Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane risked a technical foul to troll old teammate Dillon Brooks

Desmond Bane was willing to risk the foul to get in the trolling.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane risked a technical foul to troll one of his old teammates in Houston Rockets guard Dillon Brooks.

During Friday night’s Grizzlies home game against the Rockets, Bane got right next to Brooks on the court and seemingly told him that he couldn’t dribble, which got him immediately t’d up by one of the referees.

Bane looked a bit bewildered by the call, but he kept chirping at Brooks as he was walking away. There is clearly no love lost between these two, and Bane didn’t let a technical foul keep him from trying to get in Brooks’ head.

The Grizzlies lost the game to the Rockets, 103-96, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Bane got his best verbal jab in at Brooks, who is known for messing with his opponents as it is.

We’re absolutely going to be glued to this NBA rivalry in the years to come.

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In Memphis return, Dillon Brooks cooks Grizzlies as Rockets win fifth straight

In his first return to Memphis as a visitor, Dillon Brooks (team-high 26 points) hit a dagger 3-pointer in the final minute and led Houston (13-9) to a fifth straight win.

In his first return to Memphis since playing six seasons for the Grizzlies, Dillon Brooks scored a team-high 26 points for the Rockets — including 24 in the second half — as Houston stormed back from an early 17-point deficit to win Friday’s game, 103-96 (box score).

Brooks hit 10-of-20 shots from the field (50.0%) and 3-of-9 from 3-point range (33.3%), including a dagger in the game’s final minute. With the win, Houston (13-9) has now won five straight, overall.

That was enough to withstand a spirited effort by the Grizzlies (6-18), who were led by 28 points and 13 rebounds from Desmond Bane. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22 points and 4 blocked shots.

Beyond Brooks, other Houston players who scored in double figures versus the Grizzlies included:

  • Fred VanVleet: 16 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals; 5-of-12 shooting (41.7%), 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%)
  • Alperen Sengun: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals; 4-of-12 shooting (33.3%), 7-of-7 on free throws
  • Jalen Green: 14 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds; 4-of-12 shooting (33.3%), 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%)
  • Jeff Green: 12 points, 4 rebounds in 19 minutes; 3-of-9 shooting (33.3%), 6-of-7 on free throws (85.7%)
  • Tari Eason: 11 points, 8 rebounds 2 steals in 23 minutes; 4-of-8 shooting (50.0%), 1-of-1 on 3-pointers

The Rockets were without a pair of reserves in Amen Thompson and Jae’Sean Tate, with each sitting out due to an illness.

Here’s our look at highlights and postgame interviews after Friday’s game, along with reaction by media members and fans. Next up for the Rockets, as a three-game road trip continues, is Sunday’s tough matchup at Milwaukee (17-7). Tipoff is at 6:00 p.m. Central.

Ranking the NBA’s 10 best star trios (now including Dame, Giannis and Middleton)

Can anyone compete with the defending champs?

You need a lot of star power on your roster in order to win a championship in the NBA and several teams just added significant talent.

As the offseason ended, the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard while the Celtics added Jrue Holiday. Earlier this offseason, meanwhile, the Suns added Bradley Beal to a lineup that already had Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. But how do these revamped contenders stack up with the league’s top three-man lineups?

Many publications have ranked the best duos in the NBA — which you can read here, here, here or here. But we wanted to look at the best star trios in the league right now. Here is what we concluded:

Note: Net rating is how many points per 100 possession each team has outscored opponents when these three players are on the court at the same time.

Jaren Jackson Jr. corrected a tweet that made Grizzlies fans think he was also leaving Memphis

Jaren Jackson Jr. said: ‘Memphis I’m forever grateful.’

Despite finishing as the No. 2 seed in the West, the Grizzlies are doing some soul-searching after they were eliminated by the Lakers.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Grizzlies informed Dillon Brooks that they will not bring him back under any circumstances. While there are a few reasons why Memphis may have decided to move on from the defensive-oriented wing, Brooks will search for a new team this offseason.

The Grizzlies say that they plan to be “very aggressive” on the trade market, and a recent tweet from Jaren Jackson Jr. had some Memphis fans convinced that the big man was also on his way out.

Jackson, who won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, tweeted that he was “forever grateful” for Memphis.

While that made it seem like his time with the Grizzlies had potentially concluded, almost exactly 24 hours later, he clarified that he was grateful “to be here” with the franchise. He may have just been feeling introspective.

Grizzlies teammate Desmond Bane tweeted that Jackson “bout broke the internet” with his tweet on Monday.

Fortunately, the big man provided some clarity so that fans could briefly stop firing up fake trade ideas and editing photos of him wearing jerseys for rival teams.

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3 keys for the Lakers in Game 6 versus the Grizzlies

The Lakers need to take care of these three things in order to put the Grizzlies away in Game 6 on Friday.

Hours after the Los Angeles Lakers had the opportunity to make relatively quick work of the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, they now find themselves in an extended series that could become more of a dogfight.

They dropped Game 5 by the score of 116-99, despite having a window of opportunity in the third quarter to take control of the contest and put Ja Morant and company away for the summer.

Now L.A. has given the Grizzlies life and confidence, and it will take more effort and energy to advance to the second round. However, if it takes care of these three areas, Game 6 may not be too strenuous.

LeBron joked that he doesn’t think about the Grizzlies at all after giving a detailed scouting report

LeBron: “Obviously, I haven’t thought about Memphis one minute.”

LeBron James is more than just one of the most physically gifted athletes of all time. He is also one of the most cerebral.

After a crucial 3-pointer from Dennis Schröder, and despite a costly foul by Anthony Davis, LeBron’s Lakers defeated the shorthanded Timberwolves during an overtime match in the play-in tournament.

As a reward for the stressful victory, Los Angeles will join all three of the other California teams and officially advance to the postseason in the Western Conference.

Waiting for them in the playoffs are the Memphis Grizzlies, who finished the season as the No. 2 seed in the West. LeBron, who clearly has a great mind for the game, was asked his thoughts about the upcoming opponent.

Here is what he told The Athletic’s Jovan Buha:

“Really good team. Very well-coached. Very well-balanced. Obviously, the head of the snake is Ja Morant. But another All-Star in Jaren Jackson who is up there as one of the Defensive Player of the Year [candidates], he’s been able to block shots and offensively he’s very dynamic as well. Tyus Jones, the point guard off the bench, has led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, like, the last six years. So he complements them very well. Desmond Bane, I think in his second or third year, but he plays like a veteran. His ability to shoot the ball from the 3-point line, also his ability to attack in early transition. Dillon Brooks … you can’t disrespect him because he makes shots. Xavier Tillman has been playing good basketball. Obviously, he’s been well-coached all the way from [his] college days with Coach Izzo to now. They got Luke Kennard who broke my scoring record in high school. He passed me in high school. There is a reason why. He is a laser from the 3-point line. His ability to shoot the ball is uncanny. They’ve got some other guys off the bench that you just can’t disrespect because they will make you pay.”‘

After rattling off that incredibly detailed scouting report on the entire roster from top to bottom, LeBron proceeded to mention that he obviously hasn’t thought for even “one minute” about Memphis.

I’m not sure if LeBron watched Mad Men, but this was an utterly fantastic Don Draper impression from the NBA’s all-time scoring leader.

For what it is worth: In this meme metaphor, if LeBron is Draper, then Dillon Brooks is definitely Michael Ginsberg. Brooks foolishly asked to play against LeBron in the postseason, but he should be careful about what he wishes for.

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Jabari Smith Jr. continues surge as Grizzlies blast Rockets with 151 points

#Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. (20 points, 8 rebounds) continued his strong month and shot very well, but it wasn’t nearly enough versus Luke Kennard and the red-hot Grizzlies.

Two nights earlier in the FedExForum, the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets took the vaunted Memphis Grizzlies down to the wire in a closer-than-expected loss, 130-125. Friday’s rematch, however, was a much different story.

Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. (20 points, 8 rebounds) continued the strongest month of his career by making 9-of-16 shots (56.3%), including 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%). But that wasn’t anywhere near enough in a 151-114 loss (box score). Off the bench, fellow rookie Tari Eason chipped in with 21 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists on 9-of-13 shooting (69.2%), tying his career scoring high.

The Grizzlies sliced open Houston’s defense, repeatedly, shooting an astonishing 25-of-42 on 3-pointers (59.5%). Luke Kennard scored 30 points off the bench on 10-of-11 shooting from 3-point range (90.9%), while Desmond Bane added 25 points with five 3-pointers. Ja Morant had 18 points and 8 assists in just 19 minutes off the bench in his second game since returning from suspension.

For Kennard, it was the most 3-pointers made in a single game of his career, and it was the most by any player in Grizzlies history. Memphis’ 151 points was tied for the most allowed in Rockets history.

Kevin Porter Jr. added 20 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds for Houston on 7-of-12 shooting (58.3%). Jalen Green added 13 points and 5 assists on 6-of-14 shooting (42.9%). Houston’s backcourt duo combined to make only 1-of-5 on 3-pointers (20%), representing an unusually low volume total, and that wasn’t nearly enough to keep up on a night where the Grizzlies were red hot throughout.

With the win, Memphis (46-27) retains its spot at No. 2 in the Western Conference standings. Houston (18-56) remains in last place and has lost four straight since its recent three-game winning streak.

Scroll on for highlights, postgame interviews, and reaction by Houston’s fans and media members. Next up is a tough back-to-back on Sunday and Monday in Cleveland and New York, respectively, with tipoff of the opener versus the Cavaliers at 5 p.m. Central.

Takeaways: Desmond Bane shoots Grizzlies past Jalen Green, Rockets

In his second game back from injury, Jalen Green scored 20 points in 29 minutes while hitting 4-of-7 from 3-point range (57.1%). It still wasn’t nearly enough to beat Memphis. #Rockets

The losing streak for the young and rebuilding Rockets is 11 games after Wednesday’s 113-99 loss (box score) to visiting Memphis. It was the second straight night Houston played one of the two top teams in the Western Conference. As one might expect, the team with the NBA’s worst record wasn’t close in either.

The Grizzlies (37-23), who are No. 2 in the West standings, were led by sharpshooting guard Desmond Bane, who had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists on 12-of-17 shooting (70.6%), including 6-of-9 on 3-pointers (66.7%). The Rockets, on their second double-digit losing streak of the 2022-23 season, fell to 13-49 with the loss.

Kevin Porter Jr. returned from a seven-week injury absence, posting 11 points and 5 rebounds in 26 minutes. However, he shot just 3-of-11 from the field (27.3%) and was occasionally seen limping. Head coach Stephen Silas acknowledged postgame that Porter’s toe would likely be somewhat of a problem for the rest of the season.

In his second game back from a groin injury, Jalen Green led the Rockets with 20 points and 3 assists in 29 minutes, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range (57.1%). KJ Martin added 19 points and 6 rebounds on 8-of-12 shooting (66.7%) and 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40%).

Second-year center Alperen Sengun tallied 11 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in 31 minutes while making 5-of-6 shots (83.3%).

Scroll on for highlights, analysis and postgame interviews. Next up for Houston is a weekend back-to-back versus the Spurs, with part one in San Antonio on Saturday night. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Central.

Rockets, Jalen Green tip cap after struggling to defend Ja Morant, Grizzlies

“You can’t do nothing,” Rockets guard Jalen Green says of Ja Morant. “When he’s hitting that jumper, all you can do is pray that he misses. That is what took the game to a whole other level.”

HOUSTON – In Friday’s home opener at Toyota Center, the Rockets found themselves trying to solve a problem that seemingly had no answer. Perennial All-Star guard Ja Morant continuously found holes in Houston’s defense while putting up an astonishing 49 points and 8 assists, leading visiting Memphis to a 129-122 victory.

That is the highest point total against the Rockets since Russell Westbrook had 49 for Oklahoma City in 2017. The 49 points is both the second-highest total of Morant’s career (he had 52 versus San Antonio in February 2022) and the second-most in Grizzlies franchise history. He also added 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots.

Whatever the Rockets threw at Morant, it seemed he had an answer. It was as if he was playing basketball in his backyard in his hometown of Sumter, South Carolina.

“Ja Morant is pretty good,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said postgame. “He started going under his pick and rolls, and he was 5-for-6 from 3-point range. So, we started moving up in our pick and roll defense and then he started to get downhill (in the paint). We picked up a little too soon, so he was getting downhill quickly.”

Once the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA draft got going, it seemed he was throwing rocks into the ocean.

During the game, Morant hit floaters, mid-range shots, 3-pointers, dunks, and lay-ups. His ability to get any shot off he wanted opened the floor for the rest of his teammates.

“When he gets going like that, the whole defense collapses on him, and it makes it easy for all of us to get open looks,” said teammate Desmond Bane, who chipped in 14 points for Memphis.

Houston took an eight-point lead into halftime, as Memphis struggled to find its rhythm. Morant came out on a mission in the third quarter, however. He scored 19 points in the frame on 8-of-9 shooting, and that changed the game’s complexity for the Grizzlies. Although Houston still held a five-point advantage to start the fourth quarter, everyone in the building could tell that Morant was in his zone.

“You can’t do nothing,” Rockets guard Jalen Green said. “Ja is already a problem, as it is. When he’s hitting that jumper, all you can do is pray that he misses. That is what took the game to a whole other level for Memphis. He started to hit those 3s, and we were going under. He did his part in knocking them down.”

In his first two games of the 2022-23 regular season, Morant is shooting 66.7% (8-of-12) from beyond the 3-point arc for the Grizzlies (2-0), which he credits to his rigorous offseason workouts.

“Hard work,” Morant told reporters when asked about his 3-point shooting this season. “Locking myself in the gym. Going onto the gym and getting as many shots as I can. A lot of game rep shots, trying to be more consistent in that area. I feel like that is the key to my shooting. I have to keep it going and continue to work on my shot.”

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Grizzlies ‘will not include’ Desmond Bane in trade for Kevin Durant, and shockingly, that may be the right call

Bane, who is nine years younger than Durant, had a breakout season last season.

Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.

If the league started over tomorrow and there was a re-draft, two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant would likely get selected before zero-time All-Star Desmond Bane.

But that is not how NBA teams are built, and in reality, so much more goes into building a roster. That’s why, in a potential trade for Durant, the Grizzlies may be unwilling to give up Bane.

Here is what Shams Charania reported earlier today (via The Athletic):

“Grizzlies executive vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman, the NBA’s reigning Executive of the Year, has done a masterful job building the team’s foundation around the All-NBA star Morant and a strong supporting cast while securing assets for the present and future. The Grizzlies will not include Jackson or Bane in a potential offer for Durant, sources said, but rather a package built around their bevy of draft picks.”

On paper, Durant may be a more talented player than Bane. Basketball, however, isn’t played on paper.

Bane, who is nine years younger than Durant, had a breakout season last season. He is only getting better as he continues his development on the court. The wing is an ideal fit alongside rising star Ja Morant because of his skill set as a 3-and-D role player who doesn’t require a ton of shots per game.

But he also embodies the culture of what the Grizzlies are trying to build. And, per Kleiman, that’s something that matters tremendously to this team (via Commercial Appeal):

“We’re making calls,” Kleiman said. “If there’s opportunities where we can make the team better within our culture, we’re going to be very aggressive. But we’re not just going to go out and do something just to do it.”

Memphis finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference last season. There is little doubt Durant would make their team better.

But would they be able to add him without sacrificing their identity, which is largely built around players like Bane? That is a different question — and one that the front office will have to reckon with as they near training camp.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

(Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

My colleague wrote about Stephen Curry, who won his first-ever NBA Finals MVP in 2022. Here is what he had to say:

“What I think most people miss about Curry is how much of an absolute savage he is. And he’s also not afraid to let you know that he’s better than you or that he’s going to beat you. It’s why we saw him put a ring on it in the middle of the NBA Finals.

The internet got another glimpse at just how savage Curry is on Friday.

NBA writer Joe Viray was reviewing playoff tape in preparation for next season when he stumbled upon this clip of Curry against the Nuggets. He noticed Curry did his now infamous “night night” gesture before he went right at Nikola Jokic on defense to close the game out.

He blows by him out of the pick and roll, makes the layup and does the gesture again. Like I said, dude is a savage.”

Curry isn’t just a good shooter. He’s also an incredible celebrator.

Shootaround

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

— Explaining why Toronto’s only draft pick, Christian Koloko, is unsigned

— Bryce James’ first D-I collegiate offer has a backstory that dates back to when LeBron was just 10 years old

— Rookie Wire ranks every team by future draft picks, from least to most

— HoopsHype ranks the top 25 power forwards for next season