2023-12-03 11:03:40
Jaren Jackson Jr. said he’s been hearing the word potential all his life. He heard it when he was one of the top-ranked high school basketball players in the country, and it was also a commonly used word during his NBA Draft process.
Performances like Saturday against the Phoenix Suns are why in his sixth NBA season, Jackson still hears the word potential, and it probably wont be ending anytime soon.
The Memphis Grizzlies lost 116-109 to the Suns at Footprint Center, but Jackson tallied his best offensive performance of the season. He scored 37 points on 13-for-21 shooting. He also made nine free throws and two 3-pointers.
Jackson entered Saturday’s game averaging 18.6 points on 40.7% shooting from the field. He hadn’t shot better than 50% in a game since Nov. 10 against the Utah Jazz.
Games like Saturday have been more of teases than the normal for Jackson, but the Grizzlies need him to be this player more consistently. He used his 6-foot-11, 250-pound frame to bully smaller Suns defenders. When Phoenix attempted to go with a bigger option in center Jusuf Nurkic, Jackson used his quickness and attacked the 7-footer off the dribble. Nurkic eventually fouled out in part because of having to deal with Jackson.
“Really impressed with him just playing with force, physicality, getting angles on guys one-on-one, touch finishing ability — it’s always been there,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “Just really impressed with the work that he’s been putting in on that end of the floor.”
Jackson’s free-throw rate has been the bright spot in what has been a down year overall for him offensively. He has been one of the NBA’s top players with his ability to draw fouls. He is attempting a career-high 5.9 attempts per game.
Teams have prioritized limiting Jackson while other top Grizzlies scoring options are sidelined. The Grizzlies have tried to counter this by having the skilled big man operate from different areas across the floor on offense to present different looks.
The added attention has put an increased emphasis on the need for Jackson to be a better playmaker.
He’s averaging a career-high 1.9 assists per game to 1.8 turnovers. It may not seem like much, but if Jackson keeps this pace, it would be the first time in his career his has recorded more assists than turnovers.
“Coach tells us throw it in, stay spaced,” Ziaire Williams said last week after a game against the Houston Rockets. “Let (Jackson) operate. If he sees two, be shot-ready. If he sees one, then go to work. It’s really not complicated.”
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Jackson had career highs of 18.6 points per game and 50.6% shooting last season. The scoring is up, but the overall offensive efficiency is down.
As Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart and Ja Morant find their ways back to the court for the Grizzlies, opportunity will free up more for Jackson. When he receives less attention later this season, the expectation should be for his stats to improve.
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