Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernandez had different feelings about how their teams played over the weekend.
Jenkins was happy with the Grizzlies after they showed strong performances in their win against the Philadelphia 76ers. In contrast, Fernandez was unhappy with several aspects of the Nets’ fourth loss of the season.
As the Grizzlies try to earn a third straight win, the Nets look to bounce back from a tough game when the two teams meet in Brooklyn on Monday for the second time in less than a week.
The Nets won 119-106 in Memphis on Wednesday, but since then, the Grizzlies have shown their best defensive efforts despite missing Desmond Bane (oblique) and Marcus Smart (ankle).
Memphis had a 122-99 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks the night after losing to the Nets, followed by a 124-107 win over Philadelphia on Saturday.
The Grizzlies led by as much as 25 points and outscored the 76ers 70-34 in the paint. They also achieved a season-best shooting percentage of 55.2.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points just four nights after scoring 30 against the Nets. Jay Huff added 20 points, and Ja Morant contributed 18 points and 12 assists, marking his fifth double-double this season.
“Having contributions up and down the roster, whether it’s double-doubles or not, just guys filling the stat sheet and the winning plays,” Jenkins said. “It’s not about scoring, it’s about the rebounds, the steals, the blocked shots, the assists.
That’s the stuff that I’m focused on, and it was a great road win, and we just got to continue to build on it.”
The Nets had few positives in their 106-92 loss at home to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. Coach Jordi Fernandez saw his team allow the Pistons to shoot 68.8 percent in the paint and be outrebounded 47-27.
This was the fifth time the Nets have been outrebounded this season, but in the past four times, the difference was no more than four rebounds.
In addition to the rebounding problems, the Nets scored their fewest points of the season, averaging 118.3 in their first six games. They shot 45.1 percent but only managed 29 percent (9-of-31) from three-point range and set a season low by making 19 of 31 free throws, which is 61.3 percent.
“This is a game that we all have to look ourselves in the mirror, watch film. I’m going to help with ‘don’t do this again,’” Fernandez said after his team was outscored 54-35 in the second half. “Thirty-one threes to 20 mid-range shots is pretty awful. So we just don’t want to do that.”
Cameron Johnson led the Nets with a season-high 26 points but scored 22 of those in the first half. Cam Thomas finished with 17 points, shooting 6 of 17 after averaging 28.2 points in the first six games.
The Nets will try to bounce back from their tough game with a different lineup. Ben Simmons is unlikely to play in the second game of the back-to-back after having back surgery in March.
Nic Claxton, who missed the preseason due to a hamstring injury and has not yet started, might also be out for the second game after he missed 8 of 12 free throws on Sunday.
