Redbirds shortstop Masyn Winn (Credit: Ben Munson/St. Louis Cardinals)
The Memphis Redbirds have begun their 25th season — 23rd at AutoZone Park — with a flashback of sorts. Way back in 2001, a 21-year-old slugger by the name of Albert Pujols was to be the team’s headliner, having delivered the home run that won the 2000 Pacific Coast League championship for Memphis. Pujols stole the show, though, at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring camp, made the big-league roster, and 703 home runs later, is bound for the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in 2028.
Jordan Walker would like to be “the next Pujols,” at least by measure of his predecessor’s Rookie of the Year season 22 years ago. The 20-year-old Walker excelled at Double-A Springfield last year (.306/.388/.510), and climbed to fourth in the Baseball America rankings of all minor-league prospects. With a strong performance in Jupiter, Florida, Walker earned a roster spot with the Cardinals and made his big-league debut last week following the annual Opening Day Clydesdale parade at Busch Stadium. Fans of the Cardinals’ Triple-A franchise may not see Walker until St. Louis returns for an exhibition game at AutoZone Park.
Into the headliner’s spotlight for Memphis steps another top-50 prospect, shortstop Masyn Winn. Blessed with an arm that would be the envy of many big-league pitchers — he’s hit the high 90s on throws to first base — Winn brings extraordinary athleticism to a premium infield position, calling to mind Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, the Cardinals’ acrobatic legend of the 1980s and ’90s. Only 21 years old, Winn led the Cardinals’ minor-league system with 36 doubles last season (split between Class A and Double A). He hit .333 and slugged .556 in 18 spring-training games with the Cardinals, but last Friday’s opener at Charlotte was Winn’s first game at the Triple-A level. With the St. Louis middle-infield currently occupied by Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan (both former Redbirds), Winn will have to perform to earn his call to The Show.
• Three familiar faces are back with the Redbirds after extended time in the big-leagues. Dakota Hudson earned Pitcher of the Year honors from the Pacific Coast League in 2018, then won 16 games for the Cardinals as a rookie the next season. But he’s struggled with control, a problem compounded by the fact Hudson can’t overpower hitters with velocity. This is likely a make-or-break season for the 28-year-old righty, at least in the Cardinals’ system.
Juan Yepez slammed 22 homers in 92 games for the 2021 Redbirds, then spent most of 2022 with the Cardinals, shadowing the great Pujols as he learned the ropes in a supporting role (12 homers in 76 games) for St. Louis. But Yepez essentially lost his spot in the outfield/DH rotation to Walker this spring, so like Winn, he’ll need to hit — hard and often — to regain a roster spot with the Cardinals.
Oscar Mercado may have the most compelling story as the Redbirds open their season. Mercado played an electric outfield for the 2018 Redbirds and stole 31 bases in 100 games for Memphis. But a crowded Cardinals outfield led to a trade to Cleveland, where Mercado finished 8th in voting for the 2019 American League Rookie of the Year. He’s battled injuries for the last three years, though, and signed a free agent contract with St. Louis last November. Still only 28 years old, Mercado finds himself in somewhat of a Groundhog Day season, aiming to prove himself a major-league talent five years after doing precisely that here in Memphis.
• There’s a new playoff format for Triple-A this season. The International League (and Pacific Coast League) will award a first-half champion on June 25th, then a second-half champion at season’s end in September. The two teams will play a best-of-three series for the league title, then face the opposing circuit’s champ in Las Vegas on September 30th for the Triple-A National Championship.
The University of Memphis basketball program has had its share of “one-and-done” sensations since the turn of the century. In his lone year as a Tiger (2001-02), Dajuan Wagner led Memphis to its first NIT title. In 2008, Derrick Rose famously (some would say infamously) took the Tigers to the cusp of a national championship. A year later, filling Rose’s void nicely, Tyreke Evans was the star of another 30-win team. In 2020, playing in the vapor trail of the James Wiseman controversy, Precious Achiuwa became the first Tiger to be named American Athletic Conference Player of the Year. And just last season, Jalen Duren was the centerpiece for a Tiger team that returned to the NCAA tournament after eight long years.
But Kendric Davis is a different breed of the one-and-done species. His most obvious distinction from the five players mentioned above: Davis is not a freshman, but a fifth-year senior. Memphis is the third college program he’s represented. He turns 24 in May (Davis is three months older than the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant) and is a father. When Davis all but surely wins this year’s AAC Player of the Year trophy, it will be his second, having earned the award in his final of three seasons at SMU last year. Having led the AAC in both scoring (21.5 points per game) and assists (5.6), Davis will leave a permanent imprint on Memphis basketball history, and in a span of time that feels as brief as the point guard’s head-bob crossover.
“It’s been fun,” says Davis. “I wish I had more than a year.”
Kendric Davis broke the AAC’s career scoring record while leading the league in both points and assists. (Photo: Larry Kuzniewski)
Why is Davis a Memphis Tiger for this one — perhaps historic — year? You might call it the value of a Penny. When Davis entered the transfer portal after the 2021-22 season, he fielded calls from the likes of Kentucky and Kansas, blue-blooded institutions where most college players would offer a kidney to play one season. But as his phone was blowing up with calls and texts, three numbers caught Davis’ eye: 901. “I didn’t know the number,” reflects Davis, “but I knew 901 was Memphis, and I knew Memphis was Penny Hardaway.”
Davis first got to know Hardaway as an opponent, more familiar with the former NBA star’s line of Nike shoes (and One Cent brand) than the rising coach of a conference rival. And when Davis struggled against the Tigers during the 2020-21 season (he shot a combined 5-for-27 in two games against Memphis), he actually approached Hardaway after one of the games to find out the coach’s secret for shackling his performance. Before granting a photo request from Davis, Hardaway advised him to look more for his own shot within the flow of an offensive possession. At that time a pass-first point guard, Davis became predictable when double-teamed or cornered with the basketball. The advice came back to bite Hardaway a year later, when SMU beat the Tigers twice and Davis averaged 23.5 points in the Mustang victories. Look for his own shot, he did. And when the opportunity surfaced for Davis to play for Hardaway instead of against him, he pounced.
Coach Penny Hardaway became a father figure to Davis while plotting a course for a second straight NCAA tournament. (Photo: Larry Kuzniewski)
“Memphis has exceeded my expectations,” says Davis. “The city. The love. Great teammates. Coach Penny has been unbelievable to me, helping me grow on and off the floor, building a bond that’s probably going to last my whole life. Putting on that Tiger jersey is an honor.”
Davis’ father John went missing in the fall of 2021, shortly after an October visit with his son in Dallas. (A truck driver, John’s rig was discovered in November, but with no sign of its owner.) Davis acknowledges Hardaway filling a void in his life, one he didn’t anticipate or ask for, but one the Memphis coach has occupied beyond a basketball relationship.
“We clicked from the first phone call,” says Davis. “I was ecstatic. My parents, their friends, they used to wear his Orlando Magic jersey. He was before my time. I looked him up, and he was like a 6’7” Kyrie Irving. If he didn’t get hurt, he might have gone down as a top-five point guard. His game could exist in this era. And he’s taken my game to another level.”
Davis is a father himself, now. (Kendric Jr. will turn 2 this fall.) So there’s a multigenerational component to leaning on Hardaway as a role model, a standard for success beyond the hardwood. “I’ve struggled a long time,” he says, “finding that father figure you need. I have a son, and I need someone to teach me how to be a daddy. Penny’s someone you can look up to; I want to be like that someday. We can relate. Similar backgrounds. What he wanted in life, I want in life. His attitude, his passion for the game. Lots of people want things from you, and it can be challenging, balancing it all. I’ve learned more from him than anybody else. I wish I had two or three years [to play for him].”
Are the current Tigers built for March basketball, all the madness of win-or-go-home conditions? Davis nods emphatically when posed the question: “You look at teams that are successful in March: veterans, great guard play, and you’ve got a great four-man. Oral Roberts went to the Sweet 16 with that [in 2021], and we’ve got way more talent. We took Alabama [to the wire] at their house and lost by three points. That tells you how good we are. I guarantee you, in March Madness, teams won’t want to play Memphis.”
DeAndre Williams has averaged 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds on his way to all-conference honors. (Photo: Larry Kuzniewski)
Davis points to a certain partner in crime in establishing expectations for the Tigers in the weeks ahead. That great “four-man” — or power forward — is DeAndre Williams, the 26-year-old fifth-year senior who may well join Davis on the AAC’s all-conference first team. Having struggled with a propensity for foul trouble his first two seasons as a Tiger, Williams has found a balance between defending aggressively and sloppily, with the result of one of the best seasons by a Memphis forward in the last decade. Averaging 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, Williams reeled off 26 consecutive games with at least 10 points. On February 12th against Temple, he scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on his way to earning AAC Player of the Week honors. If that DeAndre Williams shows up, Memphis is a stiff test.
“I’m locked in,” says Williams, “on whatever it takes for us to win. Getting to the [NCAA] tournament is tough. We gotta put our hard hats on and just grind out wins. I wouldn’t think my last year would be my best year, but that’s how it’s gone. I’m happy. It’s a testament to my teammates and coaches, helping me succeed. I’m loving the ride, every moment. I want to leave my mark, on the team and the city.” On February 19th, Williams scored his 1000th point in a Memphis uniform, the first Tiger to reach that milestone in more than four years. So consider one significant mark already left.
There’s been an urgency this winter we don’t always see with the Tiger program. The roster is built almost entirely around seniors, six of them fifth-year players clinging to an extra year of eligibility granted in the aftermath of a Covid-restricted 2020-21 season. Davis has never played in the NCAA tournament. He has a fire in his belly, having been snubbed last season at SMU despite the Mustangs winning 24 games and finishing second in the AAC (ahead of Memphis, and the Tigers made the field). Keonte Kennedy (currently sidelined with a broken hand) and Elijah McCadden haven’t played in an NCAA tournament, each of them critical role players who transferred to Memphis to be part of one last attempt at the effervescent “madness” that can make a good season unforgettable.
Says Davis, “I remind my teammates all the time: We don’t have any redos. Whatever you’ve got, give it all. If there’s something you have left, it’s not gonna help this summer. Give it all. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. We’re in desperation mode now. Coach tells us we have family depending on this. Our lives are depending on this. I’ve got my son. I feel like I shine the brightest in the biggest games, and March Madness is all big games. I’m due. I feel like the nation needs that. I owe the [selection] committee one.”
At this point, the 2022-23 Tigers may enter the history books as the best Memphis team to go an entire season without being ranked among the nation’s top 25. And it doesn’t match the eye test. Just last Sunday at FedExForum, the country’s top-ranked team — the Houston Cougars — needed a buzzer-beating shot by Jamal Shead to win its 11th straight game. With a 23-8 record and second-place finish in the AAC, the Tigers will play in the NCAA tournament. First comes the AAC tournament in Fort Worth this week. If the Tigers are to win the event for the first time, they’ll likely have to beat a pair of teams (Tulane and Houston) that have already beaten them twice this season. Would Davis like to play the Cougars a third time? “Bad,” he says. “It’s on my mind.”
When asked about a factor that will determine the Tigers’ fate in the coming weeks, Davis goes back to his reason for wearing blue and gray to finish his college career. “Just listen to Coach Penny’s game plan. He spends hours and hours, studying habits of players, what teams like to do, what they don’t like to do, what you can expect out of time-outs. When we follow his game plan, we usually win.
“And also, taking it game by game. We can’t control what the committee thinks. If we keep stacking wins, that’s all that matters. We had one of the best nonconference schedules in the country. It’s prepared us. It’s built us. We’re ready for March. Coach always tells me, ‘It’s your time now.’”
Ja Morant goes up for a bucket against Jeff Green. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)
The Grizzlies are on the road and made a stop in Denver to face the Nuggets for the final time in the season series. Despite their performance in Houston, the road woes continue for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Let’s get into it.
The Denver Nuggets have been atop the western conference for a good part of the season, led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. This Grizzlies team had already shown they can defeat them at home, but on the road blew a double-digit lead and were handily outscored in the fourth quarter.
The absence of Steven Adams still looms large, and more so now that Brandon Clarke suffered an injury in the first quarter in Denver and had to be escorted off the court. Couple that with Dillon Brooks receiving his 16th technical foul and the subsequent one-game suspension that will accompany it, and it potentially spells a very bad time for a team that has been good all season.
Denver owned the second half, and the Grizzlies did not have an answer for it. Head Coach Taylor Jenkins was asked about the disparity in the fourth quarter and had this to say: “I think it was the physicality. They came out more physical than us. They were executing their offensive sets, what they were trying to get to, and we weren’t kind of matching that physicality. That just set the tone for the quarter. They got hot, went on a run. At that point, it’s hard to slow them down. They’ve got a lot of offensive firepower, so once they got going, it was tough to turn things around.”
Consistent three-point shooting continues to plague the team, making just 11 of 34 attempts from beyond the arc. Add that to the ongoing struggles from the free throw line, and there is a clear roadmap of areas needing improvement. Whatever the answer is, the Grizzlies do not have very much left of the regular season to figure it out.
By The Numbers:
Ja Morant led all scorers with 27 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals.
Desmond Bane closed out with 19 points and 4 rebounds, on an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 shooting from three-point range.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished the night with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
Xavier Tillman Sr. ended up with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. This marks Tillman’s second double-double of the season.
Who Got Next?
The road trip continues as the Grizzlies head to Los Angeles to face off against the Clippers, Sunday March 5th. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. CST.
Ja Morant takes a shot against the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Tuesday night, the Memphis Grizzlies went on national television and embarrassed Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James watched from the bench as Ja Morant and company put on a masterclass in the second half, setting a few records while coming away with the 121-109 victory.
Let’s get into it.
The first half was pretty forgettable, and Memphis trailed by 3 at halftime, with several Grizzlies struggling to make shots. Ja Morant went 3 for 14 in the first half, and Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks shot 1 of 5 and 1 of 8, respectively.
It was in the second half that this team really came to life on the strength of a record-setting 47-point third quarter, led by Morant’s career-high 28-points.
The Lakers tried to close the gap in the fourth quarter, at one point cutting the lead to four, but that was followed by an 8-0 run from the Grizzlies punctuated by a pair of dunks from Jackson Jr. and Morant for good measure.
As a team, Memphis scored a franchise record 41 points off 26 Lakers turnovers.
Ja Morant led all scorers with 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, his 10th career triple-double, and the highest scoring triple-double in franchise history. Morant’s 28 points in the third quarter are the most by any NBA player in a quarter this season.
Xavier Tillman Sr. scored a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds, his first double-double of the season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished the night with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
Desmond Bane also finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals.
Who Got Next?
No rest for the weary: The Grizzlies are back at it tonight in Houston, facing off against the Houston Rockets. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.
It has been a frosty few days here in the Bluff City, and it seems the Grizzlies were not immune. After amassing as much as a 12-point lead, the Grizzlies were iced out by the Portland Trailblazers in the final frame, and ultimately lost the game 122-112. It was just the fourth loss for Memphis on the home court this season.
Let’s get into it.
This had trap game written all over it. The Blazers were slogging through an 8-game road losing streak and were extra motivated to snap it, and the Grizzlies perhaps feeling complacent by their dominance at home let a double-digit lead slip away.
And we should give Damian Lillard his flowers for leading his team to victory – 42 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists – that’s Dame Time. Portland also made 26 of their 27 free throw attempts and turned 13 Memphis turnovers into 28 points.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Grizzlies. There were standout performances by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane getting back into a shooting groove, and the debut of Danny Green.
Memphis magazine February 1996 Cover (Photo: Memphis Magazine)
This Saturday at FedExForum, the late Lorenzen Wright will become the 10th former Memphis Tiger to have his uniform number retired. At halftime of the Tigers’ game against Tulane, Wright’s 55 will rise to the arena’s rafters, where it will hang above the court for every Tiger home game to come. There it will join banners honoring nine other legends who proudly wore blue and gray for Memphis: Forest Arnold, Win Wilfong, Larry Finch, Ronnie Robinson, Larry Kenon, John Gunn, Keith Lee, Elliot Perry, and Penny Hardaway. Wright’s ceremony will be the first to retire a Tiger’s number since March 2014, when the program honored Kenon.
Beyond the Mid-South, Lorenzen Wright is as famous for his tragic passing as for his exploits on the basketball court. In July 2010, a little over a year since he played his final NBA game, Wright was shot to death in a field in east Shelby County, the victim of a scheme orchestrated by his ex-wife, who is now serving a 30-year prison sentence. (The man who pulled the trigger is serving a life sentence.) He left behind six children and thousands upon thousands of fans from his days with the Tigers and, later, the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.
A graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Wright joined the Tiger program after a down season (13-16) in 1993-94. An immediate starter for coach Larry Finch, Wright brought a ferocity to basketball at The Pyramid unlike many Tigers before him. (Did players scream after dunks before Lorenzen Wright?) He averaged a double-double that season, pacing Memphis in both scoring (14.8 points per game) and rebounds (10.1). Best of all, he helped the Tigers reach the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, drubbing archrival Louisville in the first round. After another double-double campaign as a sophomore (17.4 and 10.4 rebounds), Wright entered the NBA draft and was chosen with the seventh pick by the Los Angeles Clippers.
To date, no former Tiger has played in more NBA games than Lorenzen Wright’s 778. And while Wright suited up for five teams as a pro, he played more games with the new-to-town Memphis Grizzlies (336) than any other. He remains seventh in Grizzlies history with 2,386 rebounds. Wright’s banner will be the only one that could be left up on a Grizzlies game night and still feel appropriate.
Only 34 years old at the time of his murder, Wright deserved a better fate. He was and is a beloved Memphian, still one of only two Tiger players to appear on the cover of Memphis magazine. (Keith Lee is the other. Finch and Hardaway each graced the cover, but not until they were coaching the program.) Saturday afternoon will be a special moment in the history of a proud basketball program, and even more special for those who love and remember the one and only Lorenzen Wright.
• The Tigers won’t be able to stop with 10 retired numbers. Among the players honored, none played for the program since Wright appeared in his last college game 27 years ago. Andre Turner (number 10) should join his teammate Lee in the rafters, his career assists total (763) not so much as approached since the Little General’s last game in 1986. The university must also find a way to recognize at least one player from the extraordinary four-year period from 2005-06 to 2008-09 when the Tigers reached at least the Sweet 16 every season. I’ve long advocated the retirement of number 5 for Antonio Anderson. He played for all four of those teams and is the only player in Memphis history to compile 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists. Anderson also played in more games (150) than any other Tiger, a record unlikely to be matched in the near future.
This Saturday at FedExForum, the late Lorenzen Wright will become the 10th former Memphis Tiger to have his uniform number retired. At halftime of the Tigers’ game against Tulane, Wright’s 55 will rise to the arena’s rafters, where it will hang above the court for every Tiger home game to come. There it will join banners honoring nine other legends who proudly wore blue and gray for Memphis: Forest Arnold, Win Wilfong, Larry Finch, Ronnie Robinson, Larry Kenon, John Gunn, Keith Lee, Elliot Perry, and Penny Hardaway. Wright’s ceremony will be the first to retire a Tiger’s number since March 2014, when the program honored Kenon.
Beyond the Mid-South, Lorenzen Wright is as famous for his tragic passing as for his exploits on the basketball court. In July 2010, a little over a year since he played his final NBA game, Wright was shot to death in a field in east Shelby County, the victim of a scheme orchestrated by his ex-wife, who is now serving a 30-year prison sentence. (The man who pulled the trigger is serving a life sentence.) He left behind six children and thousands upon thousands of fans from his days with the Tigers and, later, the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.
A graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Wright joined the Tiger program after a down season (13-16) in 1993-94. An immediate starter for coach Larry Finch, Wright brought a ferocity to basketball at The Pyramid unlike many Tigers before him. (Did players scream after dunks before Lorenzen Wright?) He averaged a double-double that season, pacing Memphis in both scoring (14.8 points per game) and rebounds (10.1). Best of all, he helped the Tigers reach the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, drubbing arch-rival Louisville in the first round. After another double-double campaign as a sophomore (17.4 and 10.4 rebounds), Wright entered the NBA draft and was chosen with the seventh pick by the Los Angeles Clippers.
To date, no former Tiger has played in more NBA games than Lorenzen Wright’s 778. And while Wright suited up for five teams as a pro, he played more games with the new-to-town Memphis Grizzlies (336) than any other. He remains seventh in Grizzlies history with 2,386 rebounds. Wright’s banner will be the only one that could be left up on a Grizzlies game night and still feel appropriate.
Only 34 years old at the time of his murder, Wright deserved a better fate. He was and is a beloved Memphian, still one of only two Tiger players to appear on the cover of Memphis magazine. (Keith Lee is the other. Finch and Hardaway each graced the cover, but not until they were coaching the program.) Saturday afternoon will be a special moment in the history of a proud basketball program, and even more special for those who love and remember the one and only Lorenzen Wright.
• The Tigers won’t be able to stop with 10 retired numbers. Among the players honored, none played for the program since Wright appeared in his last college game 27 years ago. Andre Turner (number 10) should join his teammate Lee in the rafters, his career assists total (763) not so much as approached since the Little General’s last game in 1986. The university must also find a way to recognize at least one player from the extraordinary four-year period from 2005-06 to 2008-09 when the Tigers reached at least the Sweet 16 every season. I’ve long advocated the retirement of number 5 for Antonio Anderson. He played for all four of those teams and is the only player in Memphis history to compile 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists. Anderson also played in more games (150) than any other Tiger, a record unlikely to be matched in the near future.
Kendric Davis and Penny Hardaway (photo by Larry Kuzniewski)
The Memphis Tigers are competing in their tenth season as members of the American Athletic Conference. They have yet to win a league championship, neither a regular-season title nor the postseason tournament. (The Tigers have twice lost in the tournament final.) What kind of chances do the 2022-23 Tigers have for ending this drought, for earning the program’s first conference crown since they were Conference USA champs in 2013? With mighty Houston setting the pace, Memphis can’t afford more than four losses among their 18 league games. Even three defeats might be too many to top the Cougars, so Sunday’s loss at Tulane didn’t help. But there are three factors that, if blended properly, could result in a first-place finish for Memphis.
• Senior motivation. No fewer than ten Tiger seniors are competing for playing time, for coach Penny Hardaway’s trust as he distributes a total of 200 player minutes each game. Half of these players are fifth-year seniors, now midway through their final college rodeo. For this group of Tigers … this is it. There’s no building for a 2024 run. There’s no more time for development, for learning where they best fit, for establishing rapport with teammates. There’s something to be said for desperation when it comes to chasing a championship.
Hardaway has been starting a pair of point guards: Alex Lomax and Kendric Davis (both fifth-year seniors). It’s intentional, and as much for the leadership intangible as the skill sets Lomax and Davis bring. Memphis is 11-4 and has four SEC notches on its belt, but has yet to crack the Top 25. Lomax and Davis see this, as do each of their senior brethren. The search for national attention — “respect” is the word used in front of cameras — remains a motivator for Hardaway’s leaders. “Add DeAndre [Williams],” says Hardaway, “and that’s three guys who understand time, possession, the moment. They work through adversity. They’re connected, so that makes it even better.”
• Solid jaw. The Tigers have yet to lose consecutive games. Halfway through the season, Memphis has shown it can take a punch. The Tulane loss may reveal more than any other blow the Tigers absorb this winter. Not only do they need to avoid a second loss in a row (Saturday against East Carolina), but they need to build a winning streak if they hope to threaten Houston atop the AAC. The comeback victory over USF last week to open conference play may be the calling card Hardaway utilizes in the weeks ahead as his team hopes to climb in both the standings and the national conversation. “Early in a game, you know you can come back,” says Hardaway. “But late in the game? Can you stay calm enough under the pressure? The best players, they stay firm and calm in chaos. They don’t panic.”
• That guy. Championship teams have “that guy,” the player everyone in the arena knows will have the ball at winning time. Kendric Davis is that player for these Memphis Tigers. Atop the AAC in both scoring (20.4 points per game) and assists (6.1), Davis is well on his way to a second straight league Player of the Year award. With the Tigers down ten with ten minutes to play against USF, Davis took over. He drained a three-pointer, stole the ball in the USF backcourt and converted a layup, then fed a lob to Williams for a thunderous dunk. He was playing in a zone the other nine players couldn’t reach and it was enough for the Tigers to escape an ugly home loss. “He’s a closer,” says Hardaway. “That’s the blessing of having him on your team. You know he has that type of run in him. He puts the work in. He was getting down during the [USF] game, and I told him, ‘You’re a killer. Don’t forget that. It’s what you do.’ He was looking for his moment and it came.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. goes up for a dunk. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Happy New Year. The Memphis Grizzlies are one game back from the top of the Western Conference, and to close out the year they just beat the team ahead of them in the standings, Southwest Division rival the New Orleans Pelicans.
The matchup between these two teams is spicy, with two of the most exciting players in the league – Ja Morant and Zion Williamson –battling it out.
Let’s get into it.
Three-point shooting woes continue to plague the Grizzlies, and in Saturday night’s matchup, they shot a season-low 17.2 percent from distance. But Memphis made up for the lack of outside shooting by dominating down low, outscoring New Orleans 74-44 from the paint.
Big man Steven Adams grabbed a season-high 21 rebounds while helping to hold Jonas Valanciunas to 6 points and 6 rebounds. The two centers were traded for each other in 2021, with Memphis sending Valanciunas to New Orleans in exchange for Adams.
There were some technical difficulties midway through the second quarter when all the game clocks in FedEx Forum lost power, causing a stoppage in play for several minutes. Play resumed with the officials using stopwatches until the clock situation was resolved.
The break in play derailed the Grizzlies’ momentum for the rest of the period and helped the Pelicans to cut a 21-point lead to just three at the half. New Orleans briefly managed a two-point lead during the third quarter, but the Grizzlies did not allow them to keep it for long, dominating the fourth quarter 33-22. Memphis now leads the season series against the Pelicans 2-1.
By the Numbers:
Ja Morant led all scorers with 32 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.
Jaren Jackson Jr finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 6 blocks.
Desmond Bane contributed 18 points and 7 rebounds. Bane is still struggling with three-point shooting since his return to play, and was 1 of 6 from beyond the arc.
Steven Adams had a great night with 10 points, 21 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
Dillon Brooks had a quiet night offensively, finishing with just 7 points. What he lacked in offense he more than made up for in defense, with his main defensive assignment being Zion Willamson. It was exactly what the Grizzlies needed from him.
Who Got Next?
The gang is back at it tonight with another home game, facing off against the Sacramento Kings to start off the new year. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CST.
Desmond Bane lets it fly from beyond the arc. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)
It’s freezing here in the 901, but the Grizzlies did their part keeping us warm Thursday night by scorching the Phoenix Suns 125-100 in a wire-to-wire win. And so, it is my distinct pleasure to inform you that after a brief two-game losing streak, the Memphis Grizzlies are back to their winning ways.
Let’s get into it.
First things first: The best part of the night was the return of Desmond Bane. Bane returns to the lineup after missing the previous 18 games with a sprained toe.
It also marks the first time this season that the Grizzlies were able to play with their desired starting five.
Phoenix was missing Devin Booker but that hardly puts an asterisk next to this victory. Memphis was the best team on the court from wire-to-wire and dominated the game on both ends of the floor.
The Grizzlies remain at the top of the Western Conference with a 20-11 record, now tied with the Denver Nuggets.
Thursday night’s victory also put head coach Taylor Jenkins (148) ahead of former coach Dave Joerger (147) as the second-most winningest coach in Grizzlies franchise history. Lionel Hollins holds the record with 214 regular season wins, but I will be shocked if Jenkins does not surpass it during his tenure in Memphis.
During the game, no Grizzlies starter played more than 28 minutes and they got a big boost from the bench unit led by Brandon Clarke and Santi Aldama.
By The Numbers:
Lots of good stuff from this one, including a better than usual showing from the free throw line. I will overlook ten missed free throws when they win by 25 points.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the team with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks, along with Brandon Clarke who put up 24 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals from the bench in his best scoring game of the season.
Clarke also had a career-high free throw shooting game, going 10 for 10 from the foul line. Shoutout Canada!
Desmond Bane put up 17 points, 3 rebounds, and two assists in his return from injury. He struggled from the beyond the arc only shooting 2 of 8 from distance. But he too had a perfect night from the charity stripe, going 7 for 7.
Dillon Brooks contributed 16 points, 10 of which came in the first quarter. Also notable is that Brooks only had 9 shot attempts.
Ja Morant had a quiet night offensively, but he elevated his teammates, finishing with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Who Got Next?
In a franchise first the team will be playing on Christmas Day. Expect it to feel like a western conference semifinals rematch in the Bay as the Grizzlies face off against the Golden State Warriors.
Tip-off will be at 7 PM CST. There will not be a local broadcast so tune in on ABC or ESPN.
