The Memphis Grizzlies came into the game against the Phoenix Suns knowing they would have to be firing on all cylinders to win the game— and that was before they knew most of their starters would be resting and not playing in the game.
Usual starters Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams were all held out of the game for varying degrees of soreness and injuries. Bench players Tyus Jones and Killian Tillie were also unavailable to compete in the game.
This provided fans with a Grizzlies starting lineup of De’Anthony Melton, Ziaire Williams, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson, and Xavier Tillman— not exactly one that invokes fear in a fully healthy, NBA-leading Phoenix Suns team.
The Grizzlies were going up against a Phoenix Suns team that looked like they were at or pretty close to full strength. Chris Paul and Devin Booker each played 32+ minutes in the game.
So how were the Memphis Grizzlies able to fend off the Phoenix Suns in a game that should have been an easy win for Phoenix?
Here are the five reasons why Memphis upset Phoenix 122-114.
No 1. Dillon Brooks set tone on offense and defense for the Memphis Grizzlies
We got a glimpse of Dillon Brooks in his purest and final form against Phoenix, doing it on both ends of the court.
Brooks had the toughest assignment of the night in guarding All-Star Devin Booker. While Brooks allowed Booker to pour in 41 points, he still made life difficult for him.
From the opening tip, Brooks was following Booker everywhere he went on the court. From deep into the corner away from the basket, to face guarding him in some situations.
The rest of the Grizzlies followed suit and stepped up defensively. Memphis forced Phoenix into 17 turnovers, while only committing 11 themselves.
On offense, Brooks shouldered the scoring burden, dropping 30 points in the game. It took him 28 shots to get there, but he more than made up for it by recording 7 assists and grabbing 4 boards.
Devin Booker is supremely clutch. Good defense, better offense. pic.twitter.com/xtq4VSTEee
— Jacob Ellerbee (@jellerbee) April 2, 2022
No 2. Xavier Tillman played one of his best games of the season
Xavier Tillman has had the misfortune of being the odd-man out of the rotation virtually all season. He’s been buried behind Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson, Brandon Clarke, and Kyle Anderson, and rightfully so. All four of those players are better on offense and defense than Tillman. That doesn’t make Tillman a bad player— the Grizzlies are just that deep.
But, with two of those guys resting this game, it was the perfect opportunity for Tillman to step up and remind everyone why he’s deserving of minutes.
The former Michigan State Spartan had one of his best games of the entire season.
In 28 minutes, he recorded 13 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and a steal. He ended up being a +15 for the Grizzlies, the highest of anyone on the team during the game.
I fully expect Memphis to get some calls about the availability of Tillman in the offseason. He’s deserving of minutes, but the Grizzlies just don’t have enough to go around. He could start on some teams and certainly be the first post player off the bench for most NBA teams.
No 3. Memphis Grizzlies used a balanced attack to offset Booker’s big game
Memphis was able to withstand Booker’s 41-point eruption because virtually everyone that played was able to score in double figures.
Phoenix had just three players in double figures, including Booker. The other two were Mikal Bridges (18 points) and Cameron Payne (11 points).
Just look at the balanced attack from Memphis. Phoenix couldn’t focus on just one player whenever Dillon Brooks (30 points) was on the bench.
- Ziaire Williams – 19 points
- De’Anthony Melton – 17 points
- John Knochar – 14 points
- Xavier Tillman – 13 points
- Santi Aldama – 12 points
- Brandon Clarke – 11 points
The Grizzlies literally had a five-headed monster out there on offense. Everyone on the court was and is capable of taking the ball driving to the basket and finishing.
These may be unassuming names to most, but all season long these players have been called upon at different points to step-up and they always deliver.
Especially during the winter Covid outbreak, we saw a lot of minutes from these guys. They came prepared and ready to defend their home court on this nationally televised game on NBA TV.
No 4. Santi Aldama gave us the best look yet at the player he can become
It’s not often we get to see 6’11” rookie Santi Aldama during games this season. He’s averaging 10.6 minutes per game in 30 appearances.
We saw him more frequently during the winter when we had players unavailable due to Health and Safety protocols. Now, we usually only see him in garbage time.
But, during the Phoenix game, Aldama was able to play 21 minutes and showed some flashes of why the Grizzlies drafted him in the first round.
Late in the fourth quarter, we saw Aldama drive to the basket from the wing and throw down a thunderous reverse slam dunk that ignited the crowd and gave Memphis the final spark of energy to put away the Suns.
BENCH REACTION to the Santi Aldama dunk is 10/10. amazing. pic.twitter.com/FVoOgJbR7v
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) April 2, 2022
It’s unlikely we see Aldama play much during the playoffs, but with more time with the Memphis Hustle and another round of Summer League action, Aldama could turn into a solid bargaining chip in trade talks or an insurance policy if the Grizzlies are unable or uninteresting in retaining Kyle Anderson during free agency this summer.
No 5. The Memphis Grizzlies excelled at doing all the little things really well
The Grizzlies have struggled with free-throw shooting all season long. They have even gone as far as to create a custom pro-wrestling style championship belt to award the best shooters during practice.
That belt seems to have helped the players in their quest to get better from the line. Against Phoenix, they made their free-throws, especially when it mattered most at the end of the game.
Memphis was 23-28 from the line while Phoenix was just 10-17. Free throws absolutely mattered in the game. If the Grizzlies didn’t knock down their free throws, this game could have easily been tipped into the Suns’ favor.
Even more so, the Grizzlies absolutely waxed the Suns on the glass, offensively. They outrebounded Phoenix 16-2 on offense, creating a plethora of second-chance opportunities.
In fact, Memphis outscored Phoenix 30-2 on second-chance points. That’s a staggering margin. What makes that figure even more impressive is that the Grizzlies managed this feat without the services of the NBA’s leader in offensive rebounds, Steven Adams (4.7 offensive rpg).