Hawks Edge Out Win Over Grizzlies.

Colin Rafferty –

Your Memphis Grizzlies fell last night to the Atlanta Hawks, 124-122.

With about 6 second left in the game, Jaylen Wells corralled a rebound passed it to Ja and unfortunately couldn’t create a game-tying shot and threw up a three to try to win.

It bounced off the side of the rim and the buzzer sounded. A rough way to lose a game that had promise of either overtime or a win.

That wasn’t the losing play, but it was the last one and people will talk about the timeouts that were not used.

I think in any situation where you have Ja with the ball, and he is screaming down the middle of the court is a situation that I like more than calling a timeout and letting the Hawks get either substitutions in or be able to draw up the right defense.

What really cooked the Grizzlies last night were the turnovers, and points conceded off turnovers, and a lack of effort closing out on guys at the three-point line.

18 turnovers and 25 points conceded off turnovers, that just cannot keep happening if you want to win. The Hawks shot 44% from three, the Grizzlies 34% (12-35).

They had no answer for Jalen Johnson who put up 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists. He was literally all over the court last night and the Grizz had no answer for him, once he got going.

Onyeka Onkongwu added 18 pts and 9 rebounds, while former Grizzlies player Luke Kennard also had 18 pts and 4 assists. We knew he could shoot, but in his last season with the Grizz seemed timid to let it fly, last night he did not.

He was 7-9 from three and was talking trash after hitting a few, probably because our guys were asking him, ‘where the hell was that last year?’

Yet again, CJ McCollum comes in clutch against the Grizzlies late. He really did find a way to play them two more times, after they had finished their series with the Wizards.

I mean the guy sees the name Memphis or Grizzlies and he reminds everybody of how good of a shooter he really is but does nothing outside of beating the Grizz.

He averages 22.3 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 40 games against the Grizzlies, while shooting 48.9% from the field and 42.5% from three. He truly does not like Memphis.

The Grizzlies now fall a half-game back behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the 10th spot in the West.

Ja Morant led the way for the Grizz scoring 23 pts, dishing out 12 assists, and grabbing 2 rebounds. He also had 2 amazing blocks getting back on defense, the man moves fast even when he is in the air.

Both blocks came as the Hawks had forced a turnover and were looking to score an easy bucket, but mama there goes that man again, getting up and I mean way up, to swat their attempts and get the crowd energized.

Things did get a little chippy in the third, as Ja has fallen to the floor after a shot attempt, grabbed the rebound from the ground as Onkongwu and him were wrestling for the ball. Ja got up and pushed Onkongwu as if to say, “man what the hell was that?” and technicals were assessed to both players.

Ja has shown in the past two games that he is going out there and just playing ball, what happens next, we will all wait to see.

He truly is a special player, and is worth every price of admission, I pray and hope that they can reconcile their past and move forward together.

Jaylen Wells has yet to find that shooting stroke he had earlier in the year, but posted 18 pts and 4 rebounds, while playing some outstanding defense.

Cedric Coward and Jaren Jackson Jr. both added 17 pts and around 6-7 rebounds each.

The bench squad was helped out by Jock Landale’s double-double, 13 pts, 11 rebs, and 3 assists and Cam Spencer’s 11 point night.

Losing Santi Aldama before the game did make an impact, John Konchar came in for 21 minutes, was a starter and only added 2 points and 4 rebounds.

I like Konchar but that is asking way too much from him.

GG Jackson has really turned me around, earlier this year I couldn’t see the real usage of the guy, but with the litany of injuries, he has come in and shown improvement.

He is giving his best on defense, still getting some bad fouls, but he is keeping guys in front of him and forcing them to either create a bad shot or pass the ball.

He would finish with 9 pts, 2 reb, and 1 assist.

I have yet to figure out what head coach Tuomas Iisalo is doing with his lineups, several times late they had guys out there only to remove them within 2 minutes of play, what is the point in that.

The Hawks had more assists, more steals, and more fast break points; when the Grizzlies win, they are either leading those stats or have a much smaller gap in between them.

They didn’t and that is why they lost the game.

It is a tough pill to swallow, but one that the Grizzlies have done most of the season, so pull yourselves up by your bootstraps and lock in for the next few games.

As the weather seems to be getting bad, or is projected to be getting bad, the Grizz and fans would love to be warmed by the grace of a couple of wins in a row.

As Brevin Knight said as he signed off yesterday, “we got to beat the Pelicans, we just have to.”

Grizzlies will be back in action on Friday as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans inside FedEx Forum.