Hustle Bit by Vipers for Second Straight Loss

It is January 6th, and we are still at the dawn of a new year. Yet somehow the Memphis Hustle are so far away from being the team that was undefeated in 2024.

What seems like forever ago was only 48 hours prior to the time I am writing this, but hey, that’s basketball. The Memphis Hustle faced off against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for the second time in two days on Saturday night, and unfortunately for Memphis, Rio Grande still has their number as the Hustle have fallen to 1-3 in games versus the Vipers this season.

The Hustle entered Saturday night seeking revenge on the Rio Grande team that ripped the rug from under their feet only 24 hours prior, hoping to even the tally in the regular season at 1-1 and remain above .500 on the regular season, but Rio Grande had other plans, especially former Grizz and Hustle player Jarrett Culver, who took great pride in lighting up the scoreboard all evening. Culver showed his former team no mercy as he pinned down a 26 point, 11 rebound double-double while shooting 56% from the floor on a very positive +20 efficiency, providing a performance that left a major impact on the evening. The Vipers got a very positive bench output from Darius Days, as well, who put up 25 on the night, outscoring the entire Hustle bench on his own.

Not all was bad for Memphis on the evening, though. The starters played solid games offensively, and the issues mainly fell on a lack of defensive discipline and lack of production from the bench. Jake LaRavia finished the night with 32 points, seven rebounds, and three steals; G.G. Jackson added a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds (and an insane poster slam; I’ll attach it below); and Jason Preston was one assist shy of another triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. The absence of Matthew Hurt definitely put a damper on Memphis’s efforts, as well, especially considering how well Hurt has been consistently playing as of late.

Jake LaRavia is continuing to put on clinics every night in the G, which so badly makes me wish he could adjust and adapt his game to the NBA speed. As I have stated before, I figure a lot of his issues are attributed to a lack of comfort and experience, and since Memphis is not the easiest team to have time to learn or take baby steps with, I really do wonder what is in the foreseeable future with LaRavia and the Grizzlies. Jake has proven time and time again that he is capable of putting up monster numbers in the G League, but the question remains: how does he acclimate to the NBA level? With the trade deadline slowly impending and his play continuously elevating for the Hustle, I genuinely do wonder if there is going to be an increase in buyers for LaRavia around the deadline. Teams could benefit from his size and ability to knockdown shots, and I could see teams who are younger and/or have the ability to let him test out on the NBA floor at a more consistent rate being very interested in him come February. I really wish he could figure it out in a Grizzlies jersey more than anything.

This match ultimately ended as another tough blow for the Hustle, but I don’t necessarily find it a reason to hit the emergency button yet. The Vipers have been a consistently good team this year and have been an especially tough matchup for Memphis this season. In return, I believe this has benefited the Hustle as great learning moments this season. 113–131 is a tough pill to swallow, but I think nights like this one will be the ones the Hustle grow from.

The squad will resume action on Tuesday versus the Sioux Hills Skyforce, the hottest team in the G League, live from the Landers Center at 7:00 p.m. to kick off the start of a four-game homestand. Come out and support the guys. For tickets, call (901) 888-HOOP, visit https://memphis.gleague.nba.com/ticket-central, or visit the Landers Center box office.