The preseason finale for all NBA teams is tonight, including the Memphis Grizzlies. At 0-4, the Grizzlies will face off against the 0-5 Miami Heat for the battle of the winless teams. Preseason wins don't matter as most teams rest their starters during the fourth quarter, but Memphis has struggled for most of its games.
None of their games have included Ja Morant, and only one game has included Jaren Jackson Jr., so their struggles are warranted. However, a recurring problem they had throughout last season on the defensive end has occurred on multiple occasions, causing a pause for concern within the fanbase about what's to come when the regular season begins next week.
Defense continues to give up high-scoring quarters
The Grizzlies felt like they consistently had a quarter where their opponent scored whenever they wanted in nearly all of their games against good teams last season. The icing on the cake was during one of their biggest games of the season at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves, when they gave up 52 points in the third quarter at home in the final NBA regular season game on TNT.
That third quarter essentially cost them a chance to make the Western Conference playoffs outright and forced them into the play-in tournament. So far during the preseason, those habits have crept back up in multiple games. After leading 42-24 at the end of the first quarter of their preseason opener against the Detroit Pistons, the Grizzlies surrendered 50 points in the second quarter to trail by 10 at halftime.
The Charlotte Hornets followed suit in the Grizzlies' fourth preseason game with a 45-point third quarter that translated into a 145-point performance. Simply put, the Memphis is missing something on the defensive end for at least one quarter more often than needed for a team looking to become a contender.
Their first half performances on the defensive end have consistently been one of the worst during the preseason, as 63 points is the lowest they have given up in four games. The team has been missing some of its best defenders, with Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaren Jackson Jr. only playing one game each and Brandon Clarke out for at least the next month.
They will have to figure it out quickly as the season begins next Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans at the FedExForum. Bad habits have continued into the preseason, and it's up to the team to decide when they are tired of the same trend.