Memphis Grizzlies drop first preseason loss to Atlanta
The Memphis Grizzlies fell to the Atlanta Hawks, 99-88, making their record 2-1 now. What were the main takeaways from this game?
The Memphis Grizzlies are now 2-1 in preseason play after a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. There wasn’t a player who stood out and wow’d anyone. There were some decent performances, but no one exactly played great.
Chandler Parsons, the one of the main targets of criticism, only played nine minutes last night and didn’t register a single point. However, he did contribute an assist, steal and rebound in what was a lackluster performance. It isn’t time to press the “panic” button yet as it’s only the third preseason game.
Andrew Harrison and Wade Baldwin, the other main targets of criticism, didn’t play like they could contribute to this team this year. They both struggled to score the basketball (combined 3-of-11 shooting). They also didn’t look exactly too comfortable running the offense. The alarming aspect surrounding their roster status is Kobi Simmons — the team’s two-way player — looks better than both of them. If a G-League player looks better against NBA competition than two guys on last year’s main roster, that isn’t a good sign.
Both Marc Gasol and Tyreke Evans returned last night but delivered OK performances. Gasol couldn’t get going on offense, but he did haul in 13 rebounds — one of the weakest parts of his game last season. Evans only scored six points on 2-of-5 shooting, but he did great putting pressure on opposing defenses by attacking the basket. If the Grizzlies continue using Evans in that way, he’ll generate some easy offense in the second unit.
Standouts
The only players who really stood out in limited minutes were James Ennis, Jarell Martin and Rade Zagorac.
Ennis found easy buckets for himself by slashing and cutting to the basket. He scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including one 3-pointer. He’s going to be an important piece on this team, and this performance last night indicates that he’s ready.
Jarell Martin stood out in the sense that he looked better than Deyonta Davis — a player he should be fighting for a roster spot with. Again, he was smooth on offense, attacking the basket like a guard on the perimeter and looking comfortable in the post. He needs to be on the main roster this year.
Zagorac finally looked like he knew what was going on in an NBA game. He scored six points, connecting on three of his four shot attempts. This is a good sign going forward since the front office thinks highly of him.
Next: 6 Bold Predictions for Upcoming Season
Closing Remarks
This games wasn’t great by any means, but it’s preseason. It’s the time where players get to shake off rust (*cough cough* Chandler Parsons *hacking cough*). Hopefully, the team can bounce back against the Houston Rockets tomorrow night.