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.
Nov 20, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) shoots during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images|Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
It’s not for everyone - the celebrations after made shots. It can bring attention to individuals in less than admirable ways. It can also draw the ire of opponents, inspiring them to compete harder (or dirtier/angrier) than they had before. Officials often don’t appreciate such signs of taunting either.
The world kept spinning. Memphis won the game 117-111, in large part because of Bane’s contributions.
The funny thing about that though, is that the night before it could be argued that the Grizzlies lost for the opposite reason. As well as Desmond Bane did Tuesday night against the 76ers (21 points, 10 rebound, 6 assists, 5 made threes), he did that poorly against the Denver Nuggets Tuesday evening (5 assists and 5 rebounds, but only 5 points on 1-10 shooting).
So within a span of 24 hours, Bane went from an abysmal shooting performance to an electric one - at least from beyond the arc. He went from a star-caliber player whose lack of scoring directly impacted winning to angering an opponent after a celebration driving home the point that he (Martin) was losing.
How do you get from that point A to point B?
Confidence.
After Bane’s poor performance on Tuesday night, he spoke with the media about his play and said the following -
Desmond Bane:
“I feel like we have this talk every single year. ‘What’s it going to take? How long is it until you get back in your rhythm or what not?’ It’ll come. I put the work in and time in. I’ve been doing this for five years now, so it’ll start to click.”
The fact that Bane can, realistically, feel that way after such a poor outing is a type of mental toughness that is not always on display these days. But it is far more common among professional athletes than it is us common folk. They are more scrutinized today than ever before (says the podcaster/newsletter writer about a specific NBA team). Game to game, shot to shot, they’re judged. There is more media, and ways to access it, than ever before to shake the internal belief of these men and women who play games for our entertainment.
And yet, Bane’s lack of doubt that he’d turn things around doesn’t seem contrived. He’s said similar things since he arrived in Memphis (as he alluded to in the quote). And it does always seem to be a self-fulfilling prophecy in the best way.
He knows the time and work he invests. And he knows it will pay off.
So no, pointing at an opponent and at best celebrating your success at the expense of an opponent on a particular play, at worst taunting, isn’t for everyone. But it’s another way Bane - and the Grizzlies over the years - have displayed the type of confidence that got them to the top of the Western Conference. Bane is a major engine for that belief.
Perhaps this spark will ignite confidence across the entire Memphis roster moving forward.
A refrain I’ve increasingly heard from casuals, like the talking heads on the NBA’s biggest broadcast partners, is that the league is too homogenous these days, that every team just goes out there and chucks up threes. Every game is the same.
Leaving aside the shortsightedness of famous, influential media analysts dumping on their own product, it’s a common enough complaint that I felt an urge to investigate. My eyeballs tell me the league’s never been more diverse and fun, thanks largely to the absurd wealth of stars today with skill sets as bespoke as their draft night suits. Jokic’s Nuggets look nothing like Tatum’s Celtics look nothing like Brunson’s Knicks, and to suggest otherwise is willful ignorance.
As I wrote about for Basketball Poetry yesterday, the current top five offenses are Boston, Cleveland, New York, the Lakers, and Dallas. Those five teams rank first, 14th, 17th, 24th, and 21st, respectively, in share of shots that are triples. You certainly don’t need to launch a million threes relative to your peers to score the basketball successfully.
Of course, that’s a rather superficial analysis. Regardless of rank, what if the absolute numbers are all getting closer together? That would represent a growing sameness.
I looked at shot data from this season, a decade ago, and 20 years ago to see how much the share of three-pointers had changed.
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
Ranking Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey have dropped in the latest Kia Rookie Ladder, reflecting their recent performances and impact on games. (Beale Street Bears)
Opponent Draymond Green didn’t hold back in his comments about Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins. His statement reflects ongoing tensions and rivalries. (Sports Illustrated)
Stat Owen Phillips of The F5 looks at how often centers defend guards, how often perimeter players are involuntarily guarded by centers (aka the Tony Allen effect), and much more in his analytical newsletter.
Analysis Jared Dubin of Last Night, In Basketball discusses something related: what kind of players are guarding point guards these days?
Must Read Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic talks about the NBA’s increasing difficulty for defensive-minded, older players, but the real story is that Draymond Green claims to have started lifting just four years ago.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
The Randomness Of Fantasy Basketball On A Wednesday In The NBA
Nov 20, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images|Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Top Five Fantasy Takeaways from Wednesday’s Games
1. Paul George’s Knee Injury Concerns
Paul George’s knee hyperextension during the 76ers vs. Grizzlies game is a significant concern for fantasy managers. While initial reports suggest no structural damage, his availability in the coming games is uncertain. This situation could open up opportunities for other players on the 76ers to step up, making it crucial to monitor updates closely.
2. Unpredictable Pelicans vs. Cavaliers Game
The Pelicans vs. Cavaliers matchup was a bizarre affair, with unexpected lineups and performances. Elfrid Payton started for the Pelicans, and Jaylon Tyson shone for the Cavs, but these anomalies are unlikely to have long-term fantasy implications. Managers should view this game as an outlier and avoid making hasty roster changes based on these performances.
3. Pacers’ Struggles and Tyrese Haliburton’s Slump
The Pacers are facing challenges, particularly with Tyrese Haliburton’s shooting woes. His road performance has been notably poor, possibly due to lingering back issues. Despite this, Haliburton’s track record suggests a turnaround is likely, making him a prime buy-low candidate for managers willing to take a risk on his recovery.
Click the button below to see how Norman Powell’s injury could open up opportunities for the Clippers, and a top 50 player returns to action.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Grizzlies podcasts.
Memphis misses shots, opportunity to secure first NBA Cup win The Grizzlies were ice cold from beyond the arc Tuesday night in their loss to the Denver Nuggets. Their best shooter, Desmond Bane, was the biggest culprit. How does Memphis get right ahead of a game against a desperate Philadelphia 76ers squad? Host Joe Mullinax discusses that and more on this episode of Locked on Grizzlies!
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!
