Tag: Taylor Jenkins

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins on Spurs’ Gregg Popovich: ‘Greatest of all time’

After the San Antonio Spurs’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Taylor Jenkins had some high praise for Gregg Popovich.

The San Antonio Spurs dropped their third game in a row on Tuesday night, falling to Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. It moved them to 5-28 on the season, keeping them in last place in the Western Conference standings. Ever since Morant came back, the Grizzlies have been able to string together some more wins.

But the game was about more than just Morant, Victor Wembanyama, and the other players on the court. It also saw a duel between two of the better coaches in the league – Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. And despite the Spurs loss, both coaches brought their A-game.

After the contest, Jenkins spoke highly of Popovich, calling him the best to ever do it.

“He’s the greatest of all time,” Jenkins said via Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “It’s an honor to be able to share the court with him. He’s meant so much to me and my development, the staff in San Antonio giving me my opportunity. But every time you’re going to play a Popovich-coached team, it’s going to be a challenge. The game within the game, the X’s and O’s, the strategies, his game plan and lineup adjustments.”

Memphis earned the 106-98 win over San Antonio on Tuesday night, and Morant led the way. He finished the game with 26 points, five rebounds, and 10 assists while shooting 7-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-9 from distance.

For the Spurs, it was Wembanyama’s 20 points and Keldon Johnson’s 19 that kept them in it, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to overcome what the Grizzlies brought to the table.

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Taylor Jenkins says the Grizzlies lack maturity

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins says his team still has lots of growing up to do.

The Los Angeles Lakers gained a 3-1 series lead over the Memphis Grizzlies with a 117-111 overtime victory on Monday, and they proved their grit and mettle in doing so.

Even though it was an ugly, low-scoring game, they came through with more hustle plays, and they also maintained their composure despite falling behind by seven midway through the fourth quarter after they had been up by 15 in the second period.

Memphis, meanwhile, hasn’t shown much composure in this series.

It started with Dillon Brooks’ flagrant two foul on LeBron James early in the second half of Game 3 that led to his ejection. It continued in Game 4 as several members of the team committed very hard fouls on Lakers players.

After the last two contests, Brooks refused to speak to the media, and Ja Morant skipped media availability following Game 4.

Perhaps that’s why Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins made the following comments, even before Game 4 (h/t Lakers Daily).

Via The Athletic:

“We’re far from where we need to be from a maturity standpoint,” Jenkins said. “This is all experience that you can only gain from. So, nothing’s gonna change overnight, but when we wear it, and we understand the struggles we’re going through individually, collectively, on, off the court and all that stuff, and we sit down and we honestly talk about it, and we face it, you’re hopefully gonna turn the corner for sure.”

Several weeks ago, Morant had perhaps the team’s biggest indiscretion this season when he was seen during an Instagram Live gleefully toting a gun at a Colorado nightclub. It caused many to question his maturity, as well as the company he keeps.

The Grizzlies will have an opportunity to keep their season alive in Game 5 in Memphis on Wednesday. However, if L.A. remains focused, intense and composed, Morant, Brooks and company may end up making plans to vacation in Cancun shortly after Wednesday’s contest.

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LeBron James trolled Dillon Brooks, Grizzlies by pretending to eavesdrop on a coaching conversation

Alright, LeBron James got Dillon Brooks and the Grizzlies pretty good here.

As his Los Angeles Lakers picked up a key road NBA playoff win to start its series against the Memphis Grizzlies, LeBron James couldn’t help but have a little fun.

As Grizzlies guard/forward Dillon Brooks went to get some insight from Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins, James walked over to the sideline and pretended to lean in and act like he was listening to their conversation.

Brooks has a beef with James as the former has established himself as one of the league’s most gleeful villains. As you could imagine, James wasn’t about to pass up a moment to get in some trolling in Brooks’ direction.

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While not all of James’ on-court antics work, this one was pretty hilarious. He had a playoff victory over a new rival to show for it, so the Grizzlies will have to hand it to James this round. He’s officially 1-0 in trolling for the series so far.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

Q&A: Jaren Jackson Jr. says he and Dillon Brooks are ‘both’ Defensive Player of the Year candidates

Jackson: “We have a bunch of regular-season wins. Now we want a ring.”

All things considered, Jaren Jackson Jr. is doing pretty well right now.

Jackson, who obliterated the rim on a dunk during a win against the Lakers on Tuesday night, is in the midst of what could be a career-best season for the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies (37-23) have the second-best record in the Western Conference, and both Jackson and his teammate Ja Morant were All-Stars.

While he missed the first portion of the season due to injury and then became the subject of the dumbest controversy of the season, Jackson (-200) is now the frontrunner for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.

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Even though Morant has boldly claimed that the Grizzlies are the most hated team in the NBA, their team has also been one of the most exciting to watch so far this season.

Whether it’s because of on-court highlights or off-court drama, Memphis is thrilling. Jackson, without a doubt, plays an integral role in their identity and their success.

The big man recently caught up with For The Win via Zoom to discuss his season, his coaches, his teammates, his goals, and more.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Grizzlies happy to see De’Anthony Melton succeeding with Sixers

The Memphis Grizzlies are happy to see De’Anthony Melton succeeding with the Philadelphia 76ers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off a nice move on draft night in June when they sent Danny Green and the 23rd pick in the 2022 draft to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for De’Anthony Melton. The Sixers needed more contributors at both ends, and Melton has answered that call in Philadelphia.

Melton is averaging 10.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 40% from deep in his first season with the Sixers. He has started in 46 of the 55 games he has played, and he has been a very nice complement to James Harden and Joel Embiid.

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins expressed his happiness for how well Melton has been playing for Philadelphia.

“A joy to coach,” Jenkins said of Melton. “He’s got so many intangibles. He’s a Swiss army knife, credit to him how he’s fitting great here and you’re one with the Sixers. He just kind of adapted to different roles in his time with us in Memphis. Whether it was coming off the bench, whether it was starting, he was always a guy that was like kind of a super sub for us.”

Melton has taken what he has done in Memphis and applied it to his new role with the Sixers.

“He was a guy that continued to get better defensively, taking on different matchups each year,” Jenkins added. “Offensively, he was instant offense for us. He was a guy that we always talked about three-minute Melt. He could go out there and really change the game. Not just with his defensive intangibles, but also his shooting ability.”

With the Sixers, Melton has had to take on the opposition’s best scorer on a nightly basis and he has also had to show off some playmaking skills due to the injuries to Harden and Tyrese Maxey. He has had to handle the ball more and Philadelphia has been benefiting from his play.

“He really got a whole lot better with his 3-point shooting, growing his playmaking ability, too,” Jenkins finished. “Obviously, that’s been featured a bit earlier in the season. I think when Maxey and Harden were out a little bit, but just tons of credit to him. He was an ultimate glue guy for us. A really good pro, great teammate, he had great energy, and obviously added to that fun and swag that the Grizzlies stand for.”

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Ja Morant to undergo imaging and testing after tweaking ankle vs. Thunder

The Memphis Grizzlies can’t catch an injury break this season, and the latest setback might be the worst one yet. Grizzlies star Ja Morant left Friday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with an apparent left ankle injury after landing …

The Memphis Grizzlies can’t catch an injury break this season, and the latest setback might be the worst one yet. Grizzlies star Ja Morant left Friday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with an apparent left ankle injury after landing awkwardly following a floater attempt in the fourth quarter. Morant fell to the court in pain after Memphis called timeout and had to be helped to the locker room by forward Ziaire Williams and other team personnel. He was not able to put much weight on the injured leg and grimaced as he passed the bench. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant “tweaked his ankle” and would be undergoing further imaging and testing. “I’ll have more of an update tomorrow,” Jenkins said.  

Source: Mark Giannotto @ USA Today Sports

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Here’s what we know about Ja Morant’s ankle “tweak” and what his teammates had to say tonight.
dailymemphian.com/section/sports… – 12:06 AM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Brandon Clarke said he saw Ja Morant walking in the locker room after the game. – 11:03 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Jaren Jackson Jr. on the team’s mood following the Ja Morant injury:
“We wait and see. We go to sleep. We wake up. We wait and see. That’s all there is to do for now.” – 11:02 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
For what it’s worth, Brandon Clarke said when he saw Ja Morant in the locker room after the game, he was walking. Morant wasn’t able to put much weight on his ankle when he was leaving the floor. – 11:02 PM
Lang Whitaker @langwhitaker
Taylor Jenkins says Ja Morant “tweaked his ankle” in the 4th. Says there will be an update tomorrow. – 10:38 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Taylor Jenkins said the Grizzlies will have more of an update on Ja Morant tomorrow. He noted that Morant tweaked his ankle. – 10:37 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
The Grizzlies get their 10th win of the season.
Ja Morant didn’t finish the game. Jaren Jackson Jr. recorded a double-double.
commercialappeal.com/story/sports/n… – 10:30 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
Ja Morant was helped off the floor after an apparent injury to his ankle. pic.twitter.com/9b5a6w5LXh – 10:25 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Final: Grizzlies 121, Thunder 110
Not a good night for the two star guards. Ja Morant exited with an apparent ankle injury and SGA was held to 15 points, his lowest total this season, on 6-of-18 shooting. – 10:23 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Really hope Ja Morant will be ok! – 10:20 PM
Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Ja Morant got helped off the floor in Memphis after turning his left ankle. He missed a game last week after turning the same ankle. – 10:13 PM
Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Tough scene in Memphis as Ja Morant is being helped off the floor. Man. – 10:12 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Ja Morant is visibly upset. – 10:12 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Ja Morant is trying to walk to the bench, but he couldn’t make it. He’s getting attention now near halfcourt. – 10:11 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant lets out a loud yell and limps off the court. Trainers trying to check on him. – 10:11 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant scored to put the Grizzlies up seven. Then he shows off the salsa dance moves. – 10:04 PM
Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Ja Morant officially on triple-double watch in the 3Q tonight. He’s got 14 points, 11 assists, 7 rebs. Take that, Chuck. – 9:43 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Halftime:
Grizzlies 63 Thunder 58
Jaren Jackson Jr. leads them Grizzlies with 18 points and seven boards. Ja Morant has 12 points and 6 assists. Thunder shooting 45% and have 20(!) first-half assists. – 9:09 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant made John Konchar look pretty good on that play, I’d say. – 8:16 PM
Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
A glimpse into the mind of Ja Morant — which remembers everything and plots revenge — drops at 6 pm ET on ⁦@ESPNPlus⁩ pic.twitter.com/BYNX7s9hoR – 3:56 PM

Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Thank you Charles Barkley. Doing God’s work giving Ja Morant extra motivation.
commercialappeal.com/story/sports/n… – 12:54 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
I asked Ja Morant about Charles Barkley’s comments from Tuesday.
“An outsider who never been in our locker room, never played in a game with us said I don’t make my teammates better, but my teammates say it all the time. There you go. Knee pads.” 
Story: commercialappeal.com/story/sports/n… – 12:52 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Kyrie Irving became one of the most admirable stars on and off the floor after his signature shoe. Ja Morant is positioned to take a similar jump.
How Ja Morant is positioned to take the baton as one of Nike basketball’s leading faces.
For subscribers: commercialappeal.com/story/sports/n… – 10:12 AM

More on this storyline

Drew Hill: Ja Morant on Charles Barkley: “Nobody can tell me what I do and don’t besides my teammates. Those guys said it. An outsider who never been in our locker room or played a game with us said I don’t make my teammates better. But our guys say it all the time. There ya go. Kneepads.” -via Twitter @DrewHill_DM / November 18, 2022
“The next evolution for Ja is he’s got to make players around him better,” Charles Barkley said. “I don’t think he’s added that to his game yet.” Barkley’s comments were noticed by Morant’s teammates, who defended their point guard after practice on Thursday. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins called Barkley’s comments “nonsense.” “I’m one of the dudes who feel like I’m directly a much better player playing with Ja,” Brandon Clarke said. “I can for sure vouch it’s a lot easier playing with him.” Morant responded Tuesday night to Barkley’s comments by tweeting, “kneepads.” -via Memphis Commercial Appeal / November 17, 2022

Taylor Jenkins on Charles Barkley criticizing Ja Morant: I don’t pay attention to that stuff

Drew Hill: Taylor Jenkins on Charles Barkley’s comment that Ja Morant doesn’t make his teammates better. “I don’t pay attention to that stuff. It’s nonsense.” Source: Twitter @DrewHill_DM What’s the buzz on Twitter? Damichael Cole @ DamichaelC …

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Grizzlies teammates and Taylor Jenkins came to the defense of Ja Morant after Charles Barkley made claims that Morant doesn’t make his teammates better.
“I’m one of the dudes who feel like I’m directly a much better player playing with Ja.”
Story: commercialappeal.com/story/sports/n… – 3:55 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Taylor Jenkins on Charles Barkley’s comment that Ja Morant doesn’t make his teammates better.
“I don’t pay attention to that stuff. It’s nonsense.” – 3:23 PM
Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked On Pelicans is live!
🏀 Pelicans figure out how to unlock CJ McCollum as he scores 30
🏀 Dyson gets minutes and shows you why he needs to play
🏀 The defensive strategy that limited Ja Morant
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzBFEv
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBES9YyFq pic.twitter.com/cwcW8QCtJU – 3:30 PM

Henry Abbott @TrueHoop
Guarding Ja Morant is no picnic, as @David Thorpe describes to @jshector.
For more of this kind of geeky hoops talk, from a man who actually teaches this to NBA players for a living, sign up for the TrueHoop podcast: https://t.co/zMYcYg5zt6 pic.twitter.com/CD46lIT6ml – 2:19 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
From last night:
Ja Morant. Damn. pic.twitter.com/t6KYT1iN6K – 12:59 PM

Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked On Pelicans is live!
🏀 Pelicans figure out how to unlock CJ McCollum as he scores 30
🏀 Dyson gets minutes and shows you why he needs to play
🏀 The defensive strategy that limited Ja Morant
🎧 linktr.ee/NolaJake
Watch on YouTube!
📺 bit.ly/LOPYouTube – 12:59 PM
Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked On Pelicans is live!
🏀 Pelicans figure out how to unlock CJ McCollum as he scores 30
🏀 Dyson gets minutes and shows you why he needs to play
🏀 The defensive strategy that limited Ja Morant
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzBFEv
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBES9YyFq pic.twitter.com/NEmaAsSc3W – 11:07 AM

Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Without Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies need someone other than Ja Morant to step up offensively. Dillon Brooks? Jaren Jackson Jr.? By committee?
“You can’t fill what Des does, but I’ve been challenging the guys every single day.”
Story: commercialappeal.com/story/sports/n… – 10:32 AM
Get Up @GetUpESPN
Do you think Ja Morant will win MVP and the Grizzlies will win the West?
@Adrian Wojnarowski thinks both could be possible 👀 pic.twitter.com/qKgvxMriXl – 10:27 AM

Will Guillory @WillGuillory
“I’ve been playing like shit lately. I’ve been feeling like shit”
CJ McCollum finally broke out of his slump last night with a 30-point outburst against Ja Morant and the Grizz.
Here’s how the Pels helped him get back on track on a night they needed him
theathletic.com/3902574/2022/1… – 10:19 AM
BasketNews @BasketNews_com
Jose Alvarado hit Ja Morant with the ‘too small’ and received instant feedback 😳
🎥 @NBATV pic.twitter.com/GgGXwO4rjj – 1:29 AM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Watch Ja Morant switch hands mid-air then throw down dunk nba.nbcsports.com/2022/11/15/wat… – 11:15 PM
Jim Eichenhofer @Jim_Eichenhofer
Herb knocks the ball away and off Ja Morant’s leg on a Morant drive to the hoop to wrap this one up in appropriate fashion. #Pelicans outstanding performance all the way around, beat Grizzlies by 11 – 9:46 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Ja Morant in the 4th quarter:
5 points on 2-9 shooting – 9:46 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
We need a Ja Morant vs Jose Alvarado 1-on-1 game at All-Star this year – 9:37 PM
Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Ja Morant has 25 games with 20+ paint points over the last 2 seasons.
That is 3rd-most in the NBA during that span, trailing…
Giannis Antetokounmpo (27)
Nikola Jokic (26) – 9:37 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Jose Alvarado strips Ja Morant on a spin move!! – 9:37 PM
Jim Eichenhofer @Jim_Eichenhofer
Jose Alvarado seems to love that spot from the left wing lately, hitting big 3s there in fourth quarters. He’s up to 12 pts and Memphis calls timeout at least partly to get Ja Morant back in the game. NOP 100-91 at 8:18 – 9:29 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
The Grizzlies are down 100-91. Ja Morant is set to check in with 8:18 left in the fourth quarter. The defense is struggling to get stops right now. Lots of open 3s. – 9:28 PM
Paul Pierce @paulpierce34
Ja Morant Most Exciting Player to watch n NBA and it’s not even close – 9:28 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
End of 3rd: Pelicans 89, Grizzlies 87
McCollum 22 pts, 6 assts
Ingram 19 pts
Nance 13 pts, 4 rebs
Morant 31 pts (11-17 FG)
Once again, this game is extremely fun. You can make a top-10 highlight package just from this game. (Really just from Ja Morant’s buckets) – 9:17 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Some energy in the building after that Larry Nance poster and Ja Morant turnover. – 9:08 PM
Evan Dunlap @BQRMagic
the Ja Morant hand-switch dunk is a 50 in the Dunk Contest and he did it doing full speed against defense lmao – 9:07 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Ja Morant is preposterously athletic.
This man just switched hands on a dunk in the middle of a game. – 9:06 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Trey Murphy just swatted a short shot back in Ja Morant’s face?! 👀 – 8:55 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
End of 1st half: Grizzlies 60, Pelicans 59
Ingram 13 pts (4-6 FG)
Murphy 10 pts
McCollum 8 pts, 5 assts
Really fun half of basketball, but Pels have to do something to contain Ja Morant (24 pts). He’s slicing them up in halfcourt and in transition. Maybe more Dyson Daniels? – 8:31 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
A lot of points being scored in NOLA.
Halftime: Grizzlies 60 Pelicans 59
Ja Morant has 24 points. Brandon Clarke has 13 points and eight rebounds.
Jaren Jackson Jr. has three blocks. – 8:30 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant doing his best Jalen Ramsey impression there. – 8:27 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Ja Morant is ridiculous – 8:27 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
The Memphis Grizzlies have 51 points. Ja Morant has 22 of them. – 8:20 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Ja Morant just too small’d Jose Alvarado. Hey, good basket. But Morant couldn’t get around him. Had to go over.
But you better believe Alvarado got his 30 or so words in before walking away. – 8:18 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Ja Morant just got to the basket and pulled out the “too small” gesture on Jose Alvarado. – 8:18 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Jose Alvarado defends Ja Morant.
Morant puts him in a blender and gives him the “too small” treatment.
Alvarado did not like that. – 8:18 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
It took about 0.2 seconds for Jose and Ja Morant to get into it. Just as we expected. – 8:17 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Casual 44-foot make for Ja Morant. – 8:03 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Ja Morant cans a shot from half court at first-quarter buzzer. Unbelievable. Pelicans had rallied to tie things up at 32 apiece, but the Grizzlies are keeping their lead as we moved to the 2nd.
Brandon Ingram & Trey Murphy combined for 17 points. Naji Marshall grabbed 5 boards. – 8:03 PM
Scott Kushner @ScottDKushner
Ja Morant is magic. – 8:02 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant from half court! Bottoms!
He finishes the first quarter with 16 points. – 8:02 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Ja Morant, ladies and gentleman. – 8:01 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Tyus Jones subs in for John Konchar. Ja Morant stays in. Expect to see this pairing a lot more with Desmond Bane out. – 7:50 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Herb Jones picks up two quick fouls and he’s headed to the bench. Naji Marshall will come in and take on the Ja Morant assignment. – 7:39 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Pelicans have hit three 3-pointers in the first three minutes. Also, Steven Adams just sat down with his second personal foul.
Not a bad start, but Ja Morant is already cooking and there’s no obvious way of slowing him down if he keeps getting the ball in open space. – 7:39 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Jaren Jackson Jr. is not only active, but he’s starting.
Starting 5:
Ja Morant
John Konchar
Dillon Brooks
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Steven Adams – 7:06 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Taylor Jenkins said the Grizzlies will be “smart” with Jaren Jackson Jr.’s minutes as he ramps up.
“Good chance” he plays tonight. – 6:04 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Taylor Jenkins said it’s a “good chance” Jaren Jackson Jr. plays today. Has to get the final medical clearance, Jenkins said. – 6:03 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
Taylor Jenkins says “there’s a good chance” that Memphis forward Jaren Jackson Jr. will play tonight.
Final call will be made after JJJ warms up and talks with the medical staff. – 6:03 PM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
Since Zion Williamson and Ja Morant were drafted 1 and 2 in 2019, they’ve played against each other 4 times. The Pelicans and Grizzlies will have played each other 11 times after tonight’s game. – 6:00 PM
Michael C. Wright @mikecwright
Hate to see him down w/the injury.
Desmond Bane’s leap gives Ja Morant, Grizzlies co-star they need | NBA.com nba.com/news/desmond-b… – 5:13 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
New MVP odds via @betonline_ag:
Jayson Tatum: 3/1
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 13/4
Luka Doncic: 13/4
Steph Curry: 10/1
Ja Morant: 12/1
Joel Embiid: 12/1 – 12:38 PM
Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Desmond Bane and Ja Morant have combined for 53.4 points per game this season, the most of any backcourt this season.
Bane is also the only player averaging 20 points, 45% 3-pt FG pct and 90% FT pct this season. – 11:54 AM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
638 days later, NBA fans might get one of the more anticipated matchups from the young stars of the 2019 NBA Draft.
Zion Williamson is 4-0 against Ja Morant, but Morant and the Grizz have won their last three games against the Pelicans.
Should be fun.
commercialappeal.com/story/sports/n… – 10:47 AM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Good morning🏀
“Ja and Zion had a lot of respect for each other. They still do now.”
How one practice landed Ja Morant and Zion Williamson on the same AAU team. The rest is history. dailymemphian.com/subscriber/art… – 8:49 AM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Good morning🏀
“Ja and Zion had a lot of respect for each other. They still do now.”
How one practice landed Ja Morant and Zion Williamson on the same AAU team, The rest is history. dailymemphian.com/subscriber/art… – 8:48 AM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
CJ McCollum rediscovering his shooting touch would be timely considering Zion Williamson is listed as questionable on the latest injury report, along with the Grizzlies expected to welcome back Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. 🤞🏻 https://t.co/1VNSP6MOMx pic.twitter.com/ITErqKDnPw – 10:30 PM

Ja Morant @JaMorant
suddenly ⏳ – 8:20 PM

More on this storyline

NBA Central: Charles Barkley says Ja Morant doesn’t make players around him better “I don’t think he added that to his game yet” pic.twitter.com/35UGkdK7S1 -via Twitter @TheNBACentral / November 15, 2022
The TNT analyst believes the Association dropped the ball in doing so and basically mishandled the entire situation. This is what Barkley had to say on CNN early Tuesday morning: “People have the right to feel and say what they want to, we have freedom of speech, but there are repercussions when you say certain things.” “This thing with free speech has really gotten out of hand,” he added. “You can’t go around insulting people and think it’s OK just because it’s freedom of speech.” “Charles Barkley says the NBA “dropped the ball” on Kyrie Irving and the action it took surrounding his antisemitic tweet.” -via Clutch Points / November 15, 2022
CNN: “People have the right to feel and say what they want to, we have freedom of speech, but there are repercussions when you say certain things.” Charles Barkley says the NBA “dropped the ball” on Kyrie Irving and the action it took surrounding his antisemitic tweet. -via Twitter / November 15, 2022
NBA: The hand switch into the dunk is ridiculous, Ja. He has 31 PTS heading into Q4 on TNT. -via Twitter / November 16, 2022
Clutch Points: JA MORANT WENT FOR THE WILD HAND-SWITCH DUNK 😱 pic.twitter.com/1Nnq1XybiF -via Twitter @ClutchPointsApp / November 15, 2022

‘Learning lesson’: Rockets guard Jalen Green trying to emulate rise of Ja Morant

“He has a huge spark when he plays,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said of Jalen Green. “I definitely see a lot of growth in his game. He is trying to become more of a playmaker.”

HOUSTON — When Memphis Grizzlies superstar guard Ja Morant took the floor Friday at Toyota Center, everyone was well aware of the acrobatic, high-flyer who has been on numerous NBA highlights due to his excellent shot-making and leaping ability.

Some say that had he not suffered a knee injury in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Western Conference semifinals versus the Golden State Warriors — a series in which he was averaging 38.3 points per game — he might have been able to lead Memphis to the NBA Finals.

So, when the fans inside of Toyota Center sat in their seats on Friday for the Houston Rockets home opener, they knew what to expect from Morant and expected him to do it early and often.

With 49 points and 8 assists, Morant did not disappoint.

Yet, the home fans gained a glimpse of their own team’s future, as well. Second-year guard Jalen Green put on a dazzling performance in the first quarter with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting (62.5%). Ultimately, the 20-year-old finished with a team-high 33 points.

Green consistently attacked the paint, and when Memphis put multiple players in the lane to stop him, he showed his improved 3-point shot by making 4-of-5 on the night (80%). The 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie first-team selection scored 30 or more points eight times as a rookie, including seven over the final 17 games.

“Jalen was great,” said Rockets head coach Stephen Silas. “He was so good. He was efficient by going 13-for-21 (shooting). We want him to be around that 20-shot range, and he was. He was getting downhill and getting into the paint. The defensive job that he had to do at times on Ja (Morant) wears him out. I was super proud of what he did.”

Green recovered from a dismal 35% shooting night in Atlanta during Wednesday’s opener to hit 61.9% of his shots in 35 minutes of action. It may have been that he knew that he was looking into a mirror when he was matched up with the high-flying Morant.

During his postgame press conference, Green gave credit to Morant and the effort he put in to get his team the win, but also elaborated that he embraces the challenge in working to elevate his own game to where 2021-22 All-NBA second-team guard currently is.

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins said he believes Green has potential to be in that same conversation as his own superstar guard.

“He has a huge spark when he plays,” Jenkins said pregame. “The way he can break down defenses and the pace he plays at, he is another one of those guys that you can put up there as one of the fastest players in the league.”

“From one end of the floor to the other, but also in the halfcourt how he can change directions so quickly, just makes it so hard on the defense. When he can break down the defense, he can go either direction with the way he can get into the paint. He has put in a lot of work on the 3-point shot and is trying to become more of a playmaker for them. I definitely see a lot of growth in his game.”

An area of growth that Green worked on in the offseason was his ability to process the tough times he will go through this season as the Rockets continue to rebuild with such a young team.

“One thing that we have been preaching, me and my training staff, is that there are no losses with this team,” Green said when asked about the team’s maturation. “We are all in a rebuild right now. It is either a win or a learning lesson. So, tonight was a learning lesson.”

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Statistical proof the Grizzlies are picking extremely similar players in the NBA Draft to support Ja Morant

These stats are insane.

The Memphis Grizzlies made four picks in the 2022 NBA Draft, selecting Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, Kennedy Chandler, and Vince Williams Jr.

During his introductory press conference, Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins stressed the versatility that he sees in each of these prospects. Jenkins also emphasized their abilities as playmakers, adding that the “film matches up with the stats” and they all play hard on defense.

We correctly identified LaRavia and Roddy as first-rounders in our final mock draft projections. We also had Roddy projected to Memphis in March and LaRavia to the Grizzlies last month. Roddy, however, was otherwise not often mocked in the first round and LaRavia was rarely considered a top-20 projected pick.

So why was Memphis go against consensus opinion for these two players, even trading away a valuable player in De’Anthony Melton to get the deal done?

When a franchise has a cornerstone like Ja Morant, they do everything they can to work around that building block. So my guess is that these players are individuals the team feels are best suited to support Morant.

But what is it about these players in particular? The data helps provide some context. Last year, based on brilliant research from Shawn Coleman, we speculated about the Grizzlies’ draft philosophy that brings them to target certain types of players in the NBA Draft.

By reverse-engineering statistical profiles, we noticed some notable trends that may intrigue the front office and the scouting department in Memphis. The results for this year yielded three college basketball players who reached the following thresholds last season:

EFFICIENT SHOT SELECTION: EFG% above 57%

VALUE BEYOND SCORING: D-REB% and AST% both above 14%

DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKING: BLK% and STL% both above 2%

Those players (of course) were Wake Forest’s LaRavia, Colorado State’s Roddy, and VCU’s Williams. The Grizzlies literally drafted all three. We also featured all three in our pre-draft interview series!

Chandler, who is the outlier in this group, was a hometown product widely projected to go in the first round. So when he was available in the second round, it was simply too much value to leave him on the board.

Otherwise, however, one reason why those numbers mentioned above are particularly interesting: Some other recent players who also accomplished as much while in college include Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tilllman, and John Konchar. All three, of course, are currently on the Grizzlies.

It’s clear that Memphis wants players that are able to contribute even without the ball in their hands. They are also targeting guys who are ready to make an impact right away, per Grizzlies executive Zach Kleiman:

“As we’ve done with a lot of our prior picks, I think we have mature rookies coming in … Guys who are a little bit more experienced. We feel like we were able to bring in a group that fits what we’re about, and that’s going to help us move the needle.”

The Grizzlies led the league in stocks (steals plus blocks) last season. It’s unlikely, based on what we have seen so far, that they would draft someone with low effort or productivity on that end of the floor.

So what does this mean? Aside from the fact that these are players who can help the Grizzlies straightaway, this exercise can help us identify future NBA prospects who could fit on this roster.

Next season, players who produce at similar levels of productivity as we saw from LaRavia and Roddy ought to be considered targets for Memphis in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Some of the players who were at least relatively close to reaching those aforementioned marks last season and are returning to school include Kris Murray (Iowa), Norchad Omier (Miami), Jalen Slawson (Furman), Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona), Will Richard (Florida), Makhi Mitchell (Arkansas), Kevin Cross (Tulane), and Coleman Hawkins (Illinois).

Perhaps none of them end up going to Memphis, and the Grizzlies try a new philosophy altogether. But regardless, it’s interesting when patterns like this emerge with regard to talent evaluation.

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