Subscribe
Follow Us
The NBA's 2024-25 season has been providing plenty of fireworks going into the New Year. Teams are making trades earlier than usual and stars have been shaking off critics complaining about competitive levels. Ja Morant's captivating Memphis Grizzlies have been scrapping away all season, unconcerned with outside noise and injury woes.
That has helped the Grizzlies pick up 22 wins already this season, even with Morant missing a number of them and now being sidelined again. In the 2023-24 campaign, the star point guard only saw three games of action in the 2024 portion of the calendar, with two of those being wins.
Memphis is hoping to continue winning even with Morant out again and the rest of the team also dealing with injury problems. It will require a team effort to stay toward the top of the Western Conference.
But before looking ahead, let's take a look back at 2024 and some of the highlights from the 24 wins the Grizzlies secured between this season and the few games Morant was healthy in January, plus two more bonus nuggets! This list is in chronological order.
1. Morant meets Wemby – January 2 vs. San Antonio Spurs
Memphis won their first game in 2024 as Morant (26 points, 10 assists) and Desmond Bane (24 points) overmatched the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs. It was the second-to-last time NBA fans would see Morant until Opening Night 2024.
2. Three-Point Barrage Goodbye – January 5 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Ja Morant posted 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in a road win over the Los Angeles Lakers. It would be his final game of the 2023-24 season. The team's release stated that “following ongoing soreness and instability, Morant underwent an MRI that revealed an underlying labral tear.”
3. Opening Night Magic – October 23 vs. Utah Jazz
Santi Aldama had a one-handed transition alley-oop. Jake LaRavia got a backdoor dunk highlight. Morant's behind-the-back, through-the-trees one-handed layup to all but ice the game deserves a mention. Everyone contributed in a tough road win (126-124) over the Jazz.
4. Zach Edey's First Three – October 26 vs. Orlando Magic
The rookie can shoot! Edey is 9-of-21 (45%) from beyond the arc this season.
5. Grizzlies not laying low – October 31 vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Edey got his first great lob pass from Morant. However, the All-Star was caught sitting down on the job against the Bucks, but it did not matter. He still made ESPN's Top 10 with “unbelievable creativity and ingenuity” per Jenkins.
6. Gool Ol' Grit and Grind – November 2 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
It all starts with defense down by the Mississippi River's last real bend before hitting the Gulf of Mexico. Aldama did the dirty work (13 boards) while Scotty Pippen Jr. (13 assists) kept the team moving in transition. Jackson (27 points) cleaned up in the half-court offense. Still, the story of the night was the bench unit stepping up in a big way to beat a 76ers team struggling to get on the same page.
7. Whirling Dervish Delight – November 5 vs. Brooklyn Nets
The NBA's official account said it best. Most will never even attempt this kind of move. Morant did it twice against elite defenders.
8. Letting LeBron James Know – November 6 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Both Ja Morant and LeBron James made the too-small gesture after earning some and-one opportunities. The Grizzlies won by 16 and the Lakers were left looking at another NBA Play-In Tournament pathway.
9. Trip's Handful of Triples – November 8 vs. Washington Wizards
Jaren Jackson Jr. hit five threes. They were all pretty enough for the White Men Can't Jump follow-through celebration. Scotty Pippen Jr.'s triple-double was the real delight though. The Grizzlies were in good hands without Morant manning the point.
10. Slinging Sassy Passes – November 10 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
The Grizzlies took a 60-35 lead after Scotty Pippen Jr. practically hiked an outlet pass from Santi Aldama to Jake Laravia for the jam. Memphis was playing with style during a three-game winning streak.
11. Well, Well, Jaylen Wells – November 17 vs. Denver Nuggets
There were very few standout plays in a complete team victory. Jenkins ran out an 11-man rotation with no one playing more than 30 minutes. Jaylen Wells put a little something extra on a dunk, showing a bit of the attitude that fires up the team's best defensive dynamo.
12. Back in a Groove – November 20 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Desmond Bane (21 points, 10 rebounds) was one of six players to score in double figures. Bane was coming off a two-week layoff and was still finding ways to be comfortable in the new offense. Beating Joel Embiid seemed to get Bane back on track.
13. Hall of Fame Homecoming – November 23 vs. Chicago Bulls
Scotty Pippen Jr. has been fighting to get out from underneath a Hall of Fame shadow for years. The former two-way guard getting plenty of G League frequent flier miles had moved up to a full NBA contract before visiting Chicago. Pippen used to play on this court as a kid and looked great against grown men. He had 30 points and 10 assists in the homecoming game.
13. Rim Assault on Rose City – November 25 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Morant's reach back before slamming home a dunk reminded fans of a Space Jam scene.
14. Looking Awful Smart – November 27 vs. Detroit Pistons
Jaren Jackson Jr. (12 points, 0-7 3PA) and Desmond Bane (2 points, 1-6 FGA) almost let a lottery team seal a win. Marcus Smart (25 points) had five assists, four rebounds, and three steals in 20 minutes. It was Smart's second double-digit scoring game since opening night. Still, the front office looked wise for keeping a veteran like Smart around to start the season.
15. Nothing like NBA Cup Action – November 29 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
16. No Pain, No Gain – December 1 vs. Indiana Pacers
The Grizzlies' pride had to be hurting down 19 points in Indiana. It showed in the second half of a comeback win. Memphis came out of the halftime locker room and won the third quarter 40-23.
17. Ready to Scrap – December 5 vs. Sacramento Kings
Ja Morant got ejected. Taylor Jenkins let the officials know it was not appreciated in ways that were not allowed on the television broadcast. The Grizzlies got a tough 115-110 win thanks to 60 bench points. A fire was apparently lit in the locker room. Memphis has only three losses since the dust-up with Sacramento (8-3).
18. NBA Dunk Contest Double Pump – December 7 vs. Boston Celtics
The Grizzlies got their first road win over the Celtics since 2013. Boston has not seen a dunk like Morant's since, well, ever. It was the kind of move seen in the NBA Dunk Contest, not in actual games. Everyone in the Garden got off their feet in amazement if not appreciation. Morant's no-dunking policy was not in effect after all.
19. No Ja, No Des, No Problem – December 8 vs. Washington Wizards
The Grizzlies were without their starting frontcourt in D.C., but it did not matter. Taking care of business against the worst teams is no longer an issue. Washington tried to close the gap after halftime but Memphis went on a 16-0 run that made the fourth quarter merely a formality. Santi Aldama's (19 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks) Sixth Man of the Year stock shot up tremendously after the win.
20. Revenge and Run-Outs – December 13 vs. Brooklyn Nets
An out-on-the-run Ja Morant looked up and saw Jay Huff with a clear path to the rim. The rest is history as the Grizzlies got revenge on the Nets.
21. Got 50 On It – December 19 vs. Golden State Warriors
Cue up Luniz's I Got 5 On It. Now play it 10 times. Stephen Curry might hate it, but Brandon Clarke told ClutchPoints that putting a 50-point loss on Golden State's resume was the goal all along.
21. Bane is Back – December 21 vs. Atlanta Hawks
Desmond Bane's ebb-and-flow season hit another high note in the ATL. Bane (23) and Pippen (22) combined for 45 points in the road win. Missing Morant was again not an issue, a credit to how Jenkins had the Grizzlies prepared post-NBA Cup break.
23. Driving 155 – December 26 vs. Toronto Raptors
The Grizzlies put up the most points in franchise history and this NBA season by pulling down 24 offensive rebounds. Those second chances started to add up quickly against the Raptors.
24. Shouldering Worries – December 27 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Memphis won the road game but Ja Morant went down with another shoulder injury, so this isn't exactly a top moment but is still included thanks to the victory. The Grizzlies then went on to lose the last game of 2024, a visit to see the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jenkins is right back where he started the year: wondering who will shoulder the team's burdens while Grizzlies fans grumble about Ja Morant. Thankfully there were some off-the-court wins this year that should pay off in 2025…
25. Taylor Jenkins makes a minutes play
Jenkins has been giving the stars an easier workload than some fans would like. They bought a ticket to see Morant, Bane, and Jackson on the court. The Grizzlies are looking at the bigger picture in hopes of having the Big 3 and a deep, experienced, tested, bench ready for the NBA Playoffs.
26. Grizzlies gamble on NBA Draft
The front office took a huge gamble on Zach Edey this summer. After 30 games, one of the NBA Draft's biggest boom-or-bust prospects of the past 10 years is a Rookie of the Year frontrunner. President/GM Zach Kleiman also saw the potential in Jaylen Wells, a second-round pick who went straight to the starting lineup.
So, how far will the Grizzlies get in 2025? Come share your opinion with ClutchPoints on social media before setting off any fireworks!
