Grizzlies falter in Miami, Memphis loses to the Heat 138-119

The Memphis Grizzlies were due a stinker, when you think about it. After a tough run Memphis got some favorable breaks – Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving injuries, red-hot shooting from David Roddy…it all added up to a three-game winning streak that was seemingly impossible just two weeks ago.

And back to reality the Memphis Grizzlies have snapped, thanks in part to the Miami Heat.

Miami is better than their record indicates, and credit the Heat – their defense was stifling, their offense was elite, and they made the Grizzlies play their style of game throughout the contest. It led to a 28-point lead at the end of the third quarter, and a game that got out of hand for Memphis. The Grizzlies offense actually had success, considering they were up against a strong Miami scheme. Roughly 50% from the field, almost 40% from beyond the arc…that’s not bad at all for this Memphis squad! It was, surprisingly, the defense that failed them.

Some thoughts on a tough night for the home team on the road against the Heat.

Jaren Jackson Jr. is the bright spot

It was a night that went really poorly for the Grizzlies. But in a game where Desmond Bane was ejected for being fouled by Kevin Love and because of that contact accidentally hit him in the groin, David Roddy and Santi Aldama did not provide the efficient offense that they had before, and all other things seemingly went terribly, Jaren Jackson Jr.’s showing was a shot of life. Jaren’s block numbers have been low of late (only 1 in this game) but to look at that and say JJJ’s evening wasn’t as impactful would be a mistake.

Offensively, Jackson Jr. scored an efficient 25 points on 15 shots. 4 made threes, 9 rebounds, 2 steals…the full bag was on display. He also only committed 2 fouls in 28 minutes of play. The only real hole in his game was free throws (1-3), but overall a strong showing from a player who must remain at this level if Memphis hopes to stay in the race for the #2 seed the rest of the season.

Quick Hits

• Did Luke Kennard make fun of Taylor Jenkins or other Grizzlies players? The Memphis Grizzlies struggled as a whole defensively in this game. So even if that critique of the game of Luke Kennard (a fair one, to an extent) is one you subscribe to, it did not apply in this contest. Yet John Konchar, not the offensive threat that Kennard is, got the majority of the run for Memphis again when the game was still in doubt. And even when Kennard did play, multiple times Grizzlies players did not kick to Luke when he was open. All of Kennard’s made threes (four!!!) came when the game was out of reach. It doesn’t make sense. Someone make it make sense.
• Ziaire Williams bright spot! It came in “garbage time”, but for some reason the Heat kept their starters in for an extended period of time while Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins waived the white flag early in the game. With that in mind, the showing of Ziaire Williams is slightly more impressive than it usually would be in these circumstances. He scored well but more importantly seemed to have better energy and confidence in his game. That matters immensely, and perhaps is another win on a night where the Grizzlies took a pretty decisive loss.

This was an uncharacteristic defensive performance from the Grizzlies. The Heat had their way for most of the contest. Hopefully that is a one-night-only issue. Memphis is back in action Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs.