MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — The Grizzlies are coming off a 130-117 loss to Minnesota in Game 1 of the first round of the West playoffs.
After the game, some of the Grizzlies said it was first game jitters, maybe a little rust from being off for a week, or that they just weren’t feeling it even during warm ups.
“We can’t use that as an excuse,” said Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins. “I mean the schedule is the schedule. We tried our best to stay ready but you know, it’s been a minute since we played but we’ve got to come out ready to go and we did in the first quarter and they made us pay for it. So just got to do better.”
“From what I saw, they were just playing well, hitting shots because we just came out kind of slow,” said Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke. “We weren’t really playing our style of basketball until like pretty much in the second quarter. And you know, I think we were down by what like 12 or 14 in the first quarter so we just you know, gotta come out in the first quarter ready to play and I think that we’re going to be fine from from here on out.”
The Grizzlies say Game 2 will a different game, and they were nothing but positive following the loss.
“We were in the same situation they were in last year,” said Ja Morant. “We know you know, the series can get out of hand quick. So, it was all positive. Preparing for Tuesday locking in on, you know what we got to do everything to come up with a win. Simple as that.”
As far as the Timberwolves, they know they’re going to get the Grizzlies’ best Tuesday night. Karl-Anthony Towns believes Game 2 will be fun.
Towns was asked about his match up against Jaren Jackson Jr., he knows the talent that Jackson possesses and the T-Wolves are going to do everything possible to limit him and the rest of this Grizzlies squad.
“[Jackson] had seven blocks?” Towns asked jokingly after Saturday’s game. “We were just trying to just play good basketball you know, make it difficult. We know what talent he has so just make it difficult for him you know, just like everyone else. Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, whatever it was just try to make it as difficult as possible for them to get clean looks and if they’re if they are to make points or hit a shot it needs to be highly contested and uh, you know, very difficult shot you got to use your talent to make it.”
Tip off for Game 2 is set for 7:30 CST at FedexForum.
