The Grizzlies entered this matchup with the NBA’s current longest losing streak at eight games and they began the game playing like a team that was hungry to snap that streak. As a team that has averaged 27 assists since the calendar flipped to 2024, the Grizzlies started the game assisting on each of their first eight made baskets to lead 20-12, including scoring eight points off five forced turnovers.
However, that start was negated in less than four minutes as the Pelicans turned the Grizzlies over five times, scoring 13 points off those turnovers to end the first quarter on a 19-6 run to lead the Grizzlies 31-26. The Pelicans continued that run as they extended their lead to 10 points early in the second quarter but the Grizzlies wouldn’t go away yet, responding with a 13-4 run to close the gap to 40-39 midway through the quarter. Then, Brandon Ingram made a three to spearhead a 15-0 Pelicans run that gave them control of the game with a 55-39 lead before heading into halftime with a 61-47 lead.
The Pelicans continued to extend their lead to 20 points early in the third quarter and led by as many as 25 before the Grizzlies ended the quarter on a 17-5 run to cut their deficit to 86-73 heading into the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies comeback continued as they opened the fourth quarter on a 12-4 run to get within five points. However, back-to-back dagger midrange shots by Brandon Ingram ended the Grizzlies’ comeback attempt as the Pelicans held on for a 96-87 win
Now for the main takeaway:
The Return of Yuta Watanabe
Last night’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans officially marked the first game that the trade pieces the Grizzlies received that they didn’t waive from the team made their debuts in Lamar Stevens and Yuta Watanabe. In the case of Yuta Watanabe, last night marked his return to the Grizzlies as he began his NBA career with the Grizzlies as an undrafted rookie in 2018 on a two-way contract.
Watanabe only played in 33 games with the Grizzlies in his first stint averaging 8.5 minutes through two seasons. His playing time picked up in his stints after leaving Memphis, first with the Toronto Raptors followed by the Brooklyn Nets and then the Phoenix Suns this season before the trade. He has become known as somewhat of a three-point specialist as he shot 44% from behind the arc last season in Brooklyn and shot 37% from three in two seasons on the Raptors.
After not playing in his first game back on the team at Charlotte on Saturday night Yuta made his return to the court in a Grizzly uniform as the first man off the bench at the 6:09 mark of the first quarter against the Pelicans. His return didn’t start too well as he turned the ball over once and missed both of his shot attempts in the first quarter which led him to be a -10 while on the court in the opening quarter.
Yuta returned to the game at the 6:47 mark and proceeded to miss his next two shot attempts from three before leaving the game at the 3:04 mark of the first half. Yuta Watanabe ended the first half of his return to the Grizzlies shooting 0-4 from the field (0-3 from three) with 1 rebound and a team-worst -17.
After a forgettable first half, Yuta returned to the game at the 4:03 mark of the third quarter and immediately made a much better impact with a corner drive to an assist to Trey Jemison followed by his first basket of the game with a floater. A couple of possessions later he hit his first three of the game as he helped spur a 9-0 Grizzlies run to cut their deficit from 23 down to 13.
Yuta made the first basket of the fourth quarter to continue his turnaround performance while helping the Grizzlies chip away at the Pelicans’ lead and continued to play throughout with the closing lineup. After an impressive second-half showing Yuta finished his first game back in a Grizzly uniform with 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals on 5-12 shooting, and reversed his team-high -17 in the first half to a -1.
Start/Stop/Continue
START considering Scotty Pippen Jr. for a roster spot. It’s not a decision that needs to be made now as he has a prorated amount of games remaining on the active roster this season and keeping him on a two-way contract in the summer going into next season might make more sense, but he’s an NBA player. His stint as a point guard for the Grizzlies this past month has shown that he has the instincts and athleticism to play that position and could very well be a potential backup point guard candidate behind Ja Morant at some point in the future.
Coming Up
The Grizzlies remain home for a back-to-back against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at 7 PM CST and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday at 7:30 PM CST.
Final Quote
“I feel like I never left. It’s good to be back here playing for Coach Jenkins and playing for this city. I love the energy here.” – Yuta Watanabe