The Memphis Grizzlies are continuing to distance themselves from last season’s challenges, recording their third straight win with a 124-104 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday, November 9, at FedExForum. Despite being without star guard Ja Morant, the Grizzlies looked strong as head coach Taylor Jenkins returned to the sideline following his family leave.
No Ja, no problem. Jaren Jackson Jr. took control on offense, finishing with a season-high 39 points and 6 rebounds in just 28 minutes. Jackson’s standout performance helped Memphis secure its first three-game winning streak since last season.
Reflecting on Jackson’s progress, Jenkins commented, “I mean, heck of a game from Trip [Jaren Jackson Jr.] tonight. Obviously, just the opportunity to be a primary playmaker, you know, diversify his game, there were a couple pick-and-rolls stuck in there by his teammates, but just playing on the perimeter, playing out of the post, just getting that gravitational pull and still being able to finish.”
The game wasn’t short on highlights, either. Luke Kennard delivered an impressive 20-foot bounce pass to Santi Aldama, who finished with a dunk. Moments later, Kennard lobbed a precise alley-oop to Aldama, energizing the crowd early. The Grizzlies jumped to an 18-point lead in the first quarter, 34-16, before the Wizards answered with an 8-0 run to close the quarter at 34-24.
Jackson continued to dominate in the second quarter, adding 12 points, while rookie Jaylen Wells contributed 6 points to maintain the Grizzlies’ momentum. Memphis carried a comfortable 66-49 lead into halftime, which Washington couldn’t overcome.
Memphis improved to 6-4 on the season, with seven players scoring in double digits. Scotty Pippen Jr. recorded his first career triple-double, finishing with 11 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. Jay Huff added 12 points, 4 blocks, and 4 rebounds, as Memphis achieved a season-high 10 blocked shots.
On the team’s collaborative offensive effort, Huff said, “Yeah. I mean, most of the assists came from Scottie Pippen Jr. Props to him for his first triple-double. But when we play that way, both offensively and defensively, we set the tone early. It makes it hard for a team to deal with us.”
Pippen added, “Ja [Morant] had said something to me – he said I was two away. I don’t know if he meant rebounds, assists or what it was. I was trying to feed Jaren to get the last two assists, and he started missing. I knew I was going to be coming out of the game soon because he was up, so I was just trying to get my teammates together.”
The game also highlighted four standout rookies, each a candidate for NBA Rookie of the Year. Wizards rookies Kyshawn George and Alexandre Sarr, who were selected 24th and 2nd overall, respectively, showed promise, with George finishing with 17 points and 6 rebounds and Sarr contributing 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. For Memphis, Wells (the 39th pick) scored 11 points, while Edey (the 9th pick) posted 14 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. All four could make appearances in the Rising Stars game at the upcoming All-Star weekend.
The Grizzlies now head out on a three-game road trip, starting with a game against Portland, followed by a rematch with the Los Angeles Lakers and a matchup with the Golden State Warriors on Friday, November 15, as part of the NBA In-Season Tournament. Memphis returns to FedExForum on Sunday, November 17, to host the Denver Nuggets.
