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GG Jackson responds to one-game suspension with team-high 20 points in Grizzlies win
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- GG Jackson responds to one-game suspension with team-high 20 points in Grizzlies win
Jaren Jackson Jr. lowered his head, shook it and just laughed.
The idea that GG Jackson was facing adversity in Wednesday's game against the Houston Rockets after a one-game suspension was not really a thing to Jaren Jackson Jr.
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"I had completely forgot about that," Jackson said. "I had completely forgot about that. Wasn't nothing."
Jaren Jackson's calmness about the situation is an example of how much confidence the team has in GG Jackson to put the youthful mistakes behind him. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said he had "great conversations" with Jackson after the suspension for a violation of a team rule was issued and several teammates held the 19-year-old rookie forward accountable.
One game later, Jackson led the Grizzlies with 20 points in a 121-113 Grizzlies win at FedExForum .
"This is something I can learn from," GG Jackson said. "The coaching staff expressed to me how they know I'm better than that, and they know I'm going to continue to get better."
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Jackson noted Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Derrick Rose and Desmond Bane — who he called the "captain" — as locker room guys who held him accountable.
"When you have those guys around you, they're going to hold you accountable for your mistakes," GG Jackson said. "It's going to be on you if you going to keep making those mistakes, or if you gone get on a straightened arrow."
It felt like all of Jackson's mistakes were forgiven with one quarter of play. Playing well tends to do that. He slashed to the basket and made his first bucket, then less than 30 seconds later, he scored again. Add in two more 3-pointers, and he led the Grizzlies with 10 points after the first quarter.
The good momentum carried over into second half. Jackson finished the game shooting 8-for-15 from the field, and he added nine rebounds and three blocks.
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Jenkins and Grizzlies players have noted that some of Jackson's best traits include being a quick learner and coachable. There was a moment during the game when Jackson drove into three defenders and tried to go through them. In the next timeout, Luke Kennard got onto Jackson, encouraging him to share the ball. The next play, Jackson made a good pass to give the Grizzlies a solid offensive look.
"We know that we can continue to push him and make him better and help him grow and develop," Kennard said. " ... He thanked me, (saying) 'That kind of woke me up a little bit, got me going.'"
Jackson is having his best month as a pro, and most of it is coming of the bench. He's turning into the Grizzlies' sixth man with his ability to go on quick scoring bursts with a mix of highlight defensive plays. One of his three blocks came against former Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks. His 10-point first quarter played a big role in Memphis ending the quarter with a 15-point lead.
The team's current struggles may suggest the idea of starting Jackson to give him more playing time, and maybe that will eventually happen. But as for now, he's giving the Grizzlies a scoring boost off the bench that has been missing most of this season.
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"Nothing is perfect, but this is pretty close to it," Jackson said. "This role, I feel like I fit it perfectly. When I show effort on defense, I feel like I bring energy for everybody in the game."
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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies' GG Jackson scores 20 vs Rockets after 1-game suspension
