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    • The Memphis Grizzlies put on a Ja Morant-led show in their home opener
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    The Memphis Grizzlies put on a Ja Morant-led show in their home opener

    Pabio Posted on

    THE Memphis Grizzlies took the stage Saturday night in white Vancouver jerseys to commemorate 30 years of the franchise. Turns out Vancouver isn’t the only souvenir honored at FedExForum.

    Jacques Morant was spinning in the air and catching alley-oops. Memphis blocked balls and intercepted passes. Even two-way center Jay Huff threw down several reverse dunks in the Grizzlies win 124-111 against the Orlando Magic.

    This wasn’t the 27-55 Grizzlies from last season. It was the other throwback — a reminder of the highlight-reel teams that struck fear into NBA opponents two and three seasons ago.

    “Everybody in the league before I came in knew the Grizzlies played fast, they played explosive, and if you weren’t careful, they were going to show up on you — on your court or theirs,” the guard Marcus Smart. “To be on the other side and with them, it’s a great feeling.”

    Balanced attack

    To make the big moments happen, sound basketball games set the tone. The Grizzlies executed defensively to create the rhythm they wanted on the offensive end. This pace has led to several players getting involved.

    The Grizzlies finished with 38 assists, their most since April 2023. At the end of the third quarter, five players were tied with a team-high 11 points.

    “My favorite thing was the balanced attack,” guard Desmond Bane said. “We wanted to make sure everyone was involved tonight.”

    Bane said that after the loss against the Houston Rockets On Friday, he and Morant talked about the possibility of having more teammates in the plans. Against Houston, they felt they were too reliant on isolation scores. Against the Magic, 11 Grizzlies players made field goals.

    Welcome back, Jaren Jackson Jr.

    For the first time this season, the Grizzlies brought together their three main players. Bane and Morant were joined by Jaren Jackson Jr., who was out with a hamstring injury. The “block panther” didn’t record a block in his first game back, but his impact was felt on both ends. He hit a team-high plus-26 in 23 minutes and finished with 13 points and four rebounds.

    Having Jackson available allowed for easier rotation decisions and more depth, but it was again seeing the 6-foot-11 forward on the floor with Morant and Bane that stood out. The trio played just nine games together last season after establishing themselves as one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA.

    “For me to be out there with them is huge.” Jackson said. “It brought back a lot of memories from all those years playing with them.”

    The unsung heroes

    Memphis is currently shorthanded. The bench is missing one of the best shooters in the league, Luke Kennard; GG Jackson, 2023-24 Second Team All-Rookie; and two-way guard Vince Williams Jr.

    But somehow, the Grizzlies keep rolling. Huff had another strong performance and Santi Aldama scored 22 points, the second time in three games that he has led the team in scoring.

    Scotty Pippen Jr. finished with 11 points and 12 assists, solidifying his role as backup point guard.

    Much like the two Memphis teams that took second place in the Western Conference before last season, players rise to the occasion when their names are called. The Grizzlies have shown solid depth through three games, but the rich will get richer, according to Bane.

    “We’re not close to getting the band together again,” he said. “. . . We still have a few hitters on the way.

    Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichaël at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

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