On Dec. 20, the Memphis Grizzlies suffered a devastating defeat at home against the Washington Wizards. Despite leading by 20 points, their second-half collapse was largely fueled by poor rebounding and defense. The team is currently shorthanded, but the most noticeable absence is second-year center Zach Edey.
Edey missed the first 13 games of the season due to offseason surgery on a left ankle sprain. The Grizzlies went 4-9 in his absence and faced significant struggles with defense and half-court offense. Despite Memphis losing the first two games after his return, he was a major driving force in their recent stretch of victories.
Zach Edey's growth has been noticeable on both ends
In the 11 games Edey played, the team has gone 7-4, including the loss to Denver from which he exited early. His biggest area of impact has been his defensive gravity. From Nov. 15 through Dec. 7, the Grizzlies had a 108.6 defensive rating, the league's third-best defensive rating behind just the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors. Prior to his return, they had a 117.4 defensive rating, 22nd-best in the NBA.
Despite pre-draft concerns about Edey's defense, he has not just improved from his rookie year, but he is also evolving into one of the league's most impactful defenders. Out of every player in the NBA who has played at least 600 possessions, per NBA.com, Edey has the best defensive rating at 94.5. His net rating of 18.3 is also the fifth-best of any player who plays at least 15 minutes per game.
Edey's offensive growth cannot be ignored either.
He is averaging 13.6 points per game, a 4.4-point increase from his rookie season. He also has a 66.9 true shooting percentage and has become more efficient inside the arc and at the free-throw line. While already a great screener and rebounder, he has made a strong case to be featured more on offense upon his return.
The previous issues without Edey have returned
Despite a promising start to his second season, Edey was recently shut down for four weeks with a stress reaction in his surgically repaired left ankle. The Grizzlies were to be above .500 by the end of December, but this latest injury has changed the team's trajectory. They've gone 2-2 since his exit, and his absence has been easily noticeable.
Edey makes the Grizzlies an elite rebounding team, but they have been out-rebounded in three of their last four games. Even in the Dec. 17 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, both squads grabbed 63 rebounds. The Grizzlies have given up 19.3 second-chance points per game since Edey was shut down, which is tied for the third-worst in the NBA.
The Grizzlies also have a defensive rating of 116.2 in their last four games, just the 18th-best. They gave up 130 points to the Utah Jazz and 122 points to the Washington Wizards in home defeats. Within the current big rotation, Jock Landale has struggled on defense, and Jaren Jackson Jr. has had issues avoiding fouls.
However, the most important takeaway is that the defense struggles significantly without Edey.
The latest injury will make it difficult for the Grizzlies to climb up the standings despite a favorable December schedule. The team is in an injury crisis, and there have also been questionable substitution patterns.
Ultimately, the season now hinges on staying afloat until Edey returns.