Herrington: Bane’s bounceback, Edey’s cutting comfort and other good signs for the Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) celebrates hitting a 3-pointer during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Phoenix. Memphis won 117-112. (Darryl Webb/AP Photo)
Chris Herrington
Chris Herrington has covered the Memphis Grizzlies, in one way or another, since the franchise’s second season in Memphis, while also writing about music, movies, food and civic life. As far as he knows, he’s the only member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association who is also a member of a film critics group and has also voted in national music critic polls for Rolling Stone and the Village Voice (RIP). He and his wife have two kids and, for reasons that sometimes elude him, three dogs.
The Memphis Grizzlies capped 2024 in style, with a scrappy Western Conference road win in which they only had seven of their 15 main-roster players available and never trailed despite the game being up for grabs for a full 48 minutes.
They won a game in which their offense was rolling in the first half and in which it all but fell apart in the fourth quarter. They won by making clutch plays in the final minutes. With timely shots, timely rebounds and timely blocks.
If there was a bit of gloominess around the Grizzlies, or at least Grizzlies fandom, after a sudden rush of injuries coincided with a toughening of the schedule, the team’s win in Phoenix was a reminder of how good things really are.
And even if that game ends up an exception, if the next couple of weeks do end up being pretty rough as the Grizzlies roam the Western Conference playoff race without Ja Morant (and others), the team will still almost certainly come out this stretch in good shape.
Topics
Memphis Grizzlies Subscriber Only Ja Morant Desmond Bane Zach Edey John KoncharIt’s GivingTuesday week! Will you join the celebration?
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