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The Memphis Grizzlies are re-examining priorities amid a fitful start to the NBA regular season's post-All-Star break stretch run. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been the roster's most consistent, reliable, productive player. While the Grizzlies are not worried about Ja Morant's body language, the franchise is feeling the pressure to keep the All-Star's athletically lithe frame from falling apart. Memphis needs to be more worried about making it to the NBA Playoffs in one piece than pressing for a top seed. A few games missed down the stretch are no reason to lose any sleep according to Taylor Jenkins.
Perhaps that is why Jenkins played it safe with Morant (9-of 11 games played in February) in what ended up being a 130-128 loss to the San Antonio Spurs (25-33) to open their version of March Madness.
“(The run of good health) is great. I mean, Ja is playing extremely well right now, having a huge impact, and we just want to continue to lean into that (process),” Jenkins told ClutchPoints. “We know what he can do over the course of a game. It's great to see what he is doing and I know there is more to come from him.”
That confident statement came hours before the New York Knicks (39-20) knocked out the Grizzlies (38-22) with a 114-113 nail-biter in the FedEx Forum. Taking another gut-punch one-possession loss 24 hours later is going to test the Grizzlies, who cannot let this season go south.
Jenkins was later left to explain how the team balances in-the-moment form with the initial plan in building lineups around Morant, especially in close one-possession games.
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“Yeah, it's a combination of the two,” Jenkins said. “Definitely guys that are having nights we've got to be mindful of that and try to figure out some of those pairs to make it work. When guys are playing well and having an impact on winning, then I've got to trust in that.”
As for what the Grizzlies are looking for when building a gameplan?
“Sometimes it is opponent based when we can take advantage of what a team is doing with our subs whether it's at the guard front or on the big front,” Jenkins explained. “Schematics based, there is a lot of stuff that is involved in that. We're always mindful as we get into that fourth quarter, we are already talking about how we want to close the game after seeing what we've gathered in three quarters. Things can change in the first couple of minutes in the fourth quarter though and we have to be mindful of adjusting too.”
The Grizzlies better adjust something quick. The schedule does not get any easier after the Spurs leave town. Memphis will close out the homestand hosting the Atlanta Hawks (27-33) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's first-placed Oklahoma City Thunder (48-11). Then it's a quick two-game road trip to face the Dallas Mavericks (32-29) and New Orleans Pelicans (16-44), both of which refuse to lose games recently despite their injury-ravaged seasons.
Another four games in six days homestand follows against some stiff competition. After that? Nine road games to five in the FedEx Forum to close out the regular season. Good luck surviving that slate and holding on to the second seed out West without Ja Morant firing on all cylinders again.
