Insider Insights: The Young Depth of the Grizzlies Shine Bright in win over Bucks

Before the season, if you noticed that the Grizzlies were playing the Bucks on the second half of a back-to-back to close the first half of the season, you likely expected it to be a potential loss for Memphis.

However, if someone were to have told you the Grizzlies would earn a 113-110 win in the game thanks to 72 combined points on 26-41 from the field and 10-19 from a trio of players, it likely would not be that surprising. Because at this point in the schedule, Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. were all supposed to be healthy and thriving together.

Unfortunately, very little has gone according to plan this season for the Memphis Grizzlies. But while much of the uncertainty has led to struggles, it recently has also led to success. Because the three players that combined for the amazing production shown above were not Morant, Bane, and Jackson Jr. Instead, it was Vince Williams Jr., Ziaire Williams, and GG Jackson. And in a season that has had plenty of frustrating moments, last night was a ton of fun to see the young depth of the Grizzlies shine.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest takeaways:

Career Night for Ziaire Williams

This is no exaggeration. Last night was literally the best game Ziaire Williams played in his career.

And it was all due to an incredible third quarter where Ziaire could do no wrong. He had 17 points on 7-8 shooting and was 3-3 from beyond the arc. As Giannis Antetokounmpo was starting to dominate the game for the Bucks, Ziaire matched up point for point while the rest of the Grizzlies outplayed the rest of the Bucks. It allowed Memphis to get the cushion it needed to win the game.

The big thing now for Ziaire is to build off this performance. Hopefully now healthy, if Ziaire can take advantage of having a significant role over the next few weeks after the All-Star break, he certainly can make this offseason even more interesting. While it is correct to take the mindset that this is just one game, with as good as he looked, it is also ok to have a little hope it could lead to improved play in the second half of the season.

GG Jackson continues to impress

GG Jackson is quickly becoming the number two offensive option for this current version of the Grizzlies after Jaren Jackson Jr. His fifth 20-point game of the season and third in his last four games, Jackson once again raised the bar on the impact he can make.

Over the past month, Jackson is third in the NBA in points and three pointers made among NBA reserves. When Jackson scored 11 points on three three-pointers to end the first quarter last night, that offered a glimpse of the role he could thrive in early in his career with the Grizzlies. He currently is one of the best sources of offense off the bench in the league. And while that certainly should not be his role as his career progresses, it could be a great thing for both him and franchise if he continues to excel in it.

Vince Williams Jr. Activity is Amazing

Vince Williams Jr. scored 18 points and also grabbed a career high 12 boards along with seven assists. This is the sixth straight game that Williams Jr. has had 5 or more assists, including seven or more in his last five games. His ability to either play the point guard position or be a secondary facilitator/connecter has been a huge factor in the Grizzlies offense starting to raise its ceiling for the current version of this team.

This activity will be a big reason why Williams Jr. will continue to have a huge role on this team once our best players are back. The ability to add value in multiple ways beyond scoring is critical to maximize the potential of the Grizzlies core, and Williams Jr. has consistently done just that over the past several weeks.

One other fun note is that the Grizzlies produced their third game with a true shooting percentage of 60% or better in the month of February. That matches the number of such games this season before February. If the Grizzlies can continue to improve their offense with the players they have available now, that will be a great development as our best talents return from injury in the near future.