Memphis Grizzlies received a lift with the return of guard Dillon Brooks back from
injury against the Charlotte Hornets recently.
It’s the first time the 25-year-old has
been seen on the court so far after he recovered from a broken hand which
was sustained back in September during an offseason training session.
Head Coach Taylor Jenkins was delighted to see Brooks make it back onto the paint
as they’ve had a stuttering start to their 2021/22 NBA campaign so far. Brooks
returned to the action from the bench against the Hornets and scored 20 points for
his side. Although he couldn’t spur them onto a win on his first appearance, it’s a
positive going into a busy period of games as the Grizzlies aim to get their hopes for
a second successive post-season appearance back on track.
Brooks was glad to be back out with his teammates, but he admitted he’s still got
some way to go before he’s matching his form from the last campaign. He said: “I felt good. I was trying to play within the flow of the game. I’m tired and sore, but it’s a
good stepping stone to get to where I was last season.”
The Grizzlies have a young squad who at times is fearless, and the trio of Ja Morant,
Jaren Jackson Jr, and Brooks could be the key to any success and picking back up
where they ended a positive 2020/2021 in the post-season playoffs. In terms of
winning this season, the Grizzlies are very much in the middle of the pack in the
latest NBA Championship odds with Bwin, but the returning player could give them
an extra boost.
Morant has been the standout star so far with some suggesting he’s
in All-Star form currently and he’s been ably assisted by De’Anthony Melton in
Brooks’ absence, but the Canadian coming back in is a whole different prospect.
Morant spoke after the game about the return of his teammate: “Dillon is very
aggressive on both ends of the floor, and we need that type of energy. He pushes
everyone to get better, we’re glad to have him back,” he said. As one of the most
competitive defenders in the NBA, it’s easy to see why the return of Brooks could be
key to the Grizzlies. Last season, he was one of the Grizzlies’ stars; he stepped up his
scoring game to go with his defensive strength.
His efforts in and around the paint took a little pressure away from the likes of Morant, but he’s got some way to go before he’s getting anywhere near the scoring levels of someone like Brooklyn Net’s James Harden.
Not only does Brooks’ presence on the court take away the pressure from the
defensive side of the game for the Grizzlies, but the way he plays the game also flows
through them. So, although his return to the court against the Hornets didn’t bring
victory, it could have come just at the right for Jenkins’ Grizzlies to turn the corner
and achieve their goals this season.
