Grizzlies steal page from Bankroll Fresh to master the road
With only six home games this month, the Grizzlies embraced a new motto: Walk in your trap, take over your trap.
The Grizzlies’ social media account tweeted out the phrase after each road win this month. Rookie forward Xavier Tillman Sr. said it postgame Saturday after the Grizzlies’ commanding 128-115 win at the Milwaukee Bucks.
“That’s just our thing. We come in there, everybody’s locked in,” Tillman said. “Something about being that villain on the road, everybody’s locked in, everybody’s ready to go.”
The line is the hook from Atlanta rapper Bankroll Fresh’s song “Take Over Your Trap.” The trap refers to another person’s territory, and the Grizzlies (29-26) have done just what the song suggests.
They’re 7-3 in April, and five wins have come on the road during what was supposed to be their toughest stretch of the season.
Heading into Monday’s game at the Denver Nuggets , the Grizzlies have the NBA’S fourth-best road winning percentage (.615).
They’re also one of three teams with a better record on the road (16-10) than at home (13-16). So how has the NBA’S youngest team become road warriors?
The easy answer this month is reaching what coach Taylor Jenkins called the next level of the offense with shooting more 3-pointers. The Grizzlies lead the NBA in offensive rating in April and are on pace to set franchise records for most points, assists and 3-point attempts per game in a single month.
Togetherness and chemistry are the reasons the Grizzlies say they’ve played better away from home, but it’s also just better execution. They’re scoring 7.5 more points per game on the road this season and shooting better from the field (48.9% to 45.1% at home) and on 3-pointers (37% to 35%).
“When you get on the road and things get tough, everyone on our team raises our level and we come out with a lot of fight,” Grayson Allen said.
Now after beating the Bucks, can this offensive rebirth get another win or two on this road trip? It’s won’t be easy with the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers this week and another game at Denver on April 26.
Here are better questions: How much better can the offense be when De’anthony Melton returns with more 3-point shooting? What about at the end of the month when injured Jaren Jackson Jr. makes his season debut?
That should excite fans because if the Grizzlies are hoisting more shots now, imagine two more shooters giving teams fits. The Clippers, Nuggets and Trailblazers, by the way, ranked 10th, 14th and 18th in defensive efficiency, respectively.
It’s also reason not to worry that the Grizzlies play 10 of their final 17 games on the road. For a longer view, it increases their odds if they hold as the No. 8 seed and have to travel to the No. 7 seed for the play-in tournament.
All of that leads to optimism. But right now, the Grizzlies being comfortable away from Fedexforum means they’re capable of doing more of what they’ve done so far. Walk into another team’s trap and take it over.