Memphis Grizzlies: 3 takeaways from 2018-19 season opener

The Memphis Grizzlies came up short in their 2018-19 season opener against the Indiana Pacers. It’s early, but they have some things to work on moving forward.

The Memphis Grizzlies took on the Indiana Pacers to open up their 2018-19 NBA season, and it was a rough start to the year. They lost 111-83 due to an extremely poor shooting night and a great shooting night for the Pacers. The Grizzlies struggled to generate open looks, and while some of that can be attributed to the defense, they didn’t run too many sets to give them a chance to shoot a higher percentage.

If they can stay healthy, which has been a major struggle for this team in the past few years, they have a shot at sneaking into the playoffs. However, they will need to get better on the offensive end to make that happen.

Point guard Mike Conley and center Marc Gasol will make this team better on the defensive end than they were Wednesday night. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff had this offseason to prepare, and the team came out flat to start the season.

Gasol led the way with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Garrett Temple had 12 points while Conley added 11. Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Some of the Grizzlies’ struggles can be attributed to knocking the rust off after a long offseason. It was seen across the NBA on opening night, as historically great shooters struggled with their shot. However, this team’s ceiling is lower than in years past due to aging stars and young pieces that have to develop. While opening night has to be taken with a grain of salt, there are still some things that can be noted moving forward.