Grizzlies Eke Out Win Against Brooklyn, Head Overseas For 2 Games.

Colin Rafferty –

Your Memphis Grizzlies won the last game of a four-game home stretch over the Brooklyn Nets, 103-98.

The Grizzlies after the game went immediately to the airport and flew to Berlin, Germany where they will play a two-game series with the Orlando Magic.

One game in Berlin and the other in London.

Unfortunately for Grizz fans, this would have been the only opportunity to see Desmond Bane come back to the Forum, we will have to wait till next year.

Last night’s game, however, looked eerily similar to the past few games the Grizzlies have played. Get out to an early lead, don’t come out in the third quarter right, and have to fight the entire way down the stretch.

They scored 16 points in a quarter; how do you do that? 5 turnovers and going 8-23 in that stretch, the Grizzlies held onto a 3-point lead going into the 4th.

They shot perfect from the free throw line, dominated the boards by 9 and points in the paint by 10, but 15 turnovers (25 pts conceded) kept this struggling Nets team afloat.

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers that has been the Grizzlies problem, how can you expect to win games against lesser talent when you are handing them almost a quarters worth of points off turnovers.

They want to play with speed, well the only guy that has the speed they want, is on the bench and is being talked about as being traded away.

It was Cedric Coward’s Day, he finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist. He was 5-10 from three and 8-15 from the floor, this kid is the real deal. It is amazing, that after his ankle injury against the Lakers, he has been able to come out and deal like that.

His two late 3-pointers helped the Grizz fend off the Nets, and boy did they ever need it. He had an opportunity in the game against the Thunder to put it away late, and didn’t get a shot off.

This time was different.

I have no doubt in my mind that had he not gone down that game; the Grizzlies would’ve won that; he was the only guy that night that showed up and had energy.

Jock Landale added 16 pts and 9 rebounds. He was on it early and the team looks like they have figured out how to play with the big man. He really is an above average bench center, we just need the starter back and they could present some real problems.

Santi had 15 pts, 8 reb, and 3 assist, Jaren and KCP both added 14 pts. Jaren also had 5 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Cam Spencer didn’t shoot great yesterday but was a helping hand in assists racking up a double-double with 12 pts, 13 assists, and 4 rebounds.

The Grizzlies would finish with 6 players scoring double digits. Despite shooting very poorly yesterday Jaylen Wells provided defense, he was 0 in the +/- with 2 pts scoring, his impact it just wasn’t an offensive game.

The Nets were led by Noah Clowney and Tyrese Martin who both put up 17 pts. Day’Ron Sharpe added 13 rebounds and 8 pts.

These are weird times for the Grizzlies and their fans, everybody seems to think this Ja Morant thing is already a done deal and he will be moved, but I have yet to see any real report about trades.

There are teams that are “interested” but I have to imagine the asking price doesn’t meet with what they are trying to acquire.

I wish this thing would resolve itself, and I think that moving forward with this coach is a bad idea, he really hasn’t shown me anything to think he is a winning coach in the NBA.

The win was much needed though as the team had been reeling the last few weeks. 4-6 in their last 10 with some very winnable games that the Grizz just let slip by.

The Grizzlies would like to win both international games, but who knows what they will look like and how the teams will react to being overseas.

I have to say, this is just stupid, why on Earth do we need to have teams do this? It is in the middle of a season, why do we get one less home game? Why is it during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day for the NBA?

Just plain stupid.

The Grizzlies will have a couple of days off, I assume to acclimate and do NBA press stuff, the game in Berlin, Germany inside Uber Arena is on Thursday.

There is no update on Ty Jerome, even though we are in the 9th week of his 6-9-week window. Iisalo said that he is back out on the court doing things, but his timeline doesn’t match up with these European games.

Zach Edey has been getting looked at by doctors, that doesn’t sound good, but we hope to hear some news soon. No news can be good news, though it makes me hesitant with the recent history of this medical staff.

He did travel with the team to Germany.

John Konchar suited up yesterday but did not see any time, so he will be back during these games.

Guys are coming back it looks like, when that is who really knows, but if Edey can come back healthy and they don’t move Ja, I like what this team could be capable of.

That truly lies with the status of Ja, no Ja I have doubts.