Santi Aldama goes to the basket against the Golden State Warriors on December 19, 2024. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies made a statement with their 51-point win over the Golden State Warriors, Thursday night, marking the largest margin of victory in the NBA this season. The impressive win showcased the Grizzlies’ dominance, with a final score of 144-93.
Steve Kerr described the Warriors’ 51-point loss to the Grizzlies as a “humbling night.” He credited the Grizzlies’ strong performance, particularly their defense, and acknowledged that the Warriors have significant work to do to improve.
“Humbling means what it means, right — you lose by 51 [points] that’s humbling,” Kerr answered on how the night was humbling. “What I know about this team, is that this is the second time we’ve been blown out. We got blown out in Cleveland [by the Cavaliers] early in the season.
Memphis imposed their will from the start, jumping out to an 8-0 start and establishing a commanding 22-point advantage by the end of the first quarter. They continued to pull away, leading by 31 at halftime and 50 after three quarters. The Grizzlies’ largest lead of the night was 57 points in the fourth quarter, capping off their fifth wire-to-wire victory of the season.
Memphis reserves outperformed the Warriors’ second unit 82-65, securing a season-high in bench points and proving superior in the showdown between the league’s top two scoring benches.
Santi Aldama delivered a standout performance, leading Memphis with a 21 points and 14 rebounds off the bench. This marked his eighth double-double of the season. Aldama also matched his season high for 3-pointers, going 5-10 from beyond the arc. His impressive play is making a strong case for him as the sixth-man of the year, showcasing his valuable contributions off the bench.
“I mean, when you are talking about the depth, I think it is our attention to detail,” Aldama on the bench production.
“We’ve talked about it, like [we all] are just trying to find ways to keep contributing with the starters. They do such a great job, and in a game like this, it’s important because that’s the difference between winning the game by a lot or maybe giving them some life. With a team like this, they’re obviously super talented, so you can’t let them have a sense that they can come back into game.”
Aldama expressed his excitement about being up 50 points on home court, using a metaphor to describe the team’s killer instinct. He emphasized their desire to dominate opponents consistently, acknowledging that while it may not always be possible, they aim to make a statement and show their strength.
It’s only one win but it pushed Memphis to 19-9 on the season and to it’s eighth-straight home victory.
The Grizzlies connected on a franchise-record 27 3-pointers, and defensively took the Warriors’ lunch money.
Memphis’ defense held Stephen Curry to just two points (2-2 FT) in 24 minutes of play. He went 0-7 from the field. He had a tough night, attempting the most field goals ever in his 16-year career without making a single shot, while playing 24 minutes. Curry also had a -41 in +/-, just brutal.
Draymond Green’s stats were even worse. He had zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists with four turnovers and four personal fouls. Green ended with a -42 in +/-.
Up Next
The Grizzlies are heading to Atlanta to face off against the 14-14 Hawks on Saturday, December 21. The game is set to tip off at 6:30 pm CT at the State Farm Arena.
The Memphis Grizzlies finally got their lick back against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night at FedExForum. The Grizzlies snapped their losing streak against the Nets, taking the final of the season’s three-game matchup, 135-119. Brooklyn had won the first two meetings.
“The biggest thing was just [we were] locked in on the game plan,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on the biggest difference from playing the Nets earlier in the season.
“We had way too many mistakes with our game plan. We learned a lot in the first game, and then we played them less than a week later up in Brooklyn, and we knew the game plan, we talked about it, watched the film, broke it down, all that, and we didn’t execute it.”
Jenkins concluded, “Maybe we just needed a couple extra weeks. I would give the Nets a lot of credit. They helped us a lot with our one-on-one defense and our shell defense, and they still made it tough tonight. When we made a mistake, they made you pay, but when we kind of dictated where our offense went, I thought we benefited.”
Memphis’ high-powered offense has fueled an 11-game streak of scoring 115+ points, matching the second-longest such mark in franchise history. The surge has led to a 10-1 record in those games, including a current four-game winning streak and a season-best six straight home victories.
The Grizzlies’ impressive scoring depth was on display against Brooklyn as four players reached the 20-point mark.
Ja Morant’s stellar play continued, as he notched his seventh double-double of the season, including 28 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. The Grizzlies improved to 18-8 on the season, thanks in part to Morant’s 16-point outburst in the second quarter — a season-high for him and the highest scoring quarter by any Memphis player this season.
Morant really didn’t want to lose to the Nets for the third time. After the game he recalled the difference from the earlier two meetings against Brooklyn: “Our fight — (we) have been coming out ready to play. I feel like [Desmond Bane] set the tone for us from the jump, and I feel like that’s what we were missing. Second half, we played a little slow in both of those [earlier] games when they went on their runs; it was allowing them to continue to score the ball and slow us down offensively. Tonight, I feel like we were more locked in, paid attention to detail.
Morant continued, “Obviously, we know we owed them two for real, but I felt like it was on purpose that they were our matchup after the in-season tournament, and it’s what we needed. Obviously, you lose to a team twice, you get another chance at it. It’s kind of refreshing for us to come and get a win. It’s something to be proud of. You lose to a team; you always want to get your lick back.”
The Grizzlies’ balanced attack saw Bane scoring 21 points and dishing out eight assists, and Jaren Jackson Jr. adding 20 points, seven rebounds, and a season-high five steals.
Santi Aldama delivered a strong performance off the bench, tallying 20 points and grabbing six rebounds, which pushed him past the 1,000-rebound threshold for his career.
Everything is clicking for the Grizzlies right now but Bane has the right mindset going forward: “We have to stay even keeled, it’s a long season,” Bane cautioned. “Adversity is going to hit us at some point, but we have to stay true to what we’ve built, regardless of the results.”
Tid-bits
Prior to tipoff, Jaylen Wells received the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for his outstanding play in October and November. Notably, Wells is the first Grizzlies rookie to receive this recognition since Ja Morant in the 2019-20 season.
Up Next
The Grizzlies are heading to Los Angeles to face off against the Lakers on Sunday, December 15. The game is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. CST at the Crypto.com Arena.
Jaren Jackson Jr. drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Photo by: Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 137-116, on Wednesday night. The Warriors won the season series against the Grizzlies 2-1. Golden State improved to 18-18 at home, snapping a three-game home losing streak.
With the score tied at 58 in the second quarter, the Warriors went on a 22-0 run for an 80-58 lead. Memphis lost its fourth-consecutive game, fell to 23-47 on the season, and has been officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Golden State is still fighting for postseason position, at 10th in the Western Conference, to be eligible for the Play-In Tournament.
The Jacksons and Aldama led the way for Memphis. GG Jackson II scored a career high 35 points, and added five rebounds and three assists. Jackson also converted on a career-high seven 3-pointers and became the youngest player in the NBA history (19 years, 94 days) to do so.
With six consecutive games in which he has scored 19 points or more, Jackson II is now enjoying his best scoring performances of the season. The South Carolina rookie has solidified his position as a starter for the remaining weeks of the regular season.
Warrior’s Chris Paul had good things to say about the 19-year-old after the game.
"Honestly, the most fulfilling thing about tonight was GG Jackson."
Chris Paul used to coach GG Jackson on his AAU team, and tonight they got the chance to go head-to-head 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JNxIfNiB1w
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 21, 2024
This marks the fifth game in nine games since the All-Star break that the 24-year-old center has scored 25 points or more. Jackson Jr. has now appeared in 60 games for the season, averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals.
The Warriors bench outscored the Memphis reserves, 63-20.
Golden State had 20 fast-break points while the Grizzlies only had 3.
The Warriors outscored Memphis 62-46 with points in the paint.
Golden State had a season-high 43 assists while the Grizzlies had 29.
The Warriors shot 58 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range and held Memphis to 43 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Up Next
The Grizzlies travel to San Antonio to take on the 15-54 Spurs on March 22 at 7 p.m. CT.
Despite being down 12 points entering the fourth quarter, the Memphis Grizzlies rallied to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 115-109 on Wednesday night. They went on an 11-0 run near the end of the quarter and outscored the 76ers, 34-16.
Memphis has won their last two games after snapping a five-game losing run after the All-Star break.
“I challenge the guys at halftime — I mean that was pretty poor performance in the first half, lack of urgency, lack of communication,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. “The Sixers got whatever they wanted in the first half, rotation, second chance points — through three quarters they had 30 second chance points and ended up with 35.
Jenkins continued, “So [a] better job in the fourth quarter but challenged them at halftime a little bit better even though we lost the third quarter by four. I said, hey, flush the first three quarters, we’re gonna come out, we’re gonna play our best quarter in the fourth.
“We just found a way to execute down the stretch and came down to just being in the right spots, the ball movement, multiple guys with multiple assists, but Vince [Williams Jr.] and Santi [Aldama] especially. Those guys did a great job facilitating some big time shots, knocked down some big free throws, and then just limiting them at the end of the game, second-chance points was huge for us to get this victory.
“These guys have just been really hanging in,” Jenkins said. “There’s still a lot more basketball left to play in the season. We keep reminding them, here’s what’s in front of us, here’s our reality. What are we going to do about?
“We go out there, we just keep pushing them to make the winning plays by our standard, and guys have been rising to the occasion,” Jenkins added. You see a lot of different guys rise to the occasion and get this opportunity. It’s pretty special to see and hopefully carries forth this season and beyond.”
After missing three games with right quad tendon pain, Jackson returned to the lineup and wasted little time making an impression. The All-Star forward finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks. Jackson Jr. recorded a double-double for the seventh time this season, and tied his season high for rejections.
Jaren Jackson Jr. gets it done on both ends to lead the @memgrizz to the W in Philly 💪😤
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 7, 2024
Jake LaRavia had another solid game 19 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. For the second game in a row, the sophomore forward recorded back to back double-doubles as a reserve.
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 7, 2024
To close it out Vince Williams Jr. chipped in 17 points, team-high nine assists, seven rebounds, and two steals. Santi Aldama added 17 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and three blocks.
The Grizzlies return home on Friday, March 8th, to face the Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM ESPN.
Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama on the court with Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer
With a final score of 102-100, the Memphis Grizzlies put up a hell of a fight against the Boston Celtics, the current top team in the league. They have been playing shorthanded all season long, were on the second night of back-to-back games, and by all accounts had no business making the game as close as it was.
The Celtics are a team the Grizzlies have long struggled against. Memphis has had just two wins over Boston since January 2016 and are 19-36 in the 55 regular season meetings between the teams. Anyone with any sense watching the Grizzlies this season had this matchup against the Celtics as a scheduled loss, but Memphis fans should feel good about the effort made.
“Take it every day of the week” was how head coach Taylor Jenkins described the Grizzlies’ effort postgame. They got a career night from Santi Aldama, who played multiple positions throughout the game due to foul trouble on Bismack Biyombo and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Aldama finished the night with a career-high 28 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and two steals, including 6 made three-pointers.
Jenkins was effusive in his praise of Aldama postgame: “He’s got so much versatility, just really proud of the offensive effort tonight. We needed that. It didn’t matter what his position was. He started at the three, slid to the four. I think with our second unit, he had to play some [at the] five, and he can be a playmaker for us. … The aggressiveness, especially from the 3-point line, is something he’s been working a lot on since the start of the season … Just really impressed with how he really was in attack-mode tonight.”
Desmond Bane closed out the night with a game-high 30 points and 8 assists, while shooting 7 of 14 from beyond the arc. Jaren Jackson Jr was the only other Memphis player to score in double digits, with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Holding the number-one offense in the NBA to just over 100 points is wild, and the fact that they did it being wildly shorthanded and exhausted from the previous night’s matchup against the Spurs was superhero-level defense.
This is a better team than their current record depicts, they just need to stay the course until the return of Ja Morant. Just 12 more games until we get 12 back.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will be hitting the road to face off against the Houston Rockets and former Grizzly Dillon Brooks on Wednesday, November 22. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.
Jaren Jackson, Jr. against the San Antonio Spurs on November 18, 2023
(Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)
On Saturday night, the depleted Memphis Grizzlies erased a 19-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs, 120-108.
It was reminiscent of last season, when the Grizzlies completed a 29-point comeback as they defeated the Spurs, 126-120, in overtime.
Memphis dominated the final quarter by outscoring the Spurs 33-14 and held San Antonio to 28.6 percent shooting.
The Grizzlies have now defeated San Antonio 11 consecutive times. This is Memphis’ longest active run of victories against a single opponent, and their longest ever against the Spurs.
Embraced the adversity, fought back and got the dub.
Despite only playing seven minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, Jaren Jackson Jr. led the way with 27 points, five rebounds, and 11-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe. For the season, the 24-year-old is averaging 20 points, six rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks.
Desmond Bane ended with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists while going 8-of-15 from the field. Bane is averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
Memphis has a long list of injuries, and only four players from the main roster have been available for all 12 games: Jackson, Bane, David Roddy, and Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Marcus Smart would have been in that number, but he suffered a foot injury in the 134-107 thrashing by the Lakers on Tuesday night.
Smart had trouble putting weight on his left ankle after landing awkwardly on Austin Reaves’ foot in the first quarter of the game in Los Angeles. He had to be helped off the court and did not return to the game. Smart appeared on the Grizzlies bench in a walking boot.
The Grizzlies announced on Saturday that Smart had a left foot sprain and is expected to return within 3-5 weeks.
Up Next
No rest for the Grizzlies, as they will host the hot Boston Celtics Sunday inside FedExForum at 7 p.m.
Return of 12
After tonight’s game the Celtics, it will be 12 more games before Ja Morant is eligible to return from a 25-game league suspension.
Steven Adams up high Wednesday, January 18, 2023 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The two best defensive teams in the NBA went back and forth Wednesday night, like a boxing match with uppercuts and body blows. In the end, the Grizzlies’ dogged defense in the final seconds was enough to secure the home victory over Cleveland.
There were 17 lead changes and nine ties. Both teams gave up double digit leads. The Cavaliers were up by 10 early while Memphis was up by as many as 19 in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers held a one-point lead with 27.4 seconds left, when Jaren Jackson Jr. blocked Darius Garland’s driving layup attempt out of bounds. On Cleveland’s ensuing in-bounds attempt, the Grizzlies forced a five-second violation.
With 17 seconds left in the game, Ja Morant attacked the basket with a floater but it bounced off the rim; however, Steven Adams secured the rebound with a tip in for the go-ahead bucket.
Jackson Jr. praised Steven Adams on the intangibles, “He’s the best screener in NBA history and probably the best offensive rebounder ever. When you do those things, it just saves us time and time again.”
While the 16,892 in attendance chanted “DEFENSE!!,” Cleveland brought the ball upcourt and Dillon Brooks blocked a shot by Garland on the game’s final play to give the Grizzlies a 115-114 victory — their 11th-straight.
The 11-game winning streak for Memphis matches the longest in franchise history, and is the longest-active streak in the NBA. The Grizzlies are now 31-13 for the season and 20-3 at FedExForum.
After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said, “We found a way. I told the guys afterwards that that’s a great team win; that’s a great team that we just played and competed against for 48 minutes.”
Jenkins went on to say, “Timely buckets, and then that last sequence where we got that five-second counter. Guys executed the game plan coming out of the timeout. I chose not to call a timeout. I trusted the guys to go and make plays. We had talked about the spacing we wanted. Ja [Morant] drives, collapses, three guys come to him, and then Steven [Adams] cleans it up. Big winning play at the end of the eight minutes. First game winner, he said, so he’s definitely hyped.”
“And then the defense on the tail end, we had been switching some,” Jenkins added. “They broke off a pick-and-roll. [Dillon Brooks’] one-on-one defense was phenomenal. [Desmond Bane] shifts, gets back, [Dillon Brooks] then gets the block to seal the win. So, clearly, I just said a lot of things because there was a lot going on in that game. It was two competitive teams that played pretty high-level basketball. There were definitely ebbs and flows, highs and lows, but at the end, we made the plays.”
“I told these guys, ‘This is huge to get a game like this tonight,’ especially playing from behind in the last minute or so. I just said this is a game to grow from. The poise, the conversations that our guys were having, as frantic as it was, they were looking at me, they were looking at each other, and we dialed up the defense that we needed down the stretch, despite them making it really hard on us for the meat of the game.”
Jenkins concluded, “So, it’s great for us. We’ll watch the film tomorrow, talk about the winning plays that we made. … We’ve got to build on it because this is not the last time we’re going to see a game like this.”
Desmond Bane finished with a game-high 25 points, four rebounds, four assists, and five 3-pointers. Morant added 24 points and eight assists.
Off the bench, Santi Aldama chipped in 16 points and two rebounds while making a career-high four 3-pointers. Jackson Jr. filled the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and two steals while Adams had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
Aldama credited the team’s chemistry for the winning streak. He said, “I just think that togetherness is what stands out the most. I mean, last year, we were a very good team. I think this year, we have a little bit of a different team, but we just find a way to win games.”
“Today (Wednesday), I think, was a very good test for us,”Aldama added. “I think we haven’t had a game like this in a while. Especially the last two or three possessions were huge for us. We got the five second call. [Jaren Jackson Jr.]’s block before that, [Dillon Brooks]’ game-winning block came, and then the [Steven Adams] tap-in. So, I think that just shows how everybody makes an impact and how together we are, just rooting for each other.”
Memphis’ first 11-game win streak came last season from Dec. 26, 2021 to Jan. 13, 2022. Bane spoke about the difference this time around. He said, “We just take it game by game. Last year, obviously, was our first time doing it, so there was a lot of excitement, but it’s a new season. We’re trying to set new heights and do new things. The past is the past. We’re just focused on one game at a time.”
Up Next
The Grizzlies will embark on a five-game road trip. Friday night is the first meeting with the Lakers this season, where Memphis will be poised to break the franchise record with 12th straight wins. Meanwhile, LeBron James and company will definitely look to spoil the party.
Tyus Jones (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The ‘hero’ on Monday night was Tyus and not Tyler (Herro) for the Memphis Grizzlies. Not all heroes wear capes but they might have ‘Stones.’
Tyus Jones, aka Stones, stepped up in the absence of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson, Jr., and sharpshooter Desmond Bane to secure a 101-93 victory over the Miami Heat.
Jones finished with a career-high 28 points, and added 10 assists, and two steals while shooting 10-of-16 to help the Grizzlies to improve to 15-9 on the season.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins talked about the importance of having Jones when Morant is sidelined. “When Ja [Morant] is out, for Tyus to step in … he’s had a couple of moments so far this season with Ja out,” said Jenkins. “This was definitely his best game with Ja out, and obviously with [Jaren Jackson Jr.] and [John Konchar] out.”
Jenkins added, “He is back because he means so much to us beyond just a game like tonight. It’s every single night. The spirit he plays with, coming off the bench, playing with the starters, with the bench unit … the leadership, his growth as a player, as a person. … He means so much to us. He’s a Grizzly. That’s why we wanted him back. He’s got a huge impact on our culture, a huge impact on winning. So, that’s why Stones.”
“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again and I will continue to say it,” Jones said after the game. “I view myself as a starter in this league. I feel like I am a starter in this league, I just come off the bench. I have no shame in that.”
Jones continued, “I love being in Memphis. I take pride in it. I take pride in my role as part of this ball club. When I’m called upon to start, I’m very confident and comfortable in that role, as well. I think Coach [Taylor Jenkins] and the rest of my teammates are comfortable and confident in that, too. Part of the reason why I’m here is that I can fill in when [Ja Morant] needs a night and try to continue to steady the ship.”
Santi Aldama tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds off of 66.7 percent from the field to secure his second double-double of the season.
Memphis’ own Kennedy Chandler had his breakout game of the season. Chandler stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, five assists, and three rebounds, plus two steals and a block.
Memphis limited the Heat to one of its lowest shooting percentages of the year, holding them to 39 percent from the field.
Finally, Memphis went 100 percent from the free throw line, thanks in part to Jones, who went 5-for-5. Let me repeat that again, Memphis went 100 percent from the free throw line!! The Grizzlies only shot nine free throws but any improvement is to celebrated, since free throw shooting has been a nagging issue.
Grizzlies color analyst Brevin Knight jokingly said he warned Grizzlies play-by-play announcer Pete Pranica not to mention anything about the free throws. Knight said later on social media, “You can never be surprised by this Memphis Grizzlies squad. Missing four rotation guys and playing the second night of a back-to=back against a rested veteran team and it didn’t matter. Everyone was huge and Tyus Jones was special.”
Next Man Up
The Grizzlies have made the next man up mentality an integral element of the team culture.
“Nothing changes,” Jenkins said about the bench stepping up in starters absence. “Day in and day out, how we approach our work, our individual development, our team development, the next-man-up mentality. We just say, ‘Go out and play Grizzlies basketball.’ We approach our practices the same way, our shootarounds, our offensive philosophies, defensive philosophies. We don’t change how we coach. We don’t change how we celebrate for each other. We navigate each day.”
Jenkins went on to say, “That was a special win last year at the end of the season (over the Phoenix Suns). But tonight is a great example of guys just staying ready. That’s what I told the guys in the locker room, especially guys I haven’t played a whole lot. That’s Grizzlies basketball. That’s Grizzlies prep. That’s the Grizzlies standard. That’s how we operate.”
Tidbits
Ziaire Williams is close to his season debut. He was upgraded from out to doubtful. Jenkins talked about his progress before the game. “We’re getting closer. I don’t have a definitive date. He did some five-on-five with the Hustle, and had a great play group there.”
“It’s very beneficial that our Hustle team is available with their schedule,” added Jenkins. “The opportunity to play five-on-five against other pro players has been great. He’s progressing really well and responding to everything well every day after the workloads we’re providing him.”
Jenkins concluded, “I think this is the second or third time he’s gotten in on five-on-five. We’ll just kind of recalibrate, see how tomorrow goes and dress Wednesday, and we have a game on Friday as well. So, potential in the next week or so.”
Up Next
The Grizzlies will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Tip-off: 7pm CT.
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic during a preseason game on October 3, 2022 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo: Copyright 2022 NBAE • Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies’ surprising run to the Western Conference’s second seed last season caught many NBA observers by surprise. Overnight, the squad went from being the NBA’s ugly duckling to must-see TV. Nonetheless, nobody will be caught off guard this year. The team has an opportunity to demonstrate that they are serious contenders in the West for the foreseeable future.
One can consider that the team won 56 games last year and has one of the best young cores in the league at under 25 years old. The Grizzlies are counting on improvements from their returning players and a group of newcomers. Other teams around the league made significant roster adjustments and have a litany of healthy players who are returning from injury.
Memphis had a season that set a new standard for excellence. By playing stifling defense, the Grizzlies made NBA history by being the first team to finish first in rebounding, steals, and blocks all in the same season. Fast break points, offensive rebounds, points in the paint, and second-chance points were also league-bests for this team.
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during a preseason game against the on October 3, 2022 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo: Copyright 2022 NBAE • David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
Because of his tremendous growth as a player, Ja Morant was selected as a starter for the All-Star Game and became the league’s most-improved player. Morant agreed to a five-year maximum rookie extension, the team announced on July 6th, worth upwards of $231 million. With Jaren Jackson Jr. leading the NBA in blocks and earning first-team All-NBA Defense honors, the team won the Southwest Division for the first time in franchise history.
Sharon Brown and Aimee Stiegemeyer, the Flyer’s special Grizzlies correspondents, analyze here the key questions facing the team as they prepare for the 2022-23 season.
There have been several changes to the roster since last season. Whose absence will have the most impact on the Grizzlies’ success?
Aimee Stiegemeyer: No disrespect to De’Anthony Melton, but Kyle Anderson’s absence is going to have the most noticeable impact. Anderson is one of the most underrated role players in the league and his talent often gets overlooked because his style of play is not the flashiest, and the best basketball that he has ever played was during the 2020-21 season when he filled the starting power forward position in Jaren Jackson Jr.’s absence. Memphis will need a Kyle Anderson this season.
Sharon Brown: It’s possible that Kyle Anderson’s worth can’t always be reduced to a number in the box score. However, the group greatly benefited from his leadership. The Grizzlies were in a jam in the first round of the playoffs last year, Game 5. It seemed like the Minnesota Timberwolves had their number, and Jaren Jackson Jr. was frustrated and in foul trouble, but the veteran leadership of Anderson and Steven Adams helped the young team stay composed.
At one point in the game, the Timberwolves were up and were poised to even the series 2-2, but the Grizzlies were able to recover and win the game, largely in part to the veteran presence on the bench that night.
Anderson was a veteran voice the team needed, in addition to being a great ball handler and above-average defender with length. In Anderson’s absence, Danny Green is ready and able to fill that void with his leadership pedigree.
The Grizzlies’ most recent season set a new standard for excellence. (Photo: Sharon Brown)
Among the returning players, who will have the most impact on the court, in terms of the Grizzlies’ success? Off the court?
AS: On the court? This is Ja Morant’s world, and we are all just living in it. As Morant goes, the team goes. He has really come into his own as the leader of this Grizzlies team, and during games you can find him encouraging and coaching his teammates from the floor.
Off the court, I envision Steven Adams taking on the role as the team’s dad. Big dad energy was on display with Adams last season when he physically picked up and carried Tony Bradley away from Ja Morant, thereby thwarting an altercation between them. We saw it again after the season opener when Adams swiped a towel from John Konchar to give to Morant.
And while he is not a returning player, Danny Green’s veteran leadership and guidance can be of immense value before he ever steps foot on the court. Green has seen the top of the mountain and he has been where the Grizzlies are trying to go — the NBA Finals. The experience and maturity that Green has gathered during his years in the league will be a welcome addition to this squad.
SB: On the floor, I would say a combination of Morant and Jackson Jr. Morant can alter the course of games offensively and Jackson Jr. is the anchor on the defensive side of the ball. Off the court, Danny Green. Green brings that championship experience as a three-time NBA champion. He has been on the big stage and knows what is required. On media day, Green was adamant that the team lacked maturity in a way. “A lot of guys like to do the social media — the TikTok, the tweets,” Green said.
“We can try to limit that a bit — focus on staying locked in to the game and treating the game the right way.
“We love to have fun, but the basketball gods will turn on you if you celebrate too early. Acting like you’ve been there and realizing you haven’t done anything yet — regardless of how many games you won in the regular season — if you haven’t won a championship, there’s nothing to really celebrate. My focus is on keeping them with that mentality for the whole season: Job’s not done,” Green added.
The team is about accountability and I believe Green’s presence will help with that.
And Morant is on board also. “I mean we’re young — he’s a vet,” Morant said when told on Grizzlies media day that Green thinks the team can benefit from maturity. “That’s his job … to hold us accountable. He’s going to be a big help for us in that area. It’s what we need.”
Thirteen-year NBA veteranDanny Green brings championship experience to the Grizzlies. (Photo: Aimee Stiegemeyer)
Last year the Grizzlies finished second in the Western Conference. Where do we expect them to rank this year?
AS: Fourth or fifth seed — not because the Grizzlies got worse over the summer but because other teams in the conference got better. The return of Zion Williamson for the Pelicans will be huge, and Minnesota made some offseason moves that will help propel them to a better ranking in the standards. Memphis’ loss of Kyle Anderson is Minnesota’s gain.
SB: I’m going to guess somewhere in the range of 2-7. It’s the Wild West, a place where anything can occur. The Los Angeles Clippers have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back, the Minnesota Timberwolves have Rudy Gobert, Zion Williamson is healthy for the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder might make huge strides this season.
Which player will take his game to the next level?
AS: All signs point to Santi Aldama taking a big leap forward this season. His performance in the season opener shows him already playing at a higher level than last season, particularly putting up a double-double in his first career start. Aldama made himself useful on both ends of the floor, adding offensive power with some clutch baskets and snatching defensive rebounds. The Grizzlies and Spanish big men are historically an iconic duo.
SB: For me, I’d say Desmond Bane. Even though Morant was voted as the league’s most-improved player, that honor should have gone to Bane. The Grizzlies’ young sensation shot 43 percent from outside and averaged over 18 points per game last year. Considering Bane more than doubled his scoring average and improved on nearly all counting stats averages last season, he is undoubtedly taking another leap. Bane might be on track for an All-Star appearance.
He was phenomenal and a major reason the Grizzlies made the playoff push last season. Bane averaged 18.8 points and hit 49 percent from deep in the postseason.
The Grizzlies will have 18 nationally televised games, a franchise record. (Photo: Sharon Brown)
With Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined for an undetermined amount of time, who will step up to fill his role?
AS: There is no one player on this roster who can give you all the things that Jaren does, which means it will take a group effort from multiple players to provide the offensive and defensive value missing. Expect to see this coming from a combination of Santi Aldama, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, and Xavier Tillman Sr. This is where losing Kyle Anderson is going to hurt Memphis the most.
SB: The success of the Grizzlies can be attributed to their “next-man-up” mentality. There is no egotism in the locker room, which contributes to the culture. Every single one of them has the same goal in mind, and that’s to win basketball games. That manner of thinking and feeling is unimpeded by anything. Every single thing is geared toward achieving that one goal.
In my opinion, any player on that roster is capable of stepping into that role on any given night.
Predicted season win total?
AS: Fifty-three games. The competition among the Western Conference this season will be cutthroat and relentless. On a micro-level, there is the factor of Jaren Jackson Jr.’s indeterminate timeline for returning to the court.
SB: Barring serious injuries to key players, I have them winning between 50 and 56 games. Memphis has the right vibe and players who are eager to prove themselves. The squad is still as confident as ever and ready to take on any opponent. And then there’s that person at number 12 who can alter the course of games.
The Grizzlies have a franchise record of 18 nationally televised games, and for the first time they will be playing on Christmas Day. Will that adversely affect the team’s performance?
AS: Not even a little bit. This group has shown that they thrive under pressure and embrace the opportunity to prove any naysayers wrong. If anything, the increased national exposure will be a motivating factor for this Grizzlies team, especially given how intense the rivalry between Memphis and Golden State has become.
SB: The opposite is true; it will only encourage them to improve. The Grizzlies don’t have much to worry about other than getting out of their own way and focusing on the task at hand. Morant is a once-in-a-generation talent for Memphis, with the capacity to completely dominate games once he gets into his groove. Memphis has taken a giant step forward with the Christmas Day game. To top it all off, the squad still has more to prove.
Five rookies joined the Grizzlies’ roster this offseason. Who should we be keeping an eye out for?
AS: David Roddy and Jake LaRavia are the likeliest to see game-time minutes early in the season, but I am most looking forward to seeing Kenneth Lofton Jr. develop and how his game progresses. Junior, as he is known, will spend most of the time playing with the Hustle in Southaven, but he has the potential to put up big numbers. If the Grizzlies can get the version of Lofton we saw during Summer League, he can be a substantial weapon in their arsenal for years to come. His basketball IQ and smooth footwork are reminiscent of Grit-and-Grind-era Zach Randolph.
SB: There was no doubt that Kenneth Lofton Jr., better known by his nickname Junior, was a sight to behold in the Summer League and the few games in which he participated in the preseason. People should go to Southaven to watch him play for the Memphis Hustle. With a two-way deal, Lofton may only play in 50 regular season games for the Grizzlies and cannot participate in the postseason. Even in preseason, the crowd was screaming “bring in Kenny” for Junior, indicating that he had a devoted fan base. A #FreeJunior hashtag has also been created for use on social media. Zachary McKenley Randolph, also known as Z-Bo, is a Grizzlies icon who is often compared to Junior. Lofton is a bucket-getter, a traditional post player who makes the most of his size and strength.
Basketball was in the air Wednesday night, as the Memphis Grizzlies hosted the New York Knicks in the season home opener.
Big Memphis was back like it never left.
During player introductions, Memphis rapper NLE Choppa performed and led the Grizzlies onto the court. Choppa was sporting Kennedy Chandler’s No. 1 jersey.
To the delight of the 18,202 in attendance and millions more watching on ESPN, the Grizzlies edged out the Knicks 115-112, in a thrilling overtime victory.
Ja Morant’s typical WTF?-inducing highlight plays got the Grizzlies’ regular season started off on the right foot.
Morant led the Grizzlies with 34 points and nine assists, his third consecutive season-opening performance of at least 30 points. Against the San Antonio Spurs in 2020, Morant scored 44 points, and against the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, he scored 37 points.
“I love it – love the pressure,” the 22-year-old said about his leadership. “I want to be the one making the play to put us in position to win. So anytime the time comes, it’s time for me to take my game to another level. Honestly, to start this game I was already ready, because I’ve seen some stuff that have me pumped to go. So, shout out to the Knicks’ social media team.”
Second-year big man Santi Aldama scored 18 points, on 7 0f 14 from the field, and grabbed 11 rebounds in 39 minutes during his first career start. It was Aldama’s third career double-double. Aldama’s move to the starting lineup is due to the unavailability of the Grizzlies All-Defensive specialist Jaren Jackson, Jr. who is recovering from a foot injury.
Along with Jackson Jr., Memphis was without Dillon Brooks (thigh soreness), Ziaire Williams (knee soreness) and newcomer veteran Danny Green (left knee surgery recovery).
A going theme with Memphis is to be ready when your number is called and the Spaniard was prepared. “Like I always say, it’s [a lot of] work, but I was locked in,” Aldama said at the podium after the game. “I knew they were a good team, so I just tried to play good defense and on offense, just be ready to shoot. I think we did a good job just moving the ball like we always do, and getting stops down the stretch, especially. I was excited obviously — first start. It was a great feeling, but it was even better to get the win. That’s always how to finish games.”
Morant and company have confidence in Aldama while Jackson Jr. is out. “We preach to him to be aggressive at all times,” Morant said. “He is able to shoot the ball well and his size and length [helps him be] able to shoot over guys inside in the paint. So, we just preach, be aggressive, be ready to shoot at all times, and he played very well for us on both ends of the floor. Obviously taking a tough matchup tonight on [Julius] Randall and helping us come out with this win. Just gotta keep it going.”
Tidbits
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey was in the Grindhouse to watch his guy Morant.
