3 key players behind an unexpected Grizzlies playoff push

2. Jaren Jackson Jr.

The second year Power Forward out of Michigan State has been a crucial part of what the Grizzlies have wanted to do both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He is the team’s leading scorer by a narrow margin halfway through the season, and him and Ja Morant‘s partnership on offense has sparked a new life into this Grizzlies team. He has burst into a stretch four that can finish strong at the rim, while shooting a solid 41 percent on the season from 3, up from 35% last season.

While his offense has certainly been a bright spot, his shot defending at the rim has been fantastic as well. Averaging 1.5 blocks a game is crucial for this team, as Valanciunas doesn’t exactly excel as a shot blocker in the paint. Brandon has also began to emerge as a solid defender, but being undersized makes it difficult to utilize him in the paint, as he tends to excel on the perimeter. The good news for the Grizzlies is that this season Jaren has been truly exciting as a stretch four, and his continued improvement as a defender both outside and inside the paint is key going forward.

However, his improvement has not come without several glaring inconsistencies, which is to be expected of someone so young playing such a critical role. He has not been a fantastic rebounder, averaging just a shade over 4 a game, and hasn’t been able to stay out of foul trouble on many occasions. The Grizzlies will continue to lean on him as a critical cog in the team and one of the brightest young stars in the game, and hope his partnership with Ja Morant continues to flourish.