Grizzlies unable to get in win column, fall to Dallas

The Memphis Grizzlies showed more firepower, but couldn’t get a complete performance to secure a win over the Mavericks.

The Memphis Grizzlies are still searching for their 1st win of the season. There was hope the stars aligned with Kyrie Irving sitting out for the Dallas Mavericks.

However, it didn’t come to fruition.

The Grizzlies had a stellar game from its “Big 3” of Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Marcus Smart, but didn’t get enough production from its supporting cast. On the other side, Luka Doncic dissected the defense to generate open looks from himself and his teammates — leading to a triple-double, as well as a blistering 23 three’s from his team.

A theme the first 4 games, the Grizzlies would get within striking distance, but couldn’t put together the stops and scores necessary to break through the proverbial wall to get back into the win column.

1 Play

Marcus Smart’s creation shined in last night’s game. There are kinks to work out, as he had 6 turnovers, but his playmaking affinity and ability shined through his 9-assist performance.

Here, Smart sought early rim pressure. He drew the double as Dwight Powell helped at the nail. He continued to power through until he was deeper into the paint to kick out to a trailing Jaren Jackson Jr. — after shifting his man completely away from him — for an open 3-pointer.

It highlights how well the Grizzlies — specifically Smart — have done in drive-and-kick scenarios. And it should be amplified with more firepower and better shooting waiting on the inactive list.

9 Players

• Marcus Smart. The full Marcus Smart experience was on display. He torched the nets from 3 with 5 triples, but also forced ill-advised ones. He orchestrated the offense well with 9 assists, but also coughed up 6 turnovers. He wreaked havoc defensively with 4 steals and great point-of-attack defense, though fouled out. Nonetheless, Smart was a driving factor in the Grizzlies’ successes last night, and it should be amplified when wins come through.

• Desmond Bane. Desmond Bane cooked another 30-point game. He was absurd inside the arc, finishing 9/10 on 2’s. He operated off the ball more alongside Smart, which took pressure off him as a creator. His defensive urgency was up too, as he had 3 steals. It was another game Bane showcased his All-Star trajectory, as well as his leadership.

• Jaren Jackson Jr.: Jackson had his most complete game as a scorer. He finished with 30 points on 50% shooting on 2’s (7/14) and 3’s (3/6). He sought post opportunities, though his drives weren’t exactly smooth. His aggressiveness parlayed into 9 free throw attempts. His rim-protection presence wasn’t quite as emphatic, but he finished with 9 rebounds.

• Ziaire Williams. I feel like there wasn’t enough of Williams in this game. He was fine defensively, but had moments where his lack of strength was leveraged against him. The Grizzlies should’ve deployed more sets to utilize Williams as either a play-finisher or an initiator to at least get someone outside their “Big 3” going, and it’s an ingredient to the offense they should add in for the time being.

• Xavier Tillman. Xavier Tillman did helpful things in this game defensively, but his offense struggled. His touch wavers, resulting in missed layups and free throws. He’s been challenged to shoot more 3’s — and defenses have done the same. Obviously you don’t want to see a player dissuaded from shooting the ball, but his 3’s have been momentum-killers.

• Derrick Rose. Rose finished with a team-low -18 +/-. He’s struggled finishing as an interior scorer, having to force weird angles to get his shot off at times.

• John Konchar. Konchar, as usual, had his hand in rebounding and defensively, but didn’t provide a bunch offensively. However, he didn’t hurt the Grizzlies at all.

• David Roddy. Roddy’s game came in waves. He had moments where his assertiveness was productive on his way to the basket, but he forced some shots. He had some nice point-of-attack defensive moments, even in instances the Mavs hit tough shots.

• Jake LaRavia. It was LaRavia’s roughest game of the year. Foul trouble hindered him from making any sort of offensive impact, as he got caught flat-footed and would hack trying to catch up. He finished with 3 fouls in just 6 minutes of play.

1 Take

Mentality is there, but the execution isn’t clicking at the right time for momentum.

It’s tough to spin 0-4. You don’t want to get yourself into too deep of a hole, especially in the Western Conference.

However, the team’s mentality is good at the moment. They’re focused on how they’re improving, growing, and getting accustomed to each other and new wrinkles in the system. There’s confidence in their work that the tide will shift and wins will come, while also stressing that it’s an 82-game season. They’re embracing the adversity.

Never too high, never too low.

The Grizzlies’ offensive system has looked good. The ball is moving crisply, and they shot well last night. They’re getting to their open spots, though the production inside the arc has been shaky.

Defensively, the urgency is there, but they gave up a ton of 3’s. Some nights — especially in today’s NBA, and against a high-volume shooting team — it may be a parade beyond the arc. However, they have to lock in and control what they can control: their shifts, rotations, and communication.

Even as the system is finding a rhythm, it’s ultimately halted with untimely execution and a flip of momentum. There’s some stuff you can’t entirely help — looking at Luka Doncic’s 3 consecutive stepback 3’s.

Health aside, this Grizzlies team needs to string together the most complete 48 minutes possible, while generating momentum at the right time to get back in the win column.

And there’s confidence amongst the team it’ll happen. That’s the mentality needed in a grueling 82-game season.

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