Report Card: Dillon Brooks, Grizzlies show tremendous fight in victory over Warriors

The Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors squared off in a highly-anticipated matchup, per usual. The history with these two teams always makes it must-see TV, but Draymond Green’s comments about Dillon Brooks — as well as Brooks’ remarks on Green in a recent ESPN interview — added some extra spice to the matchup.

From the jump, the Grizzlies threw a haymaker en route to a 48-point 1st quarter with a 20-point lead. Though the Warriors threw big jabs of their own throughout the game, with a huge run to start the 2nd quarter and a strong 3rd quarter, the Grizzlies managed to roll with the punches to fight back and re-extend leads, making their 4th quarter a breeze on their way to a win.

The fight and resilience was a great sight from the Grizzlies, especially with what’s transpired over the past week, and with the Warriors’ edge against Memphis.

Anyways, grades:

Dillon Brooks: 14 points (6-15 shooting, 1-7 from 3), 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 stocks, +22 (Grade: A)

An “A” for a player that shot 6-15 from the field and 1-7 from 3? This game was the ultimate Dillon Brooks game though. His energy was infectious, and the crowd was eating it up. He did a great job containing Stephen Curry — as the superstar point guard was 3-8 from the field with a 1:2 assist-to-turnover ratio with Brooks as the primary defender — and had a moment that should be stapled to his All-Defensive case.

Oh, and he had this moment with Draymond Green. Kudos to the refs for not getting involved.

Dillon Brooks was 6-15 from the field and 1-7 from 3, which is the only dock here. However, he felt a bit more controlled than the box score suggested on the floor.

This matchup with the Golden State Warriors was a huge game for them, and one they needed to win with the recent skid. Dillon Brooks was instrumental in this victory, channeling his fiery competitiveness in a healthy manner (2 fouls and no tech’s, by the way!).

Desmond Bane: 21 points (9-16 shooting, 2-5 from 3), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, +19 (Grade: A)

Desmond Bane was the go-to guy for the Memphis Grizzlies, a role needed in Ja Morant’s absence — and one he has filled in their superstar’s absence over the past two years.

Though he didn’t shoot a ton of 3’s, something that is desired, he did great handling creation responsibilities — getting to his spots in the mid-range, attacking the basket, and setting his teammates up.

Bane continues to show that even if he’s not shooting a ton of 3’s, he’s a significant plus contributor offensively. That’s primarily due to his growth as a live-dribble creator.

Secondary grades

• Santi Aldama (A): Going up against a team like the Golden State Warriors, you need firepower off the bench. With the absences of Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke, and Steven Adams, their depth shrinks and reduces the options for that spark. Santi Aldama delivered for the Grizzlies. Scoring 15 points and hauling in 7 rebounds, Santi was aggressive getting to his spots and letting it fly from 3 (3-5 from 3). He was a +16, even in that disastrous start to the 2nd quarter, and earned the nod in a closing lineup. His contributions will continue to be important with Clarke out for the remainder of the season.
• Jaren Jackson Jr. (B): Jaren Jackson Jr. was letting it fly early and quickly with 2 three’s. He was also aggressive attacking the basket as well. He did struggle inside the arc though, only connecting on 3 of his 9 attempts on 2’s. Despite this flaw in last night’s game, he was transformative, boasting a game-high +27. Hopefully, this is a recognition from Taylor Jenkins to play him 35 minutes down this stretch — and to feed him more… he shouldn’t be 4th in shot attempts in a game while *waves hands* all this is going on.
• Tyus Jones (B): Tyus Jones wasn’t wildly efficient, 8-17 from the field and 3-9 from 3 (both team-high’s). However, he set the tone offensively with his playmaking, dishing out 6 of his 11 assists in the first quarter. He also generated 3 steals, all big in getting to transition offense. Jones continues to be great for the Grizzlies in the starter role, and his impact will be crucial for Memphis this postseason.

The Memphis Grizzlies will stay home, as they take on the Dallas Mavericks tomorrow night.