The Memphis Grizzlies played in their first play-in game on Wednesday night. Unlike last season, they would secure a win this time around. That said, they still have a game to go before they gain entry to the NBA Playoffs.
In the first matchup, Memphis played the San Antonio Spurs, the team below them in the standings. The game was described as an 80s-type of matchup, with very few 3-pointers made and a lot of action in the paint.
In a game like that, the players that will be dominating for each team are the bigger guys on the squad. The 9-10 game was no exception.
Jonas Valanciunas was the star for the Grizzlies, scoring 23 points and securing 23 rebounds in a game where he could not be stopped down low. If Taylor Jenkins could have played JV for 48 minutes, he probably would have.
But while the young head coach played the Lithuanian center as much as he could have, it was the time that JV was off of the court that stirred up some controversy.
Memphis Grizzlies HC Taylor Jenkins elected to play Xavier Tillman over Brandon Clarke
After a strong rookie season in 2020, Brandon Clarke was expected to be a big part of the lineup in 2021. That said, the second-year forward didn’t get the bump in playing time expected in a season that saw Jaren Jackson Jr. out for the majority of the year.
He is playing more than he did a year ago, but only by a minute and a half. He has earned 16 starts, but these have mostly come due to injuries around the table. With JJJ back in the lineup, it seems like he has found his way into a deep spot on the bench.
This was highlighted in the Grizzlies’ first game in the play-in tournament. In a game dominated by bigs, Jenkins elected to play Xavier Tillman Sr., the rookie center, instead of Brandon Clarke in an interesting decision.
While Tillman has played well all season long, he had a rough outing on Wednesday night. He didn’t score a point and only recorded two stats — a block and a rebound.
Clarke, on the other hand, didn’t play a single minute. He was one of five players who sat on the bench the entire night, with the other notable Grizzly who finished with a DNP being Justise Winslow.
The situation of playing time between Tillman and Clarke will be a situation to keep an eye on in the Grizzlies’ game against the Warriors. This could continue into the next season, as these two similar players will have very similar play styles.