The Friday Three: An announcement and reasons the Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Philadelphia 76ers
I'm going home.
First, a quick programming note. Starting Wednesday, March 1st, I will be joining the staff at Bluff City Media as a Memphis Grizzlies columnist. All my Grizzlies-specific work will be heading over there. So, on that date, “Written in the Dark” will go away - for now.
Thank you to everyone that has made this space part of your Memphis Grizzlies content consumption over the last few months. I desperately needed a place to be able to go and focus specifically on the team that got me in the writing/podcast space in the first place, and you all came along on the ride. I appreciate that more than I can say.
I hope you’ll join me on that ride over at Bluff City Media starting Wednesday. Click this link and use the promo code MULLINAX to get 10% off an annual subscription not just to my Grizzlies content, but the rest of the Grizzly Bear Blues crew that is merging with BCM as well as plenty of great Memphis Tigers and Memphis 901 FC coverage as well.
We will have one last “Written in the Dark” post Monday, and then it’ll be off to Bluff City Media. Again, please subscribe using the promo code MULLINAX and join us there as GBB begins a new adventure. I am excited to be part of it once again.
Now, to be angry. Another Memphis Grizzlies collapse late. And even with two rotation players out and a competitive showing against a title contended in their home arena, this one stuck in my craw more than usual. Here’s why.
Stop limiting Jaren Jackson Jr.
Jaren Jackson Jr. was recently named to his first All-Star Game. Jaren is the front-runner to many to be Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson Jr. is capable of doing things like this on a nightly basis.
BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE.
Does that look like a guy that has a ceiling to what he is physically capable of?
Then why do we - or, at least, Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins - continue to do so?
Brandon Clarke, a pretty clear “4” next to Jaren as a “5”, struggled against Philly with foul trouble. As a result, Xavier Tillman Sr. (much more of a “5” than a “4”) logged more time than perhaps Jenkins intended at 32 minutes played. This isn’t a space that is going to bash X - he played well, almost securing a double-double and moving well on the defensive end - especially in the 1st half.
But for just the sixth time in 151 games, Tillman played 32 minutes. From the G-League two months ago to key player against an NBA Finals contender…that is the definition of “asking too much”. And Brandon Clarke - pretty clearly a superior basketball player - played only 15 minutes in the contest.
Clarke and Jackson Jr. signed contract extensions with Memphis worth more than $150 million combined. Tillman has a team option for $1.9 million next season. The fact that Jackson Jr. apparently cannot be trusted to be a “5” for an extended period - or that Jenkins felt that Tillman Sr. gave the team a better chance to win than Clarke - is a pretty substantial issue. The team’s ceiling is severely limited by this apparent reality.
It doesn’t HAVE to be this way. Let Jaren foul out if he cannot handle extended time at center. Same for Clarke if he is struggling how he did in Philly for longer than 15 darn minutes. But leaning on Xavier Tillman Sr. - a player that is limited offensively and pushed beyond his capabilities - is a mistake. And if Steven Adams is THAT important to this Grizzlies team, they’re not as good as we think they are.
Ja Morant needs to be the star
James Harden and Joel Embiid both made absurdly impressive plays down the stretch for the Philadelphia 76ers to help them complete their comeback. Ja Morant…did not. 3-16 from the field, no made threes, and despite an above-average 90% shooting on 10 attempts from the free throw line Morant made limited impact offensively.
That simply cannot happen in general, but especially not in close games where the team needs Morant to be the guy making the insane bucket or difficult pass to an open shooter. He can’t be a non-factor from three (0-2 from beyond the arc). He can’t force his own look, or lack lift on a jumper or floater. You won’t always shoot at an elite pace. But for a superstar, you cannot go 3-16 from the floor and be above criticism.
That’s not to say others weren’t without blame. A blown box-out by Santi Aldama on a Philly free throw gave the Sixers another possession (and a made three by Harden). Dillon Brooks shot a paltry 3-9 from the field, and for all the discussion of Jaren he was a cold 5-16 from the floor himself.
8-32 combined from Morant and JJJ simply isn’t good enough. But at least Jaren has the defensive end of the floor to impact winning on. Ja simply doesn’t. When his shot isn’t falling, or he’s not creating at an elite level for others (5 assists just is not enough), his ability to enable the time to win dissipates substantially.
And when his body language is this bad at the end of a game…well, look for yourself.
Memphis was playing 5 on 4 during the biggest moment of the game. Not the best look.
Dillon Brooks isn’t the only one in a shooting slump. Morant is 11-42 in his last two games, which of course is a pretty small sample size. But there’s no denying that Ja has not gotten his shot to fall lately. And even if Desmond Bane was 100% back from his ailing toe (which he pretty clearly isn’t, although he looked good against Philly) this isn’t Bane’s team. Hell, it isn’t even Jaren’s despite his defensive dominance.
The Memphis Grizzlies rise and fall with Ja Morant. With great power comes great responsibility. The veteran Sixers stars stepped up in the closing moments, and Ja didn’t.
It should all be a learning experience. And having followed Ja this long, it is safe to say he will take this short-term failure personally. Thankfully, Memphis has another game Saturday - against the also very good Denver Nuggets - to move on to.
Learn and grow. Move along. In the NBA, there is always a next game…
Until there isn’t.
Starting March 1st, my work on the Memphis Grizzlies will be found over at Bluff City Media. Anyone owed refunds on this site should receive them, or will be handled according to Substack policy. Sign up for Bluff City Media Insiders today and get 10% off an annual subscription with the promo code MULLINAX.