Luke Kennard handing the ball against the Utah Jazz on March 12, 2025 at FedExForum (Photo by: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies invoked the “Call 12” mantra (Ja Morant) while joining forces with Memphis-10 (Luke Kennard to seal a thrilling 122-115 victory over the Utah Jazz Wednesday night, stretching their winning streak to four games.
At the half, Memphis was up by 14 points but Utah came storming back to make it a contest in the second half.
Collin Sexton converted on a jumper to put the Jazz ahead 115-114 with 1:16 remaining, but the Grizzlies swiftly regained the lead as Luke Kennard drained a crucial three-pointer. Morant then delivered the finishing blow, knocking down another three to extend the Grizzlies’ advantage to 120-115 with only 12 seconds left.
Memphis converted 20-of-44 from beyond the arc (.455), including 7-of-10 in the fourth quarter.
Kennard led the Grizzlies with career-high tying 30 points on 11 of 14 from the field including 7 of 9 from three. After the game, he talked about the importance of being aggressive — more active on both ends of the court, focusing on rebounding, creating deflections, and finding his rhythm early in the game.
Morant’s 28-point, seven-assist performance helped Memphis improve its season record to 42-24.
The All-Star guard acknowledged that the game against the Jazz wasn’t easy, despite their record. He emphasized that every NBA player deserves respect, and that the Jazz players came to play hard. Morant noted that his team had to lock in and stay focused after the Jazz cut into their lead, before ultimately securing the win.
Desmond Bane provided a strong all-around effort with 17 points, nine assists, and five rebounds, while Scotty Pippen Jr. delivered a boost off the bench, contributing 11 points, six assists, and a team-high four steals.
Roster News
The Grizzlies announced that forward Lamar Stevens was signed for the remainder of the season. The 27-year-old has been helping off the bench and scored a season-high 13 points, including a career-high four 3-pointers, in a win on March 10 vs Phoenix.
Up Next
The Grizzlies face a formidable challenge as they host the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, March 15, with tip-off scheduled for 7 pm at FedExForum. Cleveland currently is on a 15-game winning streak.
Ja Morant goes up for a shot during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 9, 2025. (Photo by: Layne Murdock Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies edged out the undermanned New Orleans Pelicans 107-104 in a closely contested matchup Sunday night.
The Grizzlies are gaining momentum, having won two consecutive games after a dismal 1-4 performance on their recent 5-game homestand. The slump caused them to drop from second to fourth seed in the Western Conference.
Memphis dominated on the glass against New Orleans, grabbing 57 rebounds and scoring 24 second-chance points versus New Orleans’ 39 rebounds and 11 second-chance points.
The Grizzlies faced a 65-57 halftime deficit after surrendering 37 points in the second quarter. However, they regrouped and limited the Pelicans to just 15 points in the third quarter, seizing an 89-79 advantage heading into the final period.
Ja Morant had a standout performance, leading Memphis with 32 points to go along with six assists, four rebounds, and three steals. Morant has now scored 30-plus points in his last two games. His season average is 21.2 points per game.
In a post-game interview with FanDuel Sports Network’s Rob Fischer, Ja Morant noted that despite the win, there are still areas where his team needs to improve.
“Just came out with more energy,” Morant said of the third quarter difference. “We just once again man — our first half, we just be giving up easy baskets, not really engaged, locked in defensively, and then it takes a little wake up call, which is unacceptable for us. We got to be locked in as soon as the ball goes up in the air and so we won’t be in situations like this.”
Morant also acknowledged a slight improvement in the team’s defense, but emphasized that there is still significant room for growth and that they cannot be satisfied with their defensive performance over the last two games.
Desmond Bane put on a show, falling just shy of a triple-double with 30 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and two steals, as Memphis improved to 40-24 on the season.
Morant sang the praises of his backcourt partner, Bane.
“Very impressive — but I know the work he put in. I know the situations and the talks we have with each other. He’s built for it. And he’s showing it, night in and night out, as you saw tonight.
Morant continued, “He filled up the stat sheet. I think it was a couple off, triple-double again and that’s big-time play for us, a will to win. We have a guy like that.part of leading the charge and everybody else follows. So we just got to continue to keep grinding, keep going, keep getting better and just play hard.”
Off the bench Scotty Pippen Jr. added 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The Grizzlies will host the Phoenix Suns Monday night at FedExForum, kicking off a four-game homestand. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.
Jaren Jackson Jr. goes up for a shot against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 2, 2025 (Photo: Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies moved to 33-16 with a 132-119 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on Sunday, securing their seventh win in eight games and a 2-0 season series sweep.
Memphis dominated the boards, outrebounding Milwaukee 61-36, with a 22-8 edge in offensive rebounds. The Grizzlies also held a significant advantage in the paint, outscoring the Bucks 66-36.
Memphis seized control of the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bucks 39-20. During this decisive period, the Grizzlies made 15 of their 27 shot attempts.
All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Memphis Grizzlies with 37 points, including 16 in the final period. This performance showcased his ability as one of the league’s top fourth-quarter scorers, where he ranks ninth with an average of seven points per game.
Jackson Jr. had a solid shooting performance, making 12 of his 26 field goal attempts and seven of his 13 three-pointers.
In the absence of star guard Ja Morant due to injury, the Grizzlies received significant contributions from others as Santi Aldama scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench. Desmond Bane also had a strong outing, posting 22 points and nine rebounds while shooting 9-15 from the field.
Zach Edey nabbed his sixth career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes of play. Off the bench Scotty Pippen Jr. had nine points, 10 assists — eight of which came in the final frame
Although GG Jackson II didn’t have a good shooting night, he did have a highlight block against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Jackson II chipped in five points and eight rebounds.
The Grizzlies are back at FedExForum tonight, February 3rd, to take on the San Antonio Spurs at 7 p.m. CT. Memphis has a 2-0 edge in the season series.
Jaren Jackson Jr. battles for the opening possession. (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images.)
On the second night of back-to-back games, the Memphis Grizzlies decimated the Washington Wizards without Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.
With a final score of 140-112, the Grizzlies emerged from their weekend road trip 2-0.
After a hard-fought win against the Boston Celtics in which he scored a season-high 31 points, Ja Morant sat out against the Wizards with back soreness.
Expect Memphis to continue its cautionary approach to managing Morant’s injuries.
But even without two of their best players, the Grizzlies looked poised, prepared, and just plain better than their opponents, largely thanks to their incredible depth.
Scotty Pippen Jr. and Marcus Smart moved into the starting lineup, but even without them, the bench outscored the starters 76-64.
The Wizards were led on both ends of the court by a familiar face — Lithuanian big man Jonas Valančiūnas, who played for the Grizzlies from 2019-2021.
Despite Valanciunas’ 20-point, 14-rebound double-double, the Wizards had no answer for the Grizzlies. Washington held a two-point lead for a grand total of 47 seconds in the first quarter.
— Grizzlies On FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Grizzlies) December 9, 2024
Memphis was led offensively by Jaren Jackson Jr., who fielded 21 points, four rebounds, and four blocks on 8 of 15 overall shooting and 3 of 8 from beyond the arc — all in a mere 16:46 minutes of playing time.
Scotty Pippen Jr. looked right at home back in the starting lineup, delivering 14 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals on 6 of 11 shooting from the field.
Marcus Smart was similarly at ease moving from the bench unit to the starters, putting up 13 points and three rebounds while shooting 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 6 from three-point range.
Brandon Clarke was coming off his best game of the season against the Celtics but still had a respectable showing against the Wizards. He finished the night with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Jay Huff and Santi Aldama celebrate during the game against the Washington Wizards. (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images.)
Santi Aldama was the leading scorer off the bench with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal, and three blocks while shooting 7 of 11 overall and a team-best 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.
Reserve center Jay Huff finished the night with 17 points and three rebounds while rookie shooting guard Cam Spencer added 14 points, four rebounds, and five assists on 4 of 8 shooting from the field and 2 of 4 from three-point range in his third ever NBA game.
We even got a brief appearance from Yuki Kawamura in the fourth quarter:
SUNDAY SCARIES DON'T EXIST WHEN WE LIVE IN A WORLD WITH YUKI KAWAMURA SPLASHING IN STEPBACK THREES IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL pic.twitter.com/kAKI1hMh6H
The next two games are recent additions to the schedule, among other teams that have also been eliminated from the NBA Cup: Friday, December 13th, at home against the Brooklyn Nets, with a 7 p.m. CST tip-off time, and Sunday, December 15th, on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers, tipping off at 8:30 p.m. CST.
Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 drives to the basket during the game against the Washington Wizards on November 8, 2024. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a season-high 39 points on 14-for-28 shooting, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a convincing 128-104 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
The Michigan State alum is having a phenomenal season, boasting averages of 22 points per game, 56% shooting from the field, 40% from three-point range, and a 65% true-shooting percentage.
Last season, team injuries thrust Jackson Jr. into the spotlight, sparking a remarkable growth that prepared him for this season.
“I think last year and this summer for sure,” Jackson Jr. said, on what prepared him for his performance to help the Grizzlies improve to 6-4 on the season. “Being able to read defenses better — make better decisions for the ball with higher usage, and figuring out what defenses are doing against you and kind of making the adjustment.”
“Like Tuomas (Iisalo, Grizzlies assistant coach) says, ‘Whatever the defense does, they’re wrong.’ It just means that adjustment.”
The 25-year-old says his versatility on the court comes from understanding matchups and starting strategies, but also from being adaptable. He avoids relying solely on three-pointers early on and capitalizes on open shots from his team’s offense. He Friday night, he showed his ability to read defenses and make lightning-fast decisions based on defenders’ movements, positioning, and help-side rotations.
And he really wanted that 40 piece, but the game was already out of hand.
“For sure I definitely wanted to get it (40 points) the right way. If it ain’t meant (to be), it ain’t meant (to be). (I) didn’t do enough. I missed a free throw. So there you go.” His career-high is 44 points.
“Heck of a game from Trip [Jaren Jackson Jr.],” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on Jackson Jr. “Obviously, just the opportunity to be a primary playmaker, diversify his game, there were a couple pick-and-rolls stuck in there by his teammates, but just playing on the perimeter, playing out of the post, just getting that gravitational pull and still being able to finish.”
“Obviously, it was motivating going into the season, because he had had a career year on the offensive side,” Jenkins continued. “So regardless of what our lineups are, I want him to still carry that mentality of being a primary attack guy for us.”
Jenkins concluded: “And, that’s on me to make sure that he’s feeling involved and just playing within our pace and our principles. It’s great to see him have that opportunity tonight and take full advantage of it.”
Scotty Pippen Jr. made history on Friday by earning his first career triple-double, with 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-4 FT), a career-high 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. This milestone places him alongside his father, Scottie Pippen, as the first father-son duo in NBA history to record triple-doubles during their careers.
11 PTS 💥 10 REB 💥 11 AST
Scotty Pippen Jr. posted his FIRST NBA TRIPLE-DOUBLE in the @memgrizz 24-point win over the Wizards! The #GLeagueAlum already has four games of 10+ AST this season. pic.twitter.com/sJ8svNUSq8
Pippen Jr. didn’t even know he had made history. “No, I’ve never even heard of that. I would just say crazy,” he said. “I don’t know if I have any words to describe how that feels. Just making history will always be a great thing, but to be the father-son duo to do it is definitely a great thing.”
The 23-year-old wasn’t aware he was close to a triple-double until his injured teammate Ja Morant alerted him. He said, “Ja [Morant] had said something to me — he said I was two away. I don’t know if he meant rebounds, assists or what it was. I was trying to feed Jaren [Jackson Jr.] to get the last two assists, and he started missing. I knew I was going to be coming out of the game soon because he was up, so I was just trying to get my teammates together.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. was happy with Pippen Jr.’s history-making performance.
Jaren Jackson Jr. talking about Scotty Pippen Jr. achieving something no other father-son duo has achieved with the triple double pic.twitter.com/VveBOrqtFb
Grizzlies rookie Yuki Kawamura showed why he’s a fan favorite. When games get out of hand, the crowd in the FedExForum always chants, “We want Yuki.” When he entered the game, they were in for a treat.
Ja Morant (12) and Yuki Kawamura dance at the Memphis Grizzlies open practice on October 6th at FedExForum. (Photos: Wes Hale)
Injuries and frustrations plagued the Memphis Grizzlies for most of the 2023–2024 season, beginning with standout point guard Ja Morant’s 25-game ban. Even after making a triumphant return, Morant was sidelined with a season-ending shoulder surgery that limited him to playing just nine games.
Coming off two seasons when they were near the top of the Western Conference, this young club was humbled and finished near the bottom of the standings.
By the time the regular season ended, Memphis had most of its roster on the injured list. They took on a record number of 10-day contracts to have the minimally allowed number of available players and relied heavily on the players on two-way contracts. No team in NBA history has employed more players and starting lineups than the Grizzlies last season.
The departure of Steven Adams to the Houston Rockets and the minimal playing time that backup Brandon Clarke had in the previous season after undergoing Achilles tendon surgery left the Grizzlies in dire need of a competent big man heading into the offseason.
With the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Grizzlies acquired 7’4” Purdue center Zach Edey, who addressed a gap in the team’s roster. The remainder of the league is in for some terrifying hours if Edey’s preseason dominance continues into the regular season and beyond.
Along with Edey, the Grizzlies selected small forward Jaylen Wells with the 39th pick in the draft. As the lone Grizzlies player to reach double digits in five preseason games, Wells was a shining example of the team’s potential on both ends of the floor.
After Derrick Rose asked to be waived and subsequently retired from the league, another roster spot became available. As a result, Scotty Pippen Jr.’s two-way contract was converted to a standard multi-year deal while Yuki Kawamura went from having an Exhibit 10 contract to having a two-way offer.
Scotty Pippen Jr. shoots the ball during warm-ups before the preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum on October 10th.
New Beginnings
Will both atonement and vengeance drive the Grizzlies’ efforts this year?
The Grizzlies will be considered underdogs to begin the season due to recency bias in the national media’s expected rankings. That being said, it’s for the best because that’s where this squad excels.
“We know who we are; we know what we’re capable of. It’s just about going out there and doing it now,” Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane said during media day.
The previous two seasons prove that Memphis can inflict havoc at the top of the Western Conference when healthy, so fans should see last season’s dismal record as more of an outlier than anything else. They have the ability to get back on track in the standings. It may not be returning to the second seed, but it definitely will be an improvement over the previous position in last year’s campaign.
With former Defensive Players of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marcus Smart plus defensive menace Vince Williams Jr., this organization has a strong defensive foundation. Memphis was 12th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, despite their entire season being a train wreck.
Solid role players, including three-point shooters and young, adaptable talent, complement the club’s depth that is already strong thanks to Bane, Jackson Jr., and its spark Morant.
Forward GG Jackson II, who made a meteoric rise to prominence last season at the tender age of 19, is someone the Grizzlies are keeping their fingers crossed for. He was the game-changer in a doomed season and earned himself a standard contract. With 6’9”, highly athletic Jackson II on the court, it provides the team dynamic options, particularly in half-court sets. Last season, fans didn’t get to witness Jackson II and Morant develop a connection on the court.
Since Jackson II is still healing from foot surgery, we should expect to see him start the season sometime in December, so we will need to exercise patience till we witness his and Morant’s synergy.
The Grizzlies need to get back to their brand of basketball. When Memphis was the Western Conference runner-up in 2021–22 and 2022–23, they averaged more points in the paint than any other team in the league. They had the worst point differential and placed 13th in the Western Conference a season ago.
The squad now is looking to boast a more dynamic offensive game thanks to Taylor Jenkins and his reorganized coaching staff. Last year, Memphis’ offensive rating was the worst in the league.
Edey and Morant’s pick-and-rolls will feed families this season. Edey’s fit into the starting center position will allow Jackson Jr. to play at the four, where he excels.
Making a deep run in the playoffs is within reach if Memphis can avoid significant injuries this upcoming season.
12 Is Back
Given that the NBA is known as a “what have you done for me lately” league, some may have forgotten about Morant’s presence on the court.
“A happy Ja is a scary Ja,” according to Morant, who made the bold proclamation during last month’s media day.
Morant showed flashes of his dominance in the last preseason game this past Friday. In 25 minutes of play, Morant ended with 17 points and six assists in the preseason finale. He called his performance light and implied a secret weapon will be seen in the season opener in Utah.
The South Carolina native was thrilled to return to FedExForum after injury, citing fans as his driving force and motivation to perform. It was his first time playing before the home crowd since January 3, 2024.
In 2022–23, his last complete season (61 games), he played 31.9 minutes per game and averaged 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.
He understands that his availability is crucial to the Grizzlies’ success, so he’s been making an effort to avoid injuries and off-the-court issues like those that nearly derailed his career.
The two-time All-Star is still one of the league’s most exciting players, and he will make sure the league remembers who he is.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 27: Grizz, mascot of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on March 27, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Wes Hale)
The Memphis Grizzlies played and lost their last away game of the season Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, where they were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers, 110-98. The Grizzlies dropped their third consecutive game and the Cavaliers ended a three-game losing streak.
The Grizzlies fell to 27-53 with two games remaining in the season, while Cleveland improved to 47-33, with postseason aspirations.
Memphis held a 51-48 advantage in the first half, then the Cavs woke up, outscoring the undermanned Grizzlies 30-16 in the third quarter to go up 78-67 entering the fourth.
With only eight players dressed, there were only three players available for the Grizzlies off the bench. They were outscored 29-6 by the Cavs reserves.
Memphis finished 18-23 on the road, slightly better than last season’s 16-25. By comparison, the team has a record of 9-30 at FedExForum, with two games remaining. Last season the franchise had one of the best home records in the association at 35-6.
The Grizzlies were paced by forward Jake LaRavia, who scored a career-high 32 points, with 21 of those coming in a blazing first half.
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) April 11, 2024
LaRavia went 8-11 from the three-point line, while grabbing seven rebounds, adding two steals and a block.
Rookie sensation GG Jackson II finished with 22 points, two rebounds and two assists. For the season, Jackson II is averaging 13.6 points and four rebounds.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 18 points on 46.7 percent shooting, with six assists and four rebounds.
Former Cavalier Lamar Stevens ended with 16 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots. The Grizzlies picked up Stevens in a deal that sent Xavier Tillman, Sr. to Boston before the trade deadline.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will host the Los Angeles Lakers, who are still hunting for postseason position, on Friday night, April 12th at 7pm CT.
Maozinha Pereira drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, April 5, 2024 at FedExForum (Photo by: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
At FedExForum on Friday night, the Memphis Grizzlies (27-50) dominated in a 108-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons (13-64). The Grizzlies won the season series 3-0.
Memphis is now on a three-game winning streak. That hasn’t happened since January 22–26.
There were a whopping 12 players for Memphis on the injury list, leaving only eight who could play. Only three of those players available were on standard contracts; the other five were either on two-way deals or 10-day contracts.
Scotty Pippen Jr., Jordan Goodwin, GG Jackson II, Jake LaRavia, and Trey Jemison got the start for Memphis. Lamar Stevens, Maozinha Pereira, and Zavier Simpson came off the bench.
Seven of the eight Grizzlies players available scored in double digits, including all five starters. The last time all five starters scored in double figures was October 27, 2023.
“Just their effort overall — I thought the ball was moving really well,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on what impressed him about the game. “The conversations throughout the game. … The guys were like, ‘Keep sharing it, keep running, keep finding the open teammate, keep touching the paint’. Some of those made buckets were unassisted because we were able to get right downhill and finish at the rim.”
Jenkins continued, “So, I thought the ball movement set that up. Defensive effort. We knew the paint was a big priority tonight. Transition defense was a big priority. We did a great job limiting to under 40 points in the paint against a team like this that thrives on getting downhill. I thought our on-ball defense was good; our guards. Jaden [Ivey] had a heck of a game scoring and shooting the three. Limiting their paint points and second-chance points was a big factor. Our guys came up with a good effort there.”
For Memphis, Jemison and Pereira tied for leading scorer with 17 points apiece. Jemison recorded the first double-double of his career with 13 rebounds, a career high. Coming off the bench, Pereira not only scored a career-high in points but also grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.
.@TallT_23 with that double-double😤 17 points + 13 boards
he is your player of the game presented by @IntlPaperCo
“I’m just glad I had the opportunity to be here for 10 days, and now 20 days,” Pereira said after the game. “I’m building the trust of my coach, and the assistant coaches. My teammates believe in me and have given me confidence. It was very easy to show what I’ve got because of them. I blame it all on them.”
He compared his time with the Lakers to now with the Grizzlies: “It’s been way different. Last year, I pretty much spent my whole time in the G League, except garbage time in games I played. It’s kind of like my rookie year. It’s my first-time getting NBA minutes. I would say it’s night and day, being over here.”
“I would say just the speed of the game (is) slowing down for me,” said Pippen on his personal growth. I’m still trying to get comfortable. Like I said, it’s my rookie year, so I’m still making reads and stuff like that but trying to adjust to the whole game and get a feel for it.”
To close it out, GG Jackson II and Lamar Stevens each added 15 points. Goodwin chipped in 14 points, six assists, and six rebounds while LaRavia ended with 12 points and five rebounds.
Although Simpson didn’t score in double digits, his presence on the floor helped Memphis in ways that went beyond the box score.
Up Next
On the second night of back-to-back games, the Grizzlies will host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 6th. Following the game, there will be a ceremony to retire Marc Gasol’s number 33 jersey. Bally Sports Southeast will air the game as well as the jersey retirement ceremony. Gasol played 11 seasons with the Grizzlies (2008-19) and helped guide the franchise to seven straight playoff appearances, including the franchise’s first postseason victory in 2011 (as a No. 8 seed against the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs and a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2013. He was a three-time All-Star, was named the 2012-13 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and selected to the 2014-15 All-NBA First Team.
Lamar Steven shoots a jumper against the Denver Nuggets on March 25, 2024. (Photo by: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies finished off a four-game road trip with a 128-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets (51-21) at Ball Arena on Monday night.
Denver improved to 15-2 since the All-Star break and currently are in first place in the Western Conference and is one game ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies have lost five of their last six games to fall to 24-48 on the season.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins is 5-11 against Denver in his coaching career.
“Obviously, we’ve fallen quite a bit throughout this season, but the spirit of this group has been great,” Jenkins said. “I just lean into that. What are the opportunities for us as a coaching staff to get better and the players individually and collectively? The dialogue has been great on what we can build on for the rest of the season and going into next year.”
After sitting out six games due to a left adductor strain, Lamar Stevens returned to lead the team with 19 points as a reserve. In his 13 games with the Grizzlies since coming over from Boston, Stevens is averaging 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench.
Scotty Pippen Jr. added 17 points and four assists in his 6th start of the season. Pippen Jr. is shooting 51 percent from the field, 55 percent from beyond the and averaging 1.3 steals in 11 games with Memphis.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had 11 points, five assists, four rebounds, four blocks, and two steals.
The Grizzlies return to FedExForum to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday March 27, at 7 p.m. CT.
Jenkins said his team has to play better Wednesday and “it’s as simple as that.”
Injury news
Brandon Clarke continues to rehab an Achilles injury that has sidelined him since last March 3, 2023. Clarke was upgraded to doubtful on the injury report against Denver and prior to the contest Jenkins said he would likely return in the next game or two.
Mar 13, 2024 - Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) handles the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Vasilije Micic (22) guards during the first half at FedEx Forum. (Wes Hale Photo)
The Memphis Grizzlies (23-44) were defeated 110-98 by the Charlotte Hornets (17-49) at FedExForum on Wednesday night. Despite not having done so since the 2018–2019 season, the Hornets cruised to a 2-0 series victory.
For the game, Memphis extended their franchise record for most starting lineups in a season with 40 different lineups deployed.
There were stretches when the Grizzlies cut the lead to single digits, but Charlotte always had a counter.
In this game, turnovers were the deciding factor. In all, 41 turnovers were committed by both squads. The Hornets finished with 20 turnovers, while Memphis finished with 21. The Grizzlies scored 24 points off of turnovers, while Charlotte scored 31.
“We were flat to start,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on the team’s performance. “[The Hornets] definitely took advantage of that in the first half. Too many miscommunication breakdowns, transition, rotations, definitely pick-and-rolls. Not our best effort tonight.
“Obviously, we have a bunch of guys out there that have never really played together, so the chemistry is going to take some time,” said Jenkins on the costly turnovers.
“We tried to force the issue a little bit. We fumbled the ball at times. Guys trying to get some game reps as guys are in and out, but overall, I was still impressed that we were trying to move the ball. Our spacing was off. We didn’t really bounce the floor really well, so that made it tough to find those passes.”
With the Grizzlies, GG Jackson II is firmly establishing a long-term significant role. With Memphis battling a number of injuries, the 19-year-old got the nod to start for the third time in his career.
Jackson II led the Grizzlies with 26 points while connecting on six 3-pointers. The rookie is averaging 25 points in his last three games.
“With guys in the locker room like Des [Desmond Bane] — I talk to him a lot — he tells me when everybody’s out, much of the load may be on me to shoot those shots,” said Jackson II on his increased production with consistency.
“You just have to take everything day by day, watch film and study where you can get better at. Because I’ve been watching film, I feel like I’ve been passing a lot recently, and if I continue to do that, the sky’s the limit.”
Scotty Pippen Jr. was back in action after missing the Grizzlies’ previous 12 games with a lumbar disc bulge and joined the Grizzlies starting lineup and came through with a top-notch performance. Pippen Jr. had a near double double with nine points, 10 assists, two steals plus a highlight dunk.
His father, six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen, was in attendance to watch his performance and had an awesome reaction to the dunk.
Jenkins had complimentary things to say about Pippen Jr. after the game: “What we’ve learned from Scotty in his few weeks with us is just his ability to get to the paint, touch the paint, come off the pick-and-rolls, close out situations.”
“He had 10 assists and got a couple of turnovers,” Jenkins added. “It’s his first game in a long time playing, so he was just kind of finding his rhythm, but just him being able to get down, low center of gravity, get blows, defend and create advantages for us by touching the paint, and then his ability to distribute, I thought was really on point tonight. That’s what we love about him — his ability to kind of play that playmaking role. He’s got some scoring ability, of course, with the fact that he’s embracing that playmaker role is impressive.”
Injury Update
Grizzlies star guard Desmond Bane is a step closer to returning to action after spending the last two months out with an ankle sprain. Bane, Brandon Clarke (left Achilles tendon repair), and Yuta Wabanabe (right wrist sprain) were assigned to the G League’s Memphis Hustle for practice earlier on Wednesday.
Prior to the game, Jenkins said Bane is on course to return in the next game or two while Clarke will hopefully return later in the month.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will have two days off before returning to action on Saturday inside FedExForum to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7 p.m. CT.
