Matthew Gill is a Staff Writer for SB Nation’s Grizzly Bear Blues.
Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Hornets 11/5/22
“The Memphis Grizzlies matched up with the Charlotte Hornets for the first of their three-game home stand. From the opening buzzer, the Grizzlies made it clear they wanted to handle their business early by burying the Hornets, opening up 17 point lead in the first quarter. The Grizzlies never took their foot off the gas and cruised to the 130-99 victory in the first matchup of the season between these two interconference foes.
Despite the wide margin of victory, it was two role players who really stepped up in the matchup and were keys to the Grizzlies’ huge win. Let’s look at their performances and those of their teammates in the grades.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Jazz 11/1/22
“The Memphis Grizzlies suited up for their second game in three days against the Utah Jazz and left Salt Lake with a pair of losses. With the return of Ja Morant from an illness, Memphis looked to adjust and bounce back in the second game but former Grizzly Mike Conley had other plans.
The Jazz beat the Grizzlies at their own game, hustling and defending at a high level while continuing their hot shooting from three. Despite Morant rejoining the Grizzlies, they struggled to generate offense, especially in the first half scoring just 18 in the second quarter.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Kings 10/28/22
“The Memphis Grizzlies traveled to Sacramento to open their four-game West Coast road trip against the Kings. A matchup between two of the most athletic and electric point guards in the league led to a high-scoring up-and-down game full of highlights.
The Kings shot-making ability had them hanging around early and flirting with a comeback late. But with a small cushion and Ja Morant lurking by the scorer’s table, the Grizzlies were able to pull away and cruise comfortably to their fourth win on the season.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Warriors 5/10/2022
“Without Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies had an opportunity to even the series with the Golden State Warriors. Memphis led almost the entire game but ran out of gas in the final minute, losing 101-98.
It was a tough loss overshadowed by the knee injury of their star player. It was nothing new for the Grizzlies, however, as they went 20-5 without Morant during the regular season. But this is the playoffs and you need all your guys, especially when playing a championship-caliber team like Golden State.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves 4/24/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies lost a slugfest to the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-118 on Saturday night. It was an ugly, four-hour affair where the Grizzlies played from behind, as they have much of this series, the majority of the game.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves 4/17/2022
“Game one between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves is in the books. It wasn’t the outcome Memphis fans had hoped for as Minnesota won 130-117 on Saturday.
The team looked sluggish, as though they hadn’t played a real game that meant anything in weeks and weren’t able to get up for this one. It happens in a playoff series every year, an underdog comes out more ready to play and steals one on the road. Kinda like the Grizzlies in Utah last year?”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Celtics 4/11/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies hosted the Boston Celtics for their final game of the regular season on Sunday night. The Grizzlies opted to rest their starters on the second night of a back-to-back that had no bearing on Memphis’ playoff standing.”
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Recap: Grizzlies vs. Pelicans 4/9/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies tied their franchise record for wins at 56 with a 141-114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Grizzlies were coming off of back-to-back losses for the first time since February and were determined to right the ship before the end of the regular season.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Jazz 4/6/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz played an absolute war on Tuesday night that required an extra period before Utah came out on top 121-115.
The Grizzlies were once again without starting point guard Ja Morant and he was joined on the bench by the number one Jazz killer Dillon Brooks. Without Morant and Brooks, the Grizzlies struggled to find easy offense in the half-court but made the game ugly enough to keep it close through regulation.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Suns 4/2/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies hosted the Phoenix Suns on Friday night without five of their top guys and still won their ninth straight home game 122-114.
This Memphis team has been resilient all year, truly embracing the next-man-up mentality. But Friday raised the bar to an entirely new level. Phoenix is having a historically great season and the Grizzlies were unfazed en route to their 55th win of the season.”
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Recap: Grizzlies vs. Warriors 3/28/2022
“Monday’s matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors, on paper, promised to be an anticipated matchup between two of the top three teams in the Western Conference. However, due to injuries to Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, etc. the game lacked star power and a playoff atmosphere.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Bucks 3/27/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies, once again, win without Ja Morant taking down Milwaukee Bucks 127-102 on Wednesday night. It was the fourth straight game without Morant but this cast of role players continue to step up to contribute.”
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Five Questions: Grizzlies vs. Pacers 3/24/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies face the Indiana Pacers for the second time in 10 days Thursday. In the previous matchup Memphis ran Indiana out of Gainbridge Fieldhouse 135-102 behind 21 points from Indiana’s own Desmond Bane. The Grizzlies will be without superstar Ja Morant for a third straight game so I reached out to Indy Cornrow’s writer Caitlin Cooper to update us on the state of the Pacers and what to expect from the game.”
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Recap: Grizzlies vs. Hawks 3/18/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies headed to Atlanta on a four game winning streak with a 24-12 road record on the season. Despite the Grizzlies success away from home, an Atlanta team without Trae Young or John Collins won 120-105.
The Grizzlies found themselves down early, facing their largest deficit of the quarter at 17-6 before Morant and Bane combined for 13 straight points to get the offense started and cut the lead to just three.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Pacers 3/16/2022
“A Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies team rolled into Indiana and ran the Pacers out of Gainbridge Fieldhouse 135-102 on Tuesday night.
The Grizzlies dominated almost every statistical category scoring their third-most points in a game this season while notching 50 rebounds, 38 assists, 10 blocks and 12 steals as a team.”
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Recap: Grizzlies vs. Knicks 3/11/2022
“The New York Knicks came to Memphis for their seventh straight road game and left with a 118-114 loss led by Ja Morant’s 37 points and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s late game defensive dominance.
The game was going to be physical throughout, and the Grizzlies threw the first punch. Getting to the rim was top priority for Memphis who started out with a lob to Jackson Jr. for the first bucket of the game followed by a Morant put-back dunk off of a Desmond Bane miss.”
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Recap: Grizzlies vs. Pelicans 3/8/2022
“The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 132-111 for their second win against the Pelicans in their third of four meetings this season on Tuesday night.
With Brandon Ingram a late scratch, the game featured a duel of guard play between Ja Morant and C.J. McCollum. McCollum may have won the individual battle with 32 points but Morant led the Grizzlies to the win.”
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Report Card: Grizzlies vs. Celtics 3/4/2022
“Entering Thursday, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Boston Celtics had been two of the best teams in the NBA since January 1st. Boston is first and Memphis third in net rating, with the teams going a combined 41-15 record during that span.
The NBA world had been buzzing all week about the Ja Morant tour that had produced 40.5 points per game on 53.4% shooting over the last four games.
But, the anticipation for the nationally televised matchup was all for not in what ended up being arguably the clunkiest game in some time for Memphis as the Celtics outlasted that Grizzlies 120-107 behind 37 points from Jayson Tatum.”
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Introductory Round Table Discussion
“We are halfway through the All-Star Break, the weekend’s festivities have concluded, and now we await for the action to pick back up on Thursday. And that’s when the real fun begins, especially for this upstart Memphis Grizzlies team.
In the mean time, let’s introduce some of GBB’s newest staff members. They got brief introductions on Twitter a couple weeks ago, but will now be kicking off their writing after this All-Star Break.”
Work by Gill 