The Memphis Grizzlies have been itching to get back on the court and prove they belong among the elite in the Western Conference.
In that regard, the Ja Morant-led squad is scheduled to face off against none other than the West champions, the Mavericks, with the Grizzlies taking the hardwood in Dallas on Monday evening for their first preseason game.
Of course, it is preseason, so they want to wait until showing their cards, but Memphis will be in for a tough test, and for sure, it’s going to be an exciting game for both of them. The Grizzlies are eager to show off their now-healthy core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane. Meanwhile, the Mavs will display their new and enhanced roster, which includes a four-time champion Klay Thompson who will make his debut.
The Dallas team would most likely be without their star in the person of Luka Doncic, who strained his calf last week. He is expected to be back to full health before the start of the regular season.
Preseason experimenting
This is a preseason game, so most of the game will be played with coach Taylor Jenkins thinking about what will work ahead of the regular season. One should expect some experimental lineups; situations where players go beyond their usual roles.
Rookie Zach Edey will most likely start at center, and do not be surprised if he shoots three-pointers. That is the name of the game with preseason, as both players and coaches want to find out what works.
During the Grizzlies open practice, Edey paired up with Luke Kennard in a race to 60-made threes, and the 7’4″ big man showed good shot mechanics.
“When it’s opportunities to be out on the perimeter, whether it’s trailing the play or he just so happens to kind of move himself out there, I want him to feel like he’s got the green light. I don’t want to restrict him by any means. I want to see what he’s capable of,” Coach Jenkins said after open practice.
Coach Jenkins will more than likely also tinker with his starting lineup. He may want Marcus Smart out there, while Ja Morant is on the bench, or he can play them together. This game, the starters will more than likely see anywhere from 15–25 minutes, enough for a sample size to take away when the coaches get together to talk about regular-season rotations.
Injury report
Unfortunately, the Grizzlies are already dealing with some injuries for the preseason opener.
Jaren Jackson Jr. strained his hamstring on Day 1 of Training Camp, while Vince Williams had a stress reaction in his left shin. GG Jackson II will be out until around December because of his foot surgery, as Cam Spencer deals with an ankle injury.
It will be exciting to see how coach Jenkins does his rotations; he will likely give minutes to all active players. Players needing to prove to Coach Jenkins that they are deserving of rotational time in the regular season will be Scotty Pippen Jr., Yuki Kawamura, and John Konchar.
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