<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-hurting-after-dropping-out-nba-playoffs-picture-western-conference');   ga('set', 'title', 'Tuomas Iisalo’s Grizzlies ‘hurting’ after dropping out of NBA Playoffs picture');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Desmond-Bane-Grizzlies-slide.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Tuomas Iisalo’s Grizzlies ‘hurting’ after dropping out of NBA Playoffs picture</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-03T12:05:58-07:00">April 3rd, 12:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-03T12:08:17-07:00">April 3rd, 12:08pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Amid an 0-3 start to his NBA coaching career, Tuomas Iisalo finds himself thrust into the heart of an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-stephen-curry-leaves-tuomas-iisalo-ja-morant-shaking-heads-sight-to-behold">all shook up Memphis Grizzlies locker room</a> grappling with the sting of defeat and the weight of a franchise-altering decision. With just six games remaining in the regular season, the front office’s stunning move to replace Taylor Jenkins, the winningest coach in Grizzlies history, with a European-developed rookie lacking NBA head coaching experience has sent shockwaves through the league. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are being asked to shoulder heavier leadership burdens as the NBA Playoffs loom.</p><p>Regardless of the situation, keeping tabs on the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xIyIdAssbI&amp;pp=0gcJCb8Ag7Wk3p_U" rel="noopener"> pulse of the locker room</a> is one of a coach’s most difficult jobs. Unfortunately, Tuomas Iisalo steps into a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-nba-playoffs-guarantee-shows-unfazed-ugly-slide-down-standings-western-conference">high-stakes Grizzlies crucible with little margin for error</a>.</p><p>“You can sense they are hurting,” admitted Iisalo. “Everybody is hurting in that locker room. It hurts when you really put yourself out on the line and you come up a little bit short. That’s life. That’s sports. That’s natural growing pains. I don’t think it’s something you need to run from. The message to me is very clear. With this type of effort, intensity, and togetherness, we can achieve a lot. It’s just that the timeline is tight.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Warriors-Stephen-Curry-defends-Grizzlies-Ja-Morant.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Film study and the foundation in place will have to suffice for on-court stress testing usually done during the preseason. Thankfully, there is a lot to like about a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-refreshes-desmond-bane-ja-morant-two-man-game-amid-nba-playoffs-push-point-guard-duty">refreshed Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. trio</a> leading the way.</p><p>“There are now actually a lot of things that we can actually work on,” added Iisalo, “because the base seems very, very stable when you look at how we are playing overall when we do execute.”</p><p>However, Iisalo knows there is a limit to how much can be done over the next six games despite the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-desmond-bane-lebron-james-luka-doncic-meltdown-lakers-felt-familiar">Grizzlies having a few “basic” weaknesses</a> to address.</p><p>“Very hard to ask anything more of our guys. They are leaving it all on the floor,” Iisalo stressed. “On a back-to-back, to bring that type of competitiveness and camaraderie on the court, they are really doing everything right. They deserve a reward for it. Unfortunately for us, it was not in these first three games (with Iisalo in charge). Heading into (Miami), we will do everything we can in the meantime to make that happen.”</p><p>Golden State not only won the season series 3-1, but Curry’s 52-point performance pushed the Warriors (44-31) ahead of the Grizzlies (44-32) for fifth in the Western Conference standings. Tuomas Iisalo is now situated in eighth and NBA Play-In Tournament elimination game scenarios are more likely than hosting a Game Seven.</p><p>As for what realities have hit Iisalo the hardest now that he is sitting in the lead chair?</p><p>“The fact that we need to find a way to be a little bit better and find a way to win,” Iisalo stated. “We did not do a great job, apparently, of presenting the game plans or executing. Probably both, so we will do better next time. Overall, there are no moral winners in sports. It is a zero-sum game. We will do everything we can to rest after this very physically and emotionally tough stretch with the (three games in four days stretch) and everything that has been going on.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ja-Morant-Tuomas-Iisalo-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Next up is a three-game road gauntlet including the Miami Heat (35-41), Detroit Pistons (42-34), and Charlotte Hornets (19-57). Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. have been through a lot, but mostly with Taylor Jenkins. Now the trio face the challenge of coalescing around an unproven coach in a season teetering on the brink. Despite the losses, Tuomas Iisalo remains steadfast, acknowledging the pain while pointing to this team’s potential.</p><p>As the Grizzlies organization navigates this turbulent transition, the clock is ticking, and the question looms: can a rookie coach and a determined core turn the tide before the NBA Playoffs slip out of reach?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Tuomas Iisalo’s Grizzlies ‘hurting’ after dropping out of NBA Playoffs picture

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-buddy-hield-stern-warning-nba-gun-gestures');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ja Morant, Buddy Hield get stern warning from NBA after gun gestures');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ja-Morant-gun-gesture.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Ja Morant, Buddy Hield get stern warning from NBA after gun gestures</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-03T08:34:16-07:00">April 3rd, 8:34am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-03T08:49:39-07:00">April 3rd, 8:49am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Golden State Warriors</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1907815439175913629" rel="noopener">NBA has issued warnings</a>, no suspensions or fines, to Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Buddy Hield after both players made inappropriate gun gestures towards one another in Tuesday’s game between the two teams, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-buddy-hield-in-nba-probe-of-ja-morant-finger-guns-gesture">Upon reviewing what occurred in the game</a>, the league decided that these celebrations were not intended to be “violent in nature,” but inappropriate and unnecessary. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has made it a point of emphasis in recent years for players to try and cut down on any in-game celebrations simulating the use of a firearm.</p><p>This incident between Morant and Hield happened with 20.1 seconds remaining in the game on Tuesday night in Memphis.</p><p>As Morant walked towards the opposite end of the court and the Grizzlies’ bench, he simulated pointing a gun at Hield and the Warriors’ bench with his left arm fully extended. Double technical fouls were assessed to Hield and Morant by the officials and the game concluded with no further issues.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ja Morant appeared to make gun gestures towards the Golden State bench after the Grizzlies’ loss to the Warriors 👀😬</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)</p><p> <a href="https://t.co/bBk746e6fX">pic.twitter.com/bBk746e6fX</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1907264127958991022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>In the immediate aftermath of the Warriors defeating the Grizzlies 134-125, Silver and the league office were made aware of Hield and Morant appearing to make gun gestures towards one another after a timeout was called on the court. <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1907491441065992335" rel="noopener">Silver was “very displeased”</a> to learn this had occurred, especially considering Morant’s past with being suspended due to his possession of a firearm, league sources told ClutchPoints.</p><p>Morant was first suspended after appearing to flash a gun in a livestream on Instagram in March 2023 while partying at a nightclub in Denver. That indefinite suspension from the league and team lasted eight games. The superstar guard was then <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/ja-morant-speaks-on-suspension-ahead-of-return-2023" rel="noopener">suspended for the first 25 games</a> of the 2023-24 season for conduct detrimental to the league after again flashing a gun on a livestream video in May 2023.</p><p>Upon returning from this 25-game suspension, Morant played just nine games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery.</p><p>Morant has played 46 games this season, averaging 22.7 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the floor. The Grizzlies, who recently fired head coach Taylor Jenkins, are currently 44-32 and have lost seven of their last eight games.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ja Morant, Buddy Hield get stern warning from NBA after gun gestures

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-zach-edey-stamp-approval-tuomas-iisalo-after-taylor-jenkins-slight');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Zach Edey gets stamp of approval from Tuomas Iisalo after Taylor Jenkins slight');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zach-Edey-gets-stamp-of-approval-from-Tuomas-Iisalo-after-Taylor-Jenkins-slight.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Zach Edey gets stamp of approval from Tuomas Iisalo after Taylor Jenkins slight</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T20:02:23-07:00">April 2nd, 8:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T20:02:23-07:00">April 2nd, 8:02pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-refreshes-desmond-bane-ja-morant-two-man-game-amid-nba-playoffs-push-point-guard-duty">Memphis Grizzlies needed a refresh</a> after falling down the Western Conference standings in their own wayward version of March Madness. Now <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-accepts-blames-credits-desmond-bane-will-to-win">Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are balancing the ball-handling duties</a> more equitably of late, leaving Jaren Jackson Jr. to do what the Defensive Player of the Year does best. Tuomas Iisalo, who took over the reins after former coach Taylor Jenkins was let go, didn’t mince words when discussing Zach Edey’s impact either.</p><p>The rookie big man, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xIyIdAssbI" rel="noopener">often underutilized or overlooked</a> during Jenkins’ tenure, has emerged as a key piece for a Grizzlies team navigating injuries and a midseason coaching change.</p><p>“(Zach Edey) has actually been a stabilizing force for us here, and it comes at the exact right time with Brandon Clarke out with the injury,” Iisalo said. “He has proven throughout the season that he is very eager to learn new things. He listens, he is very tough, and doesn’t shy away from contact. This is not the first time this season, but it’s great to see him play like this against this caliber of team. We are going to need that going forward.”</p><p>Edey has faced scrutiny for his transition to the pro game, with critics questioning his mobility and fit in a fast-paced league. Under Taylor Jenkins, his minutes fluctuated, and his role often seemed undefined. But Tuomas Iisalo thinks the Purdue alum is ready to anchor the Grizzlies against the league’s elite.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zach-Edey-Santi-Aldama-Grizzlies-rebound.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Against <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-stephen-curry-leaves-tuomas-iisalo-ja-morant-shaking-heads-sight-to-behold">Stephen Curry’s “sight to behold” Golden State Warriors</a> (44-31), Zach Edey logged a double-double with 10 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks battling in the paint against a Warriors squad known for its relentless pace. His physicality and willingness to mix it up inside drew nods of approval from teammates and staff alike.</p><p>“For Zach, the hard part is obvious, but now you know this is the baseline,” Iisalo noted. “This is what we will need in order to compete with the best teams. But everybody in the locker room and on the staff believes that he can take big strides forward. That is what he is doing.”</p><p>Next up is a battle with Bam Adebayo’s Miami Heat (35-41). Eric Spoelstra will surely have a few schemes cooked up to fool the rookie. Then it’s off to the Motor City to see Jalen Duren’s Detroit Pistons (42-33). A rematch against Mark Williams and the Charlotte Hornets (19-57) wraps up a crucial three-game road trip. Coming home to see Rudy Gobert’s Minnesota Timberwolves (44-32) will be no picnic. The last road trip of the season is a one-game jaunt up the mountains to see NBA MVP Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets (47-29).</p><p>A home finale against the Dallas Mavericks (37-39) might bring a reprieve of sorts for the Grizzlies (44-32), but only if Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II sit out. Either way, the 7-foot-4 phenom will have to be on his toes to inch past the regular season finish line fully confident in his postseason abilities. One thing seems clear after three games though: Zach Edey is no longer an afterthought in the game plan.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Zach Edey gets stamp of approval from Tuomas Iisalo after Taylor Jenkins slight

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-stephen-curry-leaves-tuomas-iisalo-ja-morant-shaking-heads-sight-to-behold');   ga('set', 'title', 'Stephen Curry leaves Tuomas Iisalo, Ja Morant’s Grizzlies shook up with ‘sight to behold’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Stephen-Curry-leaves-Tuomas-Iisalo-Memphis-shaking-heads-with-sight-to-behold.jpg"></figure><h1>Stephen Curry leaves Tuomas Iisalo, Ja Morant’s Grizzlies shook up with ‘sight to behold’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T19:09:39-07:00">April 2nd, 7:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T19:09:39-07:00">April 2nd, 7:09pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Tuomas Iisalo’s tenure leading a Ja Morant-led <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-refreshes-desmond-bane-ja-morant-two-man-game-amid-nba-playoffs-push-point-guard-duty">Memphis Grizzlies squad experiencing a mid-season crisis</a> has gotten off to a rocky 0-3 start against an historically difficult schedule. The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics got first dibs at the Finnish coach. Then Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors (44-31) handed Iisalo’s Grizzlies (44-32) a third straight loss since Taylor Jenkins was let go in late March. The 134-125 defeat in the FedEx Forum underscored the steep learning curve the 42-year-old faces in the NBA, with Curry’s relentless brilliance proving too much for his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xIyIdAssbI" rel="noopener">retooled defensive schemes</a>.</p><p>“There are no magic tricks,” Iisalo quipped. “It’s just coming up with a better defensive game plan. Something with more clarity, because the clarity always comes before the intensity. You need to know what you are going to do, so that you can do it hard. That is where it starts from. It starts with me, our staff, and then the players. We have to be ready when the game starts and do the simple things well.”</p><p>Curry, widely regarded as the greatest shooter in NBA history, torched the Grizzlies for 52 points, including 12 three-pointers, in a performance Iisalo called “a sight to behold.” Despite a specific first-quarter strategy to limit Curry’s long-range opportunities, the Warriors star found ways to break free. Ja Morant (36 points), Desmond Bane (19 points), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (22 points) just could not keep up.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Stephen-Curry-Warriors-Ja-Morant-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Still, Tuomas Iisalo has been encouraged by how the locker room has responded to a coaching change while taking more than a few shots to the chin over the last 10 games (2-8).</p><p>“I know our guys were giving everything they had,” stressed Iisalo. “For example, you look in the second half, and there are no longer scripted situations where you can put two guys on (Curry). He is so good at getting rid of the ball and relocating. You cannot relax for even half a second because he will find some space and then use that space in order to get his shot off. It’s a sight to behold, how he operates. He is nonstop and constant and hunting for those opportunities.”</p><p>The Grizzlies, who had successfully contained Curry (15 total points in two games) earlier in the season under Jenkins, struggled to adapt as the 36-year-old guard exploited every sliver of space.</p><p>“For example, in the first quarter against (the Warriors), we had a specific strategy that we did not want (Curry) to get those three-point shots. We wanted to channel (those actions) to someone else,” Iisalo explained. “He found a way to get going anyway. It’s very hard to stop a player of that caliber, but these are growing pains. Could not ask for more from the guys. These are not mistakes of effort but from a lack of practice time. We will get there once we get a couple of reps tomorrow.”</p><p>Stephen Curry’s movement without the ball proved particularly vexing. In the second half, to double-team the future first-ballot Hall of Famer faltered as he deftly passed and relocated for open shots.</p><p>“(Curry) got a lot of looks and different types of looks,” sighed Iisalo. “With a player of that caliber, who we’ve actually done a tremendous job (defending) throughout the season, he was still able to find ways to get open. Once he gets into that zone, it’s very difficult to get him out. I mean, we’re talking about the best shooter, certainly the best movement shooter of all time, and he was in that zone. After that, it becomes extremely hard to stop him.”</p><p>Tuomas Iisalo earned acclaim in Europe before joining <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-unfazed-slip-ups-amid-start-losses-lakers-celtics">Ja Morant’s misfiring Grizzlies</a>, but even the well-traveled coach had to acknowledge the challenge of implementing his system with limited preparation. Jenkins’ departure after a 22-19 start to the season thrust Iisalo into the role with little time to adjust, and Wednesday’s matchup against Stephen Curry’s Warriors did little to ease those growing pains.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Stephen Curry leaves Tuomas Iisalo, Ja Morant’s Grizzlies shook up with ‘sight to behold’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-responds-nba-probe-report');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Ja Morant responds to reports of NBA probe');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ja-Morant-responds-to-reports-of-NBA-probe.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Ja Morant responds to reports of NBA probe</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T15:26:22-07:00">April 2nd, 3:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T17:52:29-07:00">April 2nd, 5:52pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies suffered a tough 134-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. It was Memphis’ fourth straight loss that puts them in range of potentially participating in the play-in tournament. However, despite the team’s woes, all eyes are on <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/grizzlies-ja-morants-finger-gesture-aimed-at-warriors-under-investigation">Ja Morant for his actions on the court</a> late in the fourth quarter.</p><p>Morant was spotted using a gun-like hand gesture toward the Warriors bench immediately after Jimmy Butler sunk a free-throw shot. On Wednesday morning, the NBA announced they were <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1907489722035036497" rel="noopener">investigating the hand gesture</a>, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon. The report indicates a possible punishment could come to fruition.</p><p>“The NBA is looking into Memphis’ Ja Morant using finger gun motions toward the Golden State Warriors bench last night, sources tell me and Tim MacMahon.”</p><p>Several hours after the report was announced, Ja Morant took to social media and shared two cryptic posts. The 25-year-old point guard laughed off the probe <a href="https://x.com/JaMorant/status/1907524734935511344" rel="noopener">in his first post</a> on X, formerly known as Twitter by ending his statement with a laughing emoji.</p><p>“Ja this… Ja that…”</p><p>A minute later, Morant <a href="https://x.com/JaMorant/status/1907524984689332576" rel="noopener">shared another post</a> blessing everyone. He ended this statement with a praying hands emoji.</p><p>“God bless y’all.”</p><p>There is some controversy surrounding the NBA’s decision to investigate Ja Morant’s hand gestures. Fans were quick to point out that Warriors guard Buddy Hield allegedly pointed finger guns <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-buddy-hield-in-nba-probe-of-ja-morant-finger-guns-gesture">at the Grizzlies star first</a>, which led to Morant reacting to Hield’s gesture. <a href="https://x.com/gritgrind/status/1907504606973931848" rel="noopener">In the clip</a>, you can see Hield doing the hand gesture on the sideline, which is where Morant pointed his finger guns.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here's Buddy Hield doing finger guns at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ja?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ja</a> first. <a href="https://t.co/LzNvYpkZHX">pic.twitter.com/LzNvYpkZHX</a></p><p>— Jeremy Jordan (@gritgrind) <a href="https://twitter.com/gritgrind/status/1907504606973931848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The NBA has yet to announce their findings in the probe and it may take several days before the league makes a final decision. Numerous players have utilized similar hand gestures in the past and the league hasn’t seemed to have had an issue with it. However, Ja Mornt’s off-court history could be the reason why an investigation is taking place to begin with.</p><p>Morant missed nearly the entire 2023-24 season after being suspended for 25 games after flashing guns on social media on more than one occasion. He also was involved in an alleged fight with a teenager during a pickup game of basketball. Ja Morant did return to action though and played in nine contests before sustaining a season-ending torn labrum in his shoulder.</p><p>This season, Morant has played in 46 games. He’s averaged 22.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 30.0% from the three-point line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Ja Morant responds to reports of NBA probe

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-buddy-hield-in-nba-probe-of-ja-morant-finger-guns-gesture');   ga('set', 'title', 'Warriors’ Buddy Hield included in NBA’s ‘probe’ of Ja Morant finger guns gesture');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Buddy-Hield-included-in-NBAs-probe-of-Ja-Morant-finger-guns-gesture.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Warriors’ Buddy Hield included in NBA’s ‘probe’ of Ja Morant finger guns gesture</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T13:55:05-07:00">April 2nd, 1:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T15:10:30-07:00">April 2nd, 3:10pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Golden State Warriors</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/grizzlies-ja-morants-finger-gesture-aimed-at-warriors-under-investigation">NBA is investigating an incident involving Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant</a> after he made finger gun gestures during <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morants-questionable-gesture-warriors-bench-fans-upset">Tuesday night’s 134-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors</a>. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Warriors guard Buddy Hield has also been included in the league’s probe after responding with similar gestures toward Morant.</p><p>Charania reported on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “League officials will talk to involved parties as soon as Wednesday,” as the NBA seeks to gather details on the exchange between Morant and Hield.</p><p>The interaction occurred during a heated moment late in the contest. As Morant turned toward the Warriors bench, he mimicked firing finger guns. Hield, who was nearby, responded by making the same motion back at Morant. The exchange quickly drew attention on social media and from the league office.</p><p>NBA insider Brett Siegel added on X that the league is “aware” of Morant’s gesture and that a suspension stemming from the incident is <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1907491441065992335" rel="noopener">considered unlikely</a>. However, he noted that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was “very displeased” with what transpired and reiterated the league’s stance against any gestures that resemble guns.</p><h2><b>NBA probe to include Buddy Hield after gesture exchange with Ja Morant in Warriors’ win over Grizzlies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Buddy-Hield-7-drives-to-the-basket-as-Memphis-Grizzlies-guard-Ja-Morant-12-defends.jpg"><figcaption>© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Morant led the Grizzlies with 36 points, six assists, three rebounds, and two steals while shooting 14-for-22 from the field and five-for-eight from beyond the arc. Hield added eight points, three rebounds, and one steal off the Warriors bench.</p><p>The NBA has maintained a strict policy against gun-related conduct or symbolism, both on and off the court. While no formal discipline has been announced, the league is expected to issue a statement once its review is complete.</p><p>The loss was the fourth straight for the Grizzlies, who continue to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-nba-playoffs-guarantee-shows-unfazed-ugly-slide-down-standings-western-conference">struggle under interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo following the recent dismissal of Taylor Jenkins</a>. Memphis now holds a 44-32 record, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and sits sixth in the Western Conference standings.</p><p>With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Grizzlies are at risk of falling into the Play-In Tournament if their skid continues.</p><p>Golden State, meanwhile, improved to 44-31 and has climbed to fifth in the Western Conference. The Warriors are riding a three-game win streak and will face the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-stephen-curry-domination-grizzlies-boost-dubs-playoff-outlook">Los Angeles Lakers (46-29) on Thursday followed by the Denver Nuggets (47-29) on Friday</a> in a pivotal back-to-back.</p><p>League officials are expected to speak with Morant, Hield, and other relevant parties before determining if fines or warnings will be issued. While a suspension is unlikely, the NBA’s response is expected to reinforce its stance on maintaining appropriate on-court behavior. The situation remains under review.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Warriors’ Buddy Hield included in NBA’s ‘probe’ of Ja Morant finger guns gesture

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celebrity/grizzlies-ja-morants-finger-gesture-aimed-at-warriors-under-investigation');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Ja Morant’s finger gesture aimed at Warriors under investigation');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NBA-news-Ja-Morants-finger-gesture-aimed-at-Warriors-under-investigation.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Ja Morant’s finger gesture aimed at Warriors under investigation</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T12:54:57-07:00">April 2nd, 12:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T12:54:57-07:00">April 2nd, 12:54pm</time><address><a href="http://designsux.com">Burtland Dixon</a>As an avid enthusiast of entertainment, Burtland Dixon is a passionate individual who revels in the magic of movies, sports, music, and pop culture. Whether it's catching the latest blockbuster, watching the marquee matchup of the week, attending live concerts, or getting immersed in the world of gaming, Burtland finds joy in all forms of entertainment.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Celebrity</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The NBA is once again scrutinizing <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-ja-morants-questionable-gesture-warriors-bench-fans-upset">Ja Morant, this time over a gesture</a> that looked a little too familiar. During Tuesday’s matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors, Morant appeared to flash finger-gun hand signs aimed at Buddy Hield after a heated exchange. Both players received technical fouls, but the fallout didn’t end there. League officials <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/04/02/nba-investigating-ja-morant-finger-gun-gesture/" rel="noopener">have now opened an investigation</a> into the gesture, concerned it might carry deeper implications due to Morant’s previous firearm-related controversies, per TMZ.</p><p>As soon as Morant made the motion, Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green pointed it out to the referees. While some fans mocked Green as a “snitch,” others noted the history involved. Curry’s reaction—less animated, more disappointed—spoke volumes. He seemed less angry and more stunned, as if watching someone relapse into behavior they promised to leave behind.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ja Morant new signature celly after getting 52 dropped on him with a L 🔥<a href="https://t.co/sy6wJjvWpW">pic.twitter.com/sy6wJjvWpW</a></p><p>— Hater Central (@TheHateCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHateCentral/status/1907261348284608522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>A Pattern That’s Hard to Ignore</b></h2><p>This isn’t the first time Morant has made headlines for his connection to guns. The 25-year-old sat out the start of this season, serving a 25-game suspension after flashing a firearm in an Instagram Live video. It was his second such incident, coming just two months after he had already been suspended for a similar stunt.</p><p>In March 2023, Morant went live from a strip club while holding a gun, prompting league commissioner Adam Silver to issue a stern warning. “Honestly, I was shocked,” Silver said of the second video. “The potential for harm is enormous.” Before that, Morant allegedly flashed a weapon during a confrontation with a teenager in his driveway—an accusation that added to growing concerns about his judgment off the court.</p><p>Even upon his return from suspension, Morant sparked debate with a celebration that many interpreted as mimicking a firearm, though nothing came of it officially. The league’s tolerance appears to be wearing thin, and Tuesday’s finger-gun incident may serve as the tipping point.</p><p>As of now, Ja Morant has yet to speak out. But the NBA’s attention is fully locked in.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Ja Morant’s finger gesture aimed at Warriors under investigation

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-draymond-green-calls-jaren-jackson-jr-disappointing-him');   ga('set', 'title', 'Warriors’ Draymond Green calls out Jaren Jackson Jr. for ‘disappointing’ him');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Draymond-Green-calls-out-fellow-Spartan-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-for-disappointing-him.jpg"></figure><h1>Warriors’ Draymond Green calls out Jaren Jackson Jr. for ‘disappointing’ him</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T10:56:36-07:00">April 2nd, 10:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T10:56:36-07:00">April 2nd, 10:56am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Golden State Warriors</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green shared some big brotherly advice with Memphis Grizzlies All-Star and fellow Michigan State Spartan alum Jaren Jackson Jr. after Tuesday’s 134-125 win. On the same day when Warriors’ <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-draymond-green-dpoy-latest-award-win">Green earned Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month</a>, he kept it 100 with Jackson Jr. regarding picking up his sixth foul in the nine-point win on Tuesday.</p><p>After the win, Green <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1907463033892622721" rel="noopener">explained</a> how Jackson Jr. disappointed him, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.</p><p>“He’s too good to still be getting in foul trouble. A couple of those fouls he picked up, he can stay away from those,” Green said. “It’s tough for him to take that step in that department. It was huge for us for him to get out of the game. Happy he did, but I am a Jaren [Jackson Jr.] fan. I’m always rooting for him. To see him still get some of those fouls he’s picking up, he can’t do that. His team needs him out there.”</p><p>Still, Green gave credit to his Warriors teammate Jimmy Butler for drawing an offensive foul on Jackson Jr.</p><p>“So, it’s a huge play by Jimmy. Huge couple of plays by Jimmy, which was great, but [JJJ] gotta figure that out. He’s gotten too much better offensively, and too hard to stop to be taking himself out of the game on the defensive side of the ball,” Green added. “That was a little disappointing from the big brother in me for him, that was a little disappointing. But I was happy that he was out here.”</p><p>Still, was Green actually thinking that in real time?</p><p>“Of course. He got five fouls. You see him pick up that [sixth] one. You’re definitely aware,” Green replied. “I’m happy as hell [for] every foul he picked up I was happy during the game. But like I said, there’s a part of me thinking you can’t do that. When he picked up the fifth one, I literally walked to [Desmond] Bane on the bench and said, ‘Bane, that’s crazy. That’s ridiculous.’ Jaren can’t do that, man.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"He's too good to still be getting in foul trouble… I am a Jaren [Jackson Jr.] fan. I'm always rooting for him. … [JJJ] gotta figure that out… that was a little disappointing from the big brother in me."</p><p>—Draymond Green</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@anthonyVslater</a>)<a href="https://t.co/1AeD5gBQRD">pic.twitter.com/1AeD5gBQRD</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1907463033892622721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Warriors’ Draymond Green surpasses Evan Mobley for DPOY odds</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Warriors-veteran-Draymond-Green.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After speaking, winning this year’s Defensive Player of the Year award into existence, Warriors’ veteran forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/warriors-news-draymond-green-surpasses-evan-mobley-as-dpoy-betting-favorite">Draymond Green surpassed Cavs’ Evan Mobley as the favorite</a> to win this year’s award. Then, he won Defensive Player of the Month for March, which will only strengthen Green’s case to win DPOY.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Warriors’ Draymond Green calls out Jaren Jackson Jr. for ‘disappointing’ him

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-nba-playoffs-guarantee-shows-unfazed-ugly-slide-down-standings-western-conference');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ playoff guarantee shows Tuomas Iisalo unfazed by ugly slide down standings');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Grizzlies-news-Tuomas-Iisalos-playoff-guarantee-shows-hes-not-fazed-by-ugly-slide-down-standings.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ playoff guarantee shows Tuomas Iisalo unfazed by ugly slide down standings</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T10:43:48-07:00">April 2nd, 10:43am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T20:01:15-07:00">April 2nd, 8:01pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After a disheartening 134-125 loss to Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors (44-31) on April Fool’s Day, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-refreshes-desmond-bane-ja-morant-two-man-game-amid-nba-playoffs-push-point-guard-duty">totally reset Memphis Grizzlies</a> (44-32) dropped to sixth in the Western Conference standings. A team sitting in second place for most of the season is now in an intensifying fight to secure a top-six seed and avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament. Ja Morant’s squad has dropped home games to the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics as well as the Warriors since Taylor Jenkins was let go. However, new head coach Tuomas Iisalo remains unfazed with the 0-3 start to the NBA career.</p><p>Iisalo is instead drawing on his unique experience battling relegation in Europe to prepare for the high-stakes pressure of the NBA Playoffs race. Trying to read the tea leaves of four different franchises within 1.5 games of each other and six games remaining is too much. The K.I.S.S. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xIyIdAssbI" rel="noopener">method translates well enough</a> across languages and leagues.</p><p>“I don’t know how other coaches do it, but I never saw the need really to look past tomorrow or today,” Iisalo said. “Our focus is to take the lessons from this game and apply them to the Miami game as best as we can. We are maybe not in a great situation, in a playoff situation, but no matter what, you know we’re gonna be in a postseason situation.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ja-Morant-Grizzlies-Stephen-Curry-Warriors-1.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Tuomas Iisalo took the reins of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-unfazed-slip-ups-amid-start-losses-lakers-celtics">suddenly sliding Grizzlies</a> with only weeks remaining in the regular season and is no stranger to do-or-die scenarios. In his previous coaching stints in Europe, he twice faced the “existential threat” of relegation, where dropping to a lower division jeopardizes a franchise’s budget, roster, and staff. That crucible has equipped him to handle the current tightrope walk to remain above the NBA Play-In Tournament line.</p><p>“Two times in my career, I’ve been in a very different (postseason) context, but there is a concept called relegation in Europe that is an existential threat to the whole franchise. It is maybe something that is very hard to deal with or understand when it’s a closed system, but being in that relegation situation twice when you feel responsible for the whole future of the franchise (is good preparation for the NBA Playoffs),” Iisalo noted. “Everybody’s jobs are on the line because when you go down a level, (the franchise) does not have the same budget.”</p><p>“You sure sure don’t have the same roster or people in the office,” added Iisalo. “So I’ve been twice in that situation and that has taught me a lot about how to approach this type of situation: Just one day at a time. You control the controllable. You do everything you can in the given timeframe. No matter where we end up, our games will continue after the regular season. We will be at our best when the postseason starts.”</p><p>Next up is Eric Spoelstra’s Miami Heat (34-41). Then it’s up to see a resurgent Detroit Pistons (42-33) before wrapping up a three-game road trip against the Charlotte Hornets (19-56). Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. can hopefully get Tuomas Iisalo a first win before returning home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves (44-32).</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ja-Morant-Tuomas-Iisalo-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>An April 11 trip to face Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets (47-29) could suffocate the Grizzlies’ top-six aspiration. The finale against the Dallas Mavericks (37-39) might decide the fates of half the Western Conference. The races are that tight.</p><p>For a coach who has stared down the abyss of relegation and emerged wiser, the NBA’s postseason pressure, Play-In included, feels like familiar territory. As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-s-honest-take-roller-coaster-season-we-could-be-homeless">Ja Morant’s Grizzlies battle to secure their NBA Playoffs home</a>, Tuomas Iisalo’s European lessons may prove the difference between a safe seed and a sudden-death showdown.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ playoff guarantee shows Tuomas Iisalo unfazed by ugly slide down standings

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morants-questionable-gesture-warriors-bench-fans-upset');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies star Ja Morant’s questionable gesture at Warriors bench has fans upset');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Grizzlies-news-Ja-Morant-injury-update-after-locker-room-visit-vs-Pelicans.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies star Ja Morant’s questionable gesture at Warriors bench has fans upset</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-01T20:41:50-07:00">April 1st, 8:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T09:51:20-07:00">April 2nd, 9:51am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant might land in hot water again after making an intriguing gesture directed at the Golden State Warriors bench during <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/warriors-vs-grizzlies-prediction-odds-pick-spread-4-1-2025">Tuesday night’s game at FedExForum in Memphis</a>.</p><p>While Morant was making his way back to the Grizzlies bench, he appeared to <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1907264127958991022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1907264127958991022%7Ctwgr%5E1e487a7eb704161c2e5659ed736da669db4ea5a6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwp.clutchpoints.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D3319068action%3Dedit" rel="noopener">make a gesture</a> that many believed saw him mimic firing a gun. Warriors forward Draymond Green seemed to take issue with Morant’s action, as he tried to call the attention of a referee while Stephen Curry looked a bit surprised over what the high-flying guard just did in front of him.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ja Morant appeared to make gun gestures towards the Golden State bench after the Grizzlies’ loss to the Warriors 👀😬</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)</p><p> <a href="https://t.co/bBk746e6fX">pic.twitter.com/bBk746e6fX</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1907264127958991022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Morant has a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/where-does-grizzlies-star-ja-morants-25-game-suspension-rank-in-nba-history">controversial history in the NBA involving guns</a>. He was slapped with two lengthy suspensions by the league during the 2022-23 NBA season and in the 2023-24 campaign. The first one was for eight games for waving a gun while on a livestream. Within just two months, Morant was hit with another suspension by the NBA, one that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-25-game-suspension-latest-ig-live-gun-incident">went for 25 games</a>, which he served during the 2023-24 season, after he waved a gun again on an Instagram Live video.</p><p>Many fans were left surprised and baffled by the 25-year-old guard’s gesture in the Warriors game.</p><p>“Again? Or is this out of context? What’s going on?” one fan <a href="https://x.com/BilyeuSports/status/1907266505927991435" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p><p>Another <a href="https://x.com/rayalmeda/status/1907269159811264779" rel="noopener">shared</a>: “He ain’t going to rattle the Warriors. These two teams meeting in the playoffs would be cinema. League needs to look into this though!”</p><p>“Wonder what led to that reaction? 🤷‍♂️👀” <a href="https://x.com/KDevadwal07015/status/1907267360089673844" rel="noopener">asked</a> a social media user on X (formerly Twitter).</p><p>“My son’s favorite players are Curry and Ja but I don’t want him following Ja because of these antics. I rather him do the night-night instead of (the) AK 47,” <a href="https://x.com/charms33127/status/1907268907968213383" rel="noopener">chimed in</a> another fan.</p><p>From a <a href="https://x.com/daWakandanDude/status/1907264988974105010" rel="noopener">different comment</a>: “Ja is never beating the allegations 😭😂”</p><p>The Warriors, however, had the last laugh against Memphis, as the Dubs came away with a 134-125 win on the strength of a spectacular performance by Curry. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-stephen-curry-becomes-oldest-player-to-pull-off-stunning-quarter-vs-grizzlies">torched Memphis for 52 points</a> on 16-for-31 shooting from the field, including 12 3-pointers. Morant had 36 points in the loss to Golden State.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-unfazed-slip-ups-amid-start-losses-lakers-celtics">Grizzlies remain winless</a> under interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo. They are 0-3 since firing Taylor Jenkins.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies star Ja Morant’s questionable gesture at Warriors bench has fans upset

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-refreshes-desmond-bane-ja-morant-two-man-game-amid-nba-playoffs-push-point-guard-duty');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Tuomas Iisalo refreshes Desmond Bane, Ja Morant roles amid NBA Playoffs push');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Grizzlies-news-Tuomas-Iisalo-refreshes-Desmond-Bane-Ja-Morant-two-man-game-amid-NBA-Playoffs-push.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Tuomas Iisalo refreshes Desmond Bane, Ja Morant roles amid NBA Playoffs push</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-01T19:18:53-07:00">April 1st, 7:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-01T19:18:53-07:00">April 1st, 7:18pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With time running out before the NBA Playoffs begin, Tuomas Iisalo is putting his stamp on the team’s offense, reimagining how stars <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-desmond-bane-finds-secret-sauce-success-ja-morant-out">Ja Morant and Desmond Bane share the table-setting, point guard duties</a>. In just a few days since taking over the<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-unfazed-slip-ups-amid-start-losses-lakers-celtics"> struggling, quickly slipping Memphis Grizzlies</a>, Iisalo has already reshaped how Bane and Morant initiate offense by emphasizing fluid, interconnected actions rather than predictable isolations. The early returns of the collaborative attack process have been promising.</p><p>Ja Morant (32.9 minutes, 24 points, 7.5 assists, 7 rebounds) and Desmond Bane (32.2 minutes, 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3 rebounds) are being allowed to play more minutes under the new coach. Iisalo’s system prioritizes continuous movement, forcing defenses to scramble rather than settle, and it seems the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-accepts-blames-credits-desmond-bane-will-to-win">Grizzlies are going heavy on their backcourt barrage.</a> Morant, one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers, has thrived as both a scorer and facilitator within the structure, while Bane has expanded his playmaking duties to go along with some elite shooting.</p><p>In the March 31 loss to the Boston Celtics, Iisalo showcased his vision early. On the game’s opening play, Bane brought the ball up the floor, Morant executed an Iverson cut to receive a pass, and a subsequent action freed Bane for an open three-pointer. Iisalo elaborated on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqjc3FhePxc&amp;t=131s" rel="noopener">philosophy behind the sequence</a> while telling ClutchPoints why things might look a little different and be more equitable when comparing backcourt Usage Rates.</p><p>“I think every good offensive basketball (concept), you have the player actions and they compound instead of my turn, your turn, which is easily what happens if you have players who are skilled on-ball players,” Iisalo stated. “One guy takes a turn, then the other one. We want to try to facilitate situations where one guy can create a small advantage that can then be transferred to a bigger advantage because they’re late for the next action.”</p><p>“What you saw on the first play was one example of that,” continued Iisalo. “The placement of the players was for that specific interaction. We also ran other ones, but the basic idea remains that if you want to play winning collective team basketball offensively, the actions must build on each other and there’s hopefully a kind of a momentum that builds within the possession that leads to better and better quality shots and I thought we had good examples of that today.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ja-Morant-Desmond-Bane-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>There are a few things beyond backcourt duties that Tuomas Iisalo is aiming to improve so the Grizzlies can close out the regular season on a high note. Clear, quick, and concise communication is at the top of the list.</p><p>“The one thing that I think I could’ve done a better job of is verbalizing (adjustments) in the fourth quarter,” Iisalo admitted. “I didn’t think we created enough penetration because (the Celtics) were staying close to their defensive matchups. Maybe if we would have given that feedback earlier to look to punch through the defense and collapse it, we would not only have had these inside-out three-point shots, but also a better opportunity to offensive rebound after first disorganizing (the defense).”</p><p>With the playoffs looming, the Grizzlies’ revamped offense and Tuomas Iisalo’s willingness to adjust could make them a tougher out than their record suggests. If Ja Morant and Desmond Bane continue to flourish in their expanded roles, Memphis may have unlocked a new gear just in time.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Tuomas Iisalo refreshes Desmond Bane, Ja Morant roles amid NBA Playoffs push

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-unfazed-slip-ups-amid-start-losses-lakers-celtics');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies’ Tuomas Iisalo unfazed by “slip-ups” amid 0-2 start vs. Lakers, Celtics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Why-Grizzlies-Tuomas-Iisalo-unfazed-by-slip-ups-amid-0-2-start-vs-Lakers-Celtics.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies’ Tuomas Iisalo unfazed by “slip-ups” amid 0-2 start vs. Lakers, Celtics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-01T17:42:40-07:00">April 1st, 5:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-01T17:42:40-07:00">April 1st, 5:42pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Tuomas Iisalo’s four-game debut as an NBA head coach is going down in the history books as the most difficult job-opening, mid-season slate in sports. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-desmond-bane-lebron-james-luka-doncic-meltdown-lakers-felt-familiar">Ja Morant’s struggling to survive Memphis Grizzlies</a> dropped their first two games under Iisalo, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers (134-127) and defending champion Boston Celtics (117-103) two nights later. The next two games are at home against the Stephen Curry’s resurgent Golden State Warriors and a trip to South Beach to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/miami-heat/heat-news-erik-spoelstra-baffled-grizzlies-firing-taylor-jenkins">battle wits with Eric Spolestra’s Miami Heat.</a></p><p>Yet, the first-time NBA head coach isn’t dwelling on the losses. Despite the 0-2 start, Iisalo praised the locker room’s effort and cohesion, pointing to the performances of stars Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., who are all healthy and l<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?PerMode=PerGame&amp;sort=PTS&amp;dir=-1&amp;LastNGames=2&amp;TeamID=1610612763" rel="noopener">ogging season-high minutes</a>. Morant averaged 24 points, 7.5 assists, and seven rebounds in 32.9 minutes per game, while Bane posted 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, and three rebounds in 32.2 minutes. Jackson Jr. has contributed 22 points, 9.5 rebounds, and one assist in 30.6 minutes with Iisalo’s Grizzlies (44-31).</p><p>Still, the Big Three’s availability has not been enough for the<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-weathered-storm-amid-late-season-swoon-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-desmond-bane"> Grizzlies to weather the storms</a> associated with two of the league’s powerhouses. Tuomas Iisalo explained why <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqjc3FhePxc&amp;t=131s&amp;pp=0gcJCb8Ag7Wk3p_U" rel="noopener">there is no panic</a> after the loss to Joe Mazzulla’s Celtics.</p><p>“Everybody was kind of feeling each other out (against the Lakers), and I think that led a bit to the bad start,” Iisalo said, reflecting on the opener. “ (Against the Celtics), guys were locked in from the first moment. It’s hard to attribute (the loss versus Boston) to a one factor, but if I look at quarter scoring for the Celtics it’s 25-41-26-25. We had some slip-ups in the second half of the second quarter. We started doing some things that we had not agreed to do and that caused some miscommunications, or we were maybe frustrated with not getting a foul call or something like that.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ja-Morant-Tuomas-Iisalo-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Celtics’ 41-point second quarter proved decisive, exposing defensive lapses that Iisalo attributed to breakdowns in execution. Yet, he remained encouraged by how the Grizzlies responded.</p><p>“Really great,” he said. “It’s just against this level of a team, like one of the best if not the best team in the league, it’s very hard to win if you don’t put 48 minutes of very high-level basketball on the defensive end. Other than that, I think we can be very satisfied with the effort and team play that the guys are showing. They are really playing for each other. Sharing the ball on both ends.”</p><p>Tuomas Iisalo, a Finnish coach who made his name in Europe before joining the Grizzlies, acknowledged the physical toll of facing elite opponents in quick succession.</p><p>“Maybe it is an energy question,” the new coach quipped. “Maybe it’s just like when you get a little bit tired, the mistakes start to come out. But we don’t have a lot of time to fix it.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Grizzlies-Lakers.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>With a demanding schedule ahead, Tuomas Iisalo’s focus remains on process over results. For a coach stepping into the NBA spotlight against the Lakers’ LeBron James and the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, Iisalo’s optimism suggests he is less concerned with the record and more focused on building a foundation around Ja Morant. It’s been a tough start in the lead chair, but if the early returns are any indication, the Grizzlies’ new coach won’t be rattled regardless of opponent.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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MemphisGrizzlies NEWS

Grizzlies News: Get the latest Memphis Grizzlies news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Grizzlies News

Tuomas Iisalo’s Grizzlies ‘hurting’ after dropping out of NBA Playoffs picture

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Grizzlies’ Zach Edey gets stamp of approval from Tuomas Iisalo after Taylor Jenkins slight

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