Memphis Grizzlies Game Notes
Memphis Grizzlies (53-23) vs San Antonio Spurs (31-44) TONIGHT LIVE ON 92.9 FM ESPN
March 30, 2022
7:30 p.m. CT
AT&T Center
BSSE
92.9 FM ESPN
Bear Necessities
· The Grizzlies, winners of five straight, will have the opportunity to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs with a win over the San Antonio Spurs… This season will mark the highest seed ever secured in franchise history.
· Memphis could clinch the Southwest Division with either a Dallas loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday or a win over San Antonio… This would mark the first division title in franchise history.
· The Grizzlies are 30 games above .500 for the second time in franchise history… The only other instance came when Memphis finished the 2012-13 season with a single-season franchise-best 56-26 record.
· Memphis is coming off a sweep of its four-game home stand, winning each game by an average of 23.8 points.
· The Grizzlies have won five straight over the Spurs, their longest winning streak ever in the overall series.
· Memphis has clinched a winning record in five consecutive months (combining October/November)… The only other seasons in which the Grizzlies have accomplished this feat are the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons.
· The Grizzlies have scored 120+ points in eight of their last nine games, including the last five, which is the second-longest streak in franchise history (behind a six-game streak last month from Feb. 2-15, 2022)… The Grizzlies lead the NBA averaging 115.4 points per game.
· Jaren Jackson Jr.
needs three more blocks to set the single-season franchise record, currently held by Pau Gasol (169 in 2001-02)… One of the DPOY frontrunners, Jackson Jr. leads the NBA in total blocks and blocks per game (2.26).
· Memphis’ bench is outscoring opponents’ second units by +15.4 points during its five-game winning streak.
· De’Anthony Melton is averaging 20.6 points (36-60 FG, 26-43 3P) in 22.2 minutes in his last five games… Melton has made 5+ 3-pointers in four straight games and 4+ 3-pointers in his last five games… Both of those streaks are franchise records.
· Memphis’ 25 road wins are a single-season franchise record.
· The Grizzlies have secured four consecutive calendar months in which they have lost four or fewer games… This is the first time in franchise history that the team has accomplished this feat.
Individual Milestones
Jaren Jackson Jr. needs three blocks to pass Pau Gasol (169 in 2001-02) for the single-season franchise record. Desmond Bane is on pace to set a new single-season franchise record for free throw percentage (.896)… The current mark is held by O.J. Mayo (.879 in 2008-09).
Series Records and Current Streaks vs. Opponent (Regular Season)
Overall: 31-74 (Won 5) Road: 12-40 (Won 3) Last Win: 2/28/22 Last Road Win: 1/26/22
Connections
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins spent six seasons (2007-13) with the Spurs organization, joining the basketball operations department in 2007… Jenkins spent four seasons (2008-12) as an assistant coach with the NBA G League’s Austin Toros (now Spurs) before serving one season (2012-13) as the Toros’ head coach and guiding the team to the NBA G League Playoffs… Grizzlies assistant coach Brad Jones was the Toros’ head coach for two seasons (2010-12) before Jenkins’ tenure… Grizzlies assistant coach David McClure played for the Toros for one season (2009-10) before continuing his professional career in Lithuania… Grizzlies assistant coach Blake Ahearn played three games for the San Antonio Spurs and six games for the NBA G League’s Austin Toros during the 2008-09 season. Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson was selected by San Antonio with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft… Anderson appeared in 257 games (100 starts) over four seasons (2014-18) with the Spurs and averaged 4.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 17.9 minutes. Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones is the older brother of Spurs guard Tre Jones.




