{"uid":"Entry:6cecaf92-8ca1-48fb-ab3d-54c4623aced6","title":"Quick Recap: Grizzlies cook Nuggets in resounding win","dek":{"html":"The Memphis Grizzlies put together a massive win over the Western Conference’s top seed, Denver Nuggets."},"createdAt":"2023-02-26T01:20:21.000Z","url":"https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/2023/2/25/23615255/quick-recap-memphis-grizzlies-cook-denver-nuggets-in-resounding-win-morant-tillman-nba","wordCount":777,"updatedAt":"2023-02-26T04:01:15.000Z","author":{"fullOrUserName":"Parker Fleming"},"authorProfile":null,"contributors":[],"communityGroups":[{"name":"Front Page"},{"name":"Quick Recap"}],"body":{"components":[{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"JvyufK","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Memphis Grizzlies returned to FedExForum for their first home game after the All-Star break, as the top-seeded Denver Nuggets rolled into town. The Grizzlies (Steven Adams) and Nuggets (Aaron Gordon) were both missing key players, but it still served as an anticipated bout on this Saturday slate of games."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"B6S8t9","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Grizzlies and Nuggets started with a fast, back-and-forth pace. Xavier Tillman quickly scored 6 points off the bat. The Nuggets started off fine, but they cooled off significantly towards the end of the quarter. Ja Morant was pretty much able to get wherever he wanted on the floor, attacked the paint at will. The Grizzlies closed with a 28-20 lead after the first quarter."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"Dyiifk","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Grizzlies made it rain from deep in the 2nd quarter — drilling 6 three-pointers in the quarter. Tyus Jones led the charge here, connecting on 4 triples, which really generated some flow in the offense when Morant sat. The Grizzlies used a 14-2 run to start the quarter to blow the doors open a little bit, generating a sizable double-digit lead quick. The Grizzlies finished with a 66-42 lead at halftime."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"kkc4wP","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Grizzlies built their lead up past 30 points, and they didn’t budge. Their offense was still crisp, and they were going after 50/50 balls too — Morant included:"},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyEmbed","placement":{"id":"5chwY3","alignment":null},"embed":{"embedHtml":"

It's such a tone-setter when your star player goes after 50-50 balls this hard

And obviously the silky finish from Ja Morantpic.twitter.com/TazQjeT6Up

— Grizzly Bear Blues (@sbnGrizzlies) February 26, 2023
\n\n","provider":{"name":"Twitter"}}},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"Su2lAZ","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Grizzlies closed with a 94-62 lead at the end of the 3rd quarter."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"FGXpeu","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Nuggets pulled Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. at the start of the 4th quarter. Nothing totally eventful happened in the quarter. Luke Kennard and Tyus Jones hit a couple of 3’s to bring their totals to 4 and 5, respectively."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"06FwYI","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Grizzlies ended the game with Kennedy Chandler, Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and Kenneth Lofton Jr. The fans got treated with some good Jr. moments."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"TABBqq","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"Memphis Grizzlies close with a resounding 112-94 win."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyHeading","placement":{"id":"soyN84","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"Quick Takeaways"},"level":2},{"__typename":"EntryBodyList","placement":{"id":null,"alignment":null},"items":[{"line":{"html":"Stones back rolling. Tyus Jones went on an absolute heater in the 2nd quarter, and it was great to see him snap out of a funk lately. In his last 11 games, Jones has averaged 4.5 points and 3.6 assists on 33.9% shooting from the field and 14.3% from 3. He played with extra swagger and confidence on the offensive end, and when he’s doing that, the offense tends to hum and work its way around in the halfcourt. For the Grizzlies to officially navigate out of this weird month stretch of play, getting the “Tyus Stones” version of Jones will be crucial."},"placement":{"id":"BsqcVt"}},{"line":{"html":"X solid again. Xavier Tillman go the starting nod, so that the Grizzlies had a physical option against Nikola Jokic. He played rock-solid defense against Jokic, holding him to 15 points and 13 rebounds. The biggest difference was Jokic was minimized as a playmaker, only generating 3 assists. Tillman also was ready offensively, as he connected on all 6 of his attempts for 12 points, while also dropping 3 dimes. I don’t know his standing in the rotation once Steven Adams returns, but he’s reemerged as a good player to have in emergency situations."},"placement":{"id":"2u4lnp"}},{"line":{"html":"Sneaky Dillon game. We don’t need to delve much into the 2023 it’s been for Dillon Brooks, but he put together a sneaky steady game — probably his best in awhile. He connected on 5 of his 9 shot attempts, while making 2 of his 4 three-point tries. Everything he sought offensively came within the flow, nothing was forced. He was also instrumental in holding Jamal Murray into a 3-13 shooting night (1-5 from 3). It’s not the most eye-popping game we’ve seen from Dillon Brooks, but he doesn’t need to be on this version of the Grizzlies. He served as the perfect complementary piece within the system."},"placement":{"id":"4mfrlU"}},{"line":{"html":"Much-needed Grizz win. This is the kind of win that can turn the tide for the Memphis Grizzlies. From start to finish, they laid the smackdown on top-seeded Denver Nuggets. They minimized their star, made his supporting cast complete non-factors, and kept things flowing offensively. The Grizzlies have now won 4 of their past 6 games, but this one seems like it could be the foundation for a bounce-back into a massive month of March on the horizon."},"placement":{"id":"R5QTxN"}}],"ordered":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"Ocov0D","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"The Memphis Grizzlies will get a couple days off before they play the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Tuesday February 28th."},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false},{"__typename":"EntryBodyParagraph","placement":{"id":"2hiC3a","alignment":null},"contents":{"html":"Grizzly Bear Blues will be moving to Bluff City Media on 3/1, and you can subscribe here for insider Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Tigers content. Use promo code “GBBLIVE” for 10% OFF an annual subscription. Follow Grizzly Bear Blues on Twitter and Instagram. For more Grizzlies talk, subscribe to the Grizzly Bear Blues podcast network on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and IHeart. "},"dropcap":false,"endmark":false,"lead":false}]}}
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Memphis Grizzlies 2019-20 Player Previews: Yuta Watanabe

  • Writer: Parker Fleming
    Parker Fleming
  • Aug 13, 2023
  • 3 min read

Original Date: 2019-10-16




Yuta-Mania continues!


Last year’s two-way player Yuta Watanabe is back for year two on a two-way deal to lead the Memphis Hustle to another playoff run. Meanwhile, he’ll be eyeing a potential call-up as a main roster mainstay.


He has the momentum to make it a reality, too.


Watanabe had a big summer, as he showed out in both the Summer League and the FIBA tournament. He showcased his skill as an all-around scorer that can handle go-to scoring responsibilities. All of which is enticing for a team looking for a punch from the perimeter.


Can he put it all together to become a legitimate NBA player?


2018-19 Season Overview


15 games, 11.6 MPG, 2.6 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 0.5 assists-per-game, 29.4/12.5/70.0 shooting spits


Yuta Watanabe didn’t get much time to shine with the main roster last season, only surpassing the 10-minute mark in six of his 15 appearances. In those games, he really struggled to find a rhythm, as the NBA game — at times — looked too fast for him.


However, Watanabe has emerged as a fan favorite in Memphis, as there’s always a pop whenever he enters the game.


Projected Role


Like last season, Watanabe will likely spend more time with the Hustle than the Grizzlies, as he has 45 NBA days on his two-way contract.


With the Grizzlies, he’s simply an insurance player for someone in foul trouble or with injuries. Or, he’s a player that’ll put it at the end of blowout games.


With the Hustle, he gets the benefit of running the show. In the G-League, he’ll get to be the Hustle’s primary playmaker and go-to scorer, which is a great way for him to develop to potentially play a role in Coach Taylor Jenkins’ pace-and-space offense.


2019-20 Best Case Scenario


Best-case scenario, Yuta Watanabe shows out during his two-way stint and becomes a main-roster mainstay by the end of the season.


The Memphis Grizzlies wing depth is pretty weak at the moment, and a breakout for any player in that mix could lead to exponentially more playing time. Yuta isn’t excluded from this conversation.


His game is unique for someone his size, as he has a smooth feel for the game. He can score at all 3 levels, and he could handle the ball as a secondary playmaker for small spurts. Defensively, he has the tools to be a multi-positional defender as well.


If Watanabe takes his Summer League and FIBA flashes into the NBA season, the Grizzlies may have to do some roster-maneuvering to find a spot for him, maybe doing a 2-for-1 or 3-for-2 deal to open up a roster spot for him.


2019-20 Worst Case Scenario


Worst-case scenario for Yuta is, he proves to be too good for G-League, but not good enough for the NBA. In addition, he’s cut before January 15th — the final day to sign new two-way deals.


Though he possesses the skill set and physical tools to thrive in the NBA, the speed of the game shows to be too much for him. In addition, others on the main roster emerge as solidified rotational pieces, leaving no room for Watanabe to breakthrough.


If that proves to be the case, they’ll probably keep him with the Memphis Hustle more often than with the main roster this season, as they won’t worry about the idea of using up all his NBA days.


Overall Expectations


Watanabe could be on the main roster by the end of the season. I don’t think they would’ve allowed him to stay on a two-way contract, if they’re not at least exploring it as an option.


He showed in Summer League and FIBA that he could make an impact in a NBA setting, as he was responsible for a large portion of the Grizzlies’ offense. As the Grizzlies are experimenting and figuring out what works best for their time, Watanabe could emerge as a nice player, if his performance carries over from the Summer League and FIBA play.


He has the tools. At 6’9”, he can play both forward positions, handle the rock, score at all 3 levels, and defend across positions. Whether or not he catches up to speed will determine his NBA fate.

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