Morant back for the stretch run. What situation is he returning to?
Without Ja, the Grizzlies earned a valiant 6-3 record. What are some things we learned about this tough Grizzlies team during that time?
Ja Morant’s absence only lasted a few weeks, but it felt like forever.
This is especially the case for a young team who has been without their cornerstone center since late January and recently lost another frontcourt impact player in Brandon Clarke.
The Grizzlies star point guard is back after an eight game suspension plus a reintroduction period and will see the court on Wednesday for the first time since March 3rd against the Nuggets.
His suspension spanned nearly ten percent of a season and was hopefully a time of reflection and healing as he looks to combat the mental stress that comes with having a team and city on your shoulders.
In his absence, Morant’s teammates dug into the 'ole tool bag and found ways to win while opening up some doors for key players on the roster.
Memphis overcame multiple deficits, including a 29 point hole against the Spurs. Though things seemed bleak on many occasions, the Grizzlies found ways to stay above water.
In the long run, this time spent without Morant could prove beneficial for the Grizzlies. Previously, a typical moment in a close game would involve three or four guys setting up camping chairs on offense while Morant does his thing and waltzes into the kitchen to cook. The creativity in end-of-game scenarios is frequently lacking. With Ja out, many other dudes got the chance to showcase their grit down the stretch. Even guys like Kenny Lofton got to step up to the plate and take a swing at success.
Since the article at ESPN spotlighting Dillon Brooks and his psycho defensive strategies, he has gone full WWE heel mode - and I’m here for it. The guy that the team readily proclaims as the heart and soul of the defense has helped bring the energy in the last few weeks among bleak circumstances. Brooks seems to have zeroed in on his niche and is putting a tremendous amount of focus on being a deterrent on defense and not forcing his shots on offense as much. During the stretch with Morant out, Brook’s usage rate was 18.9% - a point and a half lower than his season average. He also attempted 11.9 shots per game compared to the 13.7 he has attempted on the season. One would have expected to see an uptick in those areas for Brooks with Morant’s 20+ shots per game becoming available, but he was not the benefactor of those additional attempts. I think we can all agree this is for the better.
Where exactly did the Grizzles supplement their production? Well, coach Taylor Jenkins used a variety of lineups. The main starting lineup of Brooks, Tyus Jones, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman, and Desmond Bane was actually a net negative (-3) over this stretch in 191 possessions. The most successful lineup subbed in David Roddy for Brooks and was a plus -18 in 43 possessions (though Dillon himself was a plus -5.83 per 100). The bulk of this positive run likely came during Roddy’s run against Dallas where he lit them up for 43 points cumulative in a back-to-back series.
The biggest winner on offense for Memphis has been Jaren. He has stepped up and shown himself worthy of the All-Star bid that he received in February. His usage increased five points over his season average during the nine-game span of the Morant suspension. Jackson also led the team in scoring with 22.67 points per game compared to his 17 point per game average. He did this while not letting up on the defensive end. This shouldn’t be overlooked, as the Grizzlies frontcourt has been increasingly depleted by injuries, making Jackson’s success even more impressive. He is emerging as a true two-way play who discourages opponents from shooting at the rim and is learning to score consistently from the rack and the three-point line.
Another key theme that emerged over the past three weeks is the increased comfortability for Luke Kennard. When he first arrived in Memphis following the trade with LAC, Kennard looked lost and intimidated out on the court. It seemed like a case of the yips. Well, the yips have been shaken and cast aside. Over the 9-game stretch, Kennard led the team in three point shooting with 2.56 makes on 5 attempts per game. He even looked a little more comfortable on defense and on multiple occasions made heads up hustle plays that benefited the team. Luke led the team with an impressive plus -9.34 per 100 possessions in his 202 minutes played. He requires only minimal touches on offense but the defense must respect his shooting. The future should prove out that Luke is a valuable addition to this roster.
Tyus Jones did his thing, averaging 16 points and 8 assists, furthermore proving that he was a critical re-signing this past off-season. Anytime Morant misses a chunk of games, Jones can be counted on to carry the torch in his absence.
Now that Morant is back, the pecking order will have to be re-established, but hopefully some of the momentum and comradery that has kept this unit together will shine through in the upcoming weeks and months.