Tag: Ziaire Williams

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Win Third in a Row

Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half against Orlando Magic at FedEx Forum on January 26, 2024, in Memphis Tennessee. (Wes Hale Photo)

On the court at FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies haven’t had much luck this season, with a disappointing 4–15 home record going into Friday night. Nevertheless, they defeated the Orlando Magic in a nail-biter, 107-106, to win their second consecutive home game. It marked Memphis’ fifth straight win against the Magic.

Memphis has now won three games in a row and recorded at least 30 assists in each victory. 

“Moving forward, continue to make that a priority — it’s as simple as that,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on how the team’s assists correlate to a winning formula. “We know that’s got to be a big part of our identity. We’ve had to work all season to catch this wave of a couple of games in a row. Keep prioritizing the spacing.” 

Jenkins went on to say, “I talked about the willingness to see it on film, see it in the practices, see it within the game — that’s what our guys have to continue to focus on.”

“In terms of a correlation, we know what our identity is,” Jenkins explained. “It’s our defensive activity that generates that excitement and momentum. We know when we play like that, you’re getting the production as well. When you’re setting your teammates up, that’s the excitement that we’re used to playing with. Encouraged by the play the last couple of games, and these guys know I’m not going to stop hitting them over the head with it.”

Despite starting 11 different lineups in January, the Grizzlies managed an 8-5 record for the month.

Leading the way for the Grizzlies Friday night was Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored 30 points, snatched 8 boards, and dished out 2 assists. It was Jackson Jr.’s eighth 30-point performance this season.

Jackson Jr. bullied the Magic bigs under the hoop and scored around the rim with consistency. He tied a season-high with 24 points in the paint for the Grizzlies, who finished with 50 paint points.

Jackson Jr. is the lone regular part of the Grizzlies core who is not sidelined for Memphis. His improved play has been another bright spot of this tumultuous season. 

“Yeah, for sure — very well said,” was Jackson Jr.’s response to a question about whether playing without Ja Morant and Desmond Bane is helping him grow. “Try (to) go out there every day and work on my game. Work on what I work on, doubles, shifts, and more attention. It is all going to be good because you don’t always get opportunities like that. So, you got to make the most of it and really grow when your name is called in situations like that.”

For Jackson Jr., it’s a good feeling to win in front of the home crowd. “It’s always good to win here,” he said. “I know we’ve had a better record on the road. So, every time we come back here, and we can get it done, all these games are going to mean something at this point.”

“We’re trying to crawl back,” Jackson Jr. continued. “We’re trying to make this push right here, which we are going to get that done. But it’s going to take a lot of fights. So, every game is going to be played like a playoff game.”

Off the bench, Ziaire Williams added 17 points (7-10 FG, 3-6 3P), four rebounds, and five assists. Williams has been struggling mightily as of late and has received plenty of criticism about his performances. 

After the game, Williams responded to the criticism, “I’ve just been taking it one day at a time, taking the good with the bad and the bad with the good — staying true to myself and putting the work in. I’m glad it paid off today. I just have to keep it up and believe in my ability.”

Luke Kennard added 15 points (5-11 FG), connected on five 3-pointers, and dished out six assists. In his last four games, Kennard has made 19 3-pointers.

Up Next

The Grizzlies travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers, Sunday, January 28 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Poor Play Leads to Another Grizzlies Home Loss

Ja Morant goes up for a layup against the Toronto Raptors inside FedExForum on December 3, 2023 (Photo credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Historically, when an NBA club has played at FedExForum in Memphis, they knew they were in for a fierce battle. That’s no longer the case. Last season, the Grizzlies dominated on the home floor, this season they have struggled mightily.

The squad dropped to 3-13 at home after a fourth quarter rally fell short against the Toronto Raptors, 116-111. Memphis just can’t seem to put together a complete game for 48 minutes.

The second quarter is the biggest culprit. According to NBA.com, Memphis ranks dead last (30th) in the league in scoring during the second period, with 24.7 points, while shooting 41.3 percent from the field.

Something has to change with the rotations in the second period if Memphis wants to start winning consistently after falling to 11-23 on the season.

After the game, Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins took responsibility for the loss. “I’ve got to get this team better prepared,” Jenkins acknowledged. “We were flat tonight — that’s on me.”

Did that really come out of his mouth about getting the team better prepared after a whopping 34 games. In the words of WWE legend Booker T, “Tell me, he didn’t just say that!”

Former Grizzlies assistant and first-year head coach of the Raptors, Darko Rajakovic, certainly had his team prepared to take down his former team.

That’s an indictment of Jenkins’ coaching, if he doesn’t have the team better prepared after nearly half of the season is gone. There have been key injuries, and a 25-game suspension, but that’s the card that has been dealt. Some of the losses have been on Jenkins, even though his players wholeheartedly disagree with that sentiment.

“At the end of the day, he’s not the one out there playing — it’s us,” said Ziaire Williams. We should already be self-motivated, he shouldn’t have to yell at us or scream at us when we’re down by 15 or 10, or playing lazy and lackadaisical on the defensive end, not sharing the ball. That should already be a given.”

He concluded, “We got to find ways to do that for 48 minutes straight. That was cool for coach taking the blame, but, it’s not much he could do about that. It’s on us to come out and do what we need to do. Be professionals, do what we are paid to do.”

Williams had a great game off the bench, with 18 points, putting up 12 in the final period by converting on 5-of-8 from the field.

Desmond Bane who finished with 22 points, eight assists, and four rebounds put the onus on the players to take responsibility and accountability. He said, “As a coach you can only do so much. You don’t put a jersey on, you don’t run up and down the court. It has nothing to do with him honestly. We are all grown men. It’s on us, we have to be better.”

Ja Morant led the team with a near triple double with 28 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Morant on the team coming out flat: “I don’t want to make excuses. You just got to be better, come out with more energy to be able to get a win on a home floor.”

Jaren Jackson, Jr. had a slow start but ended with 13 of his 24 points in the final period. Jackson Jr. also grabbed four rebounds and blocked four shots.

With the loss, Memphis is now 7-1 when Bane, Jackson Jr., and Morant all score 20 plus points.

Where does Memphis go from here

The blame lies with the players, the coach’s decision-making, and the front office for the roster construction at this point in the season.

The time for excuses is over. There has to be energy and effort from the players in all facets of the game. Jenkins has to make better coaching decisions, and the front office needs to make moves at the deadline in order to right the ship.

Things don’t get easier. The Grizzlies head to California to start a three-game game road trip beginning Friday, January 5, against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena at 9 p.m. CT.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Another Grizzlies Comeback Victory in San Antonio

Jaren Jackson, Jr. against the San Antonio Spurs on November 18, 2023 (Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)

On Saturday night, the depleted Memphis Grizzlies erased a 19-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs, 120-108. 

It was reminiscent of last season, when the Grizzlies completed a 29-point comeback as they defeated the Spurs, 126-120, in overtime.

Memphis dominated the final quarter by outscoring the Spurs 33-14 and held San Antonio to 28.6 percent shooting.

The Grizzlies have now defeated San Antonio 11 consecutive times. This is Memphis’ longest active run of victories against a single opponent, and their longest ever against the Spurs.

Despite only playing seven minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, Jaren Jackson Jr. led the way with 27 points, five rebounds, and 11-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe. For the season, the 24-year-old is averaging 20 points, six rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks. 

Desmond Bane ended with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists while going 8-of-15 from the field. Bane is averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.

Bismack Biyombo put up 14 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.

Santi Aldama chipped in 17 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists.

Ziaire Williams ended with 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. 

Derrick Rose returned to the lineup after a nine-game absence with swift moves that led to the comeback. As a reserve, Rose contributed nine points. 

Injuries

Memphis has a long list of injuries, and only four players from the main roster have been available for all 12 games: Jackson, Bane, David Roddy, and Kenneth Lofton Jr. 

Marcus Smart would have been in that number, but he suffered a foot injury in the 134-107 thrashing by the Lakers on Tuesday night. 

Smart had trouble putting weight on his left ankle after landing awkwardly on Austin Reaves’ foot in the first quarter of the game in Los Angeles. He had to be helped off the court and did not return to the game. Smart appeared on the Grizzlies bench in a walking boot. 

The Grizzlies announced on Saturday that Smart had a left foot sprain and is expected to return within 3-5 weeks. 

Up Next 

No rest for the Grizzlies, as they will host the hot Boston Celtics Sunday inside FedExForum at 7 p.m. 

Return of 12

After tonight’s game the Celtics, it will be 12 more games before Ja Morant is eligible to return from a 25-game league suspension.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Notes From Memphis Grizzlies Media Day 2023

Jaren Jackson Jr. (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)

It’s about that time again – time for Memphis Grizzlies basketball.  

The Grizzlies held their preseason media day today, with general manager Zach Kleiman and head coach Taylor Jenkins available to answer questions.

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)

There was also a brief media availability for each player, with the notable exception of Ja Morant.

Morant’s absence loomed large and unfortunately, that will be the case going forward. He will be serving a league-issued suspension for the first 25 games of the season.  

This means the focus, for the time being, will be on building chemistry without their star point guard.

The front office swung for the fences during the offseason, acquiring Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics as well as signing league veteran and former Memphis Tigers basketball star Derrick Rose to a two-year contract. 

All signs are pointing to another exciting season from your Memphis Grizzlies.

Derrick Rose (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)
Steven Adams (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)

Here are a few things that Grizzlies fans can look forward to in the upcoming season:  

Per general manager Zach Kleiman, Ja Morant will be allowed to practice and travel with the team during his suspension. However, he will not be allowed to sit on the bench during that time.  

Forward Ziaire Williams feels confident heading into his third season. “No one has worked harder than me this summer,” said Williams. “I’m ready, you’ll see.” Williams struggled last season after missing extended time with right knee pain, attributed to patellar tendinitis.

Jaren Jackson Jr. (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)

Jaren Jackson Jr. is committed to being a better rebounder this season. “It’s on my mind,” he said. “I’m coming into my size and body, so it’s no excuses.” Jackson is the reigning defensive player of the year for good reason, but he acknowledges the need to improve in this area.  

Marcus Smart (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)

Marcus Smart is already locked in, and among other things, said he’s “looking forward to helping keep Jaren out of foul trouble.”  

What a coincidence – I am also looking forward to Marcus Smart keeping Jaren out of foul trouble.  

Training camp begins Tuesday, October 3rd, and the first preseason game is scheduled for October 8th at home against the Indiana Pacers. 

 Stay tuned for our upcoming season preview and for all things Memphis Grizzlies.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Memphis Loses to Suns as Late Rally Falls Short

Ja Morant and Steven Adams on January 23, 2023 against Phoenix Suns. (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

A 38-point fourth quarter from helped the Grizzlies rally from a double-digit deficit and trim the Suns lead to two points, but Phoenix prevailed 112-110 to tie the season series at 2-2. At one point in the game, Phoenix was up as many as 29 points. 

After winning 11 straight games, Memphis has now lost two games in a row by a total of three points. 

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 27 points, eight assists, and five rebounds and Desmond Bane added 24 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Ziaire Williams chipped in season-high tying 16 points as a reserve, including a franchise-record 79-foot buzzer-beater to close out the third quarter.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said he was proud of the team’s effort to get back in the game but he was not happy with the team’s road woes. 

Jenkins said, “I was proud of them, but I said you can’t come out with that mentality on the road. We’re two games, I think, below .500. We’ve got to get better. This is a great learning opportunity, so we still got a long road trip ahead against really good teams. 

“I say we just gotta take it one day at a time,” Jenkins added. “But use this as an opportunity to get better. We haven’t lived up to our standard on the road, but I want to take this as an opportunity, middle of the season, good teams out west — we had this back in December — we’ve got to respond. And I have the belief that our guys will. It may not happen overnight, but luckily they’re aware that we have to be better in these situations.”

Memphis is 11-12 on the road and 20-3 at home. 

“Good teams win at home,” Morant told The Athletic’s Kelly Iko in an exclusive. “Great teams win on the road. That’s been our identity since I got here. Road warriors. This year, we haven’t been bringing that intensity on the road.”

 “Early on, we missed a lot of shots we normally make,” Morant told the media after the loss. “They were making them on the other end. Obviously, basketball is 48 minutes, a game of runs. I just feel like we got to be better, knowing when our shots aren’t falling, know to lock it in even more on defense then getting stops and then pretty much not dropping our heads after a team scores a couple of times or goes on a run; we just got to come out and be ready to fight.”

“You got to create your own energy,” said Dillon Brooks. “The crowd is a big thing in this league, and you have to find a way to create your own energy. The Western Conference is a tougher conference, so [it’s about] finding a way to create our own energy on this road trip and bouncing back after these two losses.”

Tid-Bit

NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe apologized for his actions against the Grizzlies on Friday night during the Lakers game on Friday night. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies are in Sacramento Monday to take on a hot Kings team that’s trying to cement its place in the top echelon of the Western Conference. It’s a late tip-off: 9:30 pm CT. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Jackson, Morant lift Grizzlies to Fifth-Straight Win

Jaren Jackson after his 31 points and 10 rebounds performance against the Orlando Magic on January 5, 2023. (Credit: NBAE via Getty Images)

Jaren Jackson, Jr. was a man on a mission from the start of the game on Thursday night in Orlando, putting on arguably one of the best performances of his career. He finished with a season-high 31 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks to help the Grizzlies improve to 25-13 on the season by beating the Orlando Magic, 123-115. It was the Grizzlies’ fifth win in a row.

Grizzlies color analyst Brevin Knight says no offensive player is safe when the 23-year-old is on the floor.

Jackson showed his defensive prowess and offensive precision. He shot an astonishing 90.9 percent in the paint area and 85.7 percent overall while going 12-of-14 from the field. 

And Jackson had historic night for the franchise. According to Statmuse, Jackson was the first Grizzlies player to put up 30 points and 10 rebounds on 80 percent shooting since two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was impressed with the Michigan State alum’s efforts. “He was a force on both sides,” Jenkins said. Obviously, offensively scoring inside, scoring outside. I thought he set a tone in that first quarter for us blocking a number of shots. 

Jenkins continued: “He really got rolling in that first quarter. And then when we needed some crucial buckets, put him in iso situations, post-up situations, he just made great reads, great plays. Overall, they felt his force tonight and his physicality on both sides is definitely one of the most impressive, if not the most so far this season for JJ”

Jackson’s walk-off interview with Bally Sports sideline reporter Rob Fischer.

“We knew they were going to throw a lot at Ja (Morant), which they definitely did throughout the game, especially in that fourth quarter,” Jenkins concluded. “Just having that balance of pick-and-roll motion play, dribble handoffs, post iso, something that we’ll continue to work on just so we’ll have better balance.” Morant was the game-high scorer with 32 points, six assists, and five rebounds. 

It marked the first time in their careers that Jackson and Morant both scored 30+ points in the same game in the regular season. Grizzlies fans would love to see more of that on a regular basis from this dynamic duo. 

After the game Morant shifted his praises to Jackson. “It was definitely one of the most complete games I’ve seen him play,” Morant said. “It helped us big time.”

“It makes the game a lot easier – opens the floor up,” said Dillon Brooks of Jackson’s defensive effort. “It gives us confidence to press up on the defenders and force them to come downhill to him. We are really tough to beat.”

Brooks finished with 11 points, six rebounds and tied his season-high with six assists. 

“Today they were just shifting a lot and they were in the paint so I was able to find my teammates,” said Brooks on his improved playmaking. “It has always been a priority for me to pass the ball.”

Brooks believes Jackson is a one-of-a-kind talent. “He’s one of our guys who’s a mismatch nightmare, so we need him to be aggressive every night on both ends.”

In the game, Ziaire Williams was outstanding, coming off the bench for Memphis and scoring a season-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting with three 3-pointers and a +13 in only 14 minutes. The 21-year-old versatile wing is an important piece for the Grizzlies championship aspirations.

“Long overdue,” Williams said after the game. “Long overdue, for sure.”

The 21-year-old went on to say, “I told myself to have extreme confidence. You can only do so much work, but if you don’t trust it, it’s worthless.

Up Next

The Grizzlies return home to face the Utah Jazz on Sunday at 5pm CT inside FedExForum. Memphis is seeking retribution against the Jazz after two back to back losses in Utah earlier in the season.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall to Sixers in OT

Desmond Bane lines up a shot against the Sixers. (Photo via @memgrizz)

The Grizzlies fought hard Monday night in Philadelphia against the Sixers but ultimately were not able to close out in overtime. Memphis’ team lost to the 76ers 119 to 122.

Let’s get into it.  

As far as losses go, this one isn’t entirely disappointing. Not entirely, but still a little. There are many upsides to point out from this game, even in defeat. But there are also some lingering issues that continue to plague this Grizzlies team. Issues that need to be addressed sooner rather than later if they are going to make a deep postseason run. 

The Sixers were without their star big man Joel Embiid, but Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey picked up the slack and helped secure victory for Philadelphia. Harris and Maxey combined for 64 points, more than half of the points scored by the Sixers. 

But win or lose, the best player on the court was inarguably Ja Morant, with Desmond Bane in a supporting role. Morant and Bane are one of the most dynamic, exciting-to-watch backcourts in the league this year.

Ja-countability? Like the leader he is shaping up to be, Morant expressed in the postgame press conference that he feels responsible for the loss, citing key missed free throws and poor three-point shooting.

By the Numbers: 

Before I get into individual stats, the elephant in the room needs to be addressed — missed free throws are hurting this team in a bad way. Overall free throw shooting for the Grizzlies was a dismal 68 percent. The team missed a collective 9 free throws in a game they lost by 3 and there is absolutely no excuse for it.  

A public service announcement from the Ministry of Making Your Fucking Free Throws

As bad as the free throw shooting was, the three-point shooting was even worse. Shoutout to Desmond Bane for hitting 5 of the 6 made three-pointers. Unfortunately, that is not a typo — the Grizzlies shot an abysmal 6 of 30 from beyond the arc.  

But it wasn’t all bad for the Grizzlies — they scored 30 points off 21 turnovers, 29 fast break points, and 72 points in the paint.  

Ja Morant led all scorers with 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. This makes the seventh consecutive game where Morant has scored 30 or more points, a career record for him and a franchise record for the Grizzlies.  

Desmond Bane closed out with a career-high 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.  

Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Rookie Ziaire Williams ended up with 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists, including 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. 

This dish from Morant to Williams was next-level nasty:

Behind the back passing? Yes, please!

Who Got Next? 

The Grizzlies continue their three-game road trip with an appearance Wednesday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena, to face off against the New York Knicks. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. CST.  

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Grizzlies Top Warriors for Record 10th Consecutive Win

Ja Morant and Desmond Bane (Grizzlies Twitter @Memgrizz)

Tuesday night your Memphis Grizzlies faced off against the Golden State Warriors and came away with another game in this historic winning streak. The 116-108 score means the Grizzlies have now won 10 games in a row. 

Let’s get into it.  

The buzz around the league right now has centered largely on the return of Klay Thompson for the first time since the 2019 NBA Finals. Thompson, Golden State’s shooting guard extraordinaire, is one-half of the Splash Brothers alongside Stephen Curry. Giving credit where credit is due, the aforementioned players are very good, as are the Warriors as a whole.  

But I dare say that right now, this Grizzlies team is better.  

Both teams were missing some key rotation players, but it was a fair matchup, and this victory was hard-fought. Draymond Green was sidelined for Tuesday’s game, and Dillon Brooks will be off the court for at least the next four to five weeks. The Grizzlies’ starting center Steven Adams remains in the league’s health and safety protocol for the third game in a row. Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins also remains in the league’s health and safety protocols, leaving assistant coach Darko Rajaković at the helm. 

By the Numbers: 

Before we get into individual performances, there are a few stand-out team stats that deserve some attention.  

The Grizzlies converted 17 Golden State turnovers into 26 points. They finished with 22 more field goal attempts, shot better from beyond the arc (14-34 vs 13-36), and beat the Warriors in rebounding (49-45), assists (30-25), steals (11-8), and blocks (8-5). 

They held Andre Iguodala to zero points in 21 minutes of playing time.  

Fun fact: Every single time that Iguodala got the ball in his hands or did anything in the game at all, the fans in the Grindhouse booed him. After the unnecessary debacle that Iguodala created surrounding being traded to Memphis during the 2019 offseason, I hope this becomes as much of a staple of the in-game experience as “Whoop That Trick” and trash-talking Blake Griffin. 

Grizz Nation has a long memory and pettiness that is unrivaled.  

Now, onto the gang.  

Ja Morant led all scorers with 29 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks.  

Ziaire Williams scored a career-high 17 points and contributed to a couple of highlight plays.  

Tyus Jones dropped 17 points off the bench, including shooting 5 for 5 from beyond the three-point line. 

Brandon Clarke closed out with 14 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks and contributed to some highlights of his own.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Notched a double-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.

Desmond Bane finished with 11 points, three rebounds, and four assists. 

Kyle Anderson made his presence felt on both ends of the floor once again, ending with eight points, four rebounds, two assists, and three steals.  

Who Got Next?  

The Grizzlies will play back-to-back games at home Thursday and Friday nights, facing off against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks, respectively. They will close out this four-game home stand with the annual MLK Day game on Monday, January 17th, against the Chicago Bulls.