Grizzlies Scotty Pippen Jr., Desmond Bane value in Ja Morant’s absence

On December 22, 2024By Littum

One of the biggest preseason questions for the Memphis Grizzlies is being answered emphatically with each passing game.

Can they win without Ja Morant?

Last season was the Grizzlies’ first without Tyus Jones as their backup point guard since Morant and coach Taylor Jenkins joined the team in 2019. One of the takeaways from that 27-win season was how formidable Memphis looked in the nine games Morant played – and how awful it looked when he didn’t.

Marcus Smart was brought in before last season to help with the transition in point guard depth, but injuries have limited his impact.

Smart injured his right index finger in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against the Hawks in Atlanta. The Grizzlies were already without Morant, who sat out with back soreness. Still, their absence didn’t cost Memphis, who led wire-to-wire in the 128-112 victory.

The Grizzlies (20-9) haven’t had Morant in 12 games this season. Smart has missed 11. But questions about point guard depth have ended with Scotty Pippen Jr.’s steady play and Desmond Bane’s versatility.

Pippen finished Saturday’s game at State Farm Arena with 22 points and nine assists. Bane led the Grizzlies with 23 points and had eight assists.

The team is 8-4 this season without Morant and 9-2 when Smart is inactive.

Both players are valuable members of the Grizzlies, but depth is why they are able to remain second in the Western Conference standings.

Scotty Pippen Jr. answers the call

Pippen serves as an effective relief pitcher this season. When he gets the call, he keeps the offense going. He entered Saturday averaging 14.3 points and 5.9 assists in starts this season. He easily surpassed that, making three of his four 3-point attempts.

The numbers show this season that Pippen is playing better with more minutes. His field goal and 3-point percentage are both better as a starter than when he comes off the bench.

Morant stayed home during the Grizzlies’ one-game trip to Atlanta; their next game is Monday (7 p.m. CT, FanDuel Sports Network) against the Los Angeles Clippers at FedExForum. More will be learned about Morant’s status when the team returns, but having Pippen step in and play solid basketball has been a revelation.

Desmond Bane ends mini-slump

Any talk of Bane being in a shooting slump should officially cease. The Grizzlies’ shooting guard has repeatedly said he wasn’t concerned about his recent offensive struggles, and the past two games have shown why.

Bane made four of his eight 3-point attempts against Atlanta, and he shot 7-for-12 overall. The game before that, against the Golden State Warriors, he shot 6-for-9 overall, including three 3-pointers.

His playmaking continues to be fantastic, which is even more important without Morant and Smart. Bane now has four consecutive games with at least seven assists.

Damichael Cole is the one Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.