How Ja Morant's Absence Could Help Grizzlies In Playoffs (wcgoldberg on how this stretch provided a glimpse of what their offense can be)
The Memphis Grizzlies got clarity on Ja Morant’s return when the NBA on Wednesday announced he’d be suspended for an additional two games , paving a path for Morant to return at some point next week.
Playing without Morant isn’t new for these Grizzlies. They were famously 20-5 last season without Morant, succeeding with defense and timely shooting. However, Morant’s absence in the second round of the playoffs against Golden State was too much to overcome. The Grizzlies' halfcourt offense sputtered and the defense couldn’t withstand Steph Curry and Jordan Poole flamethrowing.
How they go about it, however, is different. Rather than rely on Morant’s singular athleticism to pressure the rim, drives come from different places and angles. You’ll more often see multiple drives in a single possession. Here Jones drives, passes to Bane, Bane drives and kicks out to a wide-open Brooks. Every drive and pass forces the defense to react. It’s not rocket science, but it’s effective. When Brooks catches the ball, no Maverick defender is even looking at him.
He’s nearly doubled his assist numbers, from 2.7 to 4.3 per game, and he’s getting to the line more. Then there’s Jackson who, without Morant on the court, is popping out less and finding more opportunities to work near the basket. He’s averaging one more post-up per game with Morant out, and is shooting 50% on those possessions. Jackson is known as a floor-spacing big and Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but he’s spent some time working on an old-school post game.
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