Quick Recap: Grizzlies halt the Bulls in the 4th quarter in 105-89 win.
Feb 8, 2023 - 4:40 AMThe Memphis Grizzlies came into tonight’s game, looking to avoid their 9th loss in the past 19 games, as the Chicago Bulls rolled into town.
The 1st quarter belonged to Jaren Jackson Jr. My goodness he was a menace. The Grizzlies sought him in post-ups early, and the Bulls didn’t have any answer to guard him. His defensive activity was also on 10, as he had 4 blocks and 2 steals in the quarter. The Grizzlies bolted out the gates to a 26-14 lead.
The Grizzlies maintained the lead through the 2nd quarter, though it was kind of a drag. They scored 23 points in the quarter, mainly due to a late surge from Ja Morant. The Bulls trimmed it down towards the end of the quarter, cutting it down to as little as 4 points. However, Morant’s attack inflated it back to double digits, as the Grizzlies led 49-39 at intermission.
The Bulls drove the entire 3rd quarter, scoring 36 points in the 3rd quarter. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic — who seemed to turn back the clock to his Magic days — dominated the quarter. If Ja Morant wasn’t getting hot from 3 — canning 4 three’s — it would’ve been downright ugly. The vibes were down, Grizzlies’ fans were booing Dillon Brooks for shooting and missing, and it seemed like another one of those games for the Grizzlies in the midst of this nightmare stretch. The Grizzlies closed the 3rd quarter down 75-72.
The Grizzlies flipped a switch in the 4th quarter and shut the water off on the Bulls. They held the Bulls to just 14 points, and the Grizzlies powered out 32 points to snatch back the lead. They remembered Jaren Jackson Jr. was on their team, and the Bulls didn’t have answers for him. So they made Trip a focal point once again, en route to a 13-point 4th quarter filled with 3’s and thunderous interior plays. Dillon Brooks also hit a 3! It was nice to hear the crowd rock once again down the stretch, as the Grizzlies locked in and pulled out a 104-89 win.
Quick Takeaways
- This is a wonderful Jaren Jackson Jr. we’re seeing. Jaren Jackson Jr. was the best player on the floor tonight. He set a tone early with his paint presence on both sides of the ball. Though they went away from him in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, he took over late in the game to ensure a victory. The defense has leveled up this season, and the offense is catching up — leading to Jackson become one of the most tantalizing big men in the league. It’s easy to see why everyone’s clamoring for more Jackson touches; he’s dominant and starting to realize it.
- Wing rotation is... uhhhhh... yeah. Desmond Bane has carried the load for the Grizzlies, and that continued tonight (17 points on 6-12 shooting, 3-8 from 3). The rest of the wing rotation hasn’t provided a lot. Dillon Brooks struggled offensively again (2-12 shooting, 1-6 from 3). John Konchar and Danny Green didn’t anything off the bench. Meanwhile, Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia were in Southaven, and David Roddy was a “DNP-CD.” It’s a spot to make a case for an upgrade on Thursday’s trade deadline, or if internal improvement is the solution.
- Play Brandon Clarke 20+ minutes. “Let him cook” as the memes say. Good things happen when he hits the “20 minute threshold,” and that continued tonight — finishing with a team-best +16 +/-. He scored 13 points and hauled in 13 rebounds, an impressive total against a Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond center rotation. He was great defensively in the 4th quarter, as Taylor Jenkins wanted to switch more and create a bit more urgency on that side of the ball. With Adams out, there shouldn’t be a reason Clarke plays less than 20 minutes. Good things happen.
The Memphis Grizzlies stay home on Friday to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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