No, yes Morant? No problem. The Memphis Grizzlies' depth shined against the Wizards

Ja Morant and Desmond Bane sat on the bench at Capital One Arena a day after leading the Memphis Grizzlies to arguably their best win of the season.

This time the star backcourt didn’t fit. Despite both players being sidelined, there was little doubt heading into Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards.

The Grizzlies won their third straight game with a 140-112 victory that showcased the prowess expected from this team.

No Morant? No problem – Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 14 points and 12 assists. He now has six games with double-digit points and assists this season, tied for the team lead with Morant.

No curse? Marcus Smart joined the starting group and had an efficient night, finishing with 13 points and making three of his six 3-point attempts.

It wasn’t just the replacement starters who came forward. Memphis scored a season-high 76 points as a substitute.

Washington (3-19) is one of the worst teams in the league, but Memphis did what a good team should do in these situations. There were only two leadership changes. Memphis led by as many as 35 points.

Santi Aldama leads the bench

Don’t look now, but if there’s one leader for this Grizzlies second unit, it’s Santi Aldama. He makes a strong case for one of the NBA’s top Sixth Man of the Year candidates early in the season. Aldama continued to score, rebound and pass at a high level as he had done all season. He finished the game with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists

What made Aldama stand out on Sunday was his defense. He managed three blocks and a steal in just 20 minutes.

Cam Spencer is making an NBA impact

Cam Spencer’s preseason ankle injury is now well behind him. Spencer logged some good minutes in the G League last week, and that time appeared to be beneficial on Sunday.

Spencer seemed calm and ready when his number was called. After 25 minutes played, he led all reserves. During that time, Spencer had 14 points, five assists and made two 3-pointers.

Known as a knockdown shooter, Spencer’s development in other areas of his game will be crucial to how much he plays. He showed playmaking ability and tenacity in Sunday’s win.

Time to rest!

Only the Orlando Magic have played more games than the Grizzlies. Now Memphis has four days off until its next game on Friday, December 13th against the Brooklyn Nets.

The Grizzlies will practice during this time. For the team, which has won nine of its last ten victories, it is important to do its best to maintain rhythm.

The break comes at the right time. Memphis is recovering, but Morant (back) and Bane (left toe) both missed Sunday’s game because of soreness. Rookie center Zach Edey is also being monitored after his return was delayed.

Memphis goes into its short break as number 2 in the Western Conference.

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.

Breaking News

Dellupodisabato

No, yes Morant? No problem. The Memphis Grizzlies’ depth shined against the Wizards

Leave a Reply Cancel reply