Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke finished the regular season by averaging 10.4 points, 5.3 boards, and 1.1 blocks. He played even better during the postseason, filling in admirably when needed. However, the 24-year-old, who is eligible for a rookie contract extension over the summer, is hoping to improve in one area specifically, his three-point shooting percentage. Clarke has been miserable in that area throughout his career, draining only 29.4% of his attempts, including a hideous 22.7% during the 2021-22 campaign. He has a chance to establish a more prominent role in the rotation this season. Yet, unless Clarke receives consistent playing time and works on his accuracy from behind the arc, it will lower his fantasy attractiveness, especially for managers in category formats.

The Memphis Grizzlies have ruled out guard Dillon Brooks (ankle) and forward Brandon Clarke (hip) for Thursday night's game against the Indiana Pacers. The team will be extremely short-handed in the game as start point guard Ja Morant (knee) is out as well. The Grizzlies played on Wednesday night, so Brooks is being held out as a way of managing his return from injury. He missed about two months with a left ankle sprain before returning a few weeks back. Clarke, meanwhile, is dealing with hip soreness. This will be his first missed game with the injury. Kyle Anderson could be in store for a big workload on Thursday while Ziaire Williams and John Konchar could see increased playing time as well.

Memphis Grizzlies power forward/center Brandon Clarke (eye) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. The third-year pro was poked in the eye during Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls. He left the game after the incident and didn't return, finishing the game with just four points and three rebounds over 11 minutes. Clarke is averaging 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game this year while shooting 64.6% from the field. If he's unable to go on Monday, Jaren Jackson Jr. or Kyle Anderson could see extra minutes. Alternatively, we could see Xavier Tillman Sr. break into the rotation as a reserve forward.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (back) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. He was listed as questionable coming into this contest, but will sit out due to back soreness. His absence should mean more minutes for Xavier Tillman. Possibly, Santi Aldama gets into the rotation, but won't be a streaming option. Neither player is worth a look even with Clarke on the sideline.

Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams (ankle) and power forward/center Brandon Clarke (back) have earned questionable designations ahead of Sunday's contest vs. Dallas. Adams is dealing with a sore right ankle but has not missed time over the last four outings due to the ailment. Clarke has been an integral member of Memphis' second unit, not having missed a game over the last month. If neither is available, Xavier Tillman would step into a massive frontcourt role and become a heavily featured DFS target. Fantasy managers will want to check back prior to tip-off to get the final word on Adams and Clarke's respective statuses.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (knee) will be available for Sunday's game against the Sacramento Kings. He has not played in a game since early December. Fantasy managers should expect Clarke to be limited during his first game back. Although, he could be asked to take on a heavier workload quickly with De'Anthony Melton and Dillon Brooks in protocols. Fantasy managers should use a wait-and-see approach here. Clarke could quickly become a decent streaming option, but it depends on how much the Grizzlies use him.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (knee) has been added to the injury report ahead of Saturday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. He is currently listed as questionable due to right knee soreness. Kyle Anderson (back) is already ruled out, which means Jaren Jackson Jr. could be looking at heavy minutes. Also, Xavier Tillman could be asked to do more off the bench. Although, Jackson is the much better fantasy option and would be a favorable DFS option without Clarke available on Saturday.

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies once again seem to be an afterthought heading into the NBA season. There isn’t much buzz about last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year. At least there’s not the attention the retooled Lakers, Kevin Durant’s return to the court or Zion Williamson’s sophomore campaign are getting. Morant and this teammates were a surprise last season and he plans to remove any doubt this year. “Attacking the season and proving everybody wrong is my number one goal,” Morant said. Memphis' young star and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins are in complete agreement on what Mortant needs to work on in his second season. “Everything,” Morant said. “I feel like it's that simple.” Asked what he wants Morant to improve on, Jenkins said, “My simple answer would be everything." Expectations are very high in Memphis thanks to the point guard's impressive rookie debut. Not only was Morant a nearly unanimous pick as NBA Rookie of the Year, he was the lone unanimous pick on the league's All-Rookie... [More]

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies once again seem to be an afterthought heading into the NBA season. There isn’t much buzz about last year’s NBA rookie of the year. At least there’s not the attention the retooled Lakers, Kevin Durant’s return to the court or Zion Williamson’s sophomore campaign are getting. Morant and this teammates were a surprise last year and he plans to remove any doubt this year. “Attacking the season and proving everybody wrong is my number one goal,” Morant said. Memphis' young star and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins are in complete agreement on what Mortant needs to work on in his second season. “Everything,” Morant said. “I feel like it's that simple.” Asked what he wants Morant to improve on Jenkins said, “My simple answer would be everything." Expectations are very high in Memphis thanks to the point guard's impressive rookie debut. Not only was Morant a nearly unanimous pick as NBA Rookie of the Year, he was the lone unanimous pick on the league's All-Rookie... [More]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies have a talented young core that they are determined to keep together, and they exercised the 2021-22 options for reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke and Grayson Allen. The Grizzlies announced the moves Wednesday night. The No. 2 pick overall in 2019 out of Murray State, Morant was the near unanimous pick as top rookie and a unanimous choice for the NBA All-Rookie team. He led the team with 17.8 points per game starting 67 games last season. The fourth overall pick in 2018, Jackson averaged 15.5 points in 113 starts over two seasons. He was on the 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie team, and Jackson scored 17.4 points a game in his second season while blocking 1.61 shots a game. He scored a career-high 43 points on Dec. 13, 2019, against Milwaukee. Clarke joined Morant on the NBA All-Rookie first team after averaging 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds. He shot an NBA rookie-best 61.8% from the floor. Allen shot 40.4% from 3-point range last season in his first with the Grizzlies. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Ja Morant will have a painful memory from his rookie season to help remind him — and the rest of the NBA — just how far ahead of schedule the Memphis Grizzlies' rebuilding project is.“How close I was to the playoffs,” Morant said Saturday after the Grizzlies' playoff hopes ended in a 126-122 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference's play-in game.“Obviously, now I feel like I kind of know what it takes to make it. We're some games away. I learned a lot through the amount of games I played this whole season. I say people try to put a lot of pressure on me, but I'm a rookie. Just turned 21 a couple days ago. At this point, I'm still learning.”The likely NBA rookie of the year capped off his season by scoring a career-best 35 points despite playing with a broken thumb the final four games of the NBA's restart in Florida. Only three Grizzlies rookies previously scored 35 or more in a regular-season game: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr.Better yet,... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 33 points, teaming with Damian Lillard for 11 of Portland's 16 in overtime, and the Trail Blazers pulled out a desperately needed victory to resume their season by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 140-135 on Friday.Lillard finished with 29 points and nine assists as the Trail Blazers boosted their hopes for a seventh consecutive playoff appearance. Carmelo Anthony added 21 points as Portland moved within 2 1/2 games of the Grizzlies for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference.“Everybody knew how important that game was," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “This is playoff basketball from us and we have that pressure and you can’t shy away from it.”McCollum started fast, scoring 19 points in the first half, and finished strong with two crucial 3-pointers in overtime. The first one to open the extra period gave Portland the lead for good, and he added six assists.Jaren Jackson Jr. had 33 points and rookie Ja Morant added 22 points and 11 assists... [More]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Grizzlies are expecting forward Jaren Jackson Jr. to return from an injured left knee within the next week along with Justise Winslow also making his debut with Memphis in that same time span.Memphis gave an injury update Monday. Jackson hurt his knee Feb. 21 in a road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Grizzlies originally said the No. 4 overall pick of the 2018 draft would be out at least two weeks before updating his status. The Grizzlies acquired Winslow on Feb. 6 in a deal sending Andre Iguodala to Miami, knowing he wouldn't be available immediately because of back soreness that limited him to 11 games this season. Winslow spent his first five seasons in the NBA with Miami, missing most of his second with an injured shoulder. Memphis also said rookie Brandon Clarke is progressing well in his recovery and is expected to return this season. Clarke strained his right quadriceps Feb. 24 in a loss at the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies currently sit in the eighth spot in the Western Conference with a four-game lead over New Orleans and Sacramento with 18 games remaining this season. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis rookie forward Brandon Clarke hurt his right quadriceps and will be re-valuated in two weeks. The Grizzlies updated Clarke's status Tuesday night. Clarke left Monday night's 124-97 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers after playing only three minutes with what was called hip soreness. The Grizzlies said further tests showed an injury to Clarke's right quadriceps. The Grizzlies already are without Jaren Jackson Jr. after he sprained his left knee in Friday night's loss to the Lakers and will be re-evaluated within two weeks. The 6-foot-8 Clarke has appeared in 50 games and is averaging 12 points and 21.7 minutes played. He was the MVP of the 2019 Summer League and the championship game MVP as Memphis won its first Las Vegas summer league title. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies' rebuilding plan is ahead of even the most optimistic schedule,They have won more games before the All-Star break than predicted and currently hold the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference standings.“We had high hopes for what this group could become, and I think it's fair to say that this group has already exceeded I think any realistic expectations that anyone had internally or externally,” Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman said Monday. Kleiman talked to reporters Monday for the first time since the trade deadline. The Grizzlies are 3-1 in February and have won 14 of their last 18 and are 27-26 overall — a game above what most sports books expected this season.It's a quick turnaround from just over a year ago when Memphis was breaking up the final pieces of a group that set a franchise record with seven straight playoff appearances that ended in 2017.The Grizzlies traded center Marc Gasol to Toronto. Then controlling owner Robert Pera shook... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — All-Star starters Luka Doncic of Dallas and Trae Young of Atlanta headlined the list of players released Friday to participate in the Rising Stars game at All-Star weekend in Chicago.Also on the list: likely rookie of the year frontrunner Ja Morant of Memphis, and No. 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson of New Orleans.The format has 10 first- and second-year players from the U.S. on one team, against 10 first- and second-year players from other nations. Doncic leads the World team, joined by Nickeil Alexander-Walker of New Orleans, Deandre Ayton of Phoenix, RJ Barrett of New York, Brandon Clarke of Memphis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner of Washington, Svi Mykhailiuk of Detroit and Josh Okogie of Minnesota.Joining Young, Morant and Williamson on the U.S. team are Miles Bridges, PJ Washington and Devonte’ Graham of Charlotte, Wendell Carter Jr. of Chicago, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn of Miami, Jaren Jackson Jr. of Memphis and Eric Paschall of Golden State.Williamson is an injury replacement for Carter, who has a sprained right ankle and is not expected to play for the Bulls until after the All-Star break.With Alexander-Walker, Barrett, Clarke and Gilgeous-Alexander, the game features a record four Canadians. Hachimura is the first Japanese player to be selected for the game.The game is Friday, Feb. 14.__More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies rookie Brandon Clarke has aggravated a sore left oblique muscle and now is week to week.The Grizzlies detailed Clarke’s medical status Tuesday.Clarke hurt his oblique muscle in the first half of Sunday’s win at Minnesota. He did not return for the second half and did not dress for Monday night’s loss to Indiana.The Grizzlies already are without their top draft pick, Ja Morant, who is week to week because of back spasms. Clarke was the 21st pick out of Gonzaga by Oklahoma City, who traded his draft rights to Memphis. Clarke helped lead the Grizzlies to the summer league title.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports