Steve Blaydes’ favorite player was Ja Morant. In the first game since Blaydes’ death, the point guard hit the Game 5 winner against the Timberwolves.

Quinones has entered his name in the NBA draft process, but can withdraw and still go back to college.

Jonathan Brush reportedly threw a man from the 11th-floor balcony of a condominium in Walton County, Florida.

Two experts who have been involved in college basketball for decades give their insight and opinions on what the Tigers and Penny Hardaway face.

State Sen. Jack Johnson said the current formula “is outdated, it’s antiquated, it’s difficult to understand. Quite frankly, it is broken. (This) rips that old formula out by the roots and starts with a clean state.”

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-109 in Game 5, Round 1, of the NBA playoffs Tuesday night. The Grizzlies lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. 

The Board of Adjustment approved a variance that would allow for a new TacoNGanas location in East Memphis. 

This City Council Scorecard tracks first votes on a three-term limit for the council and partisan city elections, along with a Southwind apartment complex that stirred some de-annexation resentment.

Hospital COO cites growing Heart Institute, need for additional beds as children require longer hospital stays. 

Dr. Jennifer Snow will serve as the first chief medical officer and system director of pediatrics at The Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital, located on the same campus as Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women. 

Welcome back to your Grizzlies Insider, where we deliver the latest NBA news and analysis straight to your inbox. This week, we’ll be bringing you extra additions of the Insider as the Memphis Grizzlies take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Perhaps someone should have reminded Patrick Beverley of last season’s All-Star campaign for Ja Morant.

Remember that? Probably not, because it feels like forever ago. 

Ja Morant reminded everyone: “Let a sleeping bear lie. Don’t poke the bear.” 

Beverley poked the bear in Game 5 with his “too small” celebration after a layup, and the Timberwolves howled a little bit too much of the Grizzlies’ liking. It very clearly inspired a Memphis bunch that otherwise felt out of it for most of the night. 

“It gets rowdy in here,” Bane said. “We need that energy throughout the entire playoffs for 48 minutes.”

To read more of the Grizzlies Insider, click here. 

If both are taken on Day 2, it would be the first time since 2001 that Memphis had two players taken in the first three rounds of the draft.

Memphis has a new four-man front approach to its defensive line, and the Tigers have created depth at that position to make up for the talent they lost last season. 

A cleanup effort in Whitehaven scheduled for this weekend has been rescheduled to next month because of the threat of bad weather this weekend.

The Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen have begun their annual approval of the fiscal year budget and a slight decrease in the property tax rate.

The Grizzlies, shooting poorly from the free-throw line and down by 13 points with less than 10 minutes left, pulled out another inspiring win, led by Morant’s 30 points.

Related stories:

Calkins: Today, Memphis, you can ‘thank God’ for Ja Morant

Style points: Memphis ushers out Wolves in Game 5

Basketball fans say ‘Grizz in 6,’ congratulate Ja Morant

Box score, Game 5: Grizzlies 111, Timberwolves 109

The only two contested Republican primaries in August for seats in the Tennessee General Assembly representing parts of Shelby County could change dramatically with new challenges that could remove one of the contenders from each of the two-man races.

At Eight & Sand, where old-school vibes meet state-of-the-art technology, Chad Weekley is responsible for making sure the music is bumping — and that it’s primarily from Memphis. 

Tenero Café & Butcher is bringing a taste of the Midwest to Memphis. 

Holocaust commemoration stirs memories of survivor Elie Wiesel and “Rabbi of Buchenwald.”

Grayson Saunier allows just one hit in his longest outing of the season. 

Tennessee Fertility Advocates is not pursuing legislation but shifting to help their members gain access to expanded benefits for infertility. 

Have you thrown a big party since COVID? I was out of practice and it was hard; Williamsburg Village in East Memphis keeps hopping; and Cooper-Young is getting bigger and badder.

The Memphis Fire Department said it and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been conducting “extensive off-site work, including detailed witness interviews and thorough video analysis.”

It signs on to carry undisclosed volume of residential delivery, in multi-year contract.

Redbirds manager Ben Johnson is currently three wins from becoming the all-time winningest manager in Memphis Redbirds history.

The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest got under way Wednesday afternoon, beginning four days celebrating everything barbecue at the Midtown park.

The former Shelton Road landfill is a popular sledding destination when it snows, but its future is uncertain. 

Other movies making a comeback this week are “North by Northwest,” “The Wiz” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” 

“John Calipari is game to return to Memphis this fall to play an exhibition game to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital? That sounds like an fine idea. It’s just time.”

Related content:

Calipari’s Razorbacks working to schedule exhibition game in Memphis

On this episode of The Daily Memphian’s Memphis Grizzlies podcast, Drew Hill and Chris Herrington discuss Herrington’s multipart column ranking the most valuable players on the Memphis roster.

Word Flower is a fun and challenging game people of all ages can play.