The Memphis Grizzlies have dealt with many adversaries this season. Still, they have been one of the most consistent teams in the Association. The Grizzlies have been without Ja Morant (hamstring) since March 14 and received devasting news yesterday when Brandon Clarke‘s season came to a sudden conclusion.
How Does Losing Veteran Forward For The Season Affect Grizzlies Postseason Prospectives & Who Will Replace Him Rotation
On Saturday, Memphis announced that Clarke suffered a high-grade PCL sprain in his right knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Clarke, an important part of coach Taylor Jenkins’s rotation, was injured after five minutes on the court in the Grizzlies 115-99 loss to Portland.
Clarke was having his typical solid season before the injury and was actually set to a personal-high in games. The 28-year-old is a physical defender with a high motor and is fantastic around the rim. He can play all three frontcourt positions and finish through contact. However, his best attributes are his defense and rebounding.
Clarke averaged 8.3 points on 62.1% shooting from the field, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 18.4 minutes over 64 games. Clarke, who started 16 contests, scored in double-figures 27 times and produced four double-doubles. He also registered a +2.8 plus/minus rating.
Memphis was 40-24 in Clarke’s games this year, including 13-5 in his starts. While Clarke was only on the court for 35% of the Grizzlies’ minutes, including the seven games he did not play, the Grizzlies were better when the 6-8 forward was on the court than off.
Not surprisingly, Clarke’s biggest impact was on the defensive end. The Grizzlies were 1.3 points better offensively with Clark on the court compared to 4.2 points better defensively. Overall, the Grizzlies were +8.7 points more than their opponents when Clark was in the game while just +3.3 when he sat.
Memphis Has Had A Nice Bounce Back Season
One year after Memphis was one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA, posting 27 wins—their lowest total since 2017-18 when they won 22 games—the Grizzlies are in a good position to make the Western Conference playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. The Grizzlies are 43-28 on the campaign and in fifth place in the conference, half a game behind the Los Angeles Lakers and two games within the second-place Houston Rockets.
Memphis has lost three straight and 12 of 20 since trading Marcus Smart to Washington at the trade deadline. The Grizzlies’ 8-12 record during this stretch ties them with Toronto and Dallas for the eighth-worst record. They have been outscored by an average of 2.8 points a game.
Memphis’s biggest issue over these last 20 contests has been the Grizzlies’ offense. Since the trade deadline, the Grizzlies have averaged 118 points, four points fewer than their season average of 122 (second in the NBA). The Grizzlies have averaged 118 points and are 1-6 in the games Morant has sat out over these last 20 games.
Rebounding has also been an issue for Memphis lately. Memphis is the third-best rebounding team in the league, as the Grizzlies are the No.2 offensive rebounding squad. The Grizzlies outrebound their opponents by 3.9 boards a game.
But over the last 20 games, Memphis’s advantage on the glass is just 1.6 rebounds a game. As a result, the Grizzlies opponents are producing 15.4 second-chance points. However, the bigger problem is that Memphis is garnering 15.4 second-chance points, which is 1.2 points fewer than its season average.
How Will Replace the Grizzlies Replace Brandon Clarke?
The good news for Memphis is that the Grizzlies are one of the NBA’s deepest teams and have the second-best bench in the league. The Grizzlies are well balanced offensively, with five players averaging double-figures and 11 producing at least seven points. The Grizzlies frontcourt is in the top 10ish in the league. But the unit has struggled mightily since the all-star break, falling to 25th in the league in efficiency.
Memphis has started 11 different players since the trade deadline. Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey, Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama, GG Jackson, and Jay Huff are among the players who started games in the frontcourt over the last 20 games. Clarke had seen the 10th most minutes overall during this stretch.
Taylor doesn’t seem to have a set rotation. Obviously, some of it will depend on Morant’s status. Morant doesn’t have a set timetable for his return, so it is likely he will miss his fifth straight game when the Grizzlies visit Utah on Tuesday.
In Memphis’ 128-108 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Luke Kennard saw almost 30 minutes off the bench — his third-most as a reserve this season. Expect Kennard to continue to be the Grizzlies’ sixth man with Morant out and as long as Scotty Pippen Jr. starts at point.
Taylor Jenkins’ Options
Edey, who only saw 16 minutes off the bench against the Clippers, or Aldama will be the first big off the bench,h depending on which player starts. Edey averages 22 minutes off the bench in nine games.
In Clarke’s six absences this season, Edey has averaged 23 minutes a game, while Aldama has seen close to 29 minutes a contest. So. expect Aldama to see around 30 minutes going forward.
Jay Huff could also see a slight increase in playing time. But Huff and Edey have not been paired together, and for good reason, as they are similar players.
Jackson has seen around 23 minutes in three appearances when Clarke missed games, when active, and Marvin Bagley III are more likely to see an uptick in playing time. When Clarke has been sidelined, Jackson has seen around 23 minutes a game in three appearances, and Bagley has averaged 11 minutes a game in two appearances.
Last Word
Memphis has played well throughout the season, but the Grizzlies are in a bit of a tailspin. Getting Morant back is key, but the Grizzlies have the the eighth toughest schedule. Of the 11 games that the Grizzlies have left, five are against the top 10 teams in the league. The Grizzlies travel to OKC and Denver. They also host Boston, the Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota.
So, unless Memphis digs in and fixes its defensive issues, it is in jeopardy of falling out of the top six. The Grizzlies are two and one-half games clear of seventh-place Minnesota. The Griz continue their four-game road trip tomorrow in Utah. Six of their 11 remaining games are away from the FedEx Center; they are 18-17 on the road this season.
Photo Credit: © Troy Wayrynen. Imagn Images
