Official Game Thread: Grizzlies at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Ja? He’s got a…”

 

The hottest point guard in the NBA is back!

That’s right. Trae Young returns home to a hero’s welcome in Atlanta, his Hawks making their fourth pit stop of the month at State Farm Arena and hosting the Grizzlies just in the Saint Nick of Christmastime.

Ja Morant is expected to suit up today for Memphis, too. In case anyone’s interested.

Beating out a Klay-less, Baze-full Golden State squad in overtime for a Play-In spot on the road, back in 2021, cemented Morant and Memphis’ postseason place in the rough-and-tumble NBA West for three years and counting. In longtime Bud disciple Taylor Jenkins’ head coaching tenure, the Grizzlies became as renowned for their successes with Morant off and away from the court as for the exploits of Morant on it.

Only a 64-game-winning Monty Williams ((snort)) could keep Jenkins from seizing Coach of the Year hardware in 2022. The first of two injury stints beginning during a blowout loss to the visiting Hawks, Ja missed 25 games, and Memphis went 20-5 without him, winning games handily.

During a November/December run, they whipped the SGA-less Thunder by an NBA-record 73 points, and Haliburton’s Kangz by 19 AND 27. In the ensuing March, they dusted Haliburton’s Pacers by 30, then Bud’s defending champ Bucks and the eventual champ Dubs in the subsequent contests by 25 and 28 points, respectively. They went from falling to 9-10 with the loss to the Hawks to 56-26 by regular season’s end.

Going 5-4 sans their sophomore superstar, the season prior, certainly was enough to secure the Play-In berth. And even last season, the Griz went 12-9. Big wins came against the hobbled Hawks (+25) in December and the Warriors in March (+21), the latter just as Morant was just beginning to not-shoot himself in the foot.

So even after The Commish dropped the hammer, over this past summer, on Morant with a 25-game suspension, there was ample, reasonable confidence around Three Blues Nation that their team, led by The Block Panther, reigning DPOY Jaren Jackson, and sweet-shooting Desmond Bane, and coached capably by Jenkins would weather the storm once more.

Instead, Memphis wound up going 6-19 out of the gate. What happened?

During those prior seasons, Jenkins could cycle through some young, hungry peripheral NBA talents eager to stick on a roster at the league’s top level: Bane, De’Anthony Melton, Tyus Jones, Brandon Clarke (out, Achilles tendon repair), John Konchar, Xavier Tillman. Morant had specialist role players in the starting lineup: Jonas Valanciunas, Slo-Mo Anderson. He was also protected by players with growing reps for getting under opponents’ skin: Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen.

Zach Kleiman and the Grizzlies’ front office was satisfied with the notion that some members of Ja’s cast of Tennessee volunteers would grow, and even break out. Out went Melton, Jones, Anderson, Allen and, eventually and unceremoniously, Brooks. Clarke, and Ziaire Williams, were hopefuls that never quite turned the corner unless it was to head back onto the injury list. Konchar and Tillman (39.8 FG%, down from 61.4% last season) regressed, as has Luke Kennard (54.0 3FG% last season with MEM, career-low 36.2% so far; out, bruised knee bone), the gunner Kleiman acquired at last season’s Trade Deadline for the ghost of Danny Green, and Santi Aldama.

The Grizzlies brought in Marcus Smart (doubtful, foot sprain + illness) from Boston to do that thing Brooks used to do, only more craftily, and Derrick Rose (out, strained hammy) as an advisor to keep Morant from Derrick Rosing his local reputation. Neither has been able to stay healthy enough to be useful to Jenkins on the court.

Kleiman thought he could continue making do with not one but two longitudinal forwards (David Roddy, Kenneth Lofton) to buttress the frontline behind Jackson and Steven Adams. What he didn’t count on was Adams, who missed half of last season with a sprained PCL, having to get season-ending surgery right before this season could begin.

Without Adams around as a burly backstop, and limited floor spacing to unclog the paint, the strlint of the Bleck Penta has been strlipt aveh (1.8 BPG and 51.9 2FG%, down from NBA-high 3.0 and 58.5% last season).  Bismack Biyombo was brought in to spackle the 5-spot, once it was clear Tillman was overworked and underproducing, while Lofton lost his tenuous roster spot to make room for Morant.

But now that Ja is back, things are merry and bright again. Morant and the Grizzlies surged back in the second half in N’Awlins on Tuesday, finishing with a flourish to shift the heat lamp back onto his draft buddy Zion. They flustered Halimissin’ (2-for-12 3FGs, plus a whopping 4 TOs. Shut up, Wally!) and his Pacers again, this time in Ja’s triumphant home-game return on Thursday, a 116-103 win. After this game in Atlanta, they get to double-dip at Smoothie King next Tuesday.

So all is well, and the Grizzlies (8-19, 5.5 games behind 10-seed PHX) can get back to the business of chasing Steph’s, KD’s, and LeBron’s taillights for the final Play-In slots all season long. Ja’s persistent rim pressure (27.0 PPG, 1-for-8 on 3FGs, 8.0 APG thru 2 games) aids them on the offensive end (106.8 O-Rating, a shade ahead of the lowest-ranked Spurs), but he’ll also need to help the Grizzlies firm up the perimeter defense (39.0 opponent 3FG%, 2^nd-highest in NBA) and help rebounding if Memphis is to have a legitimate, er, shot at a top-ten seed.

Even with a hounding Miami defense, and multiple Hawk hands going cold at the wrong times, Trae Young remains one game from tying the NBA record of seven consecutive 30-point, 10-assist performances. Can Vince Williams and Morant be the streak-stoppers?

The Hawks (12-16) would have to slip 1.5 games behind the 13-seed Hornets to get in a similar predicament within their conference as the Grizzlies. And that’s still possible, certainly if Atlanta doesn’t continue, like Memphis (2-11 at home after Thursday’s win vs. IND), to right their wrongs before a home crowd eager to air their grievances.

With that, here’s hoping Ja finds time tonight to kick back, from the bench, and enjoy the show exhibited by the most intriguing point guard on an NBA floor right now.

 

Thank you, Elves! Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Festivus to you and yours. Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Dnice]

The dolphins beat em up pretty good. Per the injury list.

[Dnice]

 

[JayBirdHawk]

9 minutes ago, Dnice said:

 

OMG  ....will we ever get healthy?

[kg01]

Just give a full 48min effort.  

[AUhawksfan]

I don’t post on here much anymore but I am in town and will be at the game!  Hoping for a decent showing but hard to know what to expect. 

[benhillboy]

I feel like I was supposed to know that Vit was still on the roster.  I surely didn’t.

From the little I’ve seen from Ja since coming back it seems his passing IQ has graduated up.  Clint and OO (if available) really need to take advantage of their deficit at C.  
 

We don’t really have anyone to guard Bane, he’s probably gonna pile up drives to the hole and open three attempts.  What else is new.

Edited December 23, 2023 by benhillboy

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Kobe back.

 

[Spud2nique]

Thanks lw3! 
 

Go Hawks!!!

 

[HawksNWaffles]

We winning tonight fellas!

 

 

[Spud2nique]

11 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

The hottest point guard in the NBA is back!

That’s right. Trae Young returns

goooottttt emmmmmmm

 

11 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

The Grizzlies brought in Marcus Smart

We need to make a play for him imo.

 

11 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Trae Young remains one game from tying the NBA record of seven consecutive 30-point, 10-assist performances.

 

Tie Big O tonight baby!!! 
 

7!!!!

 

11 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Thank you, Elves! Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Festivus to you and yours. Let’s Go Hawks!

sir yes sir let’s get it!!! 

[kg01]

33 minutes ago, HawksNWaffles said:

We winning tonight fellas!

 

 

He must be stopped. 

[Diesel]

4 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

OMG  ....will we ever get healthy?

Concerned about AJ.  It's been personal since the first time we went to Toronto.

 

[Dnice]

This looks like a ncaa  spring  game with similar colors. 

[Dnice]

Bey in the  cookie jar? 

[Diesel]

Garrison can't buy a call.

 

Vit!!!

 

[SalvorMallow]

We look spry for the second night of a back to back 

[Diesel]

Good to see Lundy getting some run!!!

[Diesel]

Wishing Siddiq could hit 40% of those threes!