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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 playoff series. With Ja Morant's Grizzlies now trailing 2-0, Iisalo’s words were a pointed call to refocus as the series shifts to Memphis.
“Well, the message to the team was very short, you know. Let's get on the plane as soon as possible. (The Thunder) took care of their business; now it is time for us to take care of our business at home,” Iisalo stated. “Nothing more to that.”
The defeat marked another lopsided setback for Ja Morant's eighth-seeded Grizzlies, who were outscored by a combined 70 points over the first two games at Paycom Center. After a historic 51-point loss in Game 1, the largest Game 1 margin in NBA playoff history, Memphis showed fight in Game 2 (118-99). Unfortunately, the Grizzlies have yet to bother the Thunder even as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has gotten off to a slow postseason start.
Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have done more than enough to make sure Mark Daignault's imperfect yet top-seeded Thunder have felt little pressure from a shorthanded squad led by an interim coach. The Grizzlies now return to FedExForum for Game 3 on Thursday, where they hope to harness a 26-15 home record and a raucous crowd that fueled their play-in win over the walking wounded Dallas Mavericks.
Still, Tuomas Iisalo’s brief postgame remarks underscored a team eager to move past road woes and seize the home opportunity. Whether the Grizzlies can channel their coach’s blunt directive into a series-shifting win remains is an entirely different discussion.
