Memphis lost 128-97 to Oklahoma City, its first double-digit loss of the season, and sits 6-3 and seventh in the West. Isaiah Stewart and Pippen are both estimated back Monday, and the Grizzlies need them.
How did Friday get so far out of hand?
Oklahoma City led by 37 and Memphis never led by more than six. The Thunder ran off 11-0, 13-0, 12-0 and 10-0 stretches, one in every quarter. Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 35, according to ESPN. Memphis called timeouts after the first three runs and none of them changed the direction.
Which Grizzlies took the worst of it?
Cameron Boozer grabbed 12 rebounds but shot 2-for-14, 0-for-8 from three, and finished minus-30 in 31 minutes. Jaylen Wells was minus-31 in 25. Ty Jerome had 21 points and Zach Edey 14, but the starters scored 60 and the bench 31. Nobody in the rotation found an answer when the lead grew.
Will Stewart and Pippen be back Monday?
Both are listed out with estimated returns of November 9, the Raptors game. An estimate is not a clearance. In our tracking, six of eight players on this club newly listed as questionable missed the next game. Together they average 34 minutes a night, and that is the gap Memphis is playing around.
Is the 6-3 start still real?
The record is real, though nine games is a small sample. Memphis is half a game behind sixth-place Minnesota at 7-3 and two games ahead of 11th. Its net rating is plus-5.8 this season. The next four are the Raptors, Nuggets, Pelicans and Nets, so the skid can end quickly or get longer.
What is going on with GG Jackson?
Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian wrote that he asked about Jackson's did-not-play decision and got no particularly clear answer, even with the game decided late. That is the Daily Memphian's account of the exchange. Jackson was healthy enough to be asked about, so it is a rotation question worth watching Monday.
When do the Grizzlies play next?
Memphis plays at the Raptors on November 9, then hosts the Nuggets on November 11.
When are Isaiah Stewart and Pippen expected back?
Both have an estimated return of November 9, the Raptors game, but both are still listed out.
