Chris Dodson Articles - Page 7

First-year employees must fight for recognition in any sport or industry. Thankfully for the accept-no-excuses Memphis Grizzlies, Jaylen Wells is carving out his niche with his defensive tenacity and an emerging offensive flair. While dynamic defense has been his calling card, the second-round pick’s offensive game is showing signs of significant growth, influenced by the […]

Willie Green and the New Orleans Pelicans have no excuses for some recent losses. Collectively, fans can be forgiven for tuning out given the circumstances. The team cannot though and individual player development is the best place to look for silver linings amid an otherwise lost season. Rookie big man Yves Missi’s defense and breakout […]

Steph Curry’s three-point barrages broke down barriers in an NBA once dominated by seven-footers and slam dunks. However, the ebb and flow of varying strategies have the high-standard, no-excuses Memphis Grizzlies (31-16) betting big on the towering duo of Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. The small sample size synergy between these two big men […]

In the heart of the NBA season, when trade rumors flit about the gossiping group chats like leaves in the wind, the title-focused Memphis Grizzlies are trying to keep blinders on. Head coach Taylor Jenkins has managed to mostly keep his team’s eyes on the prize: victories and development, collectively and individually. However, with the […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are still identifying growth areas at the midway point of the 2024-25 NBA season. Taylor Jenkins and company took one on the chin in a 143-106 loss while visiting the New York Knicks though. Madison Square Garden has seen some one-sided fights before, but this was the kind of defeat that leaves […]

The Utah Jazz and Walker Kessler are prioritizing consistency amid a rebuilding, lottery-bound season. Will Hardy knows that getting better and notching wins in the future starts with making sure everyone in the Jazz’s locker room is on the same page now. A winning foundation depends on coaching development which is just as important as […]

Organizations sometimes need to reset. It’s just a fact of life in professional sports, especially for small market teams. Finding players to build around requires patience, a bit of NBA Draft luck, and clear communication of the plan. Keeping that plan on track is an entirely different process than mapping it out, one that requires […]

Welcome to the NBA moments are usually rough on rookies. The not-quite-dialed-in Memphis Grizzlies have an exception to that unwritten rule though. It took less than 40 games for the Grizzlies to find out Jaylen Wells can get emotional, in a good way, while waging war with NBA All-Stars. Veterans on opposing teams are shooing […]

Opinions on Zach Edey varied wildly going into the 2024 NBA Draft. Not much has been settled since then due to circumstances, schemes, injuries, and some fluctuating rotations. Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies are still teaching Zach Edey the nuances but Taylor Jenkins has been encouraged by what the rookie has picked up over the first […]

Some nights can highlight both the highs and lows of life in the NBA. Rookie Jaylen Wells can attest to that after trying to corral LaMelo Ball’s Charlotte Hornets. Ball might have scored 22 points but it took 20 shows and a few unearned free throws as far as Ja Morant’s grumbling Memphis Grizzlies are […]

All wins are equal in the standings but that is not the case in most NBA locker rooms. Some games, some wins, just matter more than others. There are off nights when things can get ugly, usually with a contender blowing out an also-ran. That script almost got flipped in the FexEx Forum though. Ja […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have a winning recipe going by the NBA standings and how the locker room sounds even after defeats. Ja Morant’s dunks get most of the attention but Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane have been not-so-quietly shaping the culture for years. The duo went deep into their friendship and the team in […]

NBA fans enjoy fiddling around with the various trade machines available. However, there are rare occasions when the best midseason additions are already sitting on the bench. The Memphis Grizzlies are sitting on a success recipe already but Taylor Jenkins is about to have another 6-foot-9, 225-pound phenom available. Sitting in third place and riding […]

Every homegrown core developed through the NBA Draft needs time to marinate before being mentioned in NBA Finals conversations. Many organizations find that things turn sour when just one ingredient is missing. That has not been the case for Ja Morant’s grumbling Grizzlies. Even without Morant in a second game against the San Antonio Spurs […]

Being publicly called out is one of the worst situations for any professional. Everyone looks at you for the wrong reasons, and the ridicule is ramped up to a different level. These scoldings take different forms, but the message was clear after the New Orleans Pelicans addressed some issues with Zion Williamson. The standard was […]

The NBA Playoffs picture is starting to come into focus as most teams approach the midway point of their respective seasons. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are in a decent position but the Memphis Grizzlies are still educating Zach Edey on what is required to win consistently. Thankfully, Taylor Jenkins will get […]

Teams aim to be hitting on all cylinders going into the postseason. Rookies are trying to avoid the proverbial ‘wall’ midway through the regular season though. Thankfully for Zach Edey’s learning curve and the Memphis Grizzlies, everyone is pulling in the same direction without much ego involved. The rookie big man from Purdue explained to […]

Sure, the learning-as-they-go Memphis Grizzlies were disappointed after another loss (120-118) to the Houston Rockets. The locker room was also very upbeat knowing there is still time to figure things out. They were not wasting time though. Ja Morant, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Brandon Clarke were still gathered around Jaren Jackson Jr.’s locker an hour […]

Finding ways to incorporate new faces into any team or organization is a challenge. New situations can be daunting in any industry. Thankfully, Ja Morant’s “funky” Memphis Grizzlies have a leadership structure in place that has boosted rookies Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells over the first 40 games. Taylor Jenkins has created a culture where […]

Perhaps the only experience more humbling than hitting the NBA’s rookie wall for a first-round draft pick is heading to the airport for a G-League stint. Reed Sheppard has taken the bumps, bruises, and some occasional turbulence in stride this season while channeling a bit of Spongebob into daily life. ClutchPoints caught up with Sheppard […]

Some regular season losses sting a bit more in professional sports, even in the NBA’s 82-game slog. It was hard to ignore how Taylor Jenkins used one-word answers after the Memphis Grizzlies lost to Alperen Sengun’s Houston Rockets on January 9. Thankfully, the Grizzlies (25-14) responded well after a baffling loss to the Rockets (25-12) […]

To say the honeymoon period with Zion Williamson is over is a huge understatement. Still, consequences for certain actions have been hard to find with the New Orleans Pelicans and the two-time NBA All-Star over the past six injury-ravaged seasons. EVP David Griffin decided enough was enough on January 10 as the team suspended Williamson […]

The road to the NBA Playoffs is getting more challenging by the day for Ja Morant’s fun, inconsistent Memphis Grizzlies. Injuries have been an issue all season as Taylor Jenkins has patched together winning rotations around Jaren Jackson Jr. Morant and Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) will headline the next show while Zach Edey and Rudy […]

Well, Taylor Jenkins said the Memphis Grizzlies (24-14) would be getting funky midway through the 2024-25 NBA season. A lineup of Jaylen Wells, Luke Kennard, Santi Aldama, Brandon Clarke, and Jay Huff was featured in the fourth quarter of a 119-115 home loss to the Houston Rockets (25-12). Jenkins gave uncharacteristic one-word answers after the […]

Getting through the NBA’s 82-game slog requires a solid roster, luck, and a bit of rotational savvy. The Memphis Grizzlies (24-13) are getting funky but still find themselves in a battle for second place in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, Ja Morant (shoulder), Desmond Bane (ankle), Jaren Jackson Jr. (thigh), and Santi Aldama (ankle) are questionable […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are patching together rotations while learning how to best use Zach Edey’s skillset. Taylor Jenkins has been juggling injury reports and rehab returns all season while looking for lineups that work around Jaren Jackson Jr. It’s been a mostly successful season as the Grizzlies (23-14) have maintained a second-place level pace in […]

Approximately 45% of the NBA season is in the books and the injury-riddled Memphis Grizzlies (24-13) are in a dogfight for second place in the Western Conference. Taylor Jenkins has patched together rotations despite Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Santi Aldama, and Zach Edey missing a combined 46 games. The lack of star power has required […]

The Memphis Grizzlies (24-13) are still learning Zach Edey‘s most efficient actions but Taylor Jenkins may need to lean on the rookie against the Houston Rockets (24-12). Ja Morant (right AC joint sprain), Desmond Bane (left ankle sprain), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (left thigh soreness) are all listed as questionable on the team’s injury report. […]

The Memphis Grizzlies know they have a problem as the team is second-worst in coughing up turnovers at 17.3 per game. Perhaps that flaw should not be very surprising though. Ja Morant (shoulder) has been unavailable to lead the offense for almost half of the season and the starting lineup usually includes two rookies. Sure, […]

Every team has weak points. The goal is to not let them become fatal characteristics. Problems arise when those flaws get accentuated in clutch moments. Identifying how to negate issues before being exposed is a job for Taylor Jenkins but Ja Morant’s captivating yet inconsistent Memphis Grizzlies now know the problem: Turnovers. Desmond Bane (eight […]

Fans love an early regular season preview of a potential NBA Playoffs matchup. Unfortunately, the Memphis Grizzlies will face the Golden State Warriors with most of the stars wearing regular person clothes. Well, not regular in price for most but Stephen Curry and Ja Morant will not be in uniform on Saturday, January 4. It […]

Everyone loves a Cinderella story, especially when they play for your hometown team. Thankfully for Fedex Forum fans, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s disrespected Memphis Grizzlies have a storybook rookie season unfolding this season. Jaylen Wells might even be worth mentioning with Morant and Jackson Jr. as off-limits assets through the NBA Trade Deadline. […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are not getting much NBA All-Star respect but that did not seem to stoke up a fire before facing the Sacramento Kings. Taylor Jenkins admitted the Grizzlies cannot grumble about a loss to the Kings despite an unusually wild Jaren Jackson Jr. fourth-quarter stat. After a flawless first three quarters, the officials […]

Upsets happen in every sport but more often than not the road team missing an All-Star is going to fall short. These Memphis Grizzlies do not go gently into that good night regardless of circumstance and a win over the Phoenix Suns is the latest example. In fact, the first two road games of the […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are used to Ja Morant’s needle-moving methods. His whirling dervish ways bring in fans and boost broadcast numbers. Despite missing 14 of 34 games, Morant is sitting seventh in Western Conference backcourt tallies. Grizzlies (23-11) big man Jaren Jackson Jr. has been the most available star in Memphis this season but is […]

The NBA’s 2024-25 season has been providing plenty of fireworks going into the New Year. Teams are making trades earlier than usual and stars have been shaking off critics complaining about competitive levels. Ja Morant’s captivating Memphis Grizzlies have been scrapping away all season, unconcerned with outside noise and injury woes. That has helped the […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are still waiting for Zion Williamson amid one of the worst seasons in NBA history. The front office has been shopping Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum to no avail while Willie Green tries to get the new-look roster back on track. Rookie Yves Missi has been one of the few bright spots […]

Some wins just cost more in the long run and Ja Morant’s captivating Memphis Grizzlies paid a price in a 132-124 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Unfortunately, Morant went down with a shoulder injury midway through the third quarter and could be unavailable for at least a few games. Not only does that throw […]

Getting through the NBA’s 82-game season relatively healthy has been a problem for Ja Morant’s ‘lackadaisical’ Memphis Grizzlies. This year has been no different. Unfortunately, a new knockout blow taken against the New Orleans Pelicans will have Grizzlies’ fans and the front office sleeping uneasily to start a five-game road trip. Morant went down midway […]