Memphis Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo was impressed with his team after an Oct. 11 preseason loss against the Atlanta Hawks. He believed Memphis had taken its biggest steps forward.

If that was the case, an Oct. 15 road game against the Charlotte Hornets may have been a step back.

The Grizzlies had encouraging moments offensively, but it was a struggle on defense. They fell behind early and hung around after a hot start with 3-pointers. The Hornets went on a 19-0 run in third quarter and broke the game open for good. It was too much to overcome in a 145-116 loss at First Horizon Center.

The Grizzlies are 0-4 in the preseason.

Here are some takeaways from the game.

Jaren Jackson Jr. makes debut

Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. made a surprising preseason debut against the Hornets. He returned a little more than two weeks after initially being given a four-week timeline on Sept. 26 following surgery on his right foot in July.

Jackson didn’t take long to make a presence. He scored on the first Memphis possession and ended the night with 17 points on 7-for-20 shooting in 22 minutes.

Ja Morant remained out for Memphis while nursing a left ankle sprain. Grizzlies guards Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. also didn’t play.

Javon Small gets a bigger opportunity

Most of the attention on the Grizzlies’ rookies has been on first-round pick Cedric Coward, but don’t forget about Javon Small. With Jerome, Morant and Pippen out, Small drew the start at point guard and took advantage of his moment.

Small looked quick and decisive on offense. He showed off his scoring ability by knocking down four 3-pointers in the first half. He finished with a team-high 18 points and was 5-for-6 from 3-point range. He also led the Grizzlies with eight assists.

Defense, where are you?

Iisalo is emphasizing the idea of the process over results. Watching the Grizzlies’ defense go through that process may require much patience. The defense is supposed to be the strength of this team, but the struggles have been noticeable.

Charlotte became the latest team to have a dominant offensive showing against Memphis. The Hornets had an efficient 3-point shooting night (20-for-50), but so did the Grizzlies (26-for-60). However, the difference was Charlotte’s effectiveness inside the arc.

Jackson, a former Defensive Player of the Year, even looked a step slow defensively at times while getting his first action.

Defensive struggles have been a theme throughout the preseason. Maybe it’s just the team getting adjusted to a new system, but the early returns aren’t promising.

What’s next

The Grizzlies will have one more preseason game, on the road Oct. 17 against the Miami Heat. The Grizzlies then will turn their attention to the regular-season opener Oct. 22 against the New Orleans Pelicans at 7 p.m. CT.

Many NBA teams rest their starters in the final preseason game. It will be interesting to see if Memphis takes this route. After Jackson’s debut, viewers will be watching to see if Morant could potentially get some preseason action before playing the Pelicans.

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.