A matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night started as a basketball game, but it ended as a chess match.
Memphis moved first. The Grizzlies made two unexpected starting lineup changes. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Santi Aldama joined the starting lineup in place of Luke Kennard and Zach Edey.
That starting group looked dominant, forcing the Clippers to make a change.
The Clippers adjusted by taking Kris Dunn out of the starting lineup at halftime and inserting the offensive-minded Bogdan Bogdanovic.
That changed ignited the L.A.’s offense and put Memphis in a bind. The Grizzlies struggled in the second half of a 128-108 loss against the Clippers.
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Memphis (43-28) has now lost its last three games and six straight against the Clippers (40-30).
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 23 points, but he only shot 9-for-24 from the field. Desmond Bane played through lower back soreness and finished with 10 points in 33 minutes.
New lineup shows promise
Memphis was without Ja Morant for the third consecutive game. The Grizzlies have started Luke Kennard and Desmond Bane as a backcourt tandem in recent games without Morant, but coach Taylor Jenkins turned to Scotty Pippen Jr. on Friday.
Pippen’s tenacious defense and ability to knock down shots have been positives this season. He showed those same traits against the Clippers. He finished with 15 points and five assists while making six of his nine shots.
Santi Aldama replaced Zach Edey in the starting lineup and showcased his ability as a floor spacer. Aldama added 16 points to go with five rebounds and seven assists.
If Morant misses more time, it will be intriguing to see if Jenkins take another look at this combination or goes back to Edey and Kennard.
Perimeter defensive issues rise again
Clippers coach Ty Lue forced Memphis to defend. The Grizzlies used Jackson as a roamer on Kris Dunn in the first half. Lue took away that option when he put Bogdanovic in the game.
Jackson then had to guard Kawhi Leonard, and there were no more easy matchups. The Clippers scored 36 points in the third quarter. As a result, their defense was able to get set and hold Memphis to 16 points in the third quarter.
Memphis has struggled in the second half of the season guarding on the perimeter. James Harden exploited those issues, finishing with 30 points and nine assists.
What’s next
This road trip has been a disaster for Memphis. The Grizzlies are 0-3 and making it harder on themselves to be in a preferable seeding position for the postseason.
Memphis will get three days off before its next game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. That will five the Grizzlies time to practice and make adjustments needed to correct the current issues.
The Grizzlies need practice time, and they need Morant to return before this season becomes a lost cause.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
