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Time to Grind: Predictions for the 2022-23 Memphis Grizzlies Season

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 veteran Danny 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.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Big Memphis is Back!

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.

He continues to amaze. 

“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.”

Aldama had a highlight dunk of his own. 

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. 

Ramsey gave his seal of approval after the win. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies do the Texas two-step with a back to back in Houston and Dallas. 

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Dillon Brooks and a Deep Bench Lead Grizzlies to Victory Over the Suns

Without key players, the Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns, 122-114, with lone regular starter Dillon Brooks and a deep bench squad on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 17,794 at FedExForum, aka the Grindhouse. 

No Ja Morant ☑

No Jaren Jackson Jr. ☑

No Desmond Bane ☑

No Steven Adams ☑

No Tyus Jones ☑

Now, imagine a win against the NBA’s best team without four starters, a key reserve, no point guard, and a head coach who was tossed in the first half.

Conventional wisdom would believe a full-squad for the Suns would blow out the short-handed Grizzlies. But this Memphis squad had other plans and grinded it out to take down the Suns. 

This has to go down as the best win of the season. Honestly, who expected the team to win the game? 

The mentality and culture of the Grizzlies is the reason the team is 20-2 with its leading scorer and star player, Morant.

“Every day we work; every day we instill confidence in each other,” said Dillon Brooks who finished the game with 30 points.

“We feel like, regardless of who it is on the floor, we can get the job done,” Brooks added. “Because we play hard. We play together and we compete, regardless of who’s on the floor. So that’s our mentality. That’s our motto and we live by it from one to 12.”

Brooks says it’s like a college atmosphere and that they are family. 

The Grizzlies’ head coach Taylor Jenkins had this to say following the thrilling victory: “Tonight’s a night where you can put your stamp and say, ‘This is who we are and we’re going to be here for a really long time.’”

Yes, Memphis is “here” as said by Desmond Bane before a national audience on ESPN a few weeks ago. The Grizzlies are no longer a surprise or an afterthought. 

“Everybody just stays locked in during practice. I mean people watch the game and everybody just stays locked in,” said Grizzlies forward John Konchar. “We move the ball really well side-to-side and get open shots and just play hard no matter what.”

“It’s just a next man up mentality really — just go in, get your work done,” Konchar added. “And just play hard no matter what. The system works for everybody, honestly. So just move the ball and it’s great.”

Jenkins said games like that are culture wins and it exemplifies the next man up mindset. 

The mindset was truly on display against the Suns. Brooks and Xavier Tillman each tallied seven assists, despite the absence of a true point guard, to lead Memphis to 30 assists. The Grizzlies are 17-0 this season when they record 30 or more assists. 

Former Grizzlies legend Tony Allen had a mantra, “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” And that’s what Tillman and rookie Santi Aldama did on Friday night against the Suns. The rookie forward finished with 12 points and five rebounds plus a highlight dunk that made the Grizzlies bench and the crowd inside FedExForum go bananas.

Jenkins said he tried to stay in coaching mode after his early exit from the game but after the Aldama dunk he said he dropped a hell yeah and two hand slap on the table as he watched from the monitors.  

“This year I came in and everybody was cheering me on every day … talking to me every day,” Aldama recalled. “I just felt part of the family since day one. It’s just having these good vibes, obviously great players, but great people. From the staff, players, everybody. It’s just contagious. I think you don’t get that everywhere and it’s like a really good experience, especially my first year having something like this is very, very special.”

He went on to say, “It’s really looking for the best shot we can take. I think we’re all capable. We all play really well and we play for each other without egos. We don’t have egos here. It’s just about the team. We just get the best shot, move the ball, and we have fun with it. That’s the most important thing.”

The 6-foot-11 Spaniard credits his time with the Memphis Hustle for improvement in his game and that is a confidence builder. The game against the Suns helped his confidence as well. 

“This game will for sure help,” he said. “This season is my rookie year and a learning season. I’m in and out of the rotation so it’s all about gaining confidence and learning every day. This team is very, very deep so we have to keep doing this.

A foundation of consistency and synergy has been laid for the Grizzlies, who are poised for success now and in the future.