Chris Dodson Articles - Page 4

The Memphis Grizzlies needed a refresh after falling down the Western Conference standings in their own wayward version of March Madness. Now Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are balancing the ball-handling duties more equitably of late, leaving Jaren Jackson Jr. to do what the Defensive Player of the Year does best. Tuomas Iisalo, who took […]

Tuomas Iisalo’s tenure leading a Ja Morant-led Memphis Grizzlies squad experiencing a mid-season crisis has gotten off to a rocky 0-3 start against an historically difficult schedule. The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics got first dibs at the Finnish coach. Then Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors (44-31) handed Iisalo’s Grizzlies (44-32) a third straight […]

After a disheartening 134-125 loss to Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors (44-31) on April Fool’s Day, the totally reset Memphis Grizzlies (44-32) dropped to sixth in the Western Conference standings. A team sitting in second place for most of the season is now in an intensifying fight to secure a top-six seed and avoid the […]

With time running out before the NBA Playoffs begin, Tuomas Iisalo is putting his stamp on the team’s offense, reimagining how stars Ja Morant and Desmond Bane share the table-setting, point guard duties. In just a few days since taking over the struggling, quickly slipping Memphis Grizzlies, Iisalo has already reshaped how Bane and Morant […]

Tuomas Iisalo’s four-game debut as an NBA head coach is going down in the history books as the most difficult job-opening, mid-season slate in sports. Ja Morant’s struggling to survive Memphis Grizzlies dropped their first two games under Iisalo, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers (134-127) and defending champion Boston Celtics (117-103) two nights later. […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were hoping Tuomas Iisalo would provide a new-coach bump, but LeBron James and Luka Doncic put an end to those plans quickly. Ja Morant (hamstring/shoulder) was able to give the new head coach 31 minutes, managing 22 points (9-23 FGA), 10 assists, eight rebounds, and a steal. However, the Los Angeles Lakers […]

The feisty, in-fighting Memphis Grizzlies shook off a sluggish start to dominate the Utah Jazz (140-103),  snapping a three-game losing streak. Desmond Bane (21 points, four rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block) led by example and even sparked up a heated conversation with Santi Aldama after Jaren Jackson Jr. went to the locker room. […]

The Memphis Grizzlies need to flip the script for the NBA regular-season stretch run, especially with Ja Morant (hamstring/shoulder) nursing multiple injuries. With Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama still knocking off rust related to their respective stints on the sidelines, Taylor Jenkins has enough data to trust Desmond Bane with the keys to the offense. […]

It is getting hard to ignore how the fifth-placed Memphis Grizzlies have been getting bullied off of the boards and out of the paint recently. Unfortunately, Santi Aldama is more of a sharpshooting, backdoor-cutting swingman who cannot be counted on to come up with rebounds or rim protection consistently. Thankfully, the fix is straightforward. Jaren […]

It’s been a tough 2025 for Ja Morant’s gut-punched Memphis Grizzlies as they keep taking uppercuts to the chin that would make the late George Foreman blush. Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane have all spent time on the shelf due to injuries. Taylor Jenkins has been juggling lineups while remaining uncommittal when it […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are searching for answers with just under a dozen games left in the regular season. Taylor Jenkins needs someone to step up soon or Ja Morant and Desmond Bane will have to shoulder immense offensive burdens. Sure, Santi Aldama, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Jaylen Wells are a formidable secondary trio but the […]

The Memphis Grizzlies keep getting stark reminders that ingredients are missing from their recipe for success in the Western Conference. Unforced errors leading to turnovers and foul trouble are two huge on-court issues. However, The Grizzlies (43-28) are grappling with a rash of injuries that have derailed their momentum at a critical juncture. Ja Morant […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are getting plenty of wake-up calls lately, though it seems the locker room is not quite responding to the alarms. A 128-108 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers is just another bump in the road for Taylor Jenkins as the NBA Playoffs loom. Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke were out due to […]

The under-fire Memphis Grizzlies have a problem: they practically give away points to Western Conference foes and the FedEx Forum’s most loyal fans are losing faith. Yes, there are a lot of Fs to go around the grading scale in this locker room. While Taylor Jenkins has noticed some improvement recently, second-chance points, turnovers, fast break […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are facing odd-man-out situations in more ways than one as the 2024-25 NBA regular season winds down. Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. have been battling injuries all season, leaving Taylor Jenkins to make some difficult rotational decisions. Lineup inconsistency has been the main factor in Memphis falling down the […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are still waiting for an X-factor to emerge from a rotating cast of bench options while Santi Aldama heals up. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane have all spent significant time on the shelf recently as well, putting even more pressure on the second unit. However, these absences have given […]

It is becoming easier for fans to admit Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies have a problem. Ignoring some issues is impossible this late in the season, especially after a 132-122 loss to the Sacramento Kings (34-33) kicked off a five-game road trip. The fifth-placed Grizzlies (43-26), led by Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane, will […]

The Memphis Grizzlies answered toughness questions after a four-game skid but talent questions remain as the NBA Playoffs picture shapes up. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are locked in on a four-game winning streak now and should see an uptick in on-court time once the elimination stage begins. The Grizzlies are still waiting for Jaren […]

Relationships are built on the same cornerstones regardless of their nature. Talking things out and taking consideration of how the key stakeholders feel about a particular move are essential to strong bonds. Taylor Jenkins has been encouraging Memphis Grizzlies stars Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. to communicate more often down the stretch […]

After a narrow 120-118 home victory over a disappointed Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, Taylor Jenkins praised the Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant’s resiliency amid some recent challenges as a driving force behind their ability to overcome offensive struggles. Morant’s misfiring Grizzlies have been battling through a teamwide shooting slump, but Jenkins is confident […]

A rookie’s fearless approach did not just rattle Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, it ignited Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies and a roaring FedExForum crowd. However, the usual suspects (Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells) took a backseat to Cam Spencer’s trash-talking, which helped Morant propel the Grizzlies to a much-needed 120-118 comeback victory. And forget […]

Skeptics of the Memphis Grizzlies sounded an alarm too soon going by a 120-118 win over Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns to start a four-game FedEx Forum homestand. The under fire Ja Morant demonstrated not just his scoring prowess but an uncanny ability to “manipulate” games and manufacture wins for his shorthanded squad. Taylor Jenkins could […]

The regrouping Memphis Grizzlies (40-24) are glad ugly wins count after escaping the Big Easy with a hard-fought, three-point road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans (17-48). While the win provided a momentary sigh of relief, All-Star guard Ja Morant was not in the mood to celebrate half-measures. After sealing the game in clutch moments, […]

Facing a seven-point halftime deficit against the New Orleans Pelicans, Taylor Jenkins faced a critical decision. With All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined due to an ankle injury and reserve center Brandon Clarke in foul trouble, Jenkins had to get creative with the rotations. Enter Jay Huff, an unheralded reserve patiently waiting for a moment. The […]

The regrouped Memphis Grizzlies do not have a leadership crisis, contrary to reports from ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins. However, Taylor Jenkins is starting to lose some patience as the NBA Playoffs loom. The faith in the system is unwavering, but the clock is ticking to turn good looks into made shots. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are banking on more than just their star trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. to fuel a deep NBA Playoffs run. While All-Stars lift championship windows toward the ceiling, role players who can thrive under pressure anchor those NBA Finals expectations. With minutes tightening and the stakes rising, […]

As Ja Morant’s misfiring Memphis Grizzlies enter the stretch run, the Taylor Jenkins-led squad is at a March Madness crossroads. Despite recent flashes of brilliance from Desmond Bane and a roster brimming with talent, the Grizzlies have been plagued by inconsistency and injuries. A new knock to Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) has fans and analysts […]

The Ja Morant-led Memphis Grizzlies are striving for more than individual awards, but the team will surely be doing everything possible to get Jaren Jackson Jr. $100 million worth of leverage this summer. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old’s All-NBA and NBA Defensive Player of the Year campaign is on pause due to an ankle injury. Thankfully, the […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have more than a few problems but thankfully a leadership crisis is not on the list. Injuries top the charts as Jaren Jackson Jr., unable to corral rebounds, has taken to coaching up rookie Zach Edey lately. Jackson Jr., a two-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection, has historically anchored Memphis’ top-10 defense. Now […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are starting to feel the pain three-quarters of the way through the 2024-25 NBA season. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant are still growing as leaders, but also learning it’s hard to contribute much from the bench. Still, injuries are a part of the job so Taylor Jenkins is going to have […]

The red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder exposed Ja Morant’s misfiring Memphis Grizzlies in a nationally broadcast 120-103 win that lacked some luster due to injuries. Chet Holgrem and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s frontcourt faceoff will have to wait but neither would have made much of a difference in the outcome. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander left no doubt as to […]

The injury-ravaged Memphis Grizzlies are looking at big lineup changes, again. Ja Morant (shoulder) is day-to-day while NBA Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) is more week-to-week. Taylor Jenkins might love March Madness, but that’s a bit too much bad luck for some FedEx Forum fans to bet on this team’s […]

Candid and insightful analysis is hard to come by in the NBA these days. Between ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins dropping Ja Morant missives and the national all but ignoring Jaren Jackson Jr., it is hard to get a full picture of the Memphis Grizzlies outside of a dedicated few. However, Fred Wells, Grizzlies rookie Jaylen’s father, […]

Every NBA team suffers a fair share of bumps and bruises throughout an 82-game season. Finding a way to fight through the pain is just part of the job. The New York Knicks rolled out the red carpet for Mitchell Robinson’s return. However, Josh Hart’s Oscar homage was issued a fine before the fan favorite […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are facing an uphill battle to stay competitive in the Western Conference playoffs race. They are 3-7 over the last 10 games and now Taylor Jenkins is looking at a stretch without Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) and misfiring Ja Morant (shoulder) in the rotations. Replacing that much of the offense is going […]

The misfiring Memphis Grizzlies need to regroup quickly as they battle for second place in the NBA’s Western Conference race. Unfortunately, Ja Morant admitted his production and confidence levels have not quite been up to the expected standard this season and Jaren Jackson Jr. is looking at weeks on the shelf. While Morant’s highlight-reel plays […]

The currently-faltering Memphis Grizzlies have long prided themselves on developing young talent, and this season, third-year forward Santi Aldama is emerging as the organization’s latest success story. Taylor Jenkins has repeatedly highlighted Aldama’s growth, emphasizing his expanded role as a versatile weapon off the bench. Jenkins even made a compelling case for the 23-year-old as […]

As the NBA Playoffs loom on the horizon, Ja Morant’s banged-up Memphis Grizzlies are preparing for another deep postseason run. However, with Jaren Jackson Jr.’s health now uncertain after a rolled ankle, Taylor Jenkins has a not-so-secret weapon in mind: forward Brandon Clarke. Known for his versatility, relentless energy, and a skill set that defies […]

Navigating the late-season ups and downs of an NBA’s 82-game slog, the excitement of NCAA March Madness, and high school elimination games reveal a lot about a team, collectively and individually. For Taylor Jenkins, the calendar flip is a reminder of the intensity and unpredictability that define basketball at its finest. The convergence of high […]