Joe Mullinax here, the host of the daily Locked On Grizzlies podcast, with your daily Locked On Grizzlies newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Grizzlies and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
The Memphis injury bug and yelling at clouds
Nov 19, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) reacts during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images|Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
While this would be a fun space to rally the troops regarding boycotting future NBA Cup games (the Memphis Grizzlies are now 0-6 in NBA Cup play dating back to last season after last night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets), the cup is here to stay.
Previewing tonight’s game would also be a worthwhile endeavor. Philadelphia is desperate to win, and Memphis should feel the same way after their showing against Denver.
Instead, the topic to tackle is the unfortunate truth surrounding the Grizzlies injury situation. For yet again, a Grizzlies player (Vince Williams Jr.) exited a contest - this time after a fairly ugly looking turn of an ankle - and is expected to miss some time.
Now Vince Williams Jr. just came back from another health issue. And Ja Morant and Zach Edey are also on the shelf - Ja for his hip, Edey for his ankle as well. GG Jackson Jr. has been out the entire season to date to to foot surgery, as has Cam Spencer with his own lower leg ailment.
The Memphis Grizzlies seemingly have been without a third of their roster (and half their projected rotation) the entire season. And naturally, you want to figure out why. Followed by blaming that source of the team’s health woes and firing them.
Or maybe shooting them off in a rocket to space. Or at the very least burn sage around them to cleanse their spirit.
The toughest part of this Grizzlies season to date is the unfortunate reality that Memphis is just experiencing dumb, bad, luck. Ja Morant fell down and landed on his hip, causing it to dislocate and then slide back in to the socket on its own.
How is that Head Coach Taylor Jenkins’ fault, exactly?
Zach Edey and Vince Williams Jr. both rolled their ankles playing the game of basketball, which for anyone who has ever played basketball knows is a fairly common occurance. And GG Jackson hurt his foot preparing for the NBA season in a workout with teammate with Desmond Bane (another Grizzlies player who has spent time on the injury list).
Where does the line start to ask Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman why he picked such injury prone players? Did the medical staff not do their research? We demand answers!
Here’s the answer - s*** happens.
Basketball is a contact sport. While the frequency and severity of injury doesn’t exist at the same level as, say, football (a collision sport), there is still plenty of room for soft and hard tissue issues. The Grizzlies have revamped their training staff. They have done their due diligence on these players. They are among the most cautious organizations in the NBA with player returns from injury.
If you’re hosting an outdoor party and an unexpected rain storm rolls in, you can yell at the clouds that produced it. Or the weatherperson that tried to predict the unpredictable. Or, you can accept that sometimes there are things beyond your control.
Grab your umbrellas, Memphis. The rain isn’t going away anytime soon.
The streak had to end sometime. Even the 2015-2016 Warriors only (“only”) got to 24 wins to start their season. Ironically, they’d go on to lose the title to the Cavs that season.
That Cleveland lost to the Celtics, in TD Garden, without Isaac Okoro and with Darius Garland shooting 3-21 — well only the first half of that stings. If Garland made two more of those field goals the Cavs would’ve taken the game, and Okoro, out with an ankle sprain, will be back.
This game was a tester for the Cavs. Beyond a match against the defending champs and a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview, it was an opportunity to see how the team responded to pressure, unfavourable conditions and expectation. NBA basketball is about winning, we all know this refrain well, but that the Cavs scoring dried up in crucial stretches while the team also fell into bad habits of turning the ball over in momentum-leeching moments, and they still managed multiple runs to come back within two, speaks pretty well to this group’s ability to respond.
What makes the Celtics so good, and a bit like a dream-crushing machine, is their ability to capitalize on and invert what usually brings their opponents wins. In the Cavs case, it’s their speed. Not just pure speed without aim, but their ability to push the pace within their offensive possessions because not one player tends to move in isolation from anyone else. Their lightning quick passing, their flashing cuts and counter-cuts, it’s all predicated on ball movement capitalizing on intuitive communication. A sixth sense of understanding where their teammates are on the floor at any given moment.
Boston was able to jam that up. Not entirely upend it, but chase with pace of their own enough that Garland at times appeared to be the pursued and not the pursuer. Where Garland rushed an offensive possession, where he went in for a fastbreak ISO drive to wrest the pace of the game back into his team’s hands, he bungled it. He’d botch an easy layup and go careening past the baseline, having to expend more energy to get back down the floor in the transition already underway. And the more he botched it, the faster he went. The Celtics saw this and upped the pressure on him, taking advantage of forced turnovers by draining three after three and all but eliminating a huge component of what’s made the Cavs so formidable — their rebounding.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Analysis How the Cavaliers’ offseason plan has turned them into the top team in the league so far this year. (ESPN)
Milestone Russell Westbrook becomes the first player in NBA history to record 200 triple-doubles. (CBS Sports)
Must Read The NBA’s three-point revolution has gotten extreme, begging the question: How many is too many?(The Washington Post)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Can Dalton Knecht Keep Up This Run?
Nov 19, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) react after scoring a three point basket against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images|Gary A. Vasquez/Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Dalton Knecht has recently become a focal point in NBA fantasy discussions, thanks to his electrifying performances on the court. In a standout game, Knecht scored 37 points, including nine three-pointers, with an impressive 75% shooting accuracy. This remarkable display has fantasy managers buzzing, as Knecht’s shooting streak positions him as a valuable asset in leagues.
Knecht’s Shooting Streak: A Fantasy Goldmine
Over the past four games, Knecht has been on a tear, shooting 22 of 33 from beyond the arc, equating to a 67% success rate. Such efficiency is rare and highlights his potential as a sharpshooter. For fantasy managers, Knecht is a must-add player, especially given his current role in the Lakers’ starting lineup. However, while his shooting spree is impressive, it’s important to manage expectations, as maintaining such a high percentage is challenging over the long term.
Injury Updates and Their Impact on Fantasy Rosters
Knecht’s rise comes at a time when injuries are shaking up NBA rosters. Norman Powell’s hamstring injury, for instance, has left a gap in the Clippers’ lineup. With Powell likely sidelined for at least a week, players like Kris Dunn and Amir Coffey might see increased roles, offering potential value for fantasy managers seeking replacements.
Click the button below to get updates on Zach Edey’s ankle injury, and how Bradley Beal’s calf continues to cause problems for fantasy managers.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Grizzlies podcasts.
Is Taylor Jenkins the greatest Memphis Grizzlies coach in franchise history? Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins is one win away from becoming the all-time winningest coach in franchise history. In this episode, co-hosts Damichael Cole and Joe Mullinax discuss where Jenkins ranks amongst all-time Grizzlies coaches, plus injury updates on Ja Morant, Zach Edey and Cam Spencer.
Memphis Grizzlies find a way to win against weakened Nuggets A Desmond Bane double-double helped lead a Memphis Grizzlies victory over the Denver Nuggets that was more about defense than anything else. Host Joe Mullinax breaks it all down, plus discusses a Ja Morant injury update and Taylor Jenkins’ polarizing season so far, on this episode of Locked on Grizzlies!
Jaren Jackson Jr. leads Memphis in NBA Cup opener against Steph Curry’s Warriors The continued growth and development of Jaren Jackson Jr. is a bright spot in an uneven start to the season for the Grizzlies. Will his impressive play continue tonight on ESPN as Memphis starts their NBA Cup journey against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors? Host Joe Mullinax talks about that and much more on this episode of Locked on Grizzlies!
