How Tuomas Iisal’s defensive ‘secret sauce’ lifts Memphis

The Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies rediscovered the lead at the right time, stifling opponents as they moved up the Western Conference standings. Tuomas Iisalo spent the first weeks of December rebranding the locker room, turning a slow start into one of the NBA’s most quietly dominant defensive stretches heading into the holidays. now, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey will come to the feast on a favorable holiday schedule to end 2025 under a first-year coach, knowing full well they have the perfect recipe for success.

And to Eddie and Jackson Jr. it took time to reintegrate into the team after long rehabs in the off-season. Fortunately, Iisalo’s Grizzlies (11-13) got it all on the same page before Christmas.

“Collective is the word. Everyone is connected,” Iisalo told Grind City Media. “We’re able to play a little bit differently, with different types of lineups that bring nice variability, which isn’t easy for ball-handlers. They see different looks during games and our transition defense was a lot better.”

Even without Ja Morant available, Iisalo is starting to string together winning streaks. Eddie’s Grizzlies smothered the LA Clippers (6-18) and Portland Trail Blazers (9-15), holding each under 100 points and holding them to less than 20 points in the fourth quarter. A defensive resurgence has fueled an extended hot streak, and the Beale Street Bullies have won seven of their last eight games while holding opponents under 110 points. Their only overtime win in that stretch required overtime.

Since Thanksgiving, the Grizzlies are 5-1. They enter the crucial holiday period with nine games remaining in the 2025 calendar year, including four at home. The schedule presents a great opportunity for them to solidify their position, with upcoming home games against the Utah Jazz (8-15), Washington Wizards (3-19), Milwaukee Bucks (10-15) and Philadelphia 76ers (13-10). Memphis will also visit Utah, LA and Washington; expect Iisalo to maintain the same approach to dictating the battlefield.

“Against a (Trail Blazers) team that can really score in transition, that plays small lineups, we were able to do a very good job in the first half absorbing their drivers,” Iisalo explained. “They do a great job of getting to the rim, drawing two defenders and making the layup.”

The intensity of the defense created tangible advantages beyond just missed shots. That decisively turned the battle for possession on its head. These Grizzlies are much more assertive now, playing hard through mistakes and asking questions later. Usually that activity and leadership lead to good results.

“We do a good job rebounding and are able to force turnovers for a big possession win,” Iisalo explained. “I think we had 15 more real attempts than (the Trail Blazers). That was the secret sauce (to the win).”

That “secret sauce” became the team’s identity. Iisalo saw her reach another level when needed against the Clippers, a sign the Finnish tactician finds particularly encouraging.

“Similar to (the LA Clippers win), when we needed to, we needed to go to another level in terms of energy, focus and connection,” Iisalo beamed. “So that’s a very good sign.”

As the Grizzlies head into the heart of the December slate, their defensive recipe is working. The challenge now is to continue to smolder against the league’s elite. The Minnesota Timberwolves (15-8) and Oklahoma City Thunder (23-1) are the final two teams in the title race between Memphis and a top-six seed that will begin 2026.