PHILADELPHIA CREAM – Taylor Jenkins would only do one thing differently next time.
“I’ll probably have to bring another change of clothes when these milestones hit,” Jenkins joked the day after his 200th birthday.th coach’s victory. “You don’t take this opportunity for granted.”
As the Grizzlies returned to the practice court Tuesday, Jenkins took a moment to reflect on the collective emotions and atmosphere that followed the previous night’s 106-102 victory in Brooklyn.
The scene in the visitors’ locker room Monday at the Barclays Center was euphoric as players swarmed Jenkins and doused him with buckets and water bottles.
It was both a relief and a celebration for the Grizzlies, who ended a five-game losing streak, won their first game since last month’s All-Star break and avenged the demoralizing, blowout home loss to last week against the Nets in Memphis.
But beyond that, the win made Jenkins just the second coach in franchise history to reach 200 wins with the Grizzlies. In his fifth season, Jenkins is behind Lionel Hollins, who won 214 games with Memphis and guided the Grizzlies to the Western Conference Finals in 2013.
Jenkins emerged late Monday night from the Brooklyn arena, still partially soaked and clutching the official game ball presented to him by the team to commemorate the milestone. It’s one of the encouraging bright spots in a season that has been largely bleak for Memphis, which has suffered a series of serious injuries that have sidelined most of its key players.
As a result, the Grizzlies (21-41) are on pace to miss the NBA playoffs for the first time since Jenkins’ first season as head coach in 2019. But the Grizzlies continue to advance at approaching the last 20 games of the season. looking to maximize growth and development opportunities for their youth and back-end players.
Monday night was about taking a step back and experiencing a special moment for the 39-year-old head coach, for the first time. But Tuesday was back to work. And that’s what the Grizzlies did during a practice at the Nets’ practice facility in Brooklyn before heading to Philadelphia to conclude the two-game trip Wednesday against the 76ers.
“It was coming in and cleaning up some things on the offensive end,” Jenkins said of trying to generate some cohesion with a team that has used an NBA-high 36 different starting lineups this season. “Some guys played unique positions. We just want to make sure everyone is on the same page in the games from the educational points we saw in the film.
Grizzlies players appreciated Jenkins’ relentless approach to teaching and communication, even through some of the most difficult stages of the season. The Grizzlies have been without star players Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane for much of this season. Additionally, reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. missed the last few games.
More rotation changes loom amid the team’s latest injury update ahead of Wednesday’s game.
The Grizzlies announced Tuesday that veteran guard Derrick Rose will be re-evaluated in three weeks after missing the last three games with lower back and groin soreness. The team also said forward Ziaire Williams, who suffered a hip flexor strain Saturday, will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
Jenkins had to navigate a season in which the Grizzlies missed nearly 360 total games due to player injuries. Still, players insist Jenkins’ expectations and standards haven’t changed despite the daunting circumstances.
“(Jenkins’) work has been insane,” Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama said. “I know it’s been difficult for the players, but it’s also difficult for (the coaches). Sometimes we arrive in the morning and the whole plan we had had to change (from the start of the match), because of the way the team was. But he did a great job contacting us. He knows we are human too. The situations we experienced were difficult. But we know we’re all building from this, and we’ll come back next season and be even stronger for it.
In those moments, Jenkins draws strength from the foundation the Grizzlies have built over the past five seasons. Every day is a unique opportunity to live out his mantra from day one: compete, play together, and get a little better every day.
The Grizzlies were coming off the last two seasons when they finished second in the Western Conference standings despite playing one of the youngest primary rotations in the NBA. Jenkins, whose overall record is 200-171, has finished in the top 10 Coaches of the Year voting each of the last two seasons, including second in 2022 behind winner Monty Williams.
The obstacles have been different this season, but the bench’s steadfast approach has not wavered.
“It’s not about me getting the 200th winning, it’s about the team and what we’ve been able to accomplish in five years,” Jenkins said Tuesday. “To see the team and how everyone pulled together. . . everyone had a responsibility to help me reach this milestone. I told the guys, “I care about you so much, but because you care so much about each other, we can enjoy getting there.” And everyone says there’s 100, 200, 300 more (to get).
The Grizzlies will try to win as much as possible for the rest of this season. Then it is expected that there will again be a lot of joy throughout the journey.
For now, after having literally soaked in its 200th victory, Jenkins just can’t wait to get back to work.
