Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies rip defensive effort in loss vs Jazz

Ja Morant’s first pregame introduction in FedExForum since Nov. 9 drew a loud reaction from the home crowd against the Utah Jazz.

After missing 10 games due to a right calf strain, the Grizzlies point guard was back on Dec. 12.

As expected, Memphis looked better offensively with Morant on the floor. However, with 7-foot-3 center Zach Edey out, the defense wasn’t as promising.

The Grizzlies loss 130-126 against the Jazz.

Memphis (11-14) lost each of its previous games to teams with a current record of .500 or better. Utah (9-15) is the first Memphis loss this season that doesn’t fit that criteria.

“We should’ve won,” Morant said. “We played soft. They outrebounded us, we let guys come off the bench and make a difference, we let their star guys pretty much be comfortable. We got to be better. I got to be better.”

Memphis lost the rebounding battle 58-49. As a result, Utah had a 24-14 advantage in second-chance points.

Keyonte George scored a career-high 39 points to lead Utah. Lauri Markkanen added 26 points.

Memphis led by as many as 12 points before Utah went on a 29-7 run that started midway through the third quarter.

Ja Morant’s spoiled return

Morant has had a front-row seat to the Grizzlies’ success in recent games. While some players can seamlessly insert themselves into the equation, it’s usually more difficult for a point guard who runs the show.

Morant finished with 21 points and 10 assists while playing a limited 25 minutes due to restrictions.

When asked by reporters after the game about the meshing process with his game and the way the team has been playing, Morant had a lot to say.

“My honest answer, I’m going to keep to myself,” he said.

Then, Morant paused for about three seconds of silence and adjusted his answer.

“Just trying to find my spots within that,” Morant. “When we move the ball a lot, we normally get good shots. Just finding my niche and spots within the offense pretty much.”

Morant’s return may have been spoiled by a loss, but his teammates were happy to have him back in the fold.

“When he’s not on the court, it’s not ideal,” Jaren Jackson Jr. said. “It’s not a vibe. It sucks. When he’s on the court, it’s great.”

Correcting the struggles

Jackson finished 6-for-13 shooting against Utah, but he ended the night with just 12 points. That may be a decent stat line for some players, but the Grizzlies are demanding more out of Jackson.

Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo has talked about the need for him to be more aggressive at times. While sometimes it looks like Jackson is still adjusting to his role in a new offensive system, he doesn’t believe that’s the cause for his struggles.

“I’m just missing, man,” Jackson said. “They’re the same (shots). It looks like it, kind of. They might be coming in different situations like different plays and stuff like that, but you got to be able to get to your spots and make it happen.”

Jackson was the primary defender multiple times when Utah forward Kevin Love got loose and knocked down key 3-pointers in the second half. Love finished with 20 points and four 3-pointers off the bench.

Grizzlies reserve center Jock Landale pointed out how Memphis switched up some things with its defensive scheme, which led to some breakdowns.

“Kevin Love got a little bit loose on the weak side of the court, which wasn’t really natural for our rotations because the five wasn’t necessarily in it the whole time,” Landale said. “We were kind of playing the low man.”

Cam Spencer keeps shooting

No individual performance matters more to Cam Spencer than winning. He was 6-for-6 on 3-pointers and scored 20 points.

Spencer served as the backup point guard behind Morant, and he had multiple stretches where his shooting gave Memphis a spark.

As good of a night as Spencer had offensively, that’s not the part he’ll be think about after the loss.

“I was focused more on the defensive end, trying to get stops,” Spencer said. “Felt like we were very poor on that end of the floor, so just really focused on defense all night.”

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.