Grizzlies forward dishes on what he’s ‘most encouraged by’ following win over Pacers

Things were truly electric at FedEx Forum on Sunday evening, as the Memphis Grizzlies kicked off their first preseason game of the 2023-24 season against the Pacers.

A back-and-forth affair from start to finish, the exhibition saw itself extending into overtime with a clutch last-second lay-in by Indiana big, Jalen Smith. Fortunately for the home crowd, the Grizzlies wound up pulling away victorious, as they outpaced the Pacers 13-8 in the extra minutes and, in turn, came away with a triumphant 127-122 win.

Following the contest, Grind City Media’s Kelcey Wright Johnson caught up with one of the game’s biggest performers Kenneth Lofton Jr. to discuss what it felt like to once again be participating in in-game action.

Asked what he was “most encouraged by” following the overtime bout, the forward couldn’t help but praise the way his teammate battled to ultimately secure the win.

Grizzlies forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. dishes on encouraging preseason win

"“Watching my teammates go out and play and, you know, having fun and getting this win,” Lofton said."

He would continue on to suggest that while the chemistry between him and his Grizzlies teammates has grown quite strong throughout training camp, there still seems to be work that needs to be done, meaning they need to “go back in tomorrow, get some work in and get better” in preparation of what’s to come as the regular season approaches.

Following an impressive rookie campaign that saw him cap the regular season off with a 42-point and 14-rebound performance, the 21-year-old seemingly picked up right where he left off, as he was an astounding offensive presence in just over 11 minutes of action.

Lofton ended his night with 11 points and a rebound while shooting a highly efficient 83.3 percent from the field and 100 percent from distance.

3 positive takeaways from Grizzlies OT win over Pacers in preseason opener

Following the team's overtime preseason win over the Indiana Pacers, there are three positive takeaways Memphis Grizzlies fans should be aware of.