Head Coach: Taylor Jenkins (1st Season)
Record: 32-33 (8th in Western Conference)
All-Stars: None
Scoring Leaders: Ja Morant (17.6 PPG), Jaren Jackson Jr. (16.9 PPG), Dillon Brooks (15.7 PPG)
Rebounding Leaders: Jonas Valanciunas (11.2 RPG), Gorgui Dieng (5.8 RPG), Brandon Clarke (5.8 RPG)
Assists Leaders: Morant (6.9 APG), Tyus Jones (4.4 APG), De’Anthony Melton (3.0 APG)
Offense: 112.6 Points Scored/Game (T-13th)
Defense: 113.7 Points Allowed/Game (20th)
Key Wins: Lakers (105-88, Feb. 29), Clippers (140-114, Jan. 4), Nuggets (104-96, Jan. 28), Heat (118-111, Dec. 16), Jazz (107-106, Nov. 15), Thunder (110-97, Dec. 26), Rockets (121-110, Jan. 14), Mavericks (121-107, Feb. 5)
Season Summary: Not many expected the Grizzlies to reach the playoffs this season, especially in a loaded Western Conference. But here they are, sitting in the No. 8 spot in the West, ahead of teams like Portland, New Orleans, Sacramento, San Antonio, Minnesota and Golden State. Young talent has been the reason for the Grizzlies’ success, and Rookie of the Year candidate Ja Morant has led the charge. The 20-year-old was taken by the Grizzlies with the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, and he’s more than lived up to the billing so far. Morant leads the team in scoring (17.6 PPG) and assists (6.9 APG), and is shooting 49.1% from the field. He’s got a great chance to end up with the Rookie of the Year award when the season’s done.
Second-year forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has also been impressive, averaging 16.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 46.8% from the field and 39.7% from 3-point range. The Grizzlies can score the ball, as they rank 7th in the league in field goal percentage. They share it well, too, coming in second in assists per game at 27.0.
Memorable Moment: What could be bigger for a young team in playoff contention than knocking off LeBron James and the Lakers in convincing fashion? That’s exactly what the Grizzlies did on Feb. 29 in Memphis, making a statement in a 105-88 win over Los Angeles. Morant had one of his best games of the season against the West’s best, putting up 27 points and dishing out 14 assists. After the game, James praised Morant, saying the Grizzlies “got a good one,” and that “this kid is super special.” No doubt Morant will remember those words – and that performance – for a long time, and it should give the Grizzlies plenty of added confidence as they try to lock up that No. 8 spot.
Player to Watch: Jonas Valanciunas – Young stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. get plenty of publicity, and for good reason, but one guy who’s quietly been key to the Grizzlies’ success is Valanciunas. The 6-11 center from Lithuania has taken his game to another level since being traded to Memphis last season. After averaging 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds in 19 games with the Grizzlies last year, Valanciunas put up 14.9 points and a career-best 11.2 rebounds per game through the first 62 games this season. He ranks 19th in the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating (22.38) and is quietly one of the game’s most productive big men.
