One game back from a knee injury, Tuomas Iisalo explained why the education of Cedric Coward is entering its most demanding semester. Beale Street's busted up Memphis Grizzlies are over 60 games into a relatively underwhelming year, yet their NBA All-Rookie candidate's trial by fire is far from over. Forget about hitting any proverbial walls for the first-timer, though; there are a dozen All-Stars that need covering to close out the season.
The measuring sticks over the next six weeks have earned their one-name reputations. Giannis, KD, Kawhi, Cade, and Jokic stand between the Grizzlies (23-37) and the offseason's recouping phase. James Harden, Jalen Brunson, and CJ McCollum will be chasing wins until the very end. That trio can make anyone look downright foolish, but Coward is expected to answer the call.
“(Coward) is going to be tasked with some very tough matchups,” Iisalo admitted. “(Against the Minnesota Timberwolves), he had possessions guarding their point to (Anthony Edwards) to (Julius Randle). He can definitely get better at the point of attack. Every young guy can get better at their rotations.”
The 22-year-old played 21 minutes off the bench in his return from a seven-game absence. He scored 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting with two rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block. By throwing Coward into the fire against the league’s elite, the Grizzlies hope to accelerate his development and build the consistency required to compete at the highest level.
Edwards was nearly unstoppable for Minnesota, adding five steals to his 41-point outburst. Randle's double-double and Jaden McDaniels' efficient 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting rounded out a balanced Timberwolves effort. For Coward, the night served as both a challenge and a preview. The remaining gauntlet figures to shape the final chapter of what has been a promising All-Rookie caliber season.
Iisalo made clear he is counting on that experience to leave a mark. The Grizzlies also expect the young core to play up to the standard, building a culture and product everyone can take pride in. It's the only way to be on the other side of the NBA Playoffs line after all.
“It's just telling the guys in the locker room that I hope we don't take for granted the opportunities to play against teams of this level,” Iisalo shared. “That this is the level that every one of our players and our team is looking to get to, and you only get there by experiencing it, understanding that this is a tough, veteran team that we pushed, but we've got to have consistency for the 48 minutes.”
Through 48 games, Coward is averaging 13.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 46.8% from the field and 34.0% from 3-point range. The Washington State alum's s per-40 minutes numbers jump to 20.7 points and 9.4 rebounds, with a true shooting percentage of 58.1%, suggesting this production could scale up efficiently.
There is no better time for the Grizzlies to find out than the next six weeks. Easing Cedric Coward back into action was never an option, given his competitive disposition. However, that fire is when they're fine throwing him at superstars and seeing what sticks. If he can hold up as a two-way defensive force capable of dropping 20 and 10 consistently, Memphis will have at least one silver lining worth its weight in gold going into the summer.
