Scotty Pippen Jr. and Desmond Bane show their worth in Ja Morant's absence

One of the biggest preseason questions for the Memphis Grizzlies is that it is being answered emphatically with each game that comes and goes.

Can the Grizzlies win without Ja Morant?

Last season was the first Grizzlies season without Tyus Jones as the backup point guard since Morant and coach Taylor Jenkins left for Memphis. One of the takeaways from that 27-win season was that Memphis looked impressive in the nine games Morant played, but the team looked terrible when he didn’t.

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

Memphis traveled to Atlanta on Saturday night without Morant, and Smart injured his right index finger in the second quarter. The absence of either player didn’t play a role in the Grizzlies’ 128-112 win over the Hawks.

The Grizzlies (20-9) have not had Morant in 12 games this season. Smart also missed 11. With the steady play of Scotty Pippen Jr. and the versatility of Desmond Bane, any questions about point guard depth have been put to rest.

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

Without Morant, Memphis is now 8-4 this season and remains 9-2 when Smart is inactive.

Both players are valuable members of the Grizzlies, but depth is the reason Memphis remains second in the Western Conference standings.

Scotty Pippen Jr. answers the call

Pippen has been operating like an effective bullpen pitcher for the Grizzlies this season. When he gets the call, he keeps the offense going.

Pippen entered Saturday averaging 14.3 points and 5.9 assists in starts this season. He easily surpassed those numbers, making three of his four 3-point attempts.

This season’s numbers show that Pippen plays better with more minutes. Both his field goal and three-point percentage are better as a starter than when he comes off the bench.

Morant stayed home during the Grizzlies’ one-game trip to Atlanta before playing the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network). More will be learned about Morant’s status when the team returns, but having Pippen step in and play solid basketball was a revelation.

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Scotty Pippen Jr. and Desmond Bane show their worth in Ja Morant’s absence

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