The Grizzlies rolled out the same starting lineup for the second straight game with Scotty Pippen Jr. Desmond Bane, GG Jackson, Santi Aldama, and Jaren Jackson Jr. That unit got the Grizzlies out to a 21-16 deficit before the much-anticipated return of Brandon Clarke was completed with him checking into the game at the 5:22 mark of the first quarter. The Lakers shot 65% from the floor in the first quarter but the Grizzlies forced six turnovers and made six threes to keep pace only trailing 37-36 to end the first.
The hot shooting continued for both teams to begin the second quarter as Lamar Stevens and Dejon Jarreau helped the Grizzlies take a 46-44 lead. The Lakers responded with a 12-3 run to regain the lead 56-49 midway through the quarter. That momentum continued for the rest of the second quarter as the Lakers led the Grizzlies 69-61 at halftime.
New Grizzlies killer, Rui Hachimura, kept shooting out of his mind as he helped the Lakers take a 78-64 lead early in the third quarter. The Lakers eventually led by as many as 27 points in the quarter before the Grizzlies ended the quarter on a 15-0 run to cut their deficit to 102-92 to end the third.
The Grizzlies continued that run to 18-0 to begin the fourth quarter down by 7 points but the Lakers responded with back-to-back threes to regain a 13-point advantage. That last blow proved to be too much for the Grizzlies as they could not cut their deficit to single digits again as the Lakers won 136-124 to take a 2-1 season series lead.
For the main takeaway:
Brandon Clarke is back!
When Brandon Clarke tore his Achilles in the Grizzlies’ loss at the Denver Nuggets last year on March 3rd, 2023, it was wildly speculated just how long he would be out of the lineup. The timeline for a torn Achilles can range from six months to over a year depending on the athlete and the level of competition they have to get back to. Considering Brandon Clarke’s game is predicated on athleticism with his elite-level jumping ability, missing this entire season was expected.
However, if Brandon Clarke could return this season, the timeline was projected to be around this time of the season. With his return to the court a little over a year removed from the significant injury, Clarke produced 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal in 21 minutes of action off the bench against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sure, the Grizzlies are eliminated from playoff contention so bringing Brandon Clarke back could present a setback. However, bringing him back at this point without the pressure of playoff basketball is probably better. He can truly focus on knocking off some rust and gain his confidence back as the mental hurdle of recovering from an injury of that caliber is just as big as the physical aspect.
Seeing Brandon Clarke return to the court after missing over a year brightened a light on what has been a dark season for the team. Zach Kleiman reiterated that he is a core part of this team moving forward in his post-trade deadline press conference and if he can come anywhere close to the player he was before that injury (career 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds on 60% shooting) the Grizzlies 2024-2025 ceiling will continue to rise.
Start/Stop/Continue
START thinking of ways to bring Lamar Stevens back on this team next season. He is a free agent this offseason and the Grizzlies will be in a roster crunch but his effectiveness on a game continues to be underrated and could pay dividends as a back-end rotation or end-of-bench guy for a potential contending team.
Coming Up
The Grizzlies will hit the road again for their final road trip of the season on the East Coast beginning Saturday at the Orlando Magic at 6:00 PM CST. The Grizzlies won their only matchup against the Magic this season on January 26th in Memphis.
Final Quote
“I’m glad to get that first game out way, I’ve been thinking about it for a very long time. It was fun to play again, straight up.” – Brandon Clarke