Chris Dodson Articles - Page 6

The NBA season is now one-third of the way complete with the lines between contenders, pretenders, and also-rans becoming clearer by the day. Some games are expected to be far more competitive than others but individual matchups in blowouts are still worth watching. Zach Edey versus Yves Missi is exactly the kind of clash that […]

Coaches love to talk about how offense wins games, but defense wins championships. By that metric, Ja Morant’s highly entertaining Memphis Grizzlies have some work to do, and they know it. Taylor Jenkins appreciated the offensive explosion in a 155-126 victory over the Toronto Raptors. However, the franchise’s all-time wins leader was not happy with […]

Rookies have a hard time adjusting to any business or industry. Basketball’s learning curve is just a bit more steep but the captivating Memphis Grizzlies (20-10) have been giving their first-year players room to grow. Both Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells are regularly starting games next to Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. […]

Defense often takes a backseat to flashy offensive plays but Ja Morant’s captivating Memphis Grizzlies have a rookie giving every All-Star a headache. Jaylen Wells has been a quick fan favorite thanks to some relentless effort on the less glamorous side of the hardwood. Taylor Jenkins has every reason to trust the second-rounder consistently corralling […]

The NBA’s list of the most popular players included the usual suspects known for highlight dunks, halfcourt threes, and hard-to-believe outlet passes. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) topped the league’s most recent most-viewed player charts. The announcement gave the Memphis Grizzlies another reason to brag about Ja Morant as their All-World star was close behind […]

Fans and media personalities have spent too many hours trying to pinpoint exactly why NBA television broadcast ratings are declining. Even stars on the level of LeBron James have shared varying opinions on playstyles, criticisms of the All-Star Game format, and how to fix the game. However, Taylor Jenkins and Ja Morant’s extremely salty Memphis […]

The NBA is a star-driven league, of that there is no doubt. Not since the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons has a team won a title without having multiple All-NBA talents on the roster. However, the road to the NBA Finals requires a proper supporting cast ready to step up when an All-Star is sidelined. The Memphis […]

The cursed, injury-plagued New Orleans Pelicans are running out of time and options this season and it’s not yet Christmas. Dozens of games missed by Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Trey Murphy III have taken a toll. Fans are in a frenzy and other front offices are calling to ask which […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are fielding calls for practically everyone on the roster according to several reports. Fans can rest easy knowing Herb Jones, Yves Missi, and Trey Murphy III are seemingly safe. Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, and CJ McCollum could be on the move if the price is right. That exception is […]

The entire league took a day off after the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA Cup. Now it’s back to business, and a showdown between Ja Morant’s resurgent Memphis Grizzlies and Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors might be the best game on the Dec. 19 docket. Morant missed the first Grizzlies-Warriors meeting, a 123-118 loss in […]

Taylor Jenkins was looking at a problem all NBA coaches wished they had during training camp. The Memphis Grizzlies had more talent on the bench than minutes available in a game even with GG Jackson in a walking boot. Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Zach Edey being unavailable for week-long stretches created opportunities for Santi […]

The Memphis Grizzlies (18-9) are starting to get loud about their intentions this season. Ja Morant’s return has coincided with a run up the Western Conference standings. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been rock solid all season, posting All-NBA numbers. Desmond Bane has been bruised up but the Grizzlies’ bench has stepped up in a big […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are being left with few options as the season drags on. However, the definition of insanity is so well known that it’s cliche, but it applies to Willie Green’s draft lottery-bound Pelicans in late-game situations. New Orleans had the Sacramento Kings on the ropes but failed to pull out a win […]

The New Orleans Pelicans (5-20) are feeling the pain this season as Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram mostly watch loss from the sidelines. Practically everyone on the payroll has needed a few days to a few months off due to injury. Thankfully for head coach Willie Green, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, and Trey […]

Everyone has a wish list going into the holiday season, and the looking-mighty-nice Memphis Grizzlies got a huge injury-report-related gift. Zach Edey (left ankle sprain) and GG Jackson (right fifth metatarsal repair) were seen on the practice court, and the rookie was even upgraded to doubtful a day before hosting the Brooklyn Nets. The team […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are making winning moves on the court and enjoying Ja Morant’s nightly highlights going into the holiday season. Still, shopping for upgrades is on the front office’s agenda. There can be no complacency in this version of the NBA’s Western Conference. Checking on rotational upgrades at various price ranges is part of […]

The NBA’s player acquisition markets are constantly shifting around new CBA parameters, the supply of talent, and the demand from contenders to add another All-Star piece. Only game-changing, globally marketable stars are truly worth a full max-level deal. That principle is why the market has settled on New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram. Though eligible, Ingram […]

The Milwaukee Bucks are silencing the skeptics after a slow start and are one win away from a Sin City trip. A win over the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup quarterfinals would secure a spot in the Las Vegas-based Final Four. Thankfully, the most recent injury updates on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are […]

NBA contending tiers seem pretty clear-cut going into the last three weeks of 2024. The Boston Celtics (19-5) and Cleveland Cavaliers (21-4) are running away from the Eastern Conference pack. The Oklahoma City Thunder (18-5) and Memphis Grizzlies (17-8) are on course for a Western Conference Finals clash. Everyone else is playing for the upset. […]

The Memphis Grizzlies (17-8) are gaining ground on the Western Conference’s frontrunners now that Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are healthy. Taylor Jenkins heard some jeers from behind the bench after an 8-7 start, but a 9-1 run to start the holiday season has silenced almost every skeptic. Having an impressive bench […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are playing for pride now that Brandon Ingram has joined Zion Williamson on the out indefinitely part of the injury report. Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Trey Murphy III are too good to tank. Even with Herb Jones back in action, it’s hard to imagine the Pelicans (5-19) will make the […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are trying to find small wins in a season all but lost due to injuries. Dejounte Murray (first game) and Trey Murphy III (training camp) hit the injury report early. CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson, and Brandon Ingram soon followed. Herb Jones just returned while Jose Alvarado (hamstring) and Jordan Hawkins (back) remain […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are building momentum as the Beale Street-based roster returns to near-full health. Jaren Jackson Jr. has led the way while Taylor Jenkins tinkered with several rotational setups. It took a few weeks to find a groove but Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart’s return from injury has coincided with the Grizzlies (14-8) surging […]

The injury-plagued New Orleans Pelicans have more than a few big questions to answer before the NBA Trade Deadline. Determining what to do with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson is a quagmire for the Pelicans front office. Dealing with both All-Stars after each made changes in representations will be a full-time job. Thankfully, rookie Yves […]

Saying the New Orleans Pelicans (4-18) are suffering through one of the most injury-ravaged, drama-filled seasons in professional sports might be an understatement. It’s gotten that bad in the Big Easy amid Zion Williamson’s agency change, Herb Jones’ recent shoulder injury, and Dejounte Murray’s broken hand on Opening Night. The list of injury reports, timeline […]

The upstart Detroit Pistons (9-14) have seemingly turned a competitive corner with Cade Cunningham leading the way on the court. Trajan Langdon, the recently hired President of Basketball Operations, has injected some fresh air into an organizational culture that needed a boost. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is handling the rest from the sidelines and is finding […]

Fingernail-biting Alabama football fans will be furious if the Crimson Tide are left out of the CFP bracket. Still, there are plenty of reasons to expect more hardware to be added to the Tuscaloosa trophy case relatively soon. Recruiting five-star quarterback Keelon Russell (Duncanville, TX) away from SMU is just one example of the brand […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are facing disaster to close out the 2024 calendar year’s schedule. Zion Williamson and Willie Green are starting to feel the heat from the Smoothie King Center’s booing fans and a couple of players might have added field to that fire. Veterans CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray delivered apologetic must-win, cannot-lose […]

The New Orleans Pelicans got embarrassed in Dejounte Murray’s return versus the Toronto Raptors, leading to a cascade of boos from the Smoothie King Center fans. The most loyal among the Big Easy basketball community have been needing something to celebrate ever since Jrue Holiday hovered over a floored Portland Trail Blazers player in the […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are still working out some glitches in the offensive system but Taylor Jenkins and company are hitting a new high gear going into the holiday season. Sure, Ja Morant is still missing games with various bumps and bruises. Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and the emergence of Jaylen Wells have lifted the […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have one pleasant surprise to celebrate this holiday season in rookie big man Yves Missi. Willie Green has needed the 20-year-old to wise up despite only being in an organized basketball setting for less than a handful of years. Missi has done just that. The Baylor alum’s first month on an […]

Saying the season has not gone to plan for the New Orleans Pelicans would be an understatement. EVP David Griffin and coach Willie Green’s game plan for this year had a deep roster prepared for the usual setbacks that strike throughout an 82-game schedule. Zion Williamson (12), Dejounte Murray (17), CJ McCollum (13), Herb Jones […]

The Memphis Grizzlies welcomed Ja Morant back into the starting lineup before a win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the FexEd Forum. It was to be the All-Star’s first game since a November 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. There would be something new for Morant to adjust to, however, as there would […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have a hometown hero providing some silver linings to an otherwise bleak season. Thankfully, Willie Green’s rotations are getting two big boosts before Thanksgiving Day. Elfrid Payton will understand the wait to get a handful of minutes now that CJ McCollum (abductor) and Dejounte Murray (hand) are returning from injury. Zion […]

The Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant are taking things personally in the games leading up to Thanksgiving dinner. The Portland Trail Blazers found out the hard way, getting smoked in a 123-98 Memphis win in the FexEx Forum. Six Grizzlies scored in double figures but Morant’s jaw-dropping double-double stat line stole the show in returning […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have been bombarded with bad news all season but Willie Green has kept injecting fight into the shorthanded rotations. Amid fan rumblings about losing streaks and ridiculously long injury reports, tenured veterans Brandon Ingram (Excel) and Zion Williamson (CAA) wanted blank slates that went beyond the Big Easy’s borders. However, it […]

The New Orleans Pelicans showed a positive, fighting spirit in a recent four-point NBA Cup loss to the Golden State Warriors (November 22). It was Stephen Curry’s crew that last saw the Pelicans at anywhere near full strength. CJ McCollum (right adductor strain) took a knock requiring almost a month of recovery treatment and Dejounte […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have been grooving lately even without All-Star guard Ja Morant. Scotty Pippen Jr. is just one of several key reserves who have stepped up in a big way as Morant, Desmond Bane, and Zach Edey worked back from various injuries. Jaylen Wells has looked like a young Jimmy Butler at times, giving […]

The turnover-prone Memphis Grizzlies are still waiting on Ja Morant but the offense has been in good hands with Scotty Pippen Jr. The most recent example is a wire-to-wire win over the Chicago Bulls that required some late-game heroics from Pippen Jr. and Jaren Jackson Jr. Those two ran the show in the final two […]