Zach Edey Stats Tonight: How did Grizzlies rookie big man fare vs Trail Blazers? (Nov. 10)
Memphis Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey is not having a great start to his first year in the league. Edey has had some solid games, but he's marred by inconsistencies and still needs to adjust to the speed of the league. How did the Grizzlies big man fare tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday?
Edey finished with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block in Memphis' 134-89 win. He shot 5-for-7 and made one 3-point shot, but also had six turnovers. It was not an aesthetic game for the big man, but the Grizzlies' big lead was a luxury.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the way for the depleted Grizzlies with 20 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while Jake LaRavia scored 18 points off the bench. Scotty Pippen Jr. filled in for Ja Morant to finish with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Here are Zach Edey's stats for the game:
How did Zach Edey perform against the Portland Trail Blazers?
For just the second time this season, Zach Edey was not in the Grizzlies' starting lineup. Coach Taylor Jenkins went with Scotty Pippen Jr., Jaylen Wells, Santi Aldama, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke. Memphis is dealing with a bunch of injuries, so Jenkins has no choice but to go small in Portland.
The Purdue product entered midway through the first quarter to replace Clarke. He had four points in five minutes before Jay Huff gave him a breather. He returned at the five-minute mark in the second period but barely made any impact for the Grizzlies.
It didn't matter since Memphis built a 20-point lead at the half, with Zach Edey having a rough game taking care of the basketball. It's part of being a rookie and something that he has to learn as the season progresses.
Edey re-entered the game with 6:27 left in the third quarter and the Memphis Grizzlies were up by 29 points. He scored just two points in the period and added another turnover to his tally.
The fourth quarter wasn't any different since the game was basically over with the Grizzlies by 38 points to start the period. Edey was given a chunk of minutes in garbage time as Memphis earned a dominant 134-89 win despite playing without starters such as Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.
The Grizzlies improved to 7-4 for the season despite early injuries woes. Edey wasn't a big factor in the game, but he'll learn from all of his turnovers. He also looked more comfortable playing with the bench guys.
What's next for Zach Edey and the Memphis Grizzlies?
The Grizzlies are set to visit LeBron James and the LA Lakers on Wednesday before opening the NBA In-Season Tournament at home on Nov. 15. They will welcome the red-hot Golden State Warriors at the FedEx Forum for their first group stage game.