The Memphis Grizzlies lost another basketball game on Wednesday night, this time to the Golden State Warriors .
Three takeaways from another step closer to the end of a season that has become quite tankalicious for Memphis.
Despite all the jokes about tanking that are fun to make so you laugh instead of cry, games like these are opportunities to see who exactly SHOULD stick around when the team actually tries to win again.
GG Jackson has shown enough this season to be one of those players. The scoring is not a surprise - dating back to his rookie season, GG was a bucket. The way Jackson is doing it - more efficiently, with continued focus on rebounding and improved defensive effort - is what makes a real difference.
The sun will shine of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise again. When it does, GG should get the chance to bask in the glow.
In what has to be one of the greatest "what ifs" of the season, the question of "what if Ty Jerome didn't get hurt in the preseason" continues to ring out in the minds of Grizzlies fans everywhere. His command of the offense is truly impressive, especially when considering who Jerome is sharing the floor with. Zach Edey , Cedric Coward , Ja Morant , Santi Aldama...the list of players out is long but distinguished.
And that of course does not even mention the Grizzlies players no longer with the franchise, like Jaren Jackson Jr. , who also would have almost certainly made the Memphis offense hum even more sweetly alongside the sharpshooting, smooth dribbling Ty Jerome.
Would trading Ty Jerome this summer to acquire more draft capital make sense for the rebuilding Grizzlies? Yes. Do I hope selfishly it does not happen? Also yes. He's that good.
The two key on-court cogs of the trade that sent the previously mentioned Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz continue to try to find their Memphis footing. In this particular game, it was Taylor Hendricks that looked more comfortable than his fellow new Grizzly Walter Clayton Jr . Hendricks is often being asked to play out of position due to Memphis not having an actual true center right now, but against the Warriors the lack of a "real big" wasn't as noticeable since that's not really how Golden State rolls as currently constructed either.
This allowed for Hendricks to find his spots and a rhythm more consistently. Clayton Jr., meanwhile, had a real issue getting his shots to fall. While that will eventually even out, and his ability to create for others and get looks at all is worthy of attention as well, it still sticks out in this run of Grizzlies games where the freedom to make mistakes and miss shots should mean MORE comfort.
Here's to hoping Clayton Jr. finds that groove.
Memphis begins a three-game road trip on Friday in Dallas against the Mavericks.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/grizzlies/onsi as The Grizzlies lose their way early against Warriors .
