It was another ugly defeat for the Grizzlies tonight, as they lost 131-105 to the Phoenix Suns at home. The loss wraps up a 3-14 March for the team, and it was the 50th loss of the season. The Grizzlies put up a good fight before completely unraveling in the fourth quarter.
It was going to be an uphill climb for the Grizzlies, as they had three active players currently on 10-day contracts. While the Suns are still without former Grizzly Dillon Brooks, the Suns simply had more available talent, and Devin Booker had a massive impact on the victory, scoring 36 points in just 25 minutes.
The Grizzlies showed some promising flashes throughout the game, but they were largely undone by turnovers and giving up second-chance points. While it has been very challenging times for the fanbase, this year's Suns team can actually be a strong example of how the Grizzlies can make a turnaround.
The Suns went from a bad defensive team to a good one
While the Suns significantly struggled last year in the games that Kevin Durant missed, the team also had major struggles on the defense end. The Suns had a 117.7 defensive rating last season, which was the 4th worst in the entire NBA.
Trading away Kevin Durant last summer and getting Dillon Brooks in the deal has shifted the culture in Phoenix. The Suns clearly nailed the Jordan Ott hire after firing Mike Budenholzer. Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks have been key, but the Suns have also gotten strong leaps from Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.
The Suns now have a top 10 defensive rating and have climbed over 15 spots from last season. The Suns have significantly exceeded expectations largely due to the defensive leap they have made. Even though it remains to be seen how they fare in postseason play, it is evident that defense has boosted their floor massively.
It's clear how the Grizzlies can follow the Suns' example
Injuries have been a major culprit as to why the Grizzlies have had such a poor season. However, it is clear what the Grizzlies must do to have a quick turnaround. One of the things that made the Grizzlies so promising with their previous young core was that they had a tone setter like Dillon Brooks defensively.
It made sense for the Grizzlies to move on from Brooks after the 2023 playoff exit due to his offensive struggles in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they have not found someone to replicate the tenacity he brings. Whether it is via draft or acquiring a quality defensive leader via trade or free agency, the Grizzlies need another tenacious defender that elevates the rest of the team besides Zach Edey.
There are still pressing questions about Tuomas Iisalo's game management long-term; however, he has thrived at player development. Players such as GG Jackson II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper have made major leaps under Iisalo, and Javon Small is having a strong finish to his rookie year.
Iisalo must continue leaning on player development and creating more surprising contributions like we've seen in Phoenix this season.
The Grizzlies have a lot of work to do to catch teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. However, the Grizzlies can use the Suns' season as a reference point to make a big leap next season and get back in the playoff mix.