Tag: Phoenix Suns

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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 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

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

Suns Scorch Grizzlies, 119-94

Ja Morant goes for a floater. (Photo cred: Memphis Grizzlies on Twitter)

Tidbits from the Grizzlies’ 119-94 loss to the Suns. 

There’s a bit of a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde vibe going on in Memphis. The Grizzlies haven’t decided what type of team they want to be yet.

The Suns took a commanding lead from start to finish and were up by as many as 38 points.

Phoenix shot 48.9 percent from the field and 48.6 percent at the three-point line, while Memphis was 37.8 percent from the field and 21.2 percent at the three-point line. A season-high 18 3-pointers were made by the Suns in this game.

In the last four games, the Grizzlies have given up more than 115 points.

After the loss, Taylor Jenkins didn’t hold back. He said, “I’d just say we’ve got two versions of the Grizzlies: the six wins, we play disciplined basketball, we make shots, we do what we need to do defensively, and then outside of the Lakers game, the ones where we’ve gotten smacked, our defense hasn’t been disciplined and we’ve missed a lot of shots. You’re not going to win games when you shoot 38 percent and 21 percent [from the 3-point line].”

“I’m not going to use youth as an excuse or anything like that,” Jenkins continued. “It’s just a matter of just finding consistency and just going out there and just playing better.”

For the time being, Ja Morant appears to be the only consistent Grizzlies player. He finished the game with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists as the Grizzlies fell to 6-6 for the season. 

When he’s on the bench, it seems like everything goes downhill.

Just two points were scored by the bench in the first half. Nine shots were attempted, but only one was successful. The Phoenix bench outscored the Grizzlies bench 48-32, including a 33-7 advantage in the first three quarters.

However, Morant has a solution for the team’s problems. “Play harder, for 48 minutes,” he re-enforced. “Games we won, it is that simple, ready to play to the end, all four quarters.”

In addition to Morant, Jaren Jackson, Jr. was the only other Memphis player to score in double digits. Jackson tallied 19 points, four rebounds, and two blocks on 7-of-18 shooting from the field.

Two-year guard Desmond Bane shared his thoughts on what it takes for the team to get back on track. He said, “A strong defensive effort. I think we need to get back to enjoying playing defense and flying around for 48 minutes. I feel like our defense has let us down in the games we lose. We are better when we get out in transition, and are able to run, play at a faster pace. We have not been able to do that, because teams are scoring at a high rate.”

Bane continued, “It goes back to defense. We are not being consistent guarding, and we dig ourselves a hole. It’s tough to climb out [of]. We have had a tough start to the season, played a bunch of good teams. Almost all of our losses will probably be to playoff teams this year, or last year. We just have to bounce back, but we have a resilient group, so I think we will be fine.”

He went on to say, “It is a lack of discipline. It showed in the games we have lost. Whether it has been coverages, schemes, or game plan. When we are not making shots on the offense end, those things usually start to magnify.”

Bane scored nine points, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked two shots.

The time has come for the group to step it up a notch. As a result, a faster start is required. In many cases, they often fall behind early and have to fight their way back. However, they’ve got another 70 games to work through it. Hopefully they’ll figure it out sooner rather than later.

Up Next

Even if things go south, there’s always hope for a turnaround in the NBA. The Grizzlies and Pelicans meet tonight at 6 p.m. CT in New Orleans for an early tip-off. The Grizzlies will face Jonas Valanciunas for the first time since he was traded to New Orleans. Valanciunas spent three seasons in Memphis.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

The Josh Jackson Project: Too Much for Memphis?

CREDIT: NBA.com

NBA.com

Josh Jackson

As a reclamation project, Josh Jackson might be too much, even for Memphis.

I’m a sucker for reclamation projects. I admittedly have a soft spot for hard-heads. Whether it is a young person from the inner city who needs guidance and direction or a star athlete who needs a fan-base to embrace him, I have always been a fan of potential success stories. I am also a fan of — and cover — a team in a city that has prided itself on being a haven of reinvention for its athletes, a place for second chances. Grizzlies fans embrace troubled players and don’t mind being called “The Island Of Misfit Toys.”

Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, Lance Stephenson, James Johnson, and Joakim Noah all come to mind as players who came to Memphis with off-the-court issues, controversial backgrounds, negative reputations, or some sort of low expectations, in general. Once they got to Memphis, the city worked its mojo and they became fan favorites, on and off the court. Maybe it’s some mystical magic that the city possesses. It shouldn’t be surprising for a place that has as much soul and culture as this one does.

Now the Grizzlies have another potential feel-good story in newly acquired Josh Jackson, who was acquired in a trade this week with the Suns. Memphis sent Kyle Korver and Jevon Carter to Phoenix for Jackson, De’Anthony Melton, and two second-round picks. Jackson was the fourth overall pick just two years ago in the 2017 NBA draft. Many figured Jackson would be a key part of the Suns future, but the team cooled on him because of his off-court antics. The Grizzlies were willing to take him, perhaps in order to get a chance to assess him on their own. Or perhaps just to use him as a piece in another deal.

Jackson’s list of blemishes is pretty long. It includes flashing gun-like hand gestures at a fan, being arrested for fleeing and resisting arrest (after trying to enter a VIP section of a music festival led to a verbal altercation), smoking marijuana around his infant daughter, skipping out on a scheduled autograph session for Suns fans, vandalizing a female student-athlete’s car after a verbal altercation while in college at Kansas, and fleeing the scene of an accident after backing into a parked car. He has also been labeled as “un-coachable” and gained a reputation for shying away from his defensive calling card to focus (unsuccessfully) on being a scoring threat.

Jackson hasn’t been accused of murder or anything like that, but he has shown a lack of self-awareness, as well as anger-management issues. That’s a scary combination for someone who’s only 22, with more than enough resources and money to get him into more trouble. But Jackson has an issue that separates him from previous reclamation projects in Memphis, and that’s his age.

Zach Randolph is the ultimate go-to for fans and media to reference as an example of how reclamation projects in Memphis can work. A major difference between Randolph and Jackson, however, is that Randolph was 28 when the Grizzlies acquired him. Jackson is only 22. Randolph was “aging out” of most of his negative habits, while Jackson could just be entering his prime. His most recent legal woes, as well as his being traded, could serve as a wake-up call, or it could just be a sign of more trouble to come. He’s a troubled young player who would join a Grizzlies team populated with even younger — and impressionable — players.

The Grizzlies have options with Jackson. These include trading him again, buying him out, or stretching his contract. But they also have to make a decision soon about the final year of Jackson’s rookie deal, which ends in 2020. His 2020-21 contract becomes fully guaranteed if the Grizzlies decide to pick up their option on him by its October 31st deadline. The hope is that Jackson will show signs of being focused on making better decisions off the court, and can contribute on the court in a way that lives up to the expectations set for him as the number-four overall pick. If he succeeds, Memphis and its fans can proudly add Jackson to their collection of successful reclamation projects.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Bounce Back, Defeating Suns 117-96

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

Uncertainty hung in the air going into Saturday night’s home game against the Phoenix Suns. After a compelling win against a scary Utah Jazz team, the Grizzlies suffered a disappointing loss in Sacramento. The Grizzlies coughed up a halftime lead when the Kings clamped down on defense and clawed their way to victory.
Larry Kuzniewski

Worse than the loss, Marc Gasol suffered what appeared at the time to be a potentially season-altering injury when De’Aaron Fox came down on Gasol’s upper back area fighting for a rebound. The good energy from the win over Utah evaporated.

Fortunately, Gasol wasn’t seriously injured after all. “It was a pretty bad scare when it happened. Thankfully, everything is okay. No structural damage or anything too serious to worry about,” he told The Daily Memphian.

Doubts remained elsewhere, however, regarding the team’s rebounding, defense, and especially with Kyle Anderson. Anderson’s length, ball-handling, and IQ portended to him quickly fitting in with the Grizzlies, but he’s struggled to find his groove.

While Anderson didn’t make much headway acclimating himself to the team in this one, the Grizzlies were able to hold their own on the boards, gobbling up 39 to the Suns’ 35. The Grizzlies performed better on defense, as well, with Ayton being the only Phoenix player to score in the 20s, but the Suns’ offensive woes were more indicative of their youth, inexperience, and lack of Devin Booker tonight.

The matchup also featured another marquee rookie matchup between number one overall pick DeAndre Ayton and fourth overall pick Jaren Jackson. With Saturday night’s game, Jackson has faced off against every top-5 draft pick except Luka Doncic.

The Grizzlies built up a sizeable lead in the first half, creating a 25-point cushion behind 61 percent shooting, including 7-13 from deep.  The high shooting percentage may speak more towards the Suns’ defense than the Grizzlies offense. The Grizzlies are currently rated last in the league in offense, and it shows. The offense frequently falls stagnant, and fails to generate good or easy looks for anyone.

Grizzlies Bounce Back, Defeating Suns 117-96

Ayton, the lauded #1 overall pick for the Phoenix Suns, didn’t impose himself at all in the first quarter. He routinely passed out of the paint despite having the physical advantage against his defender, and finished with 2 points on just one shot.
Larry Kuzniewski

Ayton turned that around, however, in the second quarter, going 6-6 and scoring 6 straight on Jaren Jackson when Gasol sat. He would finish the game with 25 points on 12-13(!) shooting, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.

One thing that stood out in the first half was the Grizzlies’ offense not immediately going down in flames when Conley exited the game for rest. Shelvin Mack buoyed the team nicely and dished 4 assists as backup point guard, and Wayne Selden chipped in 10 points and 2 two assists.

Gasol, Conley, and Selden all finished the half in double digits, with five other Grizzlies scoring at least 5 points. Ayton was the only Suns player to finish the first half in double-digits with 14 points, with only 3 players notching at least 5 points.

Anderson continued to struggle finding his groove with the team. After starting, he got the hook with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter after missing a couple bunny shots near the rim, and going 0-3. He finished the half with 0 points on those three shots.

The Grizzlies maintained their advantage in the second half, keeping a healthy points margin over the Suns. Their solid lead late into the game allowed Yuta Watanabe to check in, and become the second Japanese player to play in the NBA in league history. Japanese NBA Twitter definitely paid attention to the moment. My two most viral tweets, by an enormous margin, were crappy handheld phone videos of Yuta dunking in the warmup line, and spinning to the hoop, missing, but drawing the foul. Virtually all of the RTs and favs were from Japanese basketball fans.

Grizzlies Bounce Back, Defeating Suns 117-96 (2)

Grizzlies Bounce Back, Defeating Suns 117-96 (3)

Jaren Jackson had a rough game defensively. He wasn’t able to deter Ayton, got into foul trouble early, and earned the first technical of his NBA career after receiving his 5th personal foul. It’s funny that his offense has come along more quickly than his defense.

Grizzlies Bounce Back, Defeating Suns 117-96 (4)

Garrett Temple has absolutely locked down the starting shooting guard spot. His defense has been crucial, his ball handling on point, and he finished the game with 15 points on 4-6 shooting. It appears to be for the best, as Dillon Brooks gets to come off the bench with more freedom to impose his will as a dynamic playmaker. Brooks actually ended up playing about four more minutes than Temple, but that’s partially indicative of the Grizzlies comfortable lead for most of the game.
Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies bench contributed nicely in this win. Wayne Selden continued to impress. He finished with 16 points on 6-8 shooting, and provided a nice punch at the two spot. Marshon Brooks played his role perfectly as instant offense off the bench, pouring in 18 points in 19 minutes. Larry Kuzniewski

Gasol didn’t look limited in his return to action. He finished with 19 points on 8-16 shooting, and hit 3-6 from deep (including a Steph-range near buzzer-beater to end the first half). Larry Kuzniewski

Mike Conley had a solid game without having to soak up super-heavy minutes. He scored 11 points and tallied 7 assists in 28 minutes. Usually when Conley leaves the game to rest, the Grizzlies offense goes down in flames. Garrett Temple and especially Shelvin Mack were able to buoy the offense when Conley exited, and to not immediately enter a tailspin without Conley is a new development.

When I asked Conley what it’s meant to be able to go to the bench and the offense stay afloat, he said Mack, Temple, and Anderson have been huge. “[It] allows me to keep fresh legs longer.” He also noted that their play will allow him to regain his conditioning with each game as he returns to pre-injury form. J.B. Bickerstaff understood the importance of being cautious with how much the Grizzlies lean on Conley, saying “I feel bad because there’s been times where it feels like we’re wearing him down, so we’ve got to do a better job of giving him some breaks.”

The Grizzlies are now 3-2 on the season, and return to action on Tuesday when they take on the Washington Wizards at FedExForum.

Epilogue: the Grizzlies blared Kid Rock’s Bawitdaba to pump up the crowd late in the fourth, and I’ve never seen less of a reaction. Let us pray that this trash song gets retired and forgotten sooner rather than later.