There’s trouble brewing in the first few weeks of the NBA season for the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies, who play host to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night in an NBA Cup game, have lost four straight and their top two players — All-Stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. — are struggling in new coach Tuomas Iisalo’s system.
In Wednesday’s 124-109 loss to the Houston Rockets, Jackson, averaging 17 points per game, attempted only one shot in the opening half and six in total. He finished the game with nine points in 29 minutes.
The story was similar in Monday’s home loss to the Detroit Pistons. Jackson attempted only three shots in the first half.
Jackson’s number of field-goal attempts per game (11.7) is at its lowest point since 2020-21. Jackson averaged more than 22 points in each of the past two seasons.
Jackson doesn’t place the blame on Iisalo’s system. He said he’s got to take responsibility.
“You just got to be aggressive,” Jackson said. “You just got to be in attack mode.”
Iisalo said the Grizzlies need to be more persistent getting the ball to Jackson. His teammates have been reluctant to go back to him if there’s solid defensive pressure on the first try. Iisalo is convinced Jackson’s shot attempts and offensive production will increase soon.
“Maybe there’s a moment of being discouraged of not getting the ball there, and we got to get over that and look to get the ball in his hands more,” Iisalo said.
Morant, suspended for Sunday’s game at Toronto for postgame comments directed at the Memphis coaching staff, has had a frustrating time getting into an offensive flow. Morant made 11 of 35 field goals in the past two games and only one of 11 3-point tries.
The team’s struggles from deep haven’t been limited to Morant. Memphis ranks 25th in the league in 3-point percentage.
Dallas is having its problems too. Minus the injured Kyrie Irving (knee) for the long run and Anthony Davis (calf) in the short team, the Mavericks have lost three straight and are 2-6 overall.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd attempted to shake things up by moving veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson to the second unit in Wednesday’s 101-99 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Thompson came off the bench for the first time as a Maverick and finished with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes.
“I talked to Klay and said this isn’t a permanent thing, but can you come off the bench?” Kidd said. “And he was good with it. I thought him coming off the bench gave us a spark. That first group, for whatever reason, was a little tight. Everyone was trying to play perfect.”
Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall draft pick this summer, had one of his better outings. He finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
“I thought I just played natural,” Flagg said. “I’ve got to keep working on moving the ball and attacking mismatches.
“But no one’s happy (with the rough start). I wouldn’t say anybody’s happy. Everyone’s trying to stay level-headed. It’s not fun to keep losing games.”
