LOS ANGELES – The Memphis Grizzlies gathered together inside the practice gym at the University of Southern California, and coach Taylor Jenkins opened up the floor.

Ahead of Monday night’s critical Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, anyone could get up in front of the team and make their point.

There was a lot to discuss.

“Pretty much everybody (spoke to the group),” Grizzlies star Ja Morant said Sunday. “I gave the simple message that I’ve been giving here. There are things we need to correct.

“Obviously, rebounding is a big factor. Transition is another one. But, we gave up like 12 dunks. That’s unacceptable for us.”

Morant has clearly made the choice to spin the Game 3 loss into a positive outlook for Game 4. For the second time since the Game 3 ended, the point guard repeated that the Grizzlies won the final three quarters.

But is there no frustration with the way that an abysmal first quarter likely cost them the game?

“Nah,” Morant said. “It’s a lot of positive things we can get out of that performance. We fought back! That’s the No. 1 thing. We are a very resilient group. We always bounce back after a tough loss or a tough game. 

“For me, I didn’t sense any signs of frustrations from anybody. I think everybody was positive about it, pretty much just knowing what we got to do. 

“It’s easy to say it. We have to go out there and do it.”

Otherwise, it’s going to look very bleak for the guys in blue. Over the history of the NBA, only 13 teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit — 258 teams have tried unsuccessfully. 

A trip back to Memphis tied at 2-2, on the other hand, likely swings the series in favor of the Grizzlies for the first time since losing Game 1.

“Obviously, this game is important,” Morant said. “Every game in the playoffs is important. One game can’t win a series, but you want to win every time. But, this is a big one for us, especially before going back home.”

Can Morant deliver another big scoring night?

He was one rebound shy of a 45-point triple-double on Saturday, but didn’t have a running mate to push the team over the finish line. 

Foul trouble does that. 

“I’ve been struggling all series with fouls and taking myself off the floor and out of rhythm,” Desmond Bane said. “I definitely have to be better. I need to make my presence earlier and be in the right spots sooner, so I don’t have to gamble or take a stab at the ball for being out of position. That’s something I know I have to be better at. I have to be on the floor.”

Morant has no lack of confidence in Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., but they have rarely clicked together in the playoffs, or this season at all.

Never has each member of that trio scored 20 points in a playoff game. 

So while we may not know exactly what Morant said when he addressed his teammates Sunday, we do know what he said publicly about the group’s big three. 

That message had a little more gumption than the others. 

“I feel like it’s time, man. It’s been a tough season for us injury-wise,” Morant said. “We didn’t have a lot of minutes, so I feel like it’s always two of us playing at once. Somebody is pretty much out. It’s just finding that balance.”

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