MEMPHIS — For the second time in three games, Minnesota was reminded that in its current state, it does not slot in among the Western Conference’s elite.
While they’ve beaten Memphis twice already this season, the Grizzlies looked to be a tier above the Wolves in Memphis’ 128-107 victory Friday in Tennessee.
Ja Morant controlled the game, as the Grizzlies lived on the interior, scoring 72 points in the paint. Memphis shot 58% from the field on a night where it got whatever it wanted offensively to spoil Mike Conley’s Timberwolves debut.
Conley — who started at point guard just two days after he was acquired from Utah via trade — finished with nine points and three assists in 26 minutes. Minnesota struggled offensively as a whole, shooting 47% from the field. Anthony Edwards scored just 17 points on 19 shot attempts in 39 minutes of action.
Jaylen Nowell did score 21 points for Minnesota — his second straight strong offensive performance.
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Jaren Jackson Jr. — the front-runner to win Defensive Player of the Year honors — blocked four shots as he patrolled the paint for Memphis.
Meanwhile Morant, who Minnesota (30-29) has largely bottled up for the last two seasons, neutralized Rudy Gobert’s drop coverage via a series of mid-range jumpers and floaters.
Memphis (34-21) outrebounded Minnesota 44-35. It was the type of dominance down low that the Grizzlies utilized to down Minnesota in last year’s playoffs. That issue was supposed to be resolved by the acquisition of Gobert. But two trips to Memphis this season have brought that intended effect into question.
If anything, Minnesota’s pick and roll coverage with Gobert seems to allow Memphis’ star point guard to feel more comfortable than he did in last year’s playoffs.
Minnesota has now played four consecutive non-competitive games — two victories and two losses. The losses have come to teams the Timberwolves would likely cross paths with in a potential playoff series. If this road trip — which concludes Monday in Dallas — was any kind of measuring stick for the Wolves, thus far they’re coming up short.
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