Grizzlies star Ja Morant admitted Saturday that he hasn’t fully recovered from the right knee soreness that forced him to miss nine games late in the season, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Morant returned for one game at the end of the regular season, then went straight into the playoffs. He has worn a bandage on the knee in each game since he has been back.
Memphis may need the best version of Morant to escape a tight series with the Timberwolves that is now tied at 2-2. He averaged 27.4 points per game during the regular season, but Minnesota has limited him to 20.5 PPG through the first four games of the first round, using multiple defenders to block his path to the basket.
“I can be honest right now,” Morant said. “I’m not Ja right now. I’m not playing above the rim. Most of the times when I go to the rack, I’m getting bumps. I just got to worry about finishing the bucket instead of worrying about the guys with stripes on.”
There’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Coach Taylor Jenkins didn’t hold back his criticism of the officials after Saturday’s loss, per Fred Katz of The Athletic. The Wolves shot 40 free throws as all five Memphis starters collected at least four fouls. “I’ve never seen a more inconsistent, arrogant officiated game,” Jenkins said. “So, I’ll take whatever hit is coming my way, protect our guys. We know we’ve gotta get better. But from the get-go, it was foul, foul, foul, foul, foul. Inconsistency. There was actually one play where a foul whistle was blown before contact was even made. It’s embarrassing.”
- The Grizzlies’ problems go far beyond the officiating, according to Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Among them is a disappointing performance from Jaren Jackson Jr., who is misfiring from three-point range and hasn’t played more than 27 minutes in any game this series. “He still has a bunch of time to come out and play well,” Brandon Clarke said. “Jaren knows the player that he is. We all know who he is.”
- Nekias Duncan of Basketball News looks at the challenges that the Morant-Clarke pick-and-roll creates for Minnesota’s defense.
Grizzlies did what many young teams do and over look a team. T-wolves are a tough team who can play defense. Now its a best out 2 of 3 games. All teams have injuries so that is no excuse.
They didn’t overlook anyone. Minnesota just has a good team. Nobody should be surprised that they beat Memphis twice in 4 tries. They split 2-2 in the regular season too
Yeah Minny is a tough matchup for the Grizz. They’re one of the only teams in the league that can match up depth-wise and athletically. Once Memphis squeaks by (I’ll guess in a not-very-close Game 7), they’ll looka lot better vs the Warriors. There the matchup favors the Grizz, whose size and hops will be a nightmare for the old Dubs.
Jenkins is absolutely right about the officiating though. There’s no freakin’ way a closely fought playoff game should have one team (which is known for 3 pters) with 40 FT’s. They were not allowed to guard KAT at all.
old dubs? So Ja is the same age as Poole. Curry and Thompson will out shoot Grizzlies any day of the week. Grizzlies are a regular season team not a playoff team.
Yes they over looked T-wolves. T-wolves are well balanced and plays better defense. Why is Adams on the bench not going against Townes?
It should be pretty obv why Adams ain’t out there. KAT has destroyed that guy his whole career… link to m.youtube.com
Don’t blame Adams blame Grizzlies coach for not double teaming KAT. Why is the Grizzlies not exploiting Russel’s terrible defense. Everyone in the league knows he is a liability on defense. T-wolves coach is out coaching Grizzlies. They attack the basket and Grizzlies foul way too much. Jackson is a foul machine.
Who’s blaming Adams for anything? You’re the only one frantically looking for ppl to blame. Just relax & enjoy this great series. And try to give guys credit for playing well instead of always looking to shxt on guys
You saying Adams couldn’t guard Towns.
Right
Right. For some reason Sankara never thinks he’s the one that criticizes; that is other posters.
It is not wrong to be discerning anyway.
You mean like how the Suns are having a difficult time putting away the Pelicans? Did they “overlook” them too?
They didn’t overlook Minny. Minny is simply a tough matchup for them. Memphis can’t play Adams because he has been getting abused with pick and rolls as well as having to cover Towns at the 3pt line which doesn’t bode well for him. That cuts into the Grizzlies depth and makes them play a smaller guy like Tillman or Clarke on KAT, and if either get into foul trouble that just further exacerbates things because we KNOW JJJ is going to have foul trouble issues regardless. Ant has been huge for Minny and a matchup nightmare for most teams with his explosiveness and the way he has been knocking down shots. They got DLO as #3 and he can go out and get 20+ any given night (even though he has only done that once this series I believe). Add McD, Vandy, the defensive pest Pat Bev, and it’s a tough matchup for Memphis. Even with all that, if McLaughlin doesn’t come in and set the place on fire in game 4 scoring 16 pts in 14 minutes (probably his most points this year), Minny is most likely looking at a 3-1 deficit. Throw in Memphis getting guys in foul trouble (JJJ always in foul trouble), not playing their best right now like JJJ, Ja, & Melton (whether it’s because of Minny D or not), and the terrible officiating; this was going to be a tough matchup for Memphis and a good series. I have Memphis in 6, but looking more and more like 7 games.
This is shaping up to be 1 of those all time classic NBA playoff series… Memphis would def benefit from having Ja at 100% but failing that they would also benefit from him sitting out a gm & letting DMelton get into a rhythm
Think about what you just posted. Memphis benefits either way. When the time comes for extending Ja with the max, does Memphis do it? Another question is who’s the best
player on the Grizzlies?
The less Morant plays/shoots, the better the team performs. Perhaps the team should trade Morant while his value is still hot. Moreover, the Grizzlies best player is Desmond Bane.
Lol chill out bro. Ja is clearly their best player & yes they def max him out this summer
Free throw attempts
Grizzlies 25
Wolves 40
Grizzlies home games
Grizzlies have more FTs than Wolves
Inconsistency
Give Chris Finch credit. Unlike some more talented teams his guys are prepared and playing with passion.
Quite the opposite. The Wolves are one of the most underperforming uber-talented teams on the planet. There are almost no teams with more pure physical talent.
So the wolves had 15 more free throw attempts in this game and Jenkins is up in arms. Maybe he forgot that in game 1 they had 16 more free throw attempts and have had 28 more free throw attempts combined in the first three games.
Which is why he called out the inconsistency not some sort of conspiracy against them. This appears to be one of those “don’t give a crap because the big markets aren’t involved” series that the refs decide to have fun with by helping the home team win. You can see a 7 game Grizz win coming a mile away.
Got an extra tinfoil hat for me, seam?
There is and always will be a home town calls in the NBA. So when T-wolves get it at home the Grizzlies will get it when they are home.
It sounded like it was a big deal that Towns had a comeback game after some off games. That was something the announcers were ready to exclaim about. I would not be surprised if that was a theme picked up on to extend the series.
Thing is, Towns was okay not great. 14 for 17 FTs; 6 turnovers. Grizz should go after him next game.
Both teams are neutralizing each other… One might predict in a 2vs7, the game would be about the 7 neutralizing the 2, but maybe bc of Morant’s injury, MEM has been trying to contain MIN to win.
Still, my 2nd favorite series.
Referees have decided to become the stars in most all of the playoff series. The inconsistency is Outrageous. Intimidation by coaches and home crowds is obvious even to the casual fans that often post here.
This serie is not fun to watch and turn to be way too physical game After game.
No team has played more than 10 good minutes of basketball, it’s very messy due to below average coaching also so blame teams 1st, refs juste can’t really do nothing about it… I really like both teams but whoever wins may be swept by the Warriors next.
MEM needs way more than Morant to beat MIN, they probably need a miracle, best player in the series is in MIN & when KAT is on fire they can easily dispose of a mediocre team like MEM!