The Memphis Grizzlies are at a crossroads following a gut-wrenching 114-113 road loss to the New York Knicks, a defeat sealed by OG Anunoby’s buzzer-beating three-pointer off a Jalen Brunson assist. The post-NBA All-Star break stretch has been a mixed bag for Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ja Morant’s Grizzlies (38-21), who sit at a pivotal moment in their season. Unfortunately, Taylor Jenkins’ decision-making in the final seconds against the Knicks has sparked more hierarchical questions about the Grizzlies and their ability to close out tight games with Zach Edey on the court.
Ja Morant’s regrouping Memphis Grizzlies are re-examining post-NBA All-Star break priorities after Taylor Jenkins failed a big test against the Knicks. Zach Edey was in and out of the lineups, mostly out in big moments. Jenkins, not showing trust in the initial coverage call, decided to send Vince Williams Jr. as double-teaming defensive help on Brunson instead of sticking with Anunoby in the corner.
This one-point loss to New York comes after winning an overtime thriller (152-148) against the Phoenix Suns at home, a two-possession road loss (129-123) to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a one-point road win over the Orlando Magic (104-103). It’s been tough to build momentum yet Jenkins is pushing forward with the NBA Playoffs in mind. Despite the disappointing results, Jenkins remains optimistic about the team’s progress.
“It’s all about recouping the energy. Despite the results, I thought we progressively got better as the road trip went from Indiana, to Orlando, then Cleveland,” Jenkins stated. “We have a lot of great takeaways (post-NBA All-Star break) that we’ve got to continue to build on.”
The loss to the Knicks capped a five-game post-break slate that showcased both the Grizzlies’ potential and their inconsistencies. Memphis has alternated losses and wins as Jenkins experiments with the rotations.
“I just spoke about the rotations. We’ll figure that out as we go. There are definitely things we are thinking about big picture,” Jenkins allowed. “But we’ve got to live in the day-in, day-out, and what’s working for the group at the moment. Thinking big picture, it all starts with our foundational principles. How do we re-establish our pace? How do we identify our advantage creators and the variety of the ones we have?”
Answers are still being sorted as the Grizzlies beat only one team above .500 in February and Morant finally featured in six straight games. It was the All-Star’s first two-week on-court work stretch since the 2022-23 season. With Ja Morant back in peak form, Memphis has leaned into Zach Edey pick-and-roll actions while experimenting with their other off-ball cut, curl, and screen sequences.
“We’ve been playing the pick-and-roll a little bit more but also our cut-drive-fill and our screening actions,” Jenkins said. “We’ve got to get better in our screening actions for sure. Putting more work into that, which we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks. We were able to get some practice time with that break in the schedule.”
Jenkins’ postgame comments reveal a coach wrestling with both immediate fixes and long-term vision. The Knicks game underscored a recurring issue: defensive shifts and rebounding. Anunoby’s open look wasn’t just a product of the final play. It reflected broader struggles in transition defense and positional awareness that have plagued Memphis all season.
“There are possessions in the offense we’ve thrived in, but then it’s flipping the coin,” Jenkins lamented. “How are we better with our transition defense and the pace on the defensive side? Our shifts have been a struggle. Where do we want to funnel the ball? We’ve got to shore that up and be more consistent. You saw it the other night, we have a glaring weakness in rebounding. If that is going to be the demise of us, we cannot accept that. We have to be better. We have to own it and it’s got to be all five guys. That’s the stuff I care about.”
“We’ll figure out nuances as we get into matchups,” Jenkins added, “then ask if we add packages offensively or defensively but (the core principles) are going to determine our success.”
For Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmon Bane’s Grizzlies, the road ahead is about more than just wins and losses. It’s about establishing an identity built on defensive discipline, offensive execution, and relentless effort that will withstand NBA Playoffs-created pressures. The loss to the Knicks may have been a tough pill to swallow, but it has also provided a clear roadmap for improvement. As Taylor Jenkins regroups, the ability to address these challenges will determine whether Memphis can make noise in the postseason or fall short of their lofty NBA Finals aspirations.
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