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The energy and effort was low. The Portland Trail Blazers looked like they were taking shots at a morning shootaround during the first quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
All of the Grizzlies’ recent talk about urgency and intensity did not yield those type of results. Portland’s offense got comfortable and had one of its strongest shooting nights of the season.
By the time Memphis figured things out defensively, it was too late. The offense only mustered 10 points in the fourth quarter of a 115-99 loss at the Moda Center.
Memphis didn’t have Ja Morant, but this was a bad showing for a team with goals of being one of the final Western Conference teams playing this season.
Portland (31-39) made 18 3-pointers on 39.1% 3-point Memphis. The Grizzlies (43-27) shot 26.7% from deep while finishing with just eight makes.
This is the time of the year you want to be playing your best basketball. The Grizzlies aren’t doing that, but a few other teams in the west are trending up.
The Houston Rockets (45-25) have won eight games in a row to create a cushion over Memphis in the standings. Memphis is two games behind Houston in the standings, but it’s essentially a three-game deficit since the Rockets own the tiebreaker.
Behind the Grizzlies, good teams are lurking. The Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves have all won at least seven of their last 10 games. Memphis has won five in that stretch.
Golden State is only two games behind the Grizzlies in the loss column with one more matchup remaining.
If Memphis slips out of the top six, it would fall to the play in, where anything can happen. Only the top six seeds are guaranteed a playoff spot. For most of the season, that's felt like a formality for Memphis, but not now.
The loss against the Blazers didn’t reveal anything new. Along with the urgency and intensity questions, rebounding and defense have been issues.
Portland owned the glass, and Memphis didn’t have an answer. Zach Edey struggled, Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with five rebounds and Brandon Clarke left the game in the first half with a knee injury.
The Grizzlies were out-rebounded 65-40.
Rebounding has been a focal point for Memphis under Taylor Jenkins. When the Grizzlies have been good, their rebounding numbers have been elite. That hasn’t been the case this season.
It’s not an exaggeration to say Memphis needs a win on Friday against the Clippers. Not only to avoid a three-game losing streak, but this is also one of the teams slowly catching Memphis.
This season feels like it could spiral in the wrong direction with a loss on Friday. And besides, a road game against the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder still remains on the current five-game road trip.
If the Grizzlies want to get in a favorable position to make a playoff run, the time is now for that to happen.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: With Ja Morant out, Memphis Grizzlies lose playoff ground vs Blazers
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All of the Grizzlies’ recent talk about urgency and intensity did not yield those type of results. Portland’s offense got comfortable and had one of its strongest shooting nights of the season.
By the time Memphis figured things out defensively, it was too late. The offense only mustered 10 points in the fourth quarter of a 115-99 loss at the Moda Center.
Memphis didn’t have Ja Morant, but this was a bad showing for a team with goals of being one of the final Western Conference teams playing this season.
Portland (31-39) made 18 3-pointers on 39.1% 3-point Memphis. The Grizzlies (43-27) shot 26.7% from deep while finishing with just eight makes.
Western Conference standings slippage
This is the time of the year you want to be playing your best basketball. The Grizzlies aren’t doing that, but a few other teams in the west are trending up.
The Houston Rockets (45-25) have won eight games in a row to create a cushion over Memphis in the standings. Memphis is two games behind Houston in the standings, but it’s essentially a three-game deficit since the Rockets own the tiebreaker.
Behind the Grizzlies, good teams are lurking. The Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves have all won at least seven of their last 10 games. Memphis has won five in that stretch.
Golden State is only two games behind the Grizzlies in the loss column with one more matchup remaining.
If Memphis slips out of the top six, it would fall to the play in, where anything can happen. Only the top six seeds are guaranteed a playoff spot. For most of the season, that's felt like a formality for Memphis, but not now.
Identifying the problems
The loss against the Blazers didn’t reveal anything new. Along with the urgency and intensity questions, rebounding and defense have been issues.
Portland owned the glass, and Memphis didn’t have an answer. Zach Edey struggled, Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with five rebounds and Brandon Clarke left the game in the first half with a knee injury.
The Grizzlies were out-rebounded 65-40.
Rebounding has been a focal point for Memphis under Taylor Jenkins. When the Grizzlies have been good, their rebounding numbers have been elite. That hasn’t been the case this season.
Schedule outlook
It’s not an exaggeration to say Memphis needs a win on Friday against the Clippers. Not only to avoid a three-game losing streak, but this is also one of the teams slowly catching Memphis.
This season feels like it could spiral in the wrong direction with a loss on Friday. And besides, a road game against the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder still remains on the current five-game road trip.
If the Grizzlies want to get in a favorable position to make a playoff run, the time is now for that to happen.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: With Ja Morant out, Memphis Grizzlies lose playoff ground vs Blazers
Continue reading...
