The Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins, their winningest coach, on Friday with the group struggling down the stretch and susceptible to shedding home-court benefit for the postseason.
Nonetheless sitting at No 5 within the Western Convention standings, the Grizzlies determined to dump Jenkins anyway with out instantly asserting an interim coach.
Jenkins led the Grizzlies for six seasons. He was let go along with the group on the verge of enjoying three dwelling video games in a four-day span beginning Saturday – first the Lakers, then Boston on Monday, then Golden State on Tuesday.
That begins a stretch the place eight of Memphis’ closing 9 opponents are both playoff golf equipment or contending for a play-in spot. But it surely’s nonetheless attainable, at the very least mathematically, that Memphis may get again to No 2 within the West, and it’s extremely unlikely that the Grizzlies will fall into the play-in event vary.
Nonetheless, Memphis determined it was time for a change.
“This was a troublesome resolution, given the constant and tangible improvement of our gamers and general success underneath Taylor’s management,” Zach Kleiman, the Grizzlies’ president and normal supervisor of basketball operations, mentioned in a press release.
The Grizzlies won’t be working towards Friday and introduced no media availability.
Jenkins was the fifth longest-tenured coach along with his present membership within the league, behind solely San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Golden State’s Steve Kerr and Denver’s Michael Malone – all of them having gained NBA titles.
Outcomes in opposition to the league’s greatest groups thus far this season weren’t a great signal for Jenkins.
The Grizzlies have been 0-4 in opposition to Oklahoma Metropolis, shedding these video games by 24, 13, 17 and 21 factors. They’re 3-6 thus far this season in opposition to Houston, Denver and the Lakers, the following three groups forward of them within the West.
And that’s been a pattern all season for Memphis. The Grizzlies have been actually good in opposition to the sub-.500 groups, however struggled mightily in opposition to the profitable golf equipment.
Towards the 13 different groups that at the moment are over .500, the Grizzlies are 11-20 this season and getting outscored by 77 factors. Towards the 16 golf equipment at .500 or worse, the Grizzlies are 33-9, outscoring these opponents by 462 factors.
Jenkins, with a profession document of 250-214, handed Lionel Hollins for many wins in franchise historical past on 20 November with a victory in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers. He additionally coached probably the most video games in Grizzlies’ historical past, with the franchise launching in 1995.
He took Memphis to the postseason thrice throughout his tenure however solely received to the second spherical as soon as.
Within the 2021-22 season, the group gained 56 video games for the Grizzlies’ most in a season underneath Jenkins. The Grizzlies captured the Southwest Division and have been a No 2 seed within the West. They ousted the Minnesota Timberwolves within the opening spherical, however misplaced to Golden State within the second with star Ja Morant coping with an damage.
Jenkins changed JB Bickerstaff, who was fired after failing to make the playoffs within the 2018-19 season. He had served as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks, each working for coach Mike Budenholzer.
He additionally served a stint within the San Antonio Spurs group, ultimately changing into head coach of the Spurs G League group in Austin.
Jenkins’ arrival in Memphis coincided with the Grizzlies drafting Morant with the No 2 general choose in 2019. Memphis made the postseason three straight seasons from 2021 to 2023. Then the Grizzlies went by means of a season plagued with accidents to main gamers.
Morant performed solely 9 video games due to a 25-game league suspension and a proper shoulder damage that ended his season. Fellow guard Desmond Bane missed appreciable time with a left ankle sprain, and frontline reserve Brandon Clarke managed solely six video games due to a left Achilles tendon tear.
That left Jenkins to handle the season with ahead Jaren Jackson Jr and a bunch of makeshift lineups, ultimately ending 27-55.
This season, Jenkins turned over his teaching workers and introduced in a brand new offense primarily based on spacing. Regardless of being plagued with turnovers, Memphis spent a big a part of the season second within the West. Different groups surged because the Grizzlies’ tough patch dropped them to fifth place.
Once more, Jenkins spent one other season piecing collectively lineups round Morant restricted to 43 video games with numerous sicknesses, soreness, contusions and sprains. Morant missed Thursday evening’s sport, his sixth straight, with a strained hamstring.
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