Memphis Grizzlies: 5 Moments That Defined The 2018-19 Season
By Chris Kern
Jaren Jackson Jr.’s Breakout Games
Jaren Jackson Jr. had some dominant performances during his rookie season with the Memphis Grizzlies. He had his fair share of struggles with some foul trouble and a late-season injury, but when he was on the floor you saw how skilled he was.
His ability to score the ball was much better than anybody anticipated. He was a good player in college, but he wasn’t able to showcase much of the moves that he was able to do this season. The college game is totally different so it’ll be this way with some players, but him still having to confidence to make these plays is very impressive.
He played in 58 games his rookie season and he averaged 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. His scoring was inconsistent at times, but he was efficient when he did shoot the ball making 51% of his shots, 36% of his three-point attempts, and 77% of his free-throws.
His best game of the season was on the road against the Brooklyn Nets. He was dominant on the offensive end of the floor as he finished with 36 points and 8 rebounds on 13-22 from the field including 3-7 from three-point range.
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Two of those three-pointers came in the final 33 seconds of regulation including one of them being part of a four-point play. The Grizzlies were down seven at that point, but his clutch shots helped them force overtime where they would eventually win in double overtime.
Another one of his big games was in a 107-99 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers. He finished that game with 27 points and 9 rebounds on 11-21 shooting including a made three-pointer. That made three-pointer was with a step back over Lebron James with 26 seconds remaining to put the game away.
Moments like these are why the future is bright for Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Grizzlies. They have found themselves a cornerstone to build around as they head into their rebuild. His ability to impact the game in so many ways will be remembered as the Grizzlies prepare for the future and building this team back to a playoff contender.