7:30 PM EST, ESPN – Line: Nets -2.0, Over/Under: 239.0
What looked to be a potential Finals preview back in January is on tap tonight, as the reconstituted Brooklyn Nets look to rise back up the standings as they travel to Memphis to battle the upstart Grizzlies from FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. Oh, what a season this has been for the Nets (38-34, 8th in Eastern Conference) up to this point, who after suffering through arguably their most perilous stretch during the franchise’s current era of basketball, have begun to turn things around and reassert themselves as (at the very least) a dangerous opponent come the playoffs. So, let’s try to keep this as simple as we can, shall we? Well, Brooklyn entered the campaign as the betting favorite to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy, which would be a first for the organization in any of its incarnations since joining the National Basketball Association back in the 1977, powered by the most prolific triumvirate of stars in the league in the form of Kevin Durant (29.6 PTS, 52.6% FG, 38.2% 3FG, 90.0% FT, 7.2 REB, 6.1 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.9 BLK, 25.9 PER), Kyrie Irving (27.7 PTS, 49.0% FG, 43.0% 3FG, 90.1% FT, 4.7 REB, 5.3 AST, 1.4 STL, 0.7 BLK, 23.8 PER), and James Harden (22.5 PTS, 41.4% FG, 33.2% 3FG, 86.9% FT, 8.0 REB, 10.2 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.7 BLK, 20.7 PER), who between them have amassed a whopping TWENTY-NINE All-Star appearances, NINETEEN All-NBA nods, SEVEN scoring titles, three NBA Championships, and a pair of MVP awards. However, just as it was during their first run together, fate would deny them of any prolonged period of time together with a variety of factors playing into matters. First and foremost, Irving’s refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine coupled with New York City’s mandate that prohibited him from participating in games being played within city limits, meant that the gifted, yet mercurial Point Guard missed THIRTY-FIVE games of the season, before essentially becoming a part-time player only competing in road games. Appearing in just nineteen contests thus far, the 29-year-old has never looked better, posting career-highs in a slew of categories including scoring (27.7) and three-point shooting (43.0%), exploding FIFTY points in a blowout of the Hornets two weeks ago before erupting for a franchise record SIXTY points when we last saw him in last weekend’s demolition of the Magic. Over his last five outings, Irving has averaged a staggering 37.8 points on 58.6% shooting from the field, including 55.3% from beyond the arc. However, the issue always comes back to availability, and while the Nets have won four of those five games, they are just 3-4 in the ones that he hasn’t participated in during that time period. On the season, (Head Coach) Steve Nash’s troops are 30-23 without his services in comparison to 8-10 with him in the rotation. Of course, this saga eventually wore down the patience of his teammate Harden, who threw up his hands in frustration and demanded to be traded, serving as the centerpiece of the NBA’s biggest blockbuster deal for the second consecutive year; the bearded one was packaged along with (veteran Forward) Pau Millsap and a number of draft picks to Philadelphia in exchange for (another mercurial talent) Ben Simmons, along with (sharpshooter) Seth Curry (15.5 PTS, 49.3% FG, 47.1% 3FG, 84.6% FT, 2.9 REB, 2.8 AST, 1.0 STL, 14.9 PER) and (veteran Center) Andre Drummond (11.4 PTS, 62.5% FG, 52.7% FT, 9.6 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.9 BLK, 22.6 PER). Needless to say, there is an awful lot to unpack here, with Simmons having yet to suit up for his new franchise after willingly sitting out the entire season to this point (and relinquishing over $20 million in salary) following a disastrous postseason performance for the Sixers. Though his talents slot ideally alongside Durant and Irving, there is still no timetable for his debut, and with the playoffs less than a month away, that is becoming a troublesome issue for Nash & Co. In the meantime, both Curry and Drummond have acquainted themselves nicely in Brooklyn, with the former offering dead eye shooting and precious spacing, while the latter’s size, rebounding, and rim-defense have made him a valuable addition to a rotation previously starved of such qualities. And then there is Durant, who missed TWENTY-ONE consecutive games with a sprained MCL, which coincided with an 11-game losing streak that promptly brought the team from the top of the East down into the bowels of the play-in tournament where they currently reside. By far and away the most important single piece in this equation, the gifted Forward is arguably the finest player in the sport when he is healthy, though that hasn’t always been the case during his time in the Big Apple; the former MVP missed his entire first season with club after tearing his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals, and has been sidelined for at least twenty-five games in each of his last two campaigns, with the Nets mustering a miserable 8-20 record without him in 2021-2022. they’re 6-3 since his returned to the hardwood, including six victories in their last seven outings, which has afforded them a bit of a boost in the standings; currently residing in eighth place, they are a game behind the Raptors for seventh and two away from the upstart Cavaliers and getting out of this play-in predicament altogether. Consider this though: with ten games remaining and seven of them being played in New York City, Durant is likely going to have carry the Nets himself, which will make it difficult to avoid the unpredictability of the play-in and a potential first round encounter with the Heat, Bucks, or Sixers.
When we last saw the Nets, they took another step towards escaping the perils of the play-in tournament by toppling the Jazz in a 114-106 victory from Barclays Center on Monday night. With the aforementioned Irving once again sitting out due to NYC’s vaccine mandate, Brooklyn was forced to look for other answers in their rotation, which they received from some of the more unheralded members of the supporting cast. Oh, and Durant had quite a say in the outcome too. Clinging to a narrow 53-51 at halftime, the hosts put their foot on the proverbial gas pedal in the third period, outscoring Utah 38-24 on a torrid 14-of-23 shooting from the field (60.9%), including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc (57.1%), while assisting on nine of their fourteen field goals and committing only a single turnover along the way. Durant nearly outscored the visitors by himself in this stanza, pouring in fifteen of his game high THIRTY-SEVEN points on 5-of-7 shooting (71.4%), along with a pair of rebounds, and three assists. Though the visiting side made the final score look a bit more respectable in the end, it was Nash’s troops who were clearly the superior outfit; the Nets led by as many twenty-one points in the second half, shot a blistering 54.2% overall, and dismembered them in the paint (+14). Durant was sublime in nearly logging a triple-double with thirty-seven points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, while the supporting cast was more than admirable in the absence of not only Irving, but Drummond as well. (Young Center) Nicolas Claxton (8.7 PTS, 65.1% FG, 58.1% FT, 5.5 REB, 0.9 AST, 0.5 STL, 1.1 BLK, 18.8 PER) posted totals of fifteen points, six rebounds, four assists, and a pair of blocks, while (versatile Guard) Bruce Brown (8.2 PTS, 49.4% FG, 33.8% 3FG, 74.5% FT, 4.7 REB, 1.8 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.5 BLK, 14.2 PER) chipped in with twenty-two points, seven rebounds, and five assists. And then there is the venerable Patty Mills (12.2 PTS, 41.6% FG, 40.9% 3FG, 81.1% FT, 2.0 REB, 2.4 AST, 0.7 STL, 11.3 PER), whose shooting and passing off the bench continues to provide Nash with precious depth, as the Australian international popped off for thirteen points to boot.
Meanwhile, arguably the most difficult thing to do in sports isn’t necessarily going from point A to point B, but rather from B to C, which is something that the Grizzlies (49-23, 2nd in Western Conference) are mastering this season, asserting themselves as a legitimate power out West. After going a meager 72-73 over the course of his first two years in Memphis, (Head Coach) Taylor Jenkins has overseen a wealth of internal growth in year three, filling the power vacuum left by the Lakers and Clippers and molding themselves into one of the most impressive groups in the NBA, regardless of their age or (lack of) experience. With that said, the campaign didn’t necessarily start out this way for the Grizz, who by the end of November were very much treading water at 11-10, only to put their foot on the gas and win thirty-eight of their next fifty-one games, including a ridiculous 32-10 between December and February. During that period, they’ve averaged 115.8 points per game on 46.7% shooting from the field, including 34.5% from beyond the arc, along with 25.4 assists in comparison to 12.7 turnovers, while utterly ANNIHILATING the opposition on the glass (+8.3), particularly on the offensive end where they’re a healthy +4.6. Since that point, they have come back down to earth a bit winning six of their nine games in the month of March, though have nonetheless managed to ascend to the second seed out West. So, what in the name of Bryant Reeves is going on in Memphis you ask? Well, it all comes back to that internal growth that we referenced earlier, and no player on the roster embodies that more so than (All-Star Point Guard) Ja Morant (27.6 PTS, 49.3% FG, 34.0% 3FG, 76.2% FT, 5.7 REB, 6.7 AST, 1.2 STL, 24.8 PER), who has ascended into superstardom in this, his third season in the Association. Back when Jenkins and (General Manager) Zachary Kleiman chose him second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, all attention was paid to the guy chosen before him (ahem, Zion Williamson), but three years later there is ZERO question as to who has become the superior performer; no pun intended, but Morant has taken a MAJOR leap in 2021-2022, posting career-highs in a slew of categories including points (27.6), field goal percentage (49.3%), three-point percentage (34.0%), two-point percentage (53.8%), rebounds (5.7), steals (1.2), and PER (24.8). And for all intents and purposes, he’s getting even better, for over a ten-game period from late February to early March he’s authored a whopping 32.5 points on 49.1% shooting from the field, including 36.7% from downtown, along with 5.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, while knocking down 8.1 free-throws a night, highlighted by a career-high FIFTY-TWO points in a romp over the Spurs three weeks ago. However, the dynamic floor general has missed two of the last three contests due to a sore knee that has him currently listed as day-to-day. Fortunately for the Grizzlies, the supporting cast has certainly been up to the task of performing without Morant, for their initial run back in late November came with him sidelined with a high ankle sprain. In fact, Memphis is a remarkable 14-2 sans Morant thus far, a record that can only be chalked up to the outstanding work performed by Jenkins and his coaching staff, with a number of young talents making the proverbial leap. (Versatile Forward) Jaren Jackson Jr. (16.4 PTS, 41.9% FG, 32.0% 3FG, 81.3% FT, 5.9 REB, 1.1 AST, 1.0 STL, 2.2 BLK, 17.4 PER), who was selected fourth overall in the draft prior to Morant’s, is slowly becoming the two-way force that Jenkins and Kleiman envisioned, even if it has only been in spurts. Furthermore, (sharpshooting Swingman) Desmond Bane (17.9 PTS, 45.5% FG, 41.8% 3FG, 89.9% FT, 4.5 REB, 2.7 AST, 1.2 STL, 17.1 PER) has brought some sorely needed spacing to the equation, while (bullish Guard) Dillon Brooks (17.7 PTS, 42.1% FG, 31.4% 3FG, 87.8% FT, 3.2 REB, 2.7 AST, 1.3 STL, 15.2 PER) brings plenty of attitude and tenacity on both ends of the hardwood. Add a veteran Center such as Steven Adams (7.1 PTS, 55.1% FG, 54.3% FT, 9.9 REB, 3.2 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.8 BLK, 17.5 PER) to the mix and you have a hungry, young group that has been nothing short of entertaining to watch, leading the NBA in transition points and opportunities, thanks in large to their penchant for forcing turnovers; the Grizzlies have logged 15.0 takeaways per game (5th Overall) and posted a turnover percentage of 13.2% (5th Overall), while pacing the NBA in both steals (9.9) and blocks (6.6). As we hinted at earlier, they also put in plenty of work on the glass, for not only are they the league’s top rebounding side (49.4), they’re also its most prolific offensive rebounding unit too, securing 14.1 a night, along with a healthy percentage of 30.0% (1st Overall), which of course leads to a wealth of easy second chance points. Getting easy buckets is something that great teams do in spades, and they are no different, with a whopping 74.3% of their field goals coming from within the three-point arc. Now is this style of play conducive to winning in the playoffs, where things slow down and you’re more often than forced to execute in the half court? There is no reason to believe that it wouldn’t, for Memphis is a combined 5-2 against the likes of the Suns, Warriors, and Jazz, who comprise the other three spots within the Western Conference’s top-four teams.
When we last saw the Grizzlies, they bounced back nicely from a disappointing 120-105 loss at the Hawks, by utterly hammering the lowly Rockets in a 122-98 rout on Sunday night, concluding their four-game road trip with an easy victory. Indeed, Memphis didn’t need Morant for this one, as they received plenty of production from the rest of the rotation which dispensed of their Southwest Division rival. Both teams started slowly shooting below 40.0% from the field in the first quarter, though the visitors certainly heated up int he second half, where they netted a scintillating 55.8% of their attempts from the floor, including 10-of-17 from beyond the arc (58.8%), outscoring the hosts by eighteen points in that regard. Overall, Jenkins’ charges led by as many as twenty-eight points, shooting 47.9% from the field, 16-of-34 from downtown (47.1%), and 14-of-17 from the charity stripe (82.4%), with twice as many assists (26) as turnovers (13), and winning the battle of the boards 51-45. Furthermore, they still managed to own the transition game (25-15) even without Morant, as six different players finished with double-figures in scoring, led by the aforementioned Bane, who went off for twenty-four points on an efficient 8-of-13 shooting (61.5%), including 3-of-5 from three (60.0%). The sophomore also filled up the stat sheet with five rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, while Brooks, who just returned from a lengthy absence due to injury, totaled twenty points, four rebounds, and three steals of his own. Jackson added fifteen points, five rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, while the bench mob of (Rookie Swingman) Zaire Williams (7.8 PTS, 45.9% FG, 31.3% 3FG, 78.8% FT, 2.0 REB, 0.9 AST, 0.5 STL, 9.3 PER) and (young Combo Guard) De’Anthony Melton (9.9 PTS, 38.9% FG, 34.5% 3FG, 72.6% FT, 4.5 REB, 2.7 AST, 2.7 AST, 1.6 STL, 0.5 BLK, 14.5 PER) combined for another thirty points on 12-of-22 shooting (54.5%), with the latter sinking 4-of-6 treys (66.7%) and pulling down seven boards. Though this team is a long way away from pressuring Phoenix for the top seed out West (they trail by 9 games), they still must fend off the advances of Golden State and Utah, who sit 1.5 and 3.5 games behind them respectively with just ten games left to go. For those who are skeptical of the Grizzlies ability to close down the stretch, they face the likes of the Bucks, Warriors, Suns, Jazz, Nuggets, and Celtics, all of whom will be in the postseason in three weeks’ time.