The Grizzlies began preseason action looking like the same young and energized team they have become known for over the past couple of seasons in the “Grz Nxt Gen” era. The first half provided its ups and downs defensively, but the offense seemed to be in rhythm. Derrick Rose, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. all scored 13 points apiece at halftime.
Without Marcus Smart (Abdominal Strain) in the starting lineup, the Grizzlies opted to start Derrick Rose in his place, and he did not disappoint, shooting 5/6 from the floor in the first half before sitting out the remainder of the game. He displayed flashes of his old self with aggressive drives to the basket and impressive finishing in traffic.
Steven Adams was also limited to just first half play, but still produced four points, five rebounds, and one block in his return from the knee injury he suffered in January. It was a pleasant sight to see him back on the court and in mid-season form with his screen setting and long passes, though it did not lead to any assists. Steven Adams’ presence is important for this team’s status as a contender and his play was a good sign of things to come.
The two stars, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., combined for 35 points in 23 and 25 minutes, respectively. Jaren seemed to get whatever he wanted offensively, while Bane struggled shooting from three but found other ways to score inside the arc. Expect All-Star or near All-Star-level production from those two this season.
As the Grizzlies and Pacers both started to go deeper into theIr benches later in the 2nd half, the game flow shifted to typical preseason play, featuring mostly bottom-end roster guys, but it provided an entertaining finish. Jacob Gilyard, Kennth Lofton Jr., and Jake LaRavia were especially critical down the stretch in helping the Grizzlies finish off the Pacers in overtime. It was no coincidence that the chemistry between those guys was good, considering that trio was integral in the Memphis Hustle’s playoff run last season.
Now for the main takeaway:
The initial 10-man rotation
Obviously, missing Marcus Smart (who is expected to return for the season opener) tweaks this a little bit, but the majority of the first initial 10-man rotation consisted of starters Derrick Rose, Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams, with the bench lineup of John Konchar, Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, Santi Aldama, and Xavier Tillman. Coach Jenkins mentioned he would mix and match various lineups throughout training camp and the preseason, so this will probably be altered in the future preseason games. Still, they yielded good results, especially offensively.
The Grizzlies collectively shot nearly 50% when the majority of this rotation played in the first half. Although the three-point shooting left a lot to be desired, the spacing was definitely there with the Desmond Bane-Luke Kennard pairing. A lot of open looks were missed, including by Bane and Kennard themselves, so a progression to the mean will be expected.
John Konchar and Santi Aldama seemed to be the top two options off the bench, for now, as they replaced Derrick Rose and Steven Adams to begin the 2nd half. David Roddy was deployed at the 3 and small ball 4 positions which helped with spacing as well. Overall, that 10-man rotation scored 85 points in three and a half quarters of play.
Defensively, this group did not lack in the block department, led by none other than the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., who finished with five blocks. Outside of that, the Pacers mostly got what they wanted offensively, but considering this was the first preseason game, the intensity on that end was about what would be expected.
As the Grizzlies prepare to continue their preseason slate, expect that 10-man rotation to continue with maybe some mix and match with the former Memphis Hustle trio of Jake LaRavia, Kennth Lofton Jr., and Jacob Gilyard (two-way contract) sprinkled into the rotation of some sorts.
Start, Stop, and/or Continue
Continue: Imploring Desmond Bane and Luke Kennard lineups. This sounds like a broken record among Grizz Nation but the spacing this team has with those two on the court together cannot be replicated. Rather, they both play minutes together in the backcourt or on the wing; their mix of ball handling and shooting provides limitless opportunities for this Grizzlies team to be a high-scoring offense. The Grizzlies becoming a true top shooting team in the league is becoming a real possibility, and having those two play together for longer stretches only enhances this potential reality.
Coming Up:
The Grizzlies remain in Memphis for a Tuesday night game against the Milwaukee Bucks before hitting the road to Atlanta to face off against the Hawks on Thursday night.