Morant, Grizzlies get second preseason win over Wolves
The Grizzlies‘ 123-104 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves had a little bit of everything Monday night.
Ja Morant added two more highlight dunks. Dillon Brooks found his shooting touch after a cold first game. Even coach Taylor Jenkins got in on the fun by using a coaches’ challenge, something he rarely did last season.
The call stood but it was perhaps the only thing the Grizzlies got wrong as they improved to 2-0 this preseason.
Here’s five takeaways from their second win in Minneapolis in three nights.
Ja Morant adds new hairstyle
Morant played the first three quarters and had 17 points, seven assists, seven rebounds. He caught an alley-oop dunk from Brooks that teased what he’d do later in the game.
He also earned style points changing his hair up. Midway in the second quarter, he tied some of his long twists above his head and a new look was born by accident.
“That look wasn’t supposed to happen. I put my bobby pins in the wrong spot and I ended up losing two of them during the game,” Morant said. “My hair was just in my face so I had to put it up in a ponytail.”
Maybe it gave him extra power because just before halftime, he drove down the lane for a ferocious, twohanded dunk. Timberwolves All-star center Karl-anthony Towns wisely got out of the way to avoid being Morant’s latest conquest
Vintage team performance
The Grizzlies led by 18 at halftime. They played faster than the Timberwolves, owned the paint and shared the ball – all hallmarks of Jenkins’ system.
Memphis finished with 29 assists, 62 points in the paint and showed how easy the chemistry is when most of the rotation played last season. Seven players scored in double figures, led by Jonas Valanciunas’ 22 points and Brooks adding 21 points.
“You can see it. We’re cheering for each other, we’re standing out there. ... the chemistry is there, we don’t even need to talk about it.” Valanciunas said.
Kyle Anderson keeps up strong start
Kyle Anderson had 16 points and eight rebounds. He even got fancy with a driving, up-and-under layup while being fouled.
He was also 1-for-3 on 3-pointers. Anderson said recently he wanted to be a more willing shooter and so far he’s attempted seven 3-pointers in two preseason games.
After two games, he’s made a strong audition to keep his starting spot that he had for the final 24 games last season.
Melton starts, Allen bounces back De’anthony Melton was the only new starter with Grayson Allen moving to the bench. He had 11 points, three rebounds, a steal and a block
Allen regained his shooting touch with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting. He resembled the player he was inside the NBA bubble giving the Grizzlies some long-range shooting.
Melton’s solid play might earn him another start in one of the team’s final two preseason games as Mr. Do Something did a bit of everything.
Bane starts slow, ends well
Desmond Bane got off to a slow start but picked it up in the fourth quarter as the rookie finished with 10 points, his second consecutive double-digit scoring game. Bane added four rebounds and two steals.
Fellow rookies Xavier Tillman Sr. and Sean Mcdermott did not play due to knee soreness while Brandon Clarke, Killian Tillie and Jontay Porter were also out for the second consecutive game due to injuries.
Jenkins said pregame that the injured players are progressing well and he hopes to get some back Thursday when the Grizzlies face the Atlanta Hawks at Fedexforum.
OLIVE BRANCH - David Calvin Brandon, Sr. passed away on December 12, 2020 at Baptist Desoto Hospital in Southaven, MS. He was born in Henning, TN on Christmas Day 1936 to Henry Poston Brandon and Pauline Hamby Brandon. He attended Henning Elementary School, Henning, TN and Ripley High School, Ripley, TN; the latter from which he graduated in 1954. He then attended Memphis State College (now The University of Memphis) 1954-1956. Member Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. In 1956, he began his working career at Allenberg Cotton Company on historic Front Street in Memphis. Allenberg was and is a leader in the purchase and sale of cottons throughout the world. David began as a squidge (cotton classer trainee), then worked as a classer. His strong work ethic soon became evident to his superiors, and in 1962 he was promoted to manager of Allenberg’s Phoenix, Arizona office where he worked 1962-1965. During this time, he worked for long periods of time in Mexico handling shipments of Mexican cotton to textile mills worldwide. Upon returning to Allenberg Memphis in 1965, David’s positions were: export manager, secretary-treasurer, vice-president, and in 1974 at the age of 37 was elected president of Allenberg. He was first listed in the Who’s Who in America, 40th Edition, 1978. In 1982, he left Allenberg and formed his own cotton company, David Brandon Incorporated, which specialized in the purchase and sale of Mexican growth cottons. He was also president of the Mexican companies Algodonera Noroeste S.A., in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, and in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico, from 1982 until 1999.
He was a member of the Southern Cotton Association (President 1976-77,
Director 1974-76); American Cotton Shippers Association (Director 197577); New York Cotton Exchange 1974-82); U.S. President’s Regional Export Expansion Committee 1972-74. Memphis Cotton Exchange 1978-Present (Director 1981-82); Memphis World Trade Club 1968-82 (Director 198081); Liverpool (England) Cotton Association 1970-82 (Director 1979-81); Member and team leader of various U.S. Cotton trade teams to Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America 1966-1983. Former member of Colonial Country Club, and a Life member of The Crescent Club.
He was the first U.S. Cotton Executive invited to visit the Peoples Republic of China after President Nixon reestablished relations with China in 1974. He also traveled behind the Iron Curtain to Poland pushing sales of U.S. Cotton.
He was predeceased by his parents, his first wife of 43 years and mother of his children, Josephine (Jo) Bilbrey Brandon, and a baby daughter, 3 1/2 year old Katherine Elaine Brandon. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 13 years, Ann Chafin Brandon, son David Calvin Brandon, Jr. (Suzanne), daughter Elizabeth (Lisa) Brandon Gordon (Paul), and son William (Bill) Wildman Brandon (Mary Kate). He leaves three stepsons, Scott Chafin (Patty), Allan Chafin, and Bradley Chafin (Colleen). He leaves nine grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, two greatgrandchildren and two step-greatgrandchildren. He also leaves his brother Billy Poston Brandon (Betsy) of Ripley, Tennessee.
Due to the current health conditions and the family’s concern for others, there will be a private funeral service followed by a burial at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue in Memphis.