The defense sinks the Memphis Grizzlies in the standings

The Memphis Grizzlies are facing one of the toughest stretches of the season. With only 20 games left to play, the margin for error in the West is minimal. If they want to reaffirm themselves as one of the giants in the Conference, they will have to fine-tune their defense.

The Grizzlies are 3-8 in their last 11 games. Since the All-Star break, their defense has plummeted to the fourth-worst position in the NBA. Their defensive rating of 120.2 is a staggering figure for one of the best two-way teams in the league. Memphis' defense faces even greater challenges as their DPOY candidate will be out of action for an extended period. All-Star power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. twisted his left ankle in the loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He did not return to the game after the injury and has since been ruled out on a week-to-week basis.

Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 59 starts. Additionally, he shoots just under 50% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range. The team's defensive rating is 107.3 when Jackson Jr. is on the court. Among all Grizzlies who have played at least 1,000 minutes this season, it is the team's best mark. Even with Jackson Jr.'s formidable defensive presence, how is it possible that such a promising defensive unit has fallen off a cliff so rapidly?

Memphis is 2-6 since the All-Star break. They have seen the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Hawks celebrate wins in their building in three of their last four games. The Grizzlies have been unable to stop a bleeding in the past two weeks, and opponents have been scoring efficiently from all over the court. Since the break, they rank 29th in opponent field goal percentage, 25th in opponent turnovers forced, and last in points allowed. Memphis has also had major issues in the paint and in chasing opponents off the three-point line. They rank 28th in opponent three-point percentage post-All-Star weekend.

For one of the most potent offenses in the NBA, the Grizzlies have had significant difficulties stringing together stops. There is no single deficiency that defines why their defense has regressed to the bottom of the league. With continuous effort and attention to detail, the Grizzlies can turn it around. In their last four games, 11 players from Memphis average at least 19 minutes. While great depth is valuable, errors and lack of familiarity among them can lead to defensive breakdowns in coverage, switches, communication, etc. If Coach Taylor Jenkins can maintain more concise rotations as the playoffs approach, he can minimize the mistakes the Grizzlies' defense has suffered in the past two weeks.

Keys to Improving the Defense

Each of the Grizzlies' top four four-man defensive lineups since the break features a mix of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey. Wells has been the most consistent and impactful defender at the point of attack this season. The former Division II Player of the Year has been notable in picking up elite three-level scorers from tip-off all over the court and making them earn every bucket they can get. The team's advanced defensive metrics may not align with the eye test, but make no mistake, Wells has established himself as an important component of the Grizzlies' defense.

Following their 120-103 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Grizzlies' Jenkins shared his thoughts on what to expect from rookie center Edey in the future. "His presence is there, I want him to continue to talk more, that's a challenge I want him to take on, especially now as he's assuming more of that anchor position, you know, in the back line of our defense," he said.

With Edey filling in for Jackson Jr. in the paint, the Grizzlies can still be a very impactful defense in the Western Conference. Other complementary guards, Vince Williams Jr., Scotty Pippen Jr., and Luke Kennard, will need to step up their perimeter game to help Edey seamlessly fill Jackson Jr.'s void. Memphis is just two games out of the second seed but also four games out of the Play-In. The Grizzlies' defense took a nosedive without Jackson Jr. post-All-Star break. With only 20 games remaining in the regular season, they still have time and talent to turn it around, even in his absence.

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