The Memphis Grizzlies continued their heartbreaking stretch on Tuesday night.
The Golden State Warriors beat the Grizzlies 134-125 on Tuesday behind a 52-point outburst from superstar Steph Curry with 12 three-pointers, as Ja Morant's 36 points were not enough.
The Grizzlies held their own against one of the league's hottest teams, and even got some valuable performances from their supporting cast. Standout rookie Zach Edey finished the loss with 10 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks on 4-7 shooting from the field, continuing to shine as Memphis' starting big man.
DON'T TRY @ZACH_EDEY 😤@WMCActionNews5 | @FDSN_Grizzlies pic.twitter.com/ZQD5rc2N1V
— Grind City Media (@grindcitymedia) April 2, 2025
Edey played 30+ minutes in a game for the first time in his rookie season, which is shocking that it took the Grizzlies 61 games to play their ninth overall pick and 7-foot-4 phenom 30 minutes.
Since the Grizzlies parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins, Edey seems to have a new role in Memphis' offense. Following their loss to the Warriors, Edey talked about how his game is fitting into the Grizzlies' offense over the past couple of games.
"Yeah I'd say that, just with the ball screens, that's kind of always how I've liked to play," Edey said about the offense catering more to his strengths. "I was always at my best when I was a pick-and-roll player, when I was a roller, that's kind of always been my game. Coach basically gave me the freedom to headhunt whenever I want."
Zach Edey on how the offense has catered more to his skillset the last couple of games: pic.twitter.com/XBocudrNdN
— Bluff City Media Grizzlies (@bcmGrizzlies) April 2, 2025
Edey is averaging 9.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game this season while shooting 57.5% from the field. Edey was one of the most dominant college players for years, and his in-the-paint dominance has certainly translated to the next level.
With a new coach on Memphis' bench, Edey will likely get much more opportunity going forward.