Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog

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Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. suffers season-ending knee injury

The Memphis Grizzlies today provided the following medical update on Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr.:

In Monday’s game against the Pelicans, Jaren Jackson Jr. experienced an unstable landing after making contact with an opposing player while contesting a shot. Subsequent medical evaluation revealed a meniscus tear in his left knee, which will cause him to miss the remainder of the season.

Per the Memphis Commercial Appeal, “it’s the same knee he injured on Feb. 21 against the Lakers that caused him to miss nine games.”

The Grizzlies have lost their first three games at the Disney NBA bubble for the season restart. They’re currently 8th in the Western conference, but the Trail Blazers and Spurs are just two game behind them in the standings.

Per ESPN.com, “the eighth and ninth-place teams in the West will play against one another in a play-in tournament later this month at the conclusion of the eight seeding games — assuming there are four games or fewer between the two teams, something that is all but guaranteed to happen now.”

Jackson Jr. is one of the team’s key young stars. His season average is 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting 46.9% FG and 39.4% from three-point range.

The team being without him puts even more pressure on the shoulders of star rookie guard Ja Morant.

Trail Blazers squeeze out 140-135 overtime win vs Grizzlies

The NBA restart at Disney Wide World of Sports in Florida began Thursday. On Friday, the Western conference 9th-seed Blazers squeezed out a tough 140-135 overtime win against a Grizzlies team that is currently just above them in the standings at 8th. Here’s Blazers.com reporting:

Playing for the first time this season with both Jusuf Nurkić and Zach Collins in the starting lineup, the Trail Blazers got off to a quick start Friday afternoon by shooting 62 percent from the field in the first quarter quarter. Had the Grizzlies not shot five more free throws and made twice as many three-pointers, Portland would have entered the second quarter leading by more than the 35-30.

The free throw discrepancy only got worse in the second quarter, with the Grizzlies being awarded 15 trips to the line compared to just five for the Trail Blazers. Even with Memphis being gently guided to the charity stripe seemingly every offensive possession, Portland still managed to take a 12-point lead, their largest of the game, before taking a 68-60 advantage into the intermission…

“We all knew coming in it was going to be a battle,” said Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. “They’re a really high energy, young team, they play fast, they play hard… We kept our minds in it and once it came down to it, I think we showed we was the team that wanted it more.”

The Trail Blazers are now 30-37 overall and 1-0 in Orlando. More importantly, the win, along with the associated loss, gets the Trail Blazers to within 2.5 games of the Grizzlies for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with seven “seeding games” to play.

Grizzlies forward Justise Winslow done for season with hip injury

During Monday’s practice, Memphis Grizzlies forward Justise Winslow fell after absorbing contact during an intra-squad scrimmage. Medical evaluation revealed a hip injury, which will cause him to miss the rest of the season.

Winslow is expected to make a full recovery, the team says.

Injuries have wrecked his season. After being traded by the Heat to the Grizzlies in February, Winslow has yet to suit up for Memphis.

Today, Winslow tweeted the following: “Last night during a scrimmage, I experienced a contact injury in my hip that unfortunately will keep me out until next season. I was excited to join my brothers on the court & will be supporting them throughout. I’m focused on coming back 100% towards a full recovery.”

The Grizzlies, who at 32-33 are 8th in the Western conference, are one of 22 teams the NBA has included in their restart plan. League scrimmages begin this week, and “seeding games” for the playoffs start next Thursday, July 30.

Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant says he got stronger during NBA break

Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant has reportedly added strength to his frame. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, the Rookie of the Year front-runner, feels like he’s ready to take off after making physical improvements during the NBA’s hiatus.

Morant, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, said he added 12 pounds during the three-plus-month break. He also believes his right knee, which was repaired in a minor arthroscopic surgery last June, is stronger now than it has been throughout a rookie campaign highlighted by spectacular dunks…

“I’m stronger, can absorb contact and those things,” Morant said.

Morant is still the favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year. Zion Williamson is also a fantastic rookie but his season got off to a very late start due to injury, and now with league play shortened, Morant clearly deserves the award.

Seeing Morant stonger is just yet another fun thing to look forward to during the NBA’s restart, which if all goes according to plan is exactly four weeks away.

With NBA signings back on, Grizzlies add forward Anthony Tolliver

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Anthony Tolliver for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.

Signed by Memphis to a 10-day contract on March 2, Tolliver (6-8, 240) has appeared in five games and has averaged 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 19.2 minutes for the Grizzlies. The 35-year-old has competed in 33 games (nine starts) this season and has averaged 3.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.6 minutes for Portland, Sacramento and Memphis.

Undrafted in the 2007 NBA Draft following his collegiate career at Creighton, the Springfield, Missouri native has appeared in 711 games (101 starts) over his 12-year NBA career and has averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 19.6 minutes while shooting 37.3 percent from three-point range.

On the NBA career of Josh Jackson

Here’s the Arizona Republic on young Josh Jackson, who had just started to put up some real numbers when the NBA season was put on hold in mid March:

Josh Jackson never reached his full potential in his two seasons in Phoenix, but he showed signs of doing so for the Memphis Grizzlies this season.

After a lengthy process of having to prove himself by playing in the G-League, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft got the call up in January and found himself on the floor when the game was on the line for the Grizzlies (32-33)…

Jackson, 23, averaged a career-low 10.4 points in 18 games, but the 6-8 wing shot a career-best 43.9% from the field. In March, he averaged 16.6 points on 47.5% shooting (38.2% from 3) in five games before the NBA season was put on hold March 11 after Utah Jazz all-star Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus.

Listed at 6-foot-8, 207 pounds, Jackson, when NBA play eventually resumes, definitely needs to continue showing growth if he wants to solidify his place in the league.

New Notre Dame coach is Niele Ivey, who had been with Memphis Grizzlies

Here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal with some news on the coaching front:

Notre Dame named Niele Ivey its new women’s basketball coach Wednesday.

Ivey spent the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach on Taylor Jenkins’ Memphis Grizzlies staff, becoming the ninth active female coach in the NBA.

Ivey becomes the fourth women’s basketball coach in Notre Dame history, succeeding Muffet McGraw, who announced Wednesday she was stepping down after 33 seasons.

And per UND.com:

There’s no place like home under the Golden Dome. James E. Rohr Notre Dame Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick announced Niele Ivey (‘01) as the fourth head coach in women’s basketball history on Wednesday.

Ivey was the common link to all nine of the program’s Final Four appearances, two as a player and seven as an assistant coach, logging a combined 17 years on Notre Dame’s campus. Ivey spent the past season honing her craft as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, before returning to follow in Muffet McGraw’s footsteps.

On the great NBA rookie season of Ja Morant

Here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal on Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who was doing big things in the 2019-20 season before action was paused due to the world’s coronavirus spread:

Zion Williamson was averaging 26.4 points on 59.8% shooting in his last 11 games. The Pelicans forward looked every bit like the No. 1 overall pick with his highlights and dynamic play. But there’s nothing he can do to supplant Morant.

Morant’s 27-point, 14-assist performance to beat the Lakers on Feb. 29 was enough evidence to show why he’s made the Grizzlies a playoff contender. He was still leading all qualified rookies in points, assists and double-doubles, so the question isn’t his resume; it’s how he would’ve added to it to finish the year.

Could he break the Grizzlies’ rookie record with 15 assists in a game? Who else would he have dunked on to send Memphis and NBA fans into a frenzy? That’s what’s being missed now.

We look forward to seeing Morant’s magic on the court when play eventually resumes.

Grizzlies injury updates on Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke and Justise Winslow

The Memphis Grizzlies today provided medical updates for forwards Brandon Clarke, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Justise Winslow:

Jackson Jr. (left knee soreness) and Winslow (back soreness) both are likely to return within the next week.

Clarke (right quadriceps strain) is progressing well in his recovery and is expected to return this season.

The Grizzlies are enjoying a very good season. They’re 32-32, which places them 8th in the Western conference. Rookie guard Ja Morant is the leading Rookie of the Year candidate.

Jackson Jr. and Clarke are key members of the Grizzlies rotation. Starting all 54 games he’s played, Jackson Jr. this season is averaging 16.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

Coming off the bench for 47 of his 50 games played, Clarke contributes 12.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Getting them back will give Memphis a big boost as they try to hold off the Pelicans and Kings, who are both four games behind the Grizzlies in the standings.

Winslow played 11 games for the Heat earlier this season, but hasn’t suited up for the Grizzlies yet.

Grizzlies sign Anthony Tolliver, waive Jordan Bell

The Memphis Grizzlies yesterday signed forward Anthony Tolliver to a 10-day contract.

The team also waived forward/center Jordan Bell.

Tolliver (6-8, 240) has appeared in 706 games (101 starts) and has averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 19.6 minutes while shooting 37.3 percent from three-point range in 12 NBA seasons since going unselected in the 2007 NBA Draft. The 34-year-old Creighton alum has competed in 42 games (nine starts) with Portland and Sacramento this season and has averaged 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.1 minutes.

Tolliver will wear jersey #44 for the Grizzlies.

Bell (6-8, 216) averaged 5.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 10.5 minutes in two appearances for Memphis after he was acquired from Houston on Feb. 6. The 25-year-old University of Oregon product holds career averages of 3.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 12.0 minutes in 154 games (16 starts) over three seasons with Golden State, Minnesota and Memphis.