Tag: Taylor Jenkins

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizz Beat 76ers; Jenkins Surpasses Hollins as Winningest Coach

Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, November 20th at FedExForum. (Photo credit: @memgrizz on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Wednesday’s 117-111 win over the Philadelphia 76ers was a historic moment for Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins, as he notched his 215th career win and became the franchise’s all-time winningest coach, surpassing the legendary Lionel Hollins.

After the game, Jenkins reflected on becoming the team’s winningest coach, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and acknowledging the coaches who paved the way before him. He emphasized the importance of building strong relationships with players and the community, and said he feels blessed to be part of the Grizzlies’ legacy:

“It’s an unbelievable honor to be among the company of so many great coaches that have come before me. I always talk about the unbelievable responsibility I have: to be the head coach of this franchise. The faith that Robert [Pera]’s had in me, [Zach Kleiman]’s had in me, our players, the staff I get to work with every single day.” 

Jenkins recalled what former Grizzlies coaches had told him: “They said Memphis is going to give you everything they’ve got if you give them everything you’ve got, but they’re going to give it to you ten-fold. So, I hope I can give it to them ten-fold, they can give it to me a hundredfold and more. It’s an honor.”

Against Philadelphia, Memphis showcased a well-rounded offense, with Jaren Jackson Jr. leading the charge with 25 points. Through 14 games, Jackson Jr. is averaging 23 points per game to lead the Grizzlies to 9-7 on the season. 

Desmond Bane was also impressive, narrowly missing a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. 

Bane had been struggling offensively after returning from injury. On Tuesday night in the 122-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets, he went 1-of-10 from the field. He knew he had to be better. 

“I didn’t like the way I played last night (against Denver),” said Bane. “I slept on it, thought about it, and wanted to come back and make sure that I led with the right foot forward, so I knew that I was gonna lead. I didn’t know how, but I knew I was going to lead.”

Other key contributors included Santi Aldama with 12 points and six assists, rookie Jaylen Wells with 14 points and standout defensive play, Luke Kennard with 12 points, including three three-pointers, and Jake LaRavia, who added 11 points, 5 rebounds, four assists while shooting 4-of-4 from the field. 

Despite being short-handed, the Grizzlies have shown resilience. Notably absent from the lineup are several key players, including Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Zach Edey, GG Jackson II, Vince Williams Jr., and John Konchar.

On the Horizon

The Grizzlies are set to face the Chicago Bulls on the road this Saturday, November 23rd. Following that, they’ll head back to Memphis for a four-game homestand, which tips off on Monday, November 26, against the Portland Trail Blazers, and continues with matchups against the Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers.

Categories
Sports Sports Feature

Grind Time: Grizzlies Preview

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. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Dominate Lakers With Record Three-Point Shooting Display

Desmond Bane takes the ball to the basket against Anthony Davis.
Desmond Bane takes the ball to the basket against Anthony Davis. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images

With a final score of 127-113, the Grizzlies handed the Lakers their fourth consecutive loss. But more than that, they did it under the power of historic three-point shooting with a franchise record 23 made threes on the road, also the most three-pointers allowed by the Lakers this season.

It was a wild Friday night in the National Basketball Association. Those of us who stayed up late to watch the Grizzlies take on the Lakers in Los Angeles were rewarded with some of the best basketball Memphis has played this season.

Not even a 32-point performance from LeBron James and a 31-point one from Anthony Davis could stop the Grizzlies.

There was something for everyone in this win, including big performances from Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Ziaire Williams.

And an All-NBA-worthy defensive move from head coach Taylor Jenkins that rightfully earned him a technical foul, because coaches cannot enter the court during gameplay.

Let’s break that moment down and what led up to it.

You can watch the video for yourself here:

Marcus Smart directed a pass to Jaren Jackson Jr., who briefly had possession of the ball but could not keep a hold of it. That led to a tie-up with LeBron James during which James elbowed Jackson in the chin (seemingly unseen by the referees) followed by an irate Taylor Jenkins stepping onto the court and in the path of Taurean Prince, protesting the lack of a call. Jenkins had to be physically restrained by one of his assistant coaches.

To keep it a buck, three fouls could have been called in that exchange: James committing a loose ball foul when forcing Jackson to the ground, Jackson committing a common foul when hooking James’ arm, and a flagrant 1 for James elbowing Jackson in the face in retaliation.

But since there was no review of the play, the only foul assessed for the whole mess was the technical Jenkins earned.

The messiness of that whole situation should not detract from the Grizzlies’ play and the exceptional shooting that propelled them to a resounding victory over the Lakers.

Heading into last night’s game, Marcus Smart had the lowest three-point shooting percentage of any player attempting five or more threes a game this season.

Apparently, he took that personally.

Marcus Smart finished the night with a season-high 29 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and one steal on 8 of 14 three-point shooting. Smart put up 19 of his 29 points in the first half while shooting 5 of 8 from three-point range.

His teammates had a pretty good night as well.

Jaren Jackson Jr put up a team-high 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks, including 5 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Desmond Bane closed out with 24 points, 5 rebounds, and a career-high 13 assists, also while shooting 5 of 8 from long range.

Ja Morant added 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Bismack Biyombo finished with 6 points and 10 rebounds on a perfect 3 of 3 field goal shooting.

From the second unit, Ziaire Williams added 15 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

All in all, it was a soothing balm to ease the sting of a nasty loss to the Toronto Raptors two days prior.

Whether this success can be replicated remains to be seen.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will continue their three-game road trip, heading to Phoenix on Sunday to face off against the Suns. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall to Kings to Ring In the New Year

Ja Morant takes the ball to the basket against Domantas Sabonis.
Ja Morant takes the ball to the basket against Domantas Sabonis. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.

Defensive struggles continue as the third Grizzlies opponent in as many games shot 50 percent or better overall. With a final score of 123-92, the Sacramento Kings thumped the Grizzlies at FedExForum in the last game of the year. The return of Luke Kennard and his shooting 5 of 8 from three-point range could not put the Grizzlies over the hump.

Let’s get into it.

Woof. That is the first word that comes to mind to describe how the Kings outworked Memphis on both ends of the floor. Sacramento put up a season-high 59 rebounds to the Grizzlies 34. In no universe was it acceptable for the Grizzlies to only have one offensive rebound in the entire game, but the fact that the Kings could grab 25 more rebounds than Memphis adds insult to injury. The Grizzlies also recorded just one block for the game.

 Combine that with beating the Grizzlies in made threes (16 to 12), made field goals (47 to 30), and points in the paint (58 to 32), and Sacramento handed them one of their worst losses of the season.

The Kings’ bench unit outscored the Grizzlies’ bench 58 to 28, with Malik Monk scoring a game-high 27 points in 21 minutes on 4 of 5 three-point shooting and 10 of 13 overall. One player nearly outscoring the entire second unit is nasty and overshadows the return of Luke Kennard in his first game since November 17.

When head coach Taylor Jenkins was asked postgame about the defense allowing opponents to shoot 50 percent in the past three games, he had this to say:

“We’ve got to look at the trends that we’ve seen all season long. Obviously small sample size, looking more at the last two games, it’s definitely things we’ve been talking about, pick-and-roll coverages, what we can do a little bit better there, our shifting obviously, teams are really hurting us in the high quad, how we can clean that up. That’s something that we got to talk about, some of the second chance kick outs as well, pickup points, discipline there. It’s definitely something that we’re seeing a lot and obviously we’ve regressed the last couple of games.”

Emphasis mine. Yes, thank you, Captain Obvious.

It was a low-scoring night for Memphis, being held under 100 points, and their usual big three struggled offensively.

Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with a team-high 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

Three players finished with 17 points: Ja Morant had 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists; Desmond Bane closed out with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists; and Luke Kennard put up 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on 6 of 9 overall shooting and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc.

The only other Grizzlies player to end the night in double figures was Marcus Smart with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will play at home again Tuesday night, January 2nd, facing off against one of the few teams with a worse record in the West, the San Antonio Spurs. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Happy New Year, Grizz Nation. I hope everyone is eating their black-eyed peas and greens because we need all the luck we can get.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Another Grizzlies Comeback Falls Short

Jaren Jackson, Jr. goes up for a layup against the Utah Jazz on Friday, November 10, 2023 inside FedExForum. (Photo credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies finished last season with one of the league’s best  home records, 35-6, good enough for second-best in the NBA. It was well-known that FedExForum was a tough place to win. 

Those days are long gone, as Memphis is 0-5 at home this season — and 1-8 overall — after taking a gut punch from the Utah Jazz, 127-121 on Friday night.

Tensions were high, as Jaren Jackson, Jr. was ejected for the first time since he’s been playing basketball. 

“I went to the basket a couple of times and felt a way, so I spoke my mind a little bit,” Jackson explained after the game. “When you speak your mind a little bit, sometimes that happens. Coach had my back off rip (from the get-go).”

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year went on to say, “When that happens, you find yourself leaving early. I definitely don’t like that. They need me out there. I just left them out there to dry and I don’t feel good about that. I’m not going to feel good about this. That’s on me, and I have to own that.”

Even though Jackson felt like he let his teammates down, the ejection galvanized his teammates — and fans in the arena. 

After being down by 21 points, the Grizzlies mounted a furious comeback and tied the game in the middle of the fourth quarter. In the end, they were unable to overcome the deficit, despite the effort. 

Jacob Gilyard, who made his first NBA start against the Jazz said, “We wanted to come out in the third quarter and have a little spark, but that didn’t really happen until Jaren (Jackson, Jr.) got ejected. We started getting riled up and got some defensive stops which allowed us to run on offense.”  Gilyard finished the game with 14 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. 

Desmond Bane led Memphis with a game-high 37 points, plus eight assists, and four rebounds. Bane on Jackson’s ejection: “We’ve been talking about it for a while now, finding our edge and finding our juice, and regardless of the play, [Jackson Jr.] reacted. He got the technical foul. But that’s the energy that we need. Just that care factor from coach, from him, from the whole entire team. You know, it’s one through 15. Everybody’s invested in the game, and that’s the energy that we need. The energy that we need from the beginning of the game.”

Bismack Biyombo has been excellent for the Grizzlies. He finished the game with 15 points and 15 rebounds and is a calming presence in the locker room. 

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was livid after the game and that’s an understatement. He took one question and went on an epic rant about the officiating crew. 

The Jazz had 29 free-throw attempts, while Memphis only had 13. Before Jackson was tossed, the Grizzlies only had seven attempts.

When asked about the play calling, Jenkins went scorched earth. “Saddle up,” he said. “One of the most poorly officiated games I’ve ever seen. Record it. I’m fine with it. Fucking atrocious. Jaren Jackson [Jr.] plays 23 minutes and is in the paint all night. He’s one of the most professional players in this league and gets a double technical foul, and the excuse that I get is that he’s charging at an official.” 

Jenkins continued, “It’s called de-escalation. Twenty-nine free throws to 13, and I’m not that coach. You go back in history; I’ve done this one other time. Our team is competing their asses off, and this is what happens? The interactions right now with the officials — complete disrespect. I know what’s coming. It’s unbelievable, the looks on the faces when I’m trying to engage in conversation to defend our guys that are busting their tail right now. Busting their tail, and [Jackson Jr.] is one of the most professional guys, and if you go watch the play two possessions in a row, he gets hacked underneath the basket, zero free throw attempts. I’m not trying to put a name on a jersey, this guy should earn these fouls and all that stuff. Watch the game.” 

Jenkins went on to say, “Twenty-nine free throws to basically like seven, and then at the end of the game, a few more added. I don’t understand it, when guys are competing their tails off. We’ve got stuff we can clean up. Sometimes we’re grabbing, we’re holding… in the heat of the battle, when conversations are trying to be had, notice is trying to be made on things that are happening, and there’s not the enforcement of it. It blows my mind. What are we doing here? What are we doing? Our guys are competing their tails off. We have to play better. We have to coach better. We have to play better, but I don’t get tonight, whatsoever.” 

Jenkins concluded the post-game presser: “I’m going to go back to the interactions. Stern, nothing, stonewall, ignoring. And then you wonder why our guys are trying to compete. I don’t get it. I look forward to watching the tape. Getting responses to when I send clips in, all that stuff to see what should’ve happened. And you wonder why. I haven’t done this most of my career, all that stuff, but I got to defend my guys when they’re competing their tail off and we’re not trying to lose our heads. We’re trying to go out and win basketball games and try to play better. It’s as simple as that. We’re trying to play better. There’s a lot of better that has to go around. A lot of better that has got to go around. Look at the numbers. Look at the clips. Thank you. I’d love to talk to you guys more, but with all due respect, I’ll leave it at that. Thank you.”

“I appreciate that 100 percent,” Jackson said of Jenkins’ rant. “To get up there and do that publicly is different than doing it privately. It means a little bit more. I can’t thank him enough, and I’ll be repaying him by just saying that I got his back as well for anything that’s thrown at him or whatever. We have his back in this locker room. I got his back. I love Coach. That’s the type of guy he is.”

Make no mistake about it, Jenkins is going to get a hefty fine by the league. Maybe this is the starting point of turning the season around. 

Memphis will embark on a two-game road trip to Los Angeles to take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. 

Categories
Opinion The Last Word

Change Has to Come

Tyre Nichols (Photo: Family of Tyre Nichols)

The footage of Tyre Nichols being fatally beaten by Memphis police has haunted me.

Those five officers pepper sprayed, punched, kicked, and beat a defenseless Nichols with a baton. Those who vowed to protect and serve brutally killed the 29-year-old father.

Although I felt compelled to view the videos, I strongly disapproved of the manner in which they were made public. That everyone around the globe was anticipating the release of the horrific videos, treating it like a movie premiere, sickened me.

Five Black Memphis police officers were fired from the department and were given numerous charges following the death of Nichols, including second-degree murder, kidnapping, assault, official misconduct, and official oppression. That a Black man died at the hands of Black police officers was unfathomable to most.

Family members told reporters Nichols went into cardiac arrest and kidney failure due to the vicious beating. The question “Why?” keeps coming back to me. Why was this young, vibrant, creative soul taken so violently by those whose job it was to protect and serve the community? This was an act of terror. As Reverend Al Sharpton said at Nichols’ homecoming services, “You don’t fight crime by becoming a criminal yourself.”

Seeing this unfold in a city I’ve called home for 20 years was different for me. My husband was a Black officer for the Memphis Police Department for nearly 14 years, and I previously worked for another law enforcement agency for close to seven years. As my husband watched the videos, I could hear the sadness in his voice. Watching it hurt. He kept saying they didn’t have to kill him. He questioned the supervision, the training, and wondered if the officers had done it before. He was angry at the narrative the officers were trying to paint of the situation in the video. He wants them held fully accountable for their actions.

While on the force, my husband felt it was his duty to mentor young officers since he was older starting out. He advised them to approach everyone with the same degree of decency and respect, urging them to be careful how they treated citizens since it could come back on them. They wouldn’t be recognized as officers out of uniform or in other jurisdictions, but in or out of uniform the same would apply. He made it clear that he had a family to provide for and an account to God to keep, so he wasn’t going to put his career or freedom in jeopardy. He said some police officers go too far and it’s not worth it. There are some good officers out there. I’ve encountered them. They want to serve their communities and get home safely to their families. Officers like these are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the public. The conduct of those who have no business being police in the first place has caused a significant loss of public trust of law enforcement. I’ve spoken to former co-workers and other officers since the release of the video. Many are hurt, angry, and appalled by what happened to that young man, especially the Black officers. Some are even questioning if they should continue in law enforcement.

As a mother to adult Black children, it terrifies me that this happened so close to home, literally. Both scenes are not too far from my home. And I can’t help but think it could’ve been one of my sons coming to our house. Or even my husband. I don’t believe I would have the grace of RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother. She shouldn’t have to say her son was a good man. But even if Tyre Nichols had been a known criminal, he still didn’t deserve to be beaten to death. There’s no justification. It would have torn me to pieces if one of my children’s last words were calling for me like Tyre was calling for his mom as he lay there dying.

Were there no rational people around who could have said, “That’s enough”? The only “good” cop on that scene was the SkyCop. The most complete picture of the assault was revealed by that camera. It’s ironic that something constructed with public safety in mind will be instrumental in bringing these ex-cops to justice. Everyone on that scene should be held accountable.

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said this prior to last week’s game against the Indiana Pacers: “Sadly, this is reminiscent of George Floyd back in 2020. We were all in Covid. We were all sitting at home and … had more time to think about it. Whereas now, the world’s still going, and I’m worried that people are going to take their focus off of making change, making positive impact in their city, in the country. When everyone’s clamoring for it, we can’t find distractions, we can’t forget, we can’t let this just be an afterthought in two weeks, in a month.”

This can’t be an afterthought. Change has to come, and it has to come within law enforcement. I don’t have all the answers and I don’t claim to. Like law enforcement tells citizens, if you see something, say something. I only wish someone had been there to stand up for Tyre Nichols.

Sharon Brown is a Flyer Grizzlies reporter.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Are the Grizzlies Better Without Ja Morant?

Ja Morant against the San Antonio Spurs (Photo credit: Memphis Grizzlies Twitter)

The answer to that question is no, but it’s complicated.

There has been a lot of chatter recently about the Grizzlies’ winning record without Ja Morant, which has led to the question of whether the team is better without its star player. Even in jest, the idea is ridiculous. It’s the popular “gotcha” statement of the moment, and while there are some statistical reasons being pointed to, they rely heavily on a purely surface-level examination of this team. 

Yes, it is a wild statistic that the Grizzlies have such a winning record during the stretches without Ja this season, and that has garnered a lot of attention. But correlation does not equal causation.  

What we are seeing is a perfect storm of good coaching, roster development, and a healthy dose of spurious correlation. 

Let’s talk about it.  

The Memphis Grizzlies are currently 20-4 in games without Morant this season. That moves to 10-4 in this most recent stretch without Morant. But that does not mean that the Grizzlies are a better team without him. In fact, they also have a winning record when he does play. Morant has played in 56 games this season, and the Grizzlies are 35-21 in those games.

There is not a team in the league that would not be made better if they added Morant to their roster. Full stop.  

Still, attributing their success this season solely to Morant misses all the ways in which the team has also improved that have nothing to do with their star point guard. 

It overlooks all the other legitimate talent on the team , and how they have created a chemistry on the court that is conducive to being successful, that is conducive to winning. The improvements across the board that have happened in the past three seasons are being downplayed, and coach Taylor Jenkins deserves a lot more credit than he is being given. 

The Grizzlies’ style of play has changed drastically during Jenkins’ tenure. Their pace has increased, as has their shooting percentages and the number of shots taken per game.

Memphis has increased its average shot attempts per game by a considerable margin over the past few seasons. In the 2021-2022 season, the Grizzlies lead the league in field goal attempts per game (94.3). In 2020-2021 they were ranked second in the league in field goal attempts per game (91.8). In 2019-2020 they were ranked sixth in field goal attempts per game (90.9). Compare that to 2018-2019, J.B. Bickerstaff’s last season where they were ranked dead last in field goal attempts per game (84.4). 

Field goal attempts are far from the only area in which the team has improved over the past few seasons. I have compared several categories in which the Grizzlies have improved, year over year.

Comparing the past five seasons shows a clear pattern of improvement. Stats courtesy of basketball-reference.com.

Taylor Jenkins assumed head coaching duties starting with the 2019-2020 season. Seeing it all laid out shows the progression of improvement that has taken place during that time.

There is a lot of unselfish basketball being played, in part because everyone believes in everyone else. Instead of next man up, it is every man up and guys are playing in ways that help make their teammates better.

For this Grizzlies team — winning is their business, and business is good.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies’ 2020 Season Resumes

On March 11, 2020, the NBA suspended its season after Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Now, more than four months later, 22 teams are in Orlando, Florida, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Walt Disney World). All 22 teams have had mini training camp sessions and will participate in three inter-squad scrimmages before the remainder of the shortened “regular season” kicks off on July 30, closely followed by the playoffs.

All teams will be playing eight regular-season games before the playoffs. The Grizzlies will face the Philadelphia 76ers today (July 24) at 2:30 p.m. CT. The other two scrimmages will be against the Houston Rockets on July 26 at 7 p.m. CST and the Miami Heat on July 28 at 1 p.m. CST. The scrimmages will be shown live on Grizzlies.com with commentary from Pete Pranica and Rob Fischer. 

When the season was interrupted, The Grizzlies sat in the eighth spot in the West with a 32–33 record — 3.5 games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings. 

Here’s the play-in scenario for the eighth seed. If the team in eighth place is more than four games ahead of the team in ninth place, the eighth-placed team qualifies for the playoff berth. If the team in ninth place is within four games, those two teams would compete in a play-in tournament for the eighth seed in the playoffs. The ninth-place team must win two games before the eighth-place team wins one to clinch the eighth playoff spot. 

The Grizzlies eight seeding games are as follows:

  • Friday, July 31  —  Trail Blazers, 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, August 2  —  Spurs, 3 p.m.
  • Monday, August 3  —  Pelicans, 5:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, August 5  —  Jazz, 1:30 p.m.
  • Friday, August 7  —  Thunder, 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, August 9  —  Raptors, 1 p.m.
  • Tuesday, August 11  —  Celtics, 5:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, August 13  —  Bucks, TBD


Here are five questions that face the Grizzlies as the NBA restarts:

1. The Grizzlies roster makeup has changed since the start of the regular season, and since the hiatus. Do you think the new-look Grizzlies can succeed?

Aimee Steigemeyer: It will be the core group of players that put together wins before the hiatus who will be the deciding factors in whatever success the Grizzlies have going forward. Having all those key guys healthy when the season resumes will be a huge asset in the team’s favor. The new additions are like sprinkles on a cupcake  —  nice if you can get it but not critically necessary.

Sharon Brown: Yes, I believe it will lead to success. If Gorgui Dieng or Anthony Tolliver can go in to knock down shots or defend to give the starters a bit of rest then it will be beneficial for the team. But make no mistake about it, success will ultimately rely on all the players that are there. 

At the beginning of the season, Josh Jackson was in Southaven, playing for the Hustle, before he was called up to the main roster. Jackson had been performing well and was finding a groove before the season was suspended. In his last five games, the Kansas product averaged 16.6 points. 

2. Speaking of success, how will the season be viewed if the Grizzlies make a playoff run — or not?

Aimee: Given where this team was “supposed” to be, the season is already a success. But it would absolutely make it much sweeter to see them hold onto the eighth seed and try to make whatever kind of splash they can in the playoffs. I know that I am still eating crow for my comments in January about the playoffs not being a realistic goal for this team. I don’t have a problem admitting when I am wrong, and I will happily wear my clown mask and root for a playoff run. I don’t think you put an asterisk on this season either.

And if ever there were a year when a young and hungry team could be a dark horse threat in the postseason, it is this year and this team. If by some chance #GrzNxtGen manages to run through the Lakers in the first round, it will not be the craziest thing to happen in 2020.

Sharon: The 2019–2020 will be a success for the team whether they clinch the playoffs or not. Memphis was supposed to be at the bottom of the league and projected to win 20 to 23 games. This is a fun team that fans can be proud of for years to come. This season will be something the players can build upon and grow to eventually become a championship contender. 

3. According to a number of reports, the NBA informed teams that the 2019–20 NBA Awards (MVP, Rookie of Year, Sixth Man, Defensive Player, etc) will be based upon the regular season through the date the season was suspended on March 11. What are the chances the Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will win Rookie of the Year?

Aimee: I’d say damn near 100 percent. Morant should be the unanimous Rookie of the Year (ROY) and it’s not even close. I know the national media loves Zion Williamson, but it would be outright favoritism to consider him a ROY candidate having played less than two dozen games.

Sharon: Morant most definitely should be the Rookie of the Year and it should be a unanimous decision. Morant has put in the work and then some. He leads all qualified rookies in scoring (17.6), assists (6.9) and double-doubles (11). The three-time NBA Rookie of the Month for the Western Conference (October/November, December, January) is the only rookie this season to post a triple-double (with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Washington Wizards in February). 

There’s more  —  the first-year guard also is Mr. Fourth Quarter. He ranks sixth in fourth-quarter scoring at 7.3 points. 

4. Besides Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., who will be the X-factor in the season restart?

Aimee: [Justise Winslow could be another piece that fits.] That would have been my answer to this question before the announcement of his hip injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Said injury is unfortunate, but if you take into account that no one really expected Winslow to play at all until next season, I don’t think this puts them in any worse shape.

Brandon Clarke and Grayson Allen being healthy and available will be significant factor in any success the Grizzlies achieve during the restart. I also hope that Coach Jenkins has paid attention to the campaign to #FreeJoshJackson, especially now that he’s spent some time under Tony Allen’s wing.

Sharon: Dillon Brooks is definitely an X-factor. This season the Grizzlies are 18–4 when he scores 20 or more points a game and are 4–15 when he scores in single digits. Memphis needs Brooks to ball out along with the other young core in order to stay on pace to clinch its first playoff berth since 2017. 

Also, the Grizzlies bench is a big key to victory and is ranked in the top five in efficiency. The Grizzlies’ reserves average 41.4 points a game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The bench ranks first among benches in field goal percentage (.479) assists (12.1) and steals (4.1). The hiatus was a blessing in disguise since Brandon Clarke and Grayson Allen will be healthy and back in action. 

5. Have your expectations for Memphis changed from the beginning of the 2019-2020 season through the hiatus and the season restart?

Aimee: Honestly, I will be happy just to watch some basketball again. That said, I hope to see them retain their position as the 8th seed. If they do, no one can say they didn’t earn it. (I’m looking at you, Pelicans Twitter)

Sharon: Of course. Many thought it would take years for this version of the Grizzlies to be successful. But somehow, the team found a way to win and are knocking on the door to the playoffs. The team collectively isn’t afraid to compete with any other team and has the mindset of proving everyone wrong. Jackson Jr. summed up that feeling back in February. He said, “Nobody really thought that we’d be in this position at this point. People just said to us, “Oh, you have time. Don’t worry about it! You’re young!” We kind of were just like, “We don’t care.” That’s how we play and how we are  —  we just don’t care.”

My apologies for doubting the team, Jaren. It won’t happen again. 

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82

CREDIT: NBA.com

Sharon Brown

Jonas Valanciunas

On throwback jersey night, it was the return of the NBA big men.

Jonas Valanciunas seems to enjoy it when he goes to battle against a true opposing big man. On Monday night he went up against Detroit’s Andre Drummond. Valanciunas led the Grizzlies with a team-high 26 points (13-of-19), 17 rebounds, four blocks, and two assists. His counterpart Drummond was equally impressive with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and four assists. 

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82

Pistons head coach Dwane Casey spoke about centers in the NBA before the matchup and talked about Valanciunas, whom he coached in Toronto. “In the new NBA, that’s what it is,” Casey said. “That’s why I’ve seen a kid like [Jonas] Valanciunas grow. I remember the first few years, he wanted post-ups, he wanted touches and all this. I said, ‘Hey, that’s not the way it is.’” 

Casey continued with praise of Valanciunas, “Every year he got better and better at understanding that those mundane things are just as important as hollow points you might put up, the verticality, the screening, the rolling, the catching and making good decisions. It’s not flashy, your name doesn’t get in the paper, but those teams win when those guys accept those roles and do that job. It’s not fun, but it’s a very valuable position to develop and to be in.”

The Grizzlies defeated the Pistons 96–82, to give rookie coach Taylor Jenkins his 25th win of the season. Memphis is now 25–25 on the season while the Pistons fell to 18–34. 

NBA.com

Taylor Jenkins

On Monday afternoon, Jenkins was named Western Conference Coach of the Month by the NBA for January. This is his first career coach of the month honor. The first-year coach led his team to an 11–4 record in January which tied for the highest winning percentage (.733) in the Western Conference. The last time a Grizzlies coach was named coach of the month was Dave Joerger in November 2014. At age 35, Jenkins is the youngest person to earn Coach of the Month honors since Lawrence Frank in April 2005.

Before the game, Jenkins spoke about the honor: “It is an honor for sure and very humbling. It is something that I am excited about because I am excited for the entire organization  —  from our players to the coaching staff, our entire staff, the performance staff, the front office, everyone that goes into what we did in the month of January.”

He went on to say, “It is a great reflection of all of the hard work and everyone growing every single day. Obviously, it is translating to some success on the court. Just very excited for everyone involved. It was great to get the congratulations from everyone but we are now focused on a great month of February.”

Rookie guard Ja Morant praised Jenkins after the win: “He’s almost the same as me, giving credit to a lot of us, but he deserves it. He has us ready each and every game and pushes us in practice. [Tonight] was just one of those games where he knew what type of game it was, and he knew exactly how to make us come out with a win.”

By the Numbers
After scoring 53 points in the first half, the Pistons were held to just 29 points in the second half. The Pistons only scored 10 points in the third period, while going 3-of-25 from the field. Both numbers are season-lows from Grizzlies opponents this season.   

The Grizzlies won the points in the paint battle 68–50 (+18).

Memphis had a season-high 12 blocks; Detroit had 5 (+7)

The Grizzlies have won 12 of their last 14 games in Memphis after starting the season 3–11 at home. 


Player stats

Grizzlies

Valanciunus also secured his 24th double-double of the season, and it’s the third game this season in which he finished with at least 25 points and 15 rebounds. The big man finished with a +28.

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82 (4)

Dillon Brooks tallied 15 points, four rebounds, and five assists while shooting 7-of-15 from the field. Jaren Jackson Jr. had a bad shooting night (3-of-10) but he ended with 14 points by going 8-of-9 from the charity stripe along with five rebounds, three blocked shots, and two assists. 

Grizzlies Win Battle of Big Men, Beat Pistons, 96-82 (3)

In 21 minutes, Tyus Jones led the bench squad with 13 points and five assists with zero turnovers. Morant finished with 12 points and a team-high seven assists.

The Other Guys

Drummond tallied his 41st double-double of the season, which ties Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo for the most double-doubles of the season. Lang Galloway and Christian Wood finished with 17 points apiece off the bench. 

Up Next

Grizzlies will start a three-game road trip with a stop in Dallas on Wednesday night. The Mavericks will be without Luka Doncic, who is out due to an ankle injury. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. at the American Airlines Center.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies’ Mid-Season Check-up

CREDIT: Lawrence Kuzniewski

At the beginning of the season, absolutely no one predicted the Memphis Grizzlies would be in playoff consideration. As of today, the Grizzlies are 19–22 on the season and in the 8th spot in the Western Conference. 

Lawrence Kuzniewski

Ja Morant and Taylor Jenkins

The team was an afterthought for most around the league after trading Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz in the off-season. But Memphis is currently on a six-game win streak, a feat the team hasn’t accomplished since 2016. Shocker! 

This is a fun team and they are finding ways to win. Speaking of: “A lot of fun — it’s always fun to win,” rookie Ja Morant said after a huge win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. Morant added, “I’m having a lot of fun, enjoying every bit of it. Thankful and grateful to even be here to play for Memphis in front of this crowd with these guys. It’s a blessing.”

Who would have the audacity to think this young team would be any good and figuring out how to win so soon? Memphis’ last loss was a heartbreaker against the Sacramento Kings on January 2nd. 

Jae Crowder has provided value to the team with his veteran leadership, and he is a big part of the reason why this team is getting it done. After practice on Thursday afternoon, Crowder, the de facto locker room leader, says it’s a sense of urgency for the team in everything they do in practice, and with their attention to detail. Crowder said, “We have guys locked in right now, and it is paying off with wins, but we gotta stay the course and put our best foot forward every game.” One game at a time is his motto, and the elder statesman keeps preaching it to his teammates.

Crowder says it’s being like a proud father — seeing the growth of his teammates from the start of the season through 41 games. The Marquette product believes in accountability for himself, his teammates, and the coaching staff. 

Larry Kuzniewski

Jae Crowder

Crowder is not only a voice in the locker room but also a voice on the court. He says he tries to help the young guys on the floor when they make mistakes, and he says the veterans have look themselves in the mirror first — and walk the walk. 

Head Coach Taylor Jenkins is appreciative of Crowder on and off the court. After a recent game Jenkins said: “With him, the consistent quality is his leadership, and his communication with his teammates on the court and in the timeouts — even what is going on behind the scenes in the locker room — by what he is doing game in and game out getting the team together.”

Jenkins continued: “I lean on him a lot to communicate coverages or communicate to a player about a previous possession. He is just a great voice and another leader out there that can be an extension of me. He does it innately, which is awesome. He has done it at a high level. He knows what winning habits take and what they are. The fact that he is going out there and communicating and trying to showcase them as an example; it has been a great quality.”

NBA.com

Taylor Jenkins

The first-year coach knows he has something to be proud of after 41 games of his rookie season. “We have been competing since Day 1 . We have been playing unselfish, and it was a struggle early, but we have gotten progressively better,” Jenkins said after the big win over the Rockets. 

Jenkins says he didn’t want to put himself or his team in a box, coming into the season. He wanted to focus on just competing, and he wanted his players to play as a team. He knew they team would figure it out eventually. 

The rookie coach added, “These guys come in and they embrace their mentality. It’s been at the forefront, so to be at the midway mark and to be 41 games in, we don’t even look at the records. Can we be that aggressive, disciplined, and unselfish team? We took huge steps, each game, these last couple of weeks, this last month. We are seeing some big-time growth individually, and that just translates into the team’s growth.”

Jenkins believes that the team chemistry is a big part of their success. “I think our chemistry has been there for a majority of the season  —  we just hadn’t necessarily gotten the results. The consistency in our play has been there. We are playing with leads, playing from behind. The process in which we compete defensively and our execution of game plans is getting better. We definitely have our lapses here and there. Offensively, our unselfishness continues to be there, but it is consistent, too. Night in and night out, we are getting consistent production on both ends of the floor. Our bench has been huge for us the past couple of weeks. They are making impact with not only their scoring, but also rebounding and assisting especially. The fact that we are getting consistent play, the chemistry has been there. That has helped us get to this consistent stretch.”

One game at a time is how the Grizzlies are approaching the rest of the season. The players are aware that they have room to grow in the midst of the winning streak and know they can’t take any opponent lightly. Players just want to play basketball, have fun, and continue to win. Grizzlies fans need to continue to believe and enjoy the ride — because the future looks bright for these Memphis Grizzlies.