Unbeaten With Ja Morant, Grizzlies Coach Addresses All-Star PG’s Only Weakness Ahead of Clippers Clash

Ahead of the Clippers vs Grizzlies matchup, Taylor Jenkins talked about the one glaring weakness of their star guard, Ja Morant. The one aspect that all the other teams have also capitalized on – poor defense. It’s obvious that LA will take advantage of this, especially seeing that Memphis is continuing their unbeaten record (except for the last Nuggets game) since Morant’s return.

The opponents go through the Grizzlies’ All-Star in every possession, intentionally, due to his weak defense. While Jenkins mentions how he has become better since his return, there is still a lot to be done. The Athletic‘s Murray reports that the team’s defense is “2nd in fewest points allowed in paint, 5th in opp. TO%. “

But on the flip side, the replacement guards of Memphis play elite defense. With Marcus Smart also back and Desmond Bane, the backcourt is well-defended when Ja is absent. While Morant might have a defensive weakness, the Grizzlies currently rank 10th in defensive rating (113.4) in the league.

But their offensive rating is still a cause for concern.

How Ja Morant has been key to the Grizzlies’ stagnating offense

The Memphis Grizzlies hold a sad 30th position in the offensive rating this season. Although much of it has been alluded to Morant’s 25-game suspension and Smart still finding his footing, the Volunteer State’s struggles were all too real. Now that their star guard is back, the Grizzlies are looking to get a spot in the playoffs.

Read More: “Heart and Soul” Ja Morant Gets Hailed for Rejuvenating the “Trash” Grizzlies: “He’s the Definition of an MVP”

No one will question Ja Morant’s skills as a passer and slasher in the NBA. That in itself is enough to cross the fine line of downright degradation on the offense for Memphis. Morant’s commanding presence in the paint is hard to ignore. So much so that the opposing team’s defense has no choice but to turn their attention to him.

His efficiency can be seen in the 2021-22 season when he led the league in paint scoring with 16.6 ppg. This brought him the honor of being the first guard to take the lead in more than a decade. Another aspect that Memphis has sorely been lacking in was assists per game.

Currently ranking 27th with 24.1 assists per game, this was a franchise that usually featured in the top 10 during Morant’s larger-than-life presence in the past seasons. Before Ja returned, the assists rate was at 23.8. So we can already see the difference.

While the suspension wasn’t in any way a favorable aspect for the Grizzlies, it did serve to improve Ja Morant’s skills. Hopefully, he will continue to improve them and we will see that in the playoffs.

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