Dillon Brooks really told reporters after Game 2 of their first round series against the Los Angeles Lakers that he “likes to poke bears” and that he “doesn’t respect anyone until they give him 40.
Four games later, Brooks and the Grizzlies are out of the playoffs after LeBron James hung a 20-20 game against them in Game 4 and a 125-85 drubbing in Game 6. Quick math tells us that those are two instances of 40. The NBA is definitely not scripted, but moments like these make you wonder if the league should be nominated for a primetime Emmy.
AD THROWS IT DOWN 🔨🔨🔨
— NBA (@NBA) April 29, 2023
LAKERS ON A MISSION.
PIVOTAL GAME 6 ON ESPN. pic.twitter.com/VnIGQ08p8Q
And that’s also been the story of the 2022-2023 Grizzlies. They’ve played some awesome basketball this season that has been overshadowed by their bravado or other off-court controversy. They were the best home team in the league this season, playing a smash mouth, up-tempo game. They clinched the second seed in the West rather convincingly, considering how chaotic the rest of the conference got after the All-Star break.
Yet, the most prominent moments of this Grizzlies season are all going to be stuff that happened off the court, mostly with their star Ja Morant. It was Morant that said he “was fine in the West” in an interview with ESPN last December. It’s also Morant that dealt with numerous alarming off-court incidents. Before the season started, Morant and his associates allegedly assaulted a minor. During the season, Morant and his associates pointed a laser at an Indiana Pacers bus that had staff in it. The laser was thought to have come from a gun.
This all imploded in March when Morant went live on Instagram, brandishing a gun while in a strip club. That resulted in a near three-week suspension from the Grizzlies and some deep introspection for one of the youngest teams in the league.
The line is clear: for youthful exuberance to turn into arrogance, all you need are guns and never-ending trashtalk. All of this makes the Grizzlies’ Shannon Sharpe incident look tame.
After getting bounced by the Lakers in Game 6, Dillon Brooks ducked reporters for the third game in a row. At least, Morant, after causing all the distractions during the season, has been willing to own up to his words and actions.
"I don't mind. I said it. I'll deal with it."
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 29, 2023
Ja on his "I'm fine in the West" comment pic.twitter.com/26wrrXIvQn
All things considered, it was unfortunate the Grizzlies season ended this way. They built off a trip to the Western Conference semifinals. Then, they lost two key bigs in Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke heading into a series against a Lakers team that lives in the paint. Just when they looked dangerous after taking Game 5 at home, key bench piece Luke Kennard injures his hand for Game 6.
If you took out all the noise, the Grizzlies do deserve some sympathy. But after all the talk they did, they’re going to have to sulk while most NBA fandoms make memes out of their season.
