Chris Dodson Articles - Page 6

The Memphis Grizzlies made a bold move in firing head coach Taylor Jenkins with just nine games left in the regular season and promoting assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo. EVP/GM Zach Kleiman’s decision came as a shock to many given the team’s playoff trajectory and Jenkins’ established role in shaping the franchise’s recent success. Jenkins has […]

Bad blood rivalries transcend the court when it comes to NBA basketball. Organizations chase NBA Finals appearances and championships; broadcasters chase ratings and market share. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley have done both after decades in the league and with TNT’s Inside the NBA show. Shouting matches over the most talented, most popular star who […]

Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers) are not the only NBA Finals shot-callers looking to make adjustments this June. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is switching up the NBA All-Star Game format, again, and there are apparently more changes coming to next season’s schedule. If the league is taking suggestions, let’s spice […]

NBA offseasons look a bit different for every player. Intense training workouts, hometown visits, and the occasional indulgence are expected to be seen on social media. Finding a balance becomes a full-time job, especially for young players dealing with national team obligations, contract negotiations, and/or trade rumors. After months of conversations and a few parting […]

Marvin Bagley III, the former second overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, is preparing for the upcoming NBA free agency frenzy. As the Memphis Grizzlies now know, the 26-year-old has carved out a seven-year career defined not by flashy highlights but by an unyielding commitment to preparation and mental fortitude. In an exclusive interview […]

After a first-round playoff sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Memphis Grizzlies face a bombshell-filled offseason with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. in place as All-Star cornerstones. EVP Zach Kleiman must seize the opportunity to transform the team into a championship contender by trading for a bit more help, even if it means […]

As Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies regroup from a first-round playoff sweep at the hands of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s near-perfect Oklahoma City Thunder, EVP Zach Kleiman faces a pivotal offseason to elevate the franchise from perennial playoff hopeful to bona fide championship contender. With a young core led by Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., the offseason roster-building […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder are getting cute on social media and getting compliments from the Memphis Grizzlies while waiting for a second-round NBA Playoffs opponent. Down time is not dead time, though, not for Mark Daigneault’s ‘imperfect’ Thunder. Everything around the organization is focused on building a championship culture and letting everyone feel they have […]

As the ‘imperfect’ Oklahoma City Thunder charge through the NBA Playoffs, a collective hunger and unselfish play have become defining traits of the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led squad. Second-year guard Cason Wallace is another new addition that embodies Oklahoma City’s underdog spirit and camaraderie, which propelled them to a rather straightforward series sweep of Ja Morant’s Memphis […]

The Memphis Grizzlies entered the NBA Playoffs with hopes of making noise as a young, hungry team. Instead, Jaren Jackson Jr. was among many handed a harsh reality check by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who completed a first-round sweep with a dominant performance that left EVP Zach Kleiman searching for answers. The series, […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are dealing with Ja Morant rumors already but there is reason for optimism after being swept by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. A budding chemistry between rookie center Zach Edey and guard Scotty Pippen Jr. offers a foundation for the future. If nothing else was learned by the Grizzlies, Executive Vice […]

The Memphis Grizzlies failed to figure out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s Oklahoma City Thunder without Ja Morant (hip) so Tuomas Iisalo’s maiden 2025 NBA Playoff run unfortunately ended sooner than hoped. Yet, amid the first-round exit disappointment, an unlikely hero emerged as a foundational building block. The losses were tough, sure, but Scotty Pippen Jr.’s relentless energy, […]

It’s too late in the season to get cute with the scouting reports. The best shot at winning a postseason game and Tuomas Iisalo securing the full-time Memphis Grizzlies job is by granting Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. the offensive freedom they crave. Simply put, tailoring the system to maximize their unique talents is […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were playing things cool after two lopsided road losses to open an NBA Playoff series versus Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Ja Morant’s Grizzlies were even issuing guarantees before a massive must-win back home on Beale Street. The FedEx Forum’s loyal fans should pack the house but what kind of response will […]

It can be hard to know what to say sometimes, especially for a new voice trying to lead a well-established, entrenched group. Well, Memphis Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo delivered a terse but pointed message to his team following a 118-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their first-round Western Conference […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were unfazed after a Game 1 blowout but Game 2’s 118-99 scoreline suggests Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder are still unbothered by the lower-seeded squad. The Ja Morant-led high-octane, drive-and-kick offense, built around generating open three-point looks, continues to falter against the NBA’s most suffocating defense. Jaylen Wells being out can only […]

Mark Daigneault made it clear he’s not chasing perfection after the Oklahoma City Thunder’s commanding 51-point victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of their NBA playoff series. The 40-years-young coach, in his fifth season leading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s upstart, small-market Thunder, emphasized that basketball’s inherent flaws are part of what defines the game, even […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are shrugging off a lopsided Game 1 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, approaching Game 2 with a calm resolve that belies the 51-point deficit from Easter Sunday’s demolition. Despite the Thunder’s dominant performance, Tuomas Iisalo dismissed any notion of pressure weighing on Ja Morant’s Grizzlies, instead shifting expectations to the heavily […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were left looking for silver linings after a 131-80 blowout loss to open an NBA Playoffs first-round series versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was all smiles after the win while Ja Morant was making bold declarations about the future. There are still a few more meetings on the books but […]

Even dream jobs have nightmare days. Fortunately, Tuomas Iisalo was able to laugh off uncomfortable questions after Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies suffered through a 51-point blowout loss (131-80) to open the NBA Playoffs. A first-round Game 1 against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder did not go as planned but there are brighter days ahead according […]

The Memphis Grizzlies will not be caught off guard by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in an NBA Playoffs Game 2 tilt. At least, that is what Scotty Pippen Jr. stated after the Grizzlies took a historically bad loss on the chin Easter Sunday. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey talked about […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were embarrassed by the Oklahoma City Thunder 131-80 in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs first-round face-off. After a lopsided, historically bad loss on Easter Sunday, Ja Morant is making guarantees for the regrouping Grizzlies. Scotty Pippen Jr. is being more practical, emphasizing a forward-focused mindset. Adapting to how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have undergone notable shifts since promoting Tuomas Iisalo to interim head coach. Not all of them have been a success in the small ten-game sample size provided, including the 121-116 NBA Play-In Tournament loss to the Golden State Warriors. While Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will shoulder most of […]

The firing of Taylor Jenkins on March 28, 2025, and the promotion of Tuomas Iisalo to interim head coach of Ja Morant’s foxhole-fighting Memphis Grizzlies introduced a period of adjustment. This was a team struggling with inconsistency, turnovers, and above .500 teams all season after all, so something had to be done. Thankfully, Morant, Jaren […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are hoping Ja Morant can go full speed in a do-or-die NBA Play-In Tournament elimination game. If not, interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo will have to give Scotty Pippen Jr. a shot at setting the table for Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. on offense. Defensively, the Hall of Famer’s son will […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were still miffed by the missed calls at the end of an NBA Play-In Tournament tug of war with the Golden State Warriors as they hopped on the plane home. Interim head coach Tuomas Ilsalo’s most important task over the next two days is getting the locker room to let it all […]

The New Orleans Pelicans and Zion Williamson marriage is being stressed once again. Sources have indicated Joe Dumars wants to try building a relationship with the All-NBA talent before making any rash decisions. However, the most powerful decision makers in New Orleans are apparently fed up with Williamson’s constant off-court drama. Between injury mitigation and […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are cleaning house after firing Executive Vice President David Griffin. Louisiana native and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Dumars has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the top executive role Griffin held. However, a deal with Dumar is “not over the line yet,” sources told ClutchPoints. The team […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are having a hard time getting everyone on the same page before the NBA Playoffs begin. The most recent setback, a 141-125 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, exposed more than a few flaws with Tuomas Iisalo’s new frontcourt configurations. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey seem to be reading from different […]

The NBA Playoffs bracket is starting to become clearer after Ja Morant’s misfiring Memphis Grizzlies (47-33) fell to Anthony Edwards’ trash-talking Minnesota Timberwolves (47-33) in the third-to-last game of the regular season. Newly appointed head coach Tuomas Iisalo and the Grizzlies had full control of their destiny going into the game, but the 141-125 loss […]

A crowded NBA Western Conference Playoffs race is getting more chaotic by the day. Amid the swings in the standings, some stars are starting to pick open fights with the league office, mostly over foul calls. Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant poured extra fuel on a drama-filled fire during a road win over the Charlotte […]

The busted-up Memphis Grizzlies are showing signs of a turnaround under new head coach Tuomas Iisalo. Ja Morant has embraced the villain role and is celebrating in the league’s face like money does not matter. NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidate Santi Aldama told ClutchPoints there is a real belief in the locker room […]

Amid an 0-3 start to his NBA coaching career, Tuomas Iisalo finds himself thrust into the heart of an all shook up Memphis Grizzlies locker room grappling with the sting of defeat and the weight of a franchise-altering decision. With just six games remaining in the regular season, the front office’s stunning move to replace […]

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 […]