists, three rebounds while going 11-of-18 from the field. 

Jaren Jackson, Jr. finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, five blocks and three steals in 34 minutes of play. 

After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins had this to say about Jackson, Jr.’s defensive impact: 

Xavier Tillman, Sr. had an all-round complete game. In 30 minutes, he chipped in 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. Tillman has been doing an excellent job holding it down for the Grizzlies in the absence of Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke.

Luke Kennard scored 14 points while shooting four-of-nine from three and grabbed seven boards off the bench. As a reserve Tyus Jones had 13 points and five assists. 

Up Next 

The Grizzlies return to FedExForum for a three-game homestand starting Tuesday, March 28, against the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. CT.