Grizzlies: 3 takeaways from Dillon Brooks’ return to the court

The Memphis Grizzlies had been playing without one of their key players for the first ten games of the season. It was discovered in late September that Brooks would be missing time with a broken hand suffered during practice.

The Grizzlies managed to stay afloat in Brooks’ absence, going 6-4 on the year prior to their heart and soul of a player returning to the court on Wednesday.

Even though it may be hard to quantify in a single game, the Grizzly wing’s impact will be huge going forward. That said, even with a tiny sample size, we were able to gather some things about who Brooks can be as he returns from injury.

Takeaway No. 1: Memphis Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks’ energy has not missed a step

What’s Dillon Brooks’ biggest asset? Some would argue that it’s his defensive tenacity, which keeps opposing players on their toes. This translates to strong perimeter defense and a large amount of steals.

But Brooks’ defense isn’t the attribute that makes him so good — it’s his aggression on the floor. The Grizzly wing has an innate ability to instantly bring a rush of energy to the floor, especially when his shot is on. On Wednesday, his shot was on.

You could tell from the second he stepped on the floor that this Grizzlies team has been missing a key piece. After a strong first quarter, Memphis was hesitant to drive the basketball — Brooks drove the basketball. The Grizzlies had become complacent on defense — DB started playing his classic “in your face” defense.

It’s not something you can quantify, but it’s vital for this team.