Memphis Grizzlies: Lack of late-game offense dooms Grizz again

The Memphis Grizzlies late-game collapses are a schematic issue

I am not an NBA head coach — not even close. I want to make it clear that I do not think that I know the game better than Taylor Jenkins. That said, his late-game offense has doomed the Grizzlies too many times.

The first few times, it was acceptable. Sure, maybe it was a good game plan that just didn’t pan out this time.

But this has now happened one too many times. If not for these blown leads, the Grizzlies would be in serious contention for a locked-in playoff spot. Instead, the NBA Playoffs seem like more of a pipe dream, while the play-in tournament seems much more likely.

The primary issue that seems to arise with this offense at the end of these games is a lack of… well, plays. Instead of running the offense that we’ve been watching for 45 minutes, the best offense in the NBA in the month of April, Taylor Jenkins reverts to Morant isolation on every play.

I won’t sit here and act like Morant isolation plays are the end of the world, but they don’t have the same effectiveness at the end of these games. In fact, during the first 45 minutes of the game, that’s a great play to run from time to time. Between completed buckets, drop-off passes, and getting to the foul line, it has been effective.

But Morant is not passing and not getting the calls in late-game situations.