Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant sent a short message before facing the Golden State Warriors
The Memphis Grizzlies wrapped up their 2024-25 regular season with a 35-point win over the Dallas Mavericks, finishing in eighth place in the Western Conference with a 48-34 record.
The Grizzlies are now set to face off against the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament, as the winner of this game will secure the seven seed in the playoffs, while the loser will have to face either the Sacramento Kings or Dallas Mavericks in a battle for the final playoff spot.
The Grizzlies have not been the NBA’s hottest team heading into the postseason, but star point guard Ja Morant is back on track after dealing with numerous injuries and a dreadful slump.
In his last 12 appearances, Morant is averaging 30.3 points and 7.0 assists per game with 51.2/36.4/78.3 shooting splits, finding his rhythm at the right time. Morant and the Grizzlies now have to face a star-studded Warriors team, but the star guard shared his mindset heading into the postseason.
“Just be Ja,” Morant said.
“Say what I wanna say. If I don’t wanna say nothing, don’t say nothing at all,” Morant continued. “Block out the noise and just go play basketball. That’s Ja. If you don’t like it, then you don’t like it. Oh well. I’m feeling good.”
Morant has been incredible recently, and if the Grizzlies want a chance against the Warriors, they need a big game from their star guard. If the Grizzlies manage to beat Steph Curry and the Warriors, they would move on to face the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.
What Memphis Grizzlies’ Tuomas Iisalo is prioritizing for play-in vs Steph Curry, Warriors
SAN FRANCISCO — Tuomas Iisalo has nerves going into his first postseason game as the interim coach for the Memphis Grizzlies on April 15 against the Golden State Warriors (9 p.m. CT, TNT).
Not bad nerves, exactly. These are nerves Iisalo has gotten throughout his career as a head coach of various European clubs since 2014.
“It’s been a big driving force for why you want to be good at what you do, because you don’t want that feeling in your gut that you haven’t done everything you can,” Iisalo said. ” . . . I’m going to do everything I can in this situation. My confidence comes from preparation.”
Guarding Steph Curry
Stopping or limiting Warriors guard Steph Curry isn’t viewed as a tactical assignment to Iisalo. It’s more about the effort and urgency.
The Grizzlies limited him to a combined 15 points on 4-for-16 shooting in their first two meetings this season. When they faced him April 1, Golden State’s electric guard erupted for 52 points and 12 made 3-pointers.
Iisalo believed that many of those plays weren’t scripted for Curry to score, and that has been a similar sentiment with Grizzlies players, who highlighted Curry’s increased aggression following his 52-point performance.
The Grizzlies are anticipating that aggression, knowing there’s no time to relax when Curry is on the offensive end.
“The level of urgency needed to guard him has to be at an incredibly high level,” Iisalo said. “We often talk about a half-second advantage in the playoffs. If you relax or if you move, that’s going to be the difference in winning or losing. He as a player really exemplifies that.”
Postseason Ja Morant time
Ja Morant captured the spotlight when the Grizzlies defeated the Warriors in a play-in matchup in May 2021. Morant finished with 35 points in the overtime win on the road.
The Grizzlies are back on the West Coast, and Morant is playing his best basketball of the season. It’s no secret that Golden State will form a defensive game plan that aims to prevent him from having a dominant night, but Iisalo and the Grizzlies have a plan as well.
Iisalo has what he describes as a “sweet spot” for Morant in terms of his aggressiveness. The goal is for Morant to be aggressive enough to provoke help and engagement from the defense, but patient enough to take advantage of his own opportunities.
“The big thing for him is he’s such a good player that other teams focus on him,” Iisalo said. “He’s had a really nice balance lately of being aggressive but at the same time patient.”
Zach Edey’s role as an X-factor
Iisalo has watched the tape. Playing big or going small has been the conundrum Memphis hasn’t quite figured out against Golden State.
In the past, the Grizzlies have found themselves trying to match Golden State’s small-ball lineups. Iisalo pointed out how Warriors reserve center Kevon Looney has punished Memphis on the glass when it goes small. He had four points and 22 rebounds in the decisive Game 6 of the 2022 Western Conference semifinals.
Games like Tuesday’s are why the Grizzlies drafted 7-foot-4 Zach Edey. They have had success pairing Edey alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt. The two have a 12.7 net rating as a two-man lineup. That’s the best rating of the 27 Grizzlies two-man lineup combinations that played at least 500 minutes this season.
Since taking over as interim coach, Iisalo has prioritized more playing time for Edey, and that should continue against Golden State.
“I see Zach more as a key piece for us in all of this,” Iisalo said. “He’s been doing a great job of providing that solidness throughout.”