Pistons Horse Power Too Much

Colin Rafferty –

114-106 your Memphis Grizzlies fall to the Detroit Pistons last night at home. As it wasn’t the best performance for Ja and Co. after the one game suspension.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led all scorers for the Grizz with 21 points. Morant with 18 pts, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds. Jock Landale and Cam Spencer added 13 points each and Cedric Coward had 17 pts.

Things looked like they were getting out of hand late when the Grizzlies were able to push back and get the lead down to about 6. With about 4 minutes left in the game, the Pistons pulled away and didn’t look back.

Cade Cunningham’s 33 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebound night was more than the Grizzlies could handle. Isaiah Stewart dominated the glass with 26 pts and 14 rebounds, and Ron Holland II contributed 14 off the bench.

The Grizzlies never seemed to get on the right page. 

When they would go on a run, they would turn around and dribble off their leg, throw the ball away, or not have a successful possession that would ultimately lead to Pistons ballooning the lead or just wiping out the good the Grizz had just done.

It is frustrating and difficult to watch at times. But it still is early, there are guys to get back, and fans should not let the national media talking heads get into their own thoughts.

It’s not great right now but it can change.

After the game Ja said he didn’t have the same joy playing, well duh. They are losing games and have guys out, who is having fun? 

Winning cures all and that’s all the Grizz need to focus on right now.

There has been chatter about head coach Tuomas Iisalo’s rotations, who’s out there and how much time they are or are not getting. I’m not going to sit here and say I know better, but it seems there is a change going on and if it works, great. 

But so far it hasn’t. 

Before the game Iisalo talked about rotations and what his thought process is, “…the actual sub pattern – it’s the optimized results in the shorts, medium and long term. That is the only goal of the sub pattern, to find a competitive advantage from it.” 

I have liked the look at times, but there is zero consistency. Maybe that is because of the patterns, maybe it is because the Grizzlies aren’t at full strength.

Regardless there’s not been a lot of runs that looked good, except in the Pacers game.

I still concede to the idea that once guys are healthy and back on the floor the team should look and feel different.

I may be in the minority but like people say “the NBA doesn’t start until Christmas” so let’s just try and hold on.

Jaylen Wells has shot poorly, which is a surprise. But that won’t keep him from shooting. After the game he talked about his recent shooting slump and said he was going to keep shooting to which Cedric Coward was heard saying “Damn right you’re going to keep shooting it.”

Cedric Coward, my man, I love a young guy with an attitude like that. He has shown in his short time with the Grizzlies that he is ready, willing, and able to play with the boys in the NBA.

He is fun to watch every time he gets on the court. He instinctively knows where to be at times and his feel for the game is great even as a rookie. 

A weird couple of days for the Grizzlies that can be put behind us with a couple of wins. Just tread water until the help comes.

If the help isn’t the cure, there’s a bigger issue to address.

The Grizzlies will be back in action Wednesday night for a home game against the Houston Rockets. It will be ‘Civic Engagement Night’ so get your tickets now and go cheer on the Grizz to a win.