Brooklyn’s DeMarre Carroll ‘Circled’ Game Against Memphis Grizzlies

The Brooklyn Nets’ DeMarre Carroll made it clear that he wanted to produce in a major way against the Memphis Grizzlies on their home floor on Friday.

In watching the Memphis Grizzlies‘ inability to gather a victory against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday evening, it was easy to tell that DeMarre Carroll was the X-factor for the visiting team.

In appearing in 27 minutes off the bench for Brooklyn, Carroll was all over the floor in the Nets’ 109-100 road victory. He registered 20 points (6/9 shooting, including 5/7 from three-point land), five rebounds, and one assist while logging a +14 on the night.

It was clear to see DeMarre Carroll had a chip on his shoulder in the matchup. He typically plays with grit, but he had extra on Friday. It was enough to upset the Memphis Grizzlies’ JaMychal Green, where the two forwards were slapped with double-technicals.

Carroll stepped his game up, and it was exactly what his team needed. Memphis was not exactly prepared for it. In averaging 10.2 points and 4.9 rebounds on 39% shooting — including an average of 4.4 three-point attempts while making under two of those per game — who could blame the Grizz? DeMarre is not a priority of the Nets’ offense, and he does not even start for them.

Postgame, DeMarre Carroll explained the story (directly below) behind his enhanced performance. It boils down to the Memphis Grizzlies neglecting him In his short stint with them.

Nets Forward DeMarre Carroll said he had this game circled because the Grizzlies didn’t play him as a rookie.
Carroll was drafted by the Grizzlies in the 1st round in 2009, and is an Alabama native. He finished with 20 points off the bench. pic.twitter.com/H7NbIu2rOw
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) January 5, 2019

Though Carroll played 71 games as an NBA rookie in 2009-10, the Grizzlies only used him in 11.2 minutes per game. In his sophomore season, he appeared in seven contests for Memphis prior to them shipping him along with Hasheem Thabeet in exchange for Shane Battier and Ish Smith.

On the Grizzlies’ end, you cannot blame the trade. They landed a former Grizzly legend in Battier while putting an end to the failed developmental project in Thabeet. DeMarre Carroll was just another first round Draft selection that Memphis mishandled.

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If anything, Carroll’s long line of success following his departure from Memphis has served as one of many lessons learned in youth development. Because of DeMarre and others, the Grizzlies are ensuring they do not fumble Jaren Jackson Jr.’s supreme talents. Yet, they are new to this and are not perfect in this department (See: Jevon Carter).

DeMarre Carroll’s situation in Memphis is similar to what Ivan Rabb is experiencing right now with the Grizzlies. Even prior to Joakim Noah‘s addition to the roster, it seemed as if Grizzlies Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff had forgotten the sophomore big man.

Nearly halfway through the 2018-19 season, it is not certain that the Front Office is even interested in Rabb. He rarely plays — apearing in just 12 of 38 games while averaging 6.9 minutes — as the team’s veterans log large minutes and are wearing themselves out.

For DeMarre Carroll, it is obvious that he plans specifically for the Grizz. In the first matchup of this season between Brooklyn and Memphis, he tallied 21 points (7/10 shooting, 4/6 from deep), 12 rebounds, one assist, and one steal, though the win was snagged by the Grizzlies with major thanks to late-game heroics via Jaren Jackson Jr.

This is at least the second time the Memphis Grizzlies have faced a former player that has been vocal about their feeling toward their Grizzly days. Tyreke Evans is the other, and he, too, took the victory against Memphis when the Indiana Pacers defeated the Grizzlies on Opening Night.