You Know The Grizzlies Are Down BAD When Kyrie Irving Emerges As A Voice Of Reason On The Current State Of The Team
Well, well. Hadn't checked in with Kyrie Irving on Twitter since he went on private mode. Guess the man can't help himself. He's overdue and ready to go full send on some TAKES. After all, it isn't like he has the act of playing playoff basketball to distract him from his higher purposes and grander life pursuits.
I like how Kyrie calls himself out here. At least he has a modicum of self-awareness in that regard. Not his fault the Mavs collapsed once he got to Dallas and missed the playoffs. He played great [on offense]! OK but I'm not here to say, "KYRIE IS A HYPOCRITE!" Low-hanging fruit. Do you really want to read the 6,000th blog of someone bashing Kyrie? No. Kyrie sucks. We know. This is way more interesting. Like, how often is Kyrie Irving BANG-ON correct about anything?
Kyrie's assertion that Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins shouldn't call out his players publicly while his team trails the Lakers 3-1 in an opening-round series is among his most sound, logical and reasoned opinions. And he has a lot of 'em. A lot of awful, ignorant ones. So this really is a watershed moment.
Here's what Jenkins actually said about the Grizzlies' collective immaturity, per The Athletic's Joe Vardon:
"We're far from where we need to be from a maturity standpoint...This is all experience that you can only gain from. So, nothing's gonna change overnight, but when we wear it, and we understand the struggles we're going through individually, collectively, on, off the court and all that stuff, and we sit down and we honestly talk about it, and we face it, you're hopefully gonna turn the corner for sure."
HOOOOH. Yeah, this wasn't your run-of-the-mill constructive criticism. "The struggles we're going through individually, collectively, on, off the court." Gee. I wonder who he could possibly be talking about!
This is the classic situation where a coach and team's personality align. My theory is Jenkins has been sent over the edge and sunk to the low level of some of his key players.
There have been several blogs up already about how much of a dumbass Dillon Brooks is. But remind me, Stoolies, who's been the blogger on the front lines defending LeBron James at every single turn down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs? And who told you, in no minced words whatsoever, that Brooks' trash talk was about to backfire like sticking one's arm into a wood chipper?
That'd be yours truly.
Whatever best-case scenario I could've possibly imagined since Brooks opened his big, stupid mouth after the Grizzlies took Game 2 has actually been exceeded, like, one thousandfold.
HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT. Taylor Jenkins. Sir. You messed up. This is what you do: You bench the fuck out of Dillon Brooks. You don't go to the media and start shooting your mouth off about how, um, underdeveloped as people your guys are.
Yeah, I know Ja Morant was waving a gun around at a strip club. I know Dillon Brooks is potentially even stupider than Kyrie Irving. But you don't imply that on public record. You handle it behind the walls of your locker room. You bench Brooks, say, "We just needed a change of pace. Wanted to reshuffle the rotation. Making adjustments to try to get back into this series."
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Lie, lie, lie. Deny, deny, deny that Brooks' buffoonery and, more importantly, shitty-as-fuck performance on the basketball court isn't what got him to riding the pine. Insist that you're actually a brilliant tactician and might have the chops to rally Memphis back from a 3-1 series deficit.
Unfortunately, in a very human moment of unfathomable frustration and weakness, Jenkins let slip that, yup, these young, dumb, immature players I'm coaching? Can't stand them. I've had enough. Get me out of here. I need a damn vacation. Hard to blame him.
Again, on a basic level of humanity, I empathize with Jenkins. What a waking nightmare he's had on his hands. Not to mention the Grizzlies' depth has been tested by multiple injuries. Not sure it'd make a difference against this surging Lakers squad, but still.
Fear not, Taylor Jenkins. The sadistic pain will soon end. You'll soon be joining Kyrie on the couch, watching the rest of the playoffs from the comfort of your own home. Hopefully far, far away from Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant.
Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok