The Memphis Grizzlies wrapped up their preseason with a home game against the Miami Heat at FedExForum. In a welcome sight for Grizzlies fans, both Ja Morant and Marcus Smart returned to the lineup. Morant had played in the preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks, while Smart missed the previous game due to knee soreness. However, the Grizzlies couldn’t overcome the Heat reserves, falling 114-109.
The Grizzlies finished the preseason 3-2, with all three wins coming on the road and both losses at home. The Heat left key players Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson in Miami, saving them for the regular season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. missed the entire preseason after suffering a hamstring injury during training camp in Nashville. Still, he is expected to be in the starting lineup when the Grizzlies open the season against the Utah Jazz.
Game Breakdown
Memphis trailed 28-24 after the first quarter, shooting just 34 percent from the field. However, their offense picked up in the second quarter, where they shot 68 percent and took a 62-60 lead into halftime. Desmond Bane scored 10 points in the second quarter, while Morant electrified the crowd with a highlight-reel alley-oop dunk off a Marcus Smart pass.
The Grizzlies maintained their momentum in the third quarter, shooting 57 percent from the field and extending their lead to 91-85 by quarter’s end. Santi Aldama contributed 8 points, while Brandon Clarke added 7. Memphis led by as many as 10 points during the period.
However, things fell apart in the fourth quarter when the Grizzlies’ regular rotation players sat out most of the final stretch. Miami’s reserves seized the opportunity, outscoring Memphis to seal the victory.
Player Performances
Miami was led by Josh Christopher with 17 points and 4 assists, while Kel’el Ware added 16 points and 7 rebounds. Nassir Little contributed 15 points, and the Heat drained 16 three-pointers while shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc.
For the Grizzlies, Aldama and Bane led the way with 19 points each. Morant flirted with a triple-double, posting 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Despite these efforts, Memphis struggled offensively, committing 23 turnovers in the game.
Morant, reflecting on being back in front of the home crowd, said, “Obviously, it is something I’ve been waiting on for a while, since the injury happened. [The fans] are what makes us go, so any chance we get to go out there and perform in front of them, we always try to do what we have to do to make them happy in there.”
On the team’s pace of play, Morant acknowledged that it’s still a work in progress: “It is going to take some time to get used to. Obviously, you have got to be well-conditioned, but that is what we’ve been working for. That’s what we got preseason for. Now is our time to get our legs under us, and we have four or five days until it’s go-time.”
Smart also shared his thoughts on the Grizzlies’ evolving offense: “We’re finding guys, just a lot of shots didn’t fall, but we’re making the right plays… We had some passes that were kind of iffy, or sometimes we got a little stagnant. We just got to clean it up.”
Rookie Development
Zach Edey continues to show growth each game. He finished with 27 points and 9 rebounds in the preseason win over Indiana, displaying a more impactful floor presence as the team ran more set plays for him in the post.
Jaylen Wells also showed promise, scoring 11 points against the Heat, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc. With Vince Williams and GG Jackson sidelined by injury, Wells could see more playing time early in the season.
Looking Ahead
The Grizzlies will kick off the regular season with two road games—against Utah on Wednesday, Oct. 26, and in Houston on Friday, Oct. 28. Their home opener at FedExForum will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28, against the Orlando Magic.
