Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins is defending his team against accusations of “dirty” play, writes Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian.
The label started after Dillon Brooks was ejected from Tuesday’s game following a flagrant two foul that knocked Warriors guard Gary Payton II out of the series. Brooks has been suspended for Saturday’s Game 3, and Golden State coach Steve Kerr said he “broke the code” regarding safety among NBA players.
“I also wanted to address a narrative out there that was said between Game 1 and Game 2,” Jenkins said. “It was said that we have to play more physical, and the word dirty has been thrown out there. I look at my locker room and I look at our culture and what we exude — we are the furthest thing from dirty. We are competitive. I want that to be squashed pretty quick here. I know words only mean so much right here. We feel for what Payton is going through and that’s not going to change the course of action, but our guys are going to rally and focus on Game 3.”
Jenkins added that the league has been communicating with Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman since Tuesday night about the possibility that Brooks could be suspended. That gave Jenkins additional time to work on a game plan without Brooks available.
Brooks is Memphis’ best perimeter defender and is extremely valuable in countering the Warriors’ small-ball lineup. He has also become an important part of the offense, averaging a career-best 18.4 points per game this season.
“It’s disappointing,” Jenkins said of the suspension. “It’s an unfortunate circumstance and we will honor the league’s decision. It’s a tough play. We wish Gary Payton a speedy and healthy recovery. You don’t want to see anybody get hurt.”
Brooks’ absence on Saturday will likely mean a larger role for rookie Ziaire Williams, who served as the primary defender on Stephen Curry after Brooks was tossed from Game 2, Hill adds. De’Anthony Melton, who had three blocks and two steals on Tuesday, should see more time as well.
“It’s going to be even more of a grind,” Melton said. “It’s going to take mental focus and physical focus even more. We’ve played without guys before, and great teams without guys. We just have to go in and continue to play hard and play our game and have fun.”
I bet Gary Paytons elbow and Draymond Greens face feel otherwise
Draymond’s face deserved it
Ja’s face deserves it more for cowardly talking smack while being a chipless loser on a mid team for life.
So youre upset Draymond got hit but think Ja deserves to get hit. Makes sense. Totally unbiased rational not butt hurt at all response.
So did you cheer when Green got smacked in the face and needed stitches? I bet you did cheer.
I did not. I don’t cheer players getting injured. WTF kind of person cheers other people getting hurt? You should probably see a therapist if you’re having those thoughts ARC.
“ WTF kind of person cheers other people getting hurt?”
Grizzlies’ fans cheered quite a bit.
Shouldnt have. Nobody should cheer when someone gets hurt. Shame on them.
Raptors fans have entered the chat
I did
@A’s
Isn’t taking snack the direct opposite of being “cowardly”. Talking small is his way of saying “We’re not scared of you. I’m going to beat you”.
in the NBA almost all players talk smack but only a few can back it up.
exactly which Ja does. every damn night
@knicksfan: Talking smack is in no way the opposite of being cowardly, many cowards talk smack to avoid an actual confrontation
and what has he avoided?
It’s not “cowardly” talking smack when you drop 47 and win the game.
Winning game 2 literally never matters if you have no chip, grow up, participation trophy gang
I’m not a Grizzlies fan lol if you paid any attention you’d know that.
@slimmycito:
Although it helps when your team targets and purposely injures the guy that was going match up on you all game…
that and it’s quite a ack at that point. it’s facts!!
Draymond kicked multiple guys in the crotch for no reason when the Warriors ended up losing in the finals to the Cavs. That is beyond “breaking the code” in the NBA. Lets also remember Zaza taking out Kawhi.
he ended up getting suspended for it in the finals costing GSW a championship and many fans remind him about it. Maybe you should look at game 2 when Curry shot was blocked the Grizzly player landed under Curry taking his legs out and no call for that. So should that have been a flagrant so the Refs missed 2 flagrant calls on GSW in game 2. Thanks for bring that up.
All I’m hearing is excuses. Own it. Dray kicks people in balls for fun.
@black Ace: Ah, the fallback of “whataboutism”. Are you not capable of differentiation? Or are you really so mentally limited?
@Black Ace57 my god, just take the L! YOU LOST. THIS IS NOTHING LIKE THAT. GROW UP.
Draymond never ended anyones seasons – stop being wrong about everything ever.
I blame Jenkins as much as Brooks. He told Brooks to be extra physical and tough and Brooks did exactly what his coach said. Sounds to me Jenkins got caught on tape telling his player to be extra physical and make those fouls hurt.
Big facts. This team is as a dirty as it comes, they had Grayson Allen ffs. Might as well sign both Morris bros in offseason, you know they will..
Some posters support violence if GSW does it.
Facts. Griz got rid of Allen and have not employed either Morris. But that is not an indictment of teams that have… A’s fan is just desperate.
Somebody forgot to have their soy matcha this morning
These lunatics play a song promoting violence to women and sex workers on their PA at games, their whole franchise is as dirty as it comes.
Even Ja is an idiot – win a ring before talking smack, loser.
You just described 99% of songs players in the NFL, NBA, MLB, fans, kids, and people in the world listen to on a daily basis. Where have you been since the 1990s? Next you’ll tell us they also listen to songs that use the N word every other word or say the N word 20 times in a row.
If they’re gonna suspend Brooks that would be blatantly inconsistent. His play was no different than Draymond’s in game one.
Like claiming a slow crash into a bumper is the same as a car going 100 mph into a stop car. Big difference.
Hits to the head break code. You could ask Kerr, but he is as biased as any GSW fan. Bunch of brats.
a more apt analogy would be an accident at 100 mph vs a deliberate pit maneuver at slow speed.
The guy driving 100 mph was reckless and dumb.
But the guy that deliberately bumped you at slow speed to make you crash is just as bad, if not worse.
@seamaholic
You may wanna go look at those plays again because they are completely different.
Dray flails and gets his hand in dude’s jersey and drags him down as Dray also began to go down, but he got his feet underneath him and tried to keep dude from hitting the ground by pulling back up on his jersey. He actually kept the Memphis player from smacking his face in the deck.
Meanwhile, Payton is completely alone on a fast break and Brooks chases him down and clubs him full on across the side of the head.
Every NBA player (not on the Grizzlies) that I’ve seen speak about it says that is a totally unacceptable play that’s only purpose is to take a guy out.
And if you don’t like the truth out of my mouth, I suggest you take it up with Big Perk, who said as much on ESPN
I would argue Draymond’s play was dirtier than Brooks’.
Brooks made a hard, ill-advised foul that resulted in an unfortunate and unlucky injury, but at least he was going for the ball.
Draymond on the other hand, was not going for the ball. Instead he decided to grab the guy’s jersey and pull him down after chopping down on his face. There was no basketball move at all in his actions, and while not as violent or dangerous, his foul was definitely a cheap, dirty play.
LMAO
@SoCalBrave… Finally a comment that shows sense in here… this site must be full of GSW homies, right?
Lmao warriors have no room to talk when it comes to dirty players with Draymond on the roster. Dude is a walking technical foul waiting to happen and dirty as hell.
Here’s 10 minutes of Draymond being dirty.
link to youtube.com
Funny is how I can piece together most players in the league games and claim they are dirty player after 10 years in the league. When you use what about Green it shows you are bias and making excuses for Brooks.
K do it then. Also post articles about them being a dirty player. When you have a reputation as a dirty player articles and videos get posted of you being a dirty player
link to foxsports.com
Also, not making excuses for Brooks. I am pointing out the hypocrisy of people like you who are upset about Brooks but probably excused Draymonds actions for years. I don’t have a dog in the fight of Grizzlies vs Warriors but it sure is hilarious seeing Warrior fans get bent out of shape over Brooks after sticking up for Draymond for 10 years. Funny how that works.
And here you are, again, pointing out what Brooks did wrong instead acknowledging that Draymond is a dirty player. You excuse actual proof of him being dirty claiming bias lmao. Never fails.
like most things you are wrong. See how I said most GSW fans blame Green for losing that championship. Difference is GSW fans call out Green for those kicks to Adams and even said he should been suspended for it. Other difference is Adams didn’t miss a game but Payton now is out for a whole post season for a dirty play.
A Nuggets player kicked Porter in the nuts last series but I did not view it as a dirty play or intentional it was a accident. So what team is you favorite so I can post their perceived dirty plays. If you don’t claim one you are fake.
Draymond NEVER ended anyones season, he’s not dirty, he does what he needs to do to win without getting ejected. No player he kicked in the nuts had their season ended because of it, because they werent even hurt by it, they were cowardly faking being hurt, because its impossible to beat Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green without cheating, and Memphis just proved this fact, yet again.
So your standard of dirty player is extent of injury they cause. Thats a new one and a bad standard. Draymond has and earned a reputation for being a dirty player. Warrior fans crying over Brooks while spending years riding Draymonds junk every time he got fined / suspended is another level of cognitive dissonance.
Thats it. Thats the comment. No amount of whining from Warrior fans changes his reputation. No amount of BUT BUT OTHER PLAYER changes it either. Draymond is a dirty player and has been his entire career. End of story.
Again, that means nothing because dray wasn’t the one hurt for the rest of the season.
Leaning on your “logic” so hard has made you unable to see how ridiculous it is.
You’re the one saying ,”but but but Draymond did this!”
This has nothing to do with Draymond, Gary Payton is who got attacked and injured.
You just don’t like the Warriors, which is fine, but your dislike shouldn’t require you be ok with plays like that, or players getting injured
Pick any team you want. Pick any player you want ARC. Doesn’t change the fact Green is a dirty player. Has been. Always will be.
Other people doing dirty things doesnt make Green doing stuff less dirty.
I will tell you my team when you acknowledge Green is a dirty player. Until you openly say and admit Green is a dirty player youre responses are nothing but biased word salad written by a band wagon fan boy incapable of rational thought.
Still waiting for you to back up your claim ARC
“Funny is how I can piece together most players in the league games and claim they are dirty player after 10 years in the league.”
Take the number of plays in the Draymond video and do + 1 for any player you want in the league. Lets see the final product.
Upload it to google drive and share the link. Also still waiting for that link to proof Kirby Snead is a QANON conspiracy nut. You never did provide proof to that claim despite saying you have evidence.
Yeah because he never ended anyones season because he sucks at being dirty just like he sucks at everything else.
Oh Boy you are on one.. totally tripping if you think Draymond is dirty. Clearly you don’t watch basketball or are new to the sport. Casual looking up YouTube compilations to try and convince people of his baseless argument
10 years worth of technical fouls, fines, suspensions, video evidence, and articles written about Draymonds reputation as a dirty player disagree with your statement tball. You can lead a horse to water. Can’t make them drink. Ignorance is bliss.
Same with CP3, but everyone seems to love his dirty as hell ass
Dray is proud to be dirty and plans to continue. Playing in a bratty region does not help him with humility, nor does getting tossed.
there goes the bitter cavs fan. You should thank Green for your one championship. If he didn’t act like a fool with Adams GSW wins 4 in a row.
Arc you have no knowledge. Dray only missed one game, Cavs won four, GSW blew a 3-1 lead all by themselves.
@oh boy, so it’s ok to intentionally hurt GP because Draymond did something you didn’t like?
That’s not how life works fella, just like it’s not ok for me to hurt you just because someone once hurt me…
That’s called being a child.
PJ Tucker proved that if you want to beat a team of elite shooters you need to step on a few toes.