The Memphis Grizzlies’ recent struggles have drawn attention to their defensive shortcomings, even more than their offensive adjustments following head coach Taylor Jenkins’ dismissal last week.
As The Athletic’s William Guillory noted, while much of the conversation has focused on changes to the offensive system and efforts to reverse them, it’s the team’s drop in defensive performance that’s been more alarming.
The Grizzlies were lit up for 134 points by the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, highlighting just how far the defense has slipped. Before the All-Star break, Memphis boasted the NBA’s seventh-best defensive rating.
Since then, they’ve fallen to 20th in that category – a sharp decline for a team that has long relied on defense as its identity.
Thursday’s win over the Miami Heat saw some improvement on that end, but the broader trend remains concerning.
While star defender and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr. missed five games due to an ankle injury during that span, his presence hasn’t fully corrected the slide.
Since returning, Jackson has posted a defensive rating of 115.2, a significant drop from his 106.4 rating before the break.
Grizzlies Notes: Defense, Jackson, Iisalo, Aldama, Morant https://t.co/Gbqw4155Dm pic.twitter.com/eCpxt6IJJd
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) April 5, 2025
