Searching for answers before postseason play, the Memphis Grizzlies made the surprising move of firing coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games left in the regular season.
The Grizzlies will reportedly tap assistant Tuomas Iisalo as their interim head coach as they open a three-game homestand Saturday with a crucial tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Memphis (44-29), tied with the Lakers for fourth in the Western Conference, has dropped four of its last five games and five of seven. After posting a dominant 140-103 road win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, Memphis had no answers for the league-best Oklahoma City Thunder and probable MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Thursday’s 125-104 defeat.
On the final night of a 1-4 road trip, the Grizzlies were on the wrong end of a 34-15 fourth-quarter margin. Jenkins, in what turned out to be his final comments as the team’s coach, said he wasn’t dissuaded by the effort.
“I loved the fight from my group,” Jenkins said postgame. “It was very encouraging. Obviously the fourth quarter will be everyone’s natural takeaway, but what we did for the first three and change was awesome. Overall it was encouraging, especially at the tail end of a long road trip.”
The Grizzlies proceeded to make the coaching change Friday. ESPN reported that the team felt Jenkins had “lost the locker room.”
Memphis’ franchise player Ja Morant hasn’t played since March 14 as he deals with a left hamstring strain. Without Morant’s 22.3 points and 7.4 assists per game, Jaren Jackson Jr. has been asked to shoulder the offensive load, leading the team with 22.4 ppg. Morant, who’s only played in 43 games this season after notching just nine games a season ago, is deemed questionable for Saturday night.
In a whirlwind of a two-night stretch, Los Angeles (44-29) picked up a 120-119 win on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers thanks to LeBron James’ buzzer-beating putback, before losing in the same fashion on Thursday, with Chicago’s Josh Giddey connecting on a halfcourt shot as time expired to down the Lakers, 119-117.
Austin Reaves’ game-high 30th point came on a layup with three seconds remaining in regulation, seemingly giving Los Angeles its second straight last-second win, before Giddey’s miracle heave sent the Lakers to their fourth loss in five games.
“Devastation. It’s a hell of a way to lose a basketball game,” Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick said. “There are games like that happen like that to every team throughout the year. … We’re not in a position to feel sorry for ourselves.”
Los Angeles has received continual contributions from Austin Reaves, who’s in the midst of a career year. In his fourth NBA season, Reaves is averaging a career-high 19.9 points and 5.9 assists, including a 23.6 ppg clip in March.
Luka Doncic has averaged 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists per contest in 20 games with the Lakers, while James adds 24.5 ppg, 8.5 apg and 8.2 rpg.
Memphis has dropped two of three against the Lakers this season.
