DALLAS – The statement was all of two words.
Having just swept a four-game homestand to extend the Western Conference’s longest current winning streak powered by the NBA’s most prolific offense, count veteran guard Marcus Smart among those confident the Grizzlies are finding their groove.
So, what message does six straight victories while piling up more than 120 points and 30 assists a game send to others throughout the league?
“We’re coming,” Smart succinctly vowed.
Perhaps the most impactful thing about those two words is what they imply for a Memphis team that has gained tremendous momentum the past two weeks.
Despite their recent run of performances that have shot them up the West standings, the Grizzlies (14-7) have still yet to flex their full potential this season. And that’s equally encouraging for Memphis and a scary scenario for the competition when considering:
-Superstar point guard Ja Morant has missed half the games with injuries.
-Sharpshooters Desmond Bane and Luke Kennard have yet to gain their normal rhythm.
-The projected starting lineup entering the season has opened just two of 21 games.
Indeed, the Grizzlies have yet to truly arrive this season. However, their progress over the first quarter of the NBA’s schedule is delivering elite-level results. The Grizzlies opened December leading the NBA in assists (30.7) and points in the paint (59.2), while ranking second in scoring (121.7) and bench production (48.5).
Establishing their fast-pace, high-scoring, 3-point heavy offense hasn’t detracted from coach Taylor Jenkins’ mission to remain one of the league’s dominant defensive teams. Memphis entered the week as the lone NBA team ranked top six in both offensive and defensive rating. That is fueled by leading the league in blocks (7.2) and sitting third in rebounding (47.9).
Those metrics are the byproducts of a team still largely figuring things out on the fly.
“We’ve talked with the team after 20 or so games, about where there’s still some low-hanging fruit – where we’ve got to get better with some consistency,” Jenkins assessed. “We’ve trended in a really good direction. Defensively, we’ve done a much better job in areas we were really struggling earlier. There’s always something we’ve got to get better at after the first 20 games. We definitely dive into the analytics knowing things will rise to the surface for us to tackle over these next 20 games.”
The Grizzlies relied on depth and balance to emerge from a sluggish start that included early home losses to the Bulls and Nets. But since a 4-4 start, Memphis caught a stride and has won 10 of their last 13 games to surge to third place in the West standings.
Jenkins’ rotations have been fluid and frontline starters haven’t had to carry high-usage workloads as much as in previous seasons. The Grizzlies have eight players averaging between 10 points and 22.4 points per game, while no player is logging more than 28.4 minutes a night.
The durability of the supporting cast and bench have been key, with Santi Aldama, Jaylen Wells, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jay Huff having each played in all 21 games. Leading scorer Jaren Jackson Jr. has played in each of the past 19 games since recovering from a preseason hamstring injury. Chemistry and continuity have allowed the Grizzlies to reach a higher gear on both ends.
Morant is off to the most efficient offensive start of his career while averaging a career-high 9.1 assists. He’s one of seven Grizzlies players contributing more than three assists per game.
“It’s definitely a plus for us to have multiple guys able to affect the game,” Morant said of sharing the load. “We obviously have a lot of weight that, as leaders, me, Des and Jaren carry. But our teammates are just as important. We all want to make sure they stay confident and aggressive. When they are, we feel like we’re one of the best out there. And as you can see, they’ve all been helping us win basketball games.”
Those victories have come by way of the Grizzlies taking advantage of a home-heavy early schedule. They feasted during the holiday homestand on the Blazers, Pistons, Pelicans and Pacers – all teams that came in with losing records.
The slate stiffens significantly the rest of December. Tuesday’s visit to face the defending Western Conference champion Mavericks opens a stretch in which the Grizzlies play eight of 13 on the road. That span includes matchups against the solid Celtics, Clippers, Warriors and Suns.
The goal is to build on recent momentum as the Grizzlies lock in their formula for success. They’ve tallied at least 120 points and 30 assists while winning by double figures in five consecutive games, a feat accomplished by only three other teams in NBA history.
“We’re finding our footing, figuring it out,” Smart assured. “It’s starting to click, and that’s our main focus. What make this team so special is we can win in different ways. We’ve had different guys in different lineups, different roles and everybody contributes to the best of their ability.”
The Grizzlies have not yet put all the pieces together along their journey to peak contention. But they’re headed in the right direction with a quarter of the season behind them.
No, they haven’t arrived.
But, as Smart insists, take notice.
They’re coming.