The Grizzlies have been fighting an uphill battle all season. Between injuries of all kinds that have kept their core from playing a single game together, and a new coach still learning what it takes at the NBA level, Memphis hasn’t had much of a chance over the first month of the season.

It’s been an unfortunate start to Tuomas Iisalo’s tenure as the full-time head coach, but his grace period isn’t going to be as long as say, Jordi Fernandez’s in Brooklyn or Charles Lee’s in Charlotte. Those rosters are filled with youth too, but are nowhere as complete at how well the Grizzlies are stocked. 

This was a playoff team Iisalo was handed when Taylor Jenkins was bizarrely let go, so a 4-11 start and a 1-8 November record can’t just be chalked up to on-the-job training. Iisalo is 1-19 against teams with a .500 or better record. The only win against a team that is currently above .500 came against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 29. Ironically, Ja Morant proved clutch with the game-winning points in a 114-113 victory on a jumper with 7.6 seconds left.

In clutch situations over the past few weeks since that bucket, Memphis has been down just five points or less inside five minutes to play and not only hasn’t been able to get over the hump, but has failed miserably trying.

San Antonio outscored the Grizzlies 10-0 in its nationally-televised 111-101 Tuesday night home win after a Cedric Coward 3-pointer placed them at a deficit with 3:13 remaining. As the tweet below details, this has been a recurring theme for Iisalo’s squad this month.

At some point with 5 to 3 minutes left in the games vs DET, OKC, CLE, and SAS over past 15 days, Grizz were down 5 or less pts:

From that time till end of game, Grizz were outscored:

11-3 vs DET

15-6 vs OKC

12-8 vs CLE

10-0 vs SAS

— Shawn Coleman (@StatsSAC) November 19, 2025

The Grizzlies finished 0-for-6 with a pair of costly turnovers in allowing the Spurs to impose their will, and although Zach Edey and Coward missed makeable shots they would love to have back, there has to be a focus on making the most of these clutch situations to give the Grizzlies a chance to snap out of this funk. 

Ja Morant’s lack of efficiency and obvious displeasure with how he was utilized early got the most play, but the Grizzlies’ issues go much deeper than a slumping point guard. Edey has finally debuted and been productive. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been starting to look increasingly like himself and then turned an ankle early in San Antonio, which will need to be monitored over the next few games.

Without Morant, opportunities are going to present themselves for younger players like Coward to assert themselves, but Jackson has the most experience and has proven he can take over games. Getting cleaner looks for Jackson and Santi Aldama, who alongside Coward has been the most effective Grizzlies early, has to be Iisalo’s top priority.

“Tuomas Iisalo just threw down a water bottle, clearly his ATO did not go as he wanted it to execution not there. And Coward’s going to have on bail them out on the fade”

Honestly, no idea what they’re trying to do here pic.twitter.com/V41VWWpkX2

— Adam Pike (@GrizzliesFilm) November 19, 2025

Memphis surged out to an 8-0 lead against the Spurs, but were already behind inside of 10 minutes. Early in the third quarter, Iisalo was frustrated that a play he called out of a timeout wasn’t executed properly and threw down his water bottle in frustration. 

Iisalo figures to get a few more weeks to improve on his results, but the early returns have been awful. Grizzlies fans are losing patience, and once key players follow suit, he’s going to have a major problem on his hands. Few coaches need a win more than Memphis’ first-year head coach, who hasn’t posted a win without Morant leading the team in scoring or assists and hasn’t won without him in the lineup despite uncharacteristically awful shooting and turnover issues.

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