Some Grizzlies thoughts after six consecutive Memphis wins
They're streaking! Again!
The Memphis Grizzlies are, once again, on a winning streak. This current six-game run of winning comes after a seven-game stretch, with the two bookending the 1-4 losing skid Memphis experienced over the holidays. Add it all up, and Memphis is 14-4 over their last 18 - one of the best records over the last five weeks in the entire NBA.
These Grizzlies are walking tall, gaining valuable confidence, and find themselves in familiar territory atop the Western Conference.
Their most recent win over the Utah Jazz was especially valuable, considering the Grizzlies have not been as strong against the West (now 12-10 against the conference) as you’d like to see them be. Utah is a lot of folks’ choice to slow down as the season progresses, and they have cooled considerably since their red-hot start to the 2022-2023 campaign. Still, a win against a possible playoff opponent (for now) is a win, and it helps the Grizzlies maintain in a conference where parity remains a major story as the trade deadline approaches.
With the Christmas and New Years holidays now beyond us, it is a safe time to make some general statements about who the Memphis Grizzlies are at this stage of the season.
Memphis is Bane-dependent
Without Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies offense will not reach its potential - especially in the halfcourt, where they continue to struggle (23rd in the league in halfcourt offense entering the Jazz game Sunday night) and do not have consistent shooting to assist with spacing. Without a healthy Desmond Bane, that is almost as futile a hope for improvement due to his inability to get the lift/drive off his injured toe.
That seems to be becoming less of a concern. After the Jazz game, where Bane posted 24 points on 18 shots (4-7 from deep) to go along with nine (NINE) assists in the absence of Ja Morant, we were reminded of just how good Bane was BEFORE he was lost to injury for several weeks. He was playing at an All-Star caliber level. While that honor is unlikely this season now for a variety of reasons, it doesn’t mean he can’t return to that plane of success - or relevance for the Grizzlies offense.
Jaren Jackson Jr. gets a lot of credit for being a focal point of the defensive efforts of Memphis. Desmond Bane is almost as important offensively.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is evolving
Jaren Jackson Jr. has roughly the same build as Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jaren is about an inch shorter (6’11”), about the same weight (240-245 pounds), and is showing more and more the capacity to be a player that can impact games in a similar fashion to Giannis. No, that doesn’t make Jaren as good as the “Greek Freak” - he’s not quite in that league (yet).
But he can absolutely be that type of player in terms of overall importance to the Grizzlies. His defensive accolades continue to mount. Opposing teams simply cannot score the same way when Jaren is on the floor.
That tweet was obviously posted before Jaren’s 8 “stock” (3 steals, 5 blocks) showing against the Jazz. He also put up 19 points and 9 rebounds against Utah, while converting on two three point buckets as well.
What Jaren Jackson Jr. is able to do between now and whenever this Memphis Grizzlies season ends will determine their ceiling as a franchise. Ja Morant will be a superstar, because that is what he is. But we are still learning what the hell Jaren Jackson Jr. is - and that is meant in the best way possible. He may well be a player close to Giannis. Or to Ja Morant in terms of “superstardom”.
If he is? Memphis will be a title contender as long as he and Morant share the floor together. And that’ll be at least the next three seasons BEYOND this one.
Both Morant and Jackson Jr. are only 23 years old. Friendly reminder.
A word on trades
Jordan Clarkson serves as a wonderful example of the perils of predicting trade season for the Memphis Grizzlies. The Utah Jazz are returning to reality, falling down the standings of the Western Conference after a hotter-than-expected start. The Jazz will almost certainly be sellers at the trade deadline, and the microwave-scoring Clarkson makes a ton of sense for Memphis.
Clarkson is averaging over 20 points a game for the Jazz, doing so on 35.5% shooting from beyond the arc while averaging 4.5 assists per game. He is a three-level scorer, a creator for others off the dribble, and is having arguably his best offensive season in years. Imagine a Tyus Jones/Jordan Clarkson/Ziaire Williams/Brandon Clarke bench playoff rotation. Put Clarkson next to Morant or Bane (not both at the same time), Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Steven Adams. Let the man cook offensively. The former Sixth Man of the Year would thrive in that role in Memphis…
Theoretically.
Clarkson hauled off and side swiped Desmond Bane Sunday evening, resulting in a Flagrant 2 foul and an ejection. While this is an extreme example - not everyone conducts acts of physical violence against Memphis players - a reminder was served in this moment. While Clarkson would be a hand-in-glove fit for what the Grizzlies struggle with - half court offense - the alignment may not be as clear withing the Memphis locker room.
The Grizzlies, outside of the Justise Winslow trade of somehow almost three years ago now, don’t do much trade business in-season. They value bringing in guys that are young, and make Memphis their first home and accept/buy in to the “standard”. Tyus Jones and Steven Adams are the exception. Morant, Bane, Brooks, Jackson Jr…all Grizzlies draftees that have never played anywhere else. Clean slates. No bad habits…or “vibes”…
That probably can no longer be said of Clarkson (if it could’ve been said to begin with). The risk that comes with bringing in another player not familiar with what it means to be a member of these Memphis Grizzlies may outweigh the potential basketball reward.
Will the Grizzlies decide this is the year to test that working theory? Time will tell. But make no mistake, Memphis GM Zach Kleiman will do nothing to jeopardize what he’s built. Every risk will be calculated…for better or worse.
But we knew that before the season began.