Tag: Desmond Bane

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.

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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

NBA playoffs player props: Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves Game 6

Which players will rise and which will fall during Grizzlies-Timberwolves Game 6?

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies have the spotlight to themselves on Friday night. And on the heels of a truly epic Game 5 conclusion, Game 6 has a lot riding on it.

Will the upstart Timberwolves finally put together a full 48 minutes of basketball that results in a win, thus keeping their season alive for at least another game? Or will Ja Morant and the Grizzlies smoke the T-Wolves on their homecourt to secure a spot in the conference semifinals?

How will you bet Game 6? We take a look at Friday’s matchup and highlight a few player props that stand out.

All odds via Tipico Sportsbook.

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3 pivotal NBA inbounds that altered the course of the playoffs

The good, bad and ugly of inbounds on Tuesday night.

The inbound is something that’s largely taken for granted in the sport of basketball. It happens so often over the course of a full game that the importance of well-executed inbounds can be understated until the end.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado found a way to turn routine inbounds into must-see stuff, but otherwise nobody’s really checking for how teams throw the ball in. That is until it’s time to execute and defend plays on the inbound.

Those clutch moments allowed the inbound to take center stage on Tuesday with playoff games on the line. One team executed the inbound to a tee, another failed horribly, and a third inbound wasn’t nearly as important but didn’t lack for equal entertainment. This was the good, bad and ugly of inbounds.

Celtics injury update: Memphis Grizzlies to sit Morant, Adams, Jackson, Brooks in 2021-22 season finale

The move will allow Boston to choose their seeding destiny.

The Memphis Grizzlies have announced that they will sit several key players in theirs and the Boston Celtics’ final game of the 2021-22 NBA season, which in turn will allow the Celtics to choose their seeding destiny heading into the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs.

Memphis announced that Steven Adams (ankle soreness), Dillon Brooks (hip soreness), Jaren Jackson, Jr. (thigh soreness), Tyus Jones (hand soreness), Ja Morant (knee soreness), Tyrell Terry (foot soreness), and Killian Tillie (knee soreness) all are out for Sunday night’s season-ending contest, with Desmond Bane (foot soreness) and Brandon Clarke (thigh contusion) listed as questionable.

With the Milwaukee Bucks playing the Cleveland Cavaliers without several key players of their own out to rest before the postseason, the Celtics may be in a position to rest players themselves if dropping to a lower seed seems more desirable — or to play good players and seize the second seed for themselves.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Alperen Sengun, Dennis Schroder energize Rockets in loss to Grizzlies

Alperen Sengun and Dennis Schroder were dynamic off the Houston bench, but the Rockets didn’t shoot nearly well enough to compete with Memphis on Sunday afternoon.

HOUSTON — Even without All-Star guard and MVP candidate Ja Morant, the Grizzlies continue to show why they’re currently the NBA’s second-best team. Led by 24 points from second-year guard Desmond Bane, Memphis improved to 14-2 on the season without Morant in Sunday’s 122-98 win (box score) over the young Rockets at Toyota Center.

The Rockets (17-54) cut the margin to as little as seven points late in the third quarter before the Grizzlies (49-23) blew the game open with a barrage of 3-point shooting. For the game, Memphis shot 16-of-34 (47.1%) as a team on 3-pointers, and it helped them avenge an upset loss to the Rockets exactly two weeks ago in the same building.

Houston briefly climbed back into the game behind strong bench minutes from veteran guard Dennis Schroder and rookie big man Alperen Sengun. Schroder had 17 points (3-of-6 on 3-pointers) and 4 rebounds in 27 minutes, while Sengun added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting (71.4%) in 23 minutes. Sengun also grabbed 9 rebounds and dished out 3 assists, and he collected several sensational highlights along the way.

Unfortunately, those individual highlights weren’t enough to keep the Rockets competitive over 48 minutes. One big reason was 3-point shooting, with the Rockets making just 10-of-31 for the game (32.3%). That final line slightly undersells their struggles, since it was lifted by a few late makes in the fourth quarter — when the Grizzlies were no longer playing tough defense due to having a massive lead. The Rockets even struggled on free throws, hitting just 14-of-24 (58.3%) from the stripe.

The shooting woes for the Rockets were headlined by backcourt starters Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, who combined to score just 22 points on 8-of-31 shooting (25.8%) and 2-of-9 from 3-point range (22.2%).

Second-year forward KJ Martin scored 15 points off Houston’s bench on 6-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 on 3-pointers (75.0%). Like Sengun, he added to his growing collection of poster dunks, as well.

Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction.

NBA Rising Stars: Cade Cunningham named MVP to lead Team Barry to win

Cade Cunningham was named MVP of the NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Barry to the championship and tip off All-Star Weekend.

Detroit Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham on Friday was named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Barry to the championship and tip off All-Star Weekend from Cleveland, Ohio.

Cunningham recorded five points, including a huge 3-pointer late, three assists and two rebounds in the final game over Team Isiah. He scored a team-high 13 points, six assists and five rebounds to lead Team Barry in the semifinal round versus Team Payton.

Orlando Magic rookie Franz Wagner sent Team Barry to the win after hitting his first free throw to cross the 25-point threshold to win. The teams played to 50 points in the semifinal round and 25 points in the final to commemorate the 75th-anniversary season of the NBA.

Here is how each player and team fared in the competition.

Desmond Bane explained why he thought Pistons were drafting him

Bane was drafted 30th by the Grizzlies in 2020, but the former TCU standout initially thought he would be joining the Pistons.

Desmond Bane was drafted 30th by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2020, but the former TCU standout initially thought he would be joining the Detroit Pistons.

Bane entered the draft projected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick after averaging 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals as a senior. He was known as a knock-down shooter in college, converting on 44.2% from 3-point range on 6.5 attempts.

On the night of the draft, Bane was in communication with the Pistons, who had the 16th pick. Detroit also acquired the 19th pick from the Brooklyn Nets so Bane thought they were going to take him with one of those picks, as he explained recently on the “Old Man & the Three” podcast.

Detroit calls right after Aaron Nesmith goes 14 and we knew Detroit had 16 and they were like, ‘Sit tight. We’re trying to make it happen.’ I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going 16 to Detroit.’ We were in there celebrating. The 16th pick goes by and we don’t get a call. I think it was Isaiah Stewart that goes off the board and then we had saw Detroit had traded for 19 so we were like, ‘Oh, we’re going 19.’ Obviously, they didn’t take me 19, they took Saddiq Bey.

Of course, Bane eventually fell to the Grizzlies with the 30th pick where he turned in a strong rookie campaign. He was named to the All-Rookie second-team last season after averaging 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 43.2% shooting from 3-point range.

While Bane was the last pick of the first round, the Grizzlies guard has often said how thankful he is that he landed in Memphis. He has developed into a key player for the Grizzlies and is a big reason why they have the third-best record in the NBA.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane just had the most eerie Feb. 2 stat line in NBA history

This is so weird!

This has to be one of the weirdest occurrences in NBA history. I don’t even know quite how to accurately describe it.

The best way to put it is this: Desmond Bane just had one of the most bizarre games you’ll ever see. On a regular night, we’d just describe it as an “off night.” He didn’t shoot the ball well at all after going 4-18 from the field.

For those doing the math, that’s 22% from the floor. But that’s where things just start to get weird.

Bane also had two blocks, two assists, two steals, two fouls and two turnovers. That’s already a whooooole lot of twos on top of the 22% from the field.

But — oh, wait! — I forgot to mention that Bane’s number is actually 22. And he did all of this on February 2nd in 2022. Number 22 dropped all these 2s on 2/2/22.

Fam.

This is so weird. Even Bane himself was creeped out.

Ja Morant was just as confused as we all were.

For those of you who invested in Doomsday bunkers, now is your time to shine. Because I’m preeeeetty sure this is a sign. Like, who does this?

NBA fans thought this was wild.

Watch our sneaker unboxing series, Special Delivery

NBA Rising Stars 2022: Player pool revealed for revamped game format

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the 28 players set to participate in the Rising Stars game during All-Star Weekend.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 18 as part of All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio.

The showcase game will feature four seven-player teams competing in a mini-tournament consisting of three games. Each game will be played to a final target score, meaning that a game will end with a made basket or a made free throw instead of a running clock.

The semifinal games will be played to a final target score of 50 with the final game being played to 25, for a total of 75 points across the semifinal and final to celebrate the league’s 75th anniversary season.

NBA All-Star Game: Rookie players to earn All-Star selections

The pool of 28 players for the game consists of 12 first-year players, 12 second-year players and four players from the NBA G League Ignite. The rookies and sophomores were selected by assistant coaches and the Ignite players were chosen by G League head coaches.

The teams will be coached by members of the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team. The coaches will select their rosters in a Rising Stars draft with each team consisting of seven players, including one from the Ignite. The details of the coaches and draft will be announced at a later date.

TNT will televise the competition beginning at 9 p.m. EST.