Will Jackson finally be closer for Grizzlies?
David Fizdale smirked, cocked his head and let out an “oh my goodness” followed by a whistle.
The New York Knicks coach had just seen something few others have this season.
He watched Grizzlies rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. play with a game on the line on Sunday in the Knicks’ 103-98 win over Memphis at FedExForum.
What Fizdale saw left him impressed.
The 6-foot-11 Jackson hit shots, guarded smaller players and blocked enough shots to ignite FedExForum as he stayed on the floor during a game’s final minutes for the first time in a month.
“Future All-Star,” Fizdale said. He already plays both ends of the floor. He’s got an offensive package. He can play from different ranges. He blocks everything at the rim. He can switch on to people.
The potency that Jackson showed on both ends during crunch time on Sunday may give Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff something to consider as he plans for the week ahead against a trio of Eastern Conference foes.
Since Jackson picked up a charging foul with the Grizzlies trailing by six with 1:24 remaining in a loss at Sacramento on Oct. 24, Jackson’s fourth quarter minutes had only extended to a certain point.
The Grizzlies have typically closed with small lineups, leaving Jackson – a starter – on the bench.
Bickerstaff explained before Sunday’s game how Jackson’s natural instinct is to protect the paint, which leaves the Grizzlies vulnerable to 3point shots late in games when opposing teams have guard-heavy lineups on the floor.
nights like this one, when the Grizzlies’ defense can only cover up their lack of offensive firepower for so long and they cough up a double-digit lead for the third time this season.
Nonetheless, when Fizdale pulled into FedExForum hours before Sunday’s tip-off, he described the experience as “weird.”
He didn’t know what side of the building he should enter. He didn’t know which metal detector to use. He didn’t even know where to park.
“J.B. in my damn spot,” Fizdale joked during his pregame media availability.
A year later, however, most of the wounds that emerged during Fizdale’s abrupt dismissal appear to have dissipated.
“I just felt like everything’s at peace with the relationships,” Fizdale said, “so I feel good walking back in here.”
Both Fizdale and Gasol confirmed, for instance, they spoke over the phone this offseason and mended the antagonistic relationship that ultimately prompted the Memphis front office to fire Fizdale and elevate Bickerstaff.
“It was a fantastic conversation. It was two men that evolved, and that’s pretty cool,” Fizdale said. “That’s not going to be a story for you guys anymore. That guy pulled a migrant out of the ocean this summer. That’s way more important than a basketball beef, and he and I know it . ... It’s pretty cool that in a time that we all live in, that people are so mad at each other, here we are, two guys, we’ve squashed it and we’re cool.”
“At the end of the day,” Gasol added, “we both learned from it and we both grew from it, so it’s all positive.”
When the game started, the Grizzlies looked like the Grizzlies and the Knicks looked like the Knicks. The surprising Western Conference contender built around a suffocating defense, Gasol and Conley led the team with twice as many losses as wins this year by as much as 13 points.
But at halftime, Hardaway said, Fizdale “wanted to make sure it wasn’t about him and just make sure we focus on the game and ... it took a lot of weight off our shoulders.”
Then Memphis came out in the second half and played perhaps its worst quarter since the season opener at Indiana.
Afterwards, however, Fizdale called Bickerstaff a coach of the year candidate and Jackson a future all-star. He lingered on the court too, walking toward the Grizzlies bench to greet Bickerstaff, Conley and Wayne Selden.
Finally, he turned around and made a beeline for Gasol.
The two briefly embraced before Fizdale’s suit got wet.
“It was a hug we needed to have a long time ago,” Fizdale said.