Report Card: Jaren Jackson Jr. shines as the Grizzlies get a bounce back win

Dec 3, 2022 - 5:09 PM

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After a disappointing loss in Minnesota, the Memphis Grizzlies were able to get a big bounce-back win at home against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Grizzlies and 76ers went back and forth for most of the first half. The Superstars on both sides came out firing on all cylinders. Ja Morant led all scorers at halftime with 20 points, while Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 17. The Grizzlies only trailed by one going into the 2nd quarter thanks to a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Dillon Brooks, which started a 12-0 Memphis run. The Grizzlies’ lead grew as large as 16 before the half and led 64-54 heading into the break.

The 76ers came out with a quick run in the third quarter but led by Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, and Steven Adams the Grizzlies responded. Going into the 4th, the Grizzlies' lead was back up to 16 points. However, they still were not able to put the Sixers away.

The 4th quarter started with a run from Philadelphia and they would go in to cut the lead as low as five. The Grizzlies struggled to get stops on Joel Embiid in the 4th quarter, but Jackson was able to do just that with the game on the line, sealing an 8-point win for the Grizzlies.

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Jaren Jackson Jr.— A+: 22 Points, 7-12 FG (2-5 3-PT), 6-7 FT, 9 Rebounds, 4 Blocks

Coming into the season, the biggest knocks on Jackson’s game were his rebounding, foul issues, and inconsistent scoring on the interior. Since his return from injury, Jackson has improved in all of those areas and it was on full display tonight.

Offensively, Jaren continued to be more aggressive inside and also pulled down three offensive rebounds. He is a matchup nightmare for most bigs in the league and tonight was no different, especially when he was matched up with PJ Tucker. He also continued his DPOY-level defensive play with four blocks, two of them coming against Embiid. The version of Jackson that showed up last night, and consistently since his return, could be the most important piece to the Grizzlies’ success.

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Steven Adams—A: 9 Points, 16 Rebounds, 4-11 FG, 6 Assists, 3 Steals, 3 Blocks

In my preview for this game, I wrote about how Steven Adams was going to be huge in this matchup because of his play against Embiid. Embiid finished with 35 points, but Adams dominated him on the glass as he grabbed 10 offensive rebounds. It was also clear that Adams was strong enough to handle Embiid in the paint. He also impacted the game with steals, including one that led to a beautiful coast-to-coast slam.

Steven Adams was also great as a passer, he finished with 6 assists and really connected the offense all night. His passing was on display the most when he receives the ball at the elbow and gets an opportunity to run the offense, including this beautiful pass to Jackson.

Adams has had some struggles early in the year, but nights like these are where his value is shown. His offensive rebounding and defense were two of the main reasons why the Grizzlies were able to get a win in their return to FedEx Forum.

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Ja Morant—B: 28 Points, 10-28 FG (2-8 3-PT), 8 Rebounds, 3 Assists

Morant had 20 points at halftime but struggled to score after the break. A lot of shots that he usually hits were in and out and he pressed a little bit too much at times. However, he still finished with another 25+ point performance, his 11th of the season, and grabbed eight rebounds on an off night.

Efficiency has been a bit of a concern for Morant over the last few weeks, but overall he has still been the driving force behind the Grizzlies' offense. He did not get the normal assist numbers tonight, but he still made some great plays as a passer, including this lob to Brandon Clarke

.The turnover battle—A

After a game where the Grizzlies turned the ball over 27 times as a team, it was good to see the Grizzlies get back to normal in this aspect. They only turned the ball over 12 times, which is less than they had in the first half in Minnesota. Memphis only won the turnover battle by one, but scored 22 points off of those 13 forced turnovers. This also was an important part of their 24-9 advantage in fast break points.

Overall Grade: A

The Grizzlies needed a bounceaback and got just that back on their home floor. After going on the road to play the Pistons on Sunday, the Grizzlies will play five straight games at home. This win could be a momentum builder for Memphis as they fight in the extremely close Western conference standings.

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