Jaren Jackson Jr. reveals the ‘1 thing’ that cost them in Berlin

The Berlin setting was great, but the end felt too familiar for the Memphis Grizzlies. In the first of two NBA Europe events, Tuomas Iisaloteam squandered a 20-point lead against the Orlando Magic, losing a dominant first since Jaren Jackson Jr. and exposing problems in late games that traveled as much as the team.

Jackson Jr. finished with 30 points, two blocks and two steals, anchoring the Grizzlies to start the night. Yet his final static line also told a more complicated story. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year grabbed just three rebounds, none on the offensive glass, dished out one assist and committed four turnovers. In a tight second half, Jackson Jr. went 3-for-9, drew an offensive foul and turned the ball over twice as the offense unraveled.

A decisive run with just a few minutes to go told the story. The Grizzlies didn’t score in the final possessions, and Jackson Jr. didn’t touch the ball after 2:32 of the fourth quarter. That final possession began with Jackson Jr. standing in the corner, a design choice that symbolized how the offense stagnates in the clutch. After that, the former All-Star he did not deny responsibility.

“Anyone is capable of playing late,” the big man emphasized, “but I have to be more assertive in coming to get the ball. I think there were times when I was denied (the ball). It’s tough. If you look at me and you think I’m open for a second, then try to do something else, but I might not be open, so I think the timing came into play again. But their pressure made us a little bit faster, that’s one thing we just had to be aware of (late in the game).

The collapse marked an inauspicious start to a two-game European sweep, the first of two NBA European events this season. The Grizzlies will look to bounce back in London on Sunday, but questions remain about the team’s ability to hold a lead and pull off a stretch without relying on its best player.

Jackson Jr. acknowledged the mental challenge of staying focused after a busy week partially marred by NBA trade deadline rumors.

“You want to come out of (Europe) with a win. Obviously it’s been a long week, but at the end of the day, when the game starts, that’s all we’re thinking about,” Jackson Jr. explained. better result in London”.

For Iisal, the challenge is balancing trust in young perimeter players with the need to attack through his star. For Jackson Jr., it’s about demanding the ball, even when the defense is holding back and the clock is winding down. In Berlin, the two threads were never fully aligned. The result was a collapse that overshadowed much of what Memphis did well and left the Grizzlies searching for answersagain.