The Memphis Grizzlies’ slide reached five straight games Friday night, a 131–114 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at FedExForum that slipped away one possession at a time, each missed rotation answered with a basket before the defense could reset.
Memphis was once again short-handed, playing without Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Scotty Pippen Jr., Zach Edey, and several others, forcing a patchwork rotation against a Minnesota team designed to punish hesitation.
The Timberwolves did exactly that.
Minnesota knocked down 18 three-pointers, many of them coming off delayed switches, late tags in the lane, and help that arrived a step too slow. Memphis managed only 10 from deep. Every time the Grizzlies found rhythm, it vanished behind another clean look from the perimeter.
And yet, the effort was not absent.
Memphis attacked the paint with intent, outscoring Minnesota 64–40 inside. They competed on the glass despite being thin up front and played with physicality early, trying to shorten the game and force Minnesota into half-court possessions rather than open-floor reads.
It worked for stretches. It did not hold.
The game turned midway through the third quarter. After Memphis cut the deficit to single digits, a miscommunication in transition left the weak side corner unguarded.
Moments later, a late closeout off a ball reversal produced another open three. An eight point Timberwolves run stretched the lead to 16, and the window never reopened.
Anthony Edwards controlled the night, finishing with 33 points as Minnesota placed four players over the 20-point mark. When Memphis over-helped, Edwards sprayed the ball to shooters. When they stayed home, he attacked seams decisively, forcing the defense to choose wrong either way.
One of the few stabilizing moments came from Ty Jerome, who made his season debut after missing three months with a right calf strain. Jerome scored 20 points in 20 minutes and added six assists, providing pace and structure that have often been missing during the losing streak.
“It felt great to just get back on the court, have some fun,” Jerome said. “Obviously, we didn’t win, but to play the game again was a great feeling.”
He scored on Memphis’ first possession and settled in quickly, even as conditioning caught up with him.
“First five minutes were rough, but then I got my second wind,” Jerome said. “I got my legs under me a little bit.”
Head coach Tuomas Iisalo said Jerome gave the Grizzlies exactly what they hoped for. “He did all the things that we expected him to do,” Iisalo said. “Create out of the pick and roll, be a threat off the ball, and open up space for other guys.”
Off the bench, GG Jackson II continued to show growth, finishing with 19 points and five assists while taking on difficult defensive assignments, often guarding up a position and anchoring lineups that lacked experience.
“I’m just taking pride on the defensive end,” Jackson said. “If they’re calling you up in the ball screen, that means they’re trying to attack you.”
Iisalo praised Jackson’s approach and maturity. “He’s doing what the game calls for him to do,” Iisalo said. “He’s not content with where we are as a team or where he is as a player.”
Memphis also leaned on energy from Olivier Maxence Prosper, who was asked to play out of position and responded with physicality and effort. Prosper finished with 13 points and five rebounds off the bench. Still, the margin for error remained razor thin, and Minnesota’s shot-making erased any chance of sustained pressure.
“I thought guys did what they could,” Iisalo said. “It definitely wasn’t because of effort that we lost.”
What ultimately sank the Grizzlies were mental lapses and late coverages, the kind that compound quickly against a confident shooting team and leave little room for recovery.
“There are some mental mistakes that we’re making,” Jerome said. “Those are things we can control.”
Five straight losses have narrowed the margin for Memphis. Jerome’s return provided stability. Jackson’s continued growth gave the team something to build on. Until the mistakes shrink and the roster begins to heal, pulling out of this stretch will remain an uphill battle in the Western Conference.
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