Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ty Jerome walked to the free-throw line with a chance to set a franchise record.
As Jerome planted his feet at the line with 2:53 remaining in the fourth quarter, loud chants echoed through FedExForum on Oct. 21 against the Utah Jazz.
“MVP! MVP!”
Jerome knocked down both free throws, bringing his total to 45 points and setting a franchise mark for most points scored in a season opener. His historic performance helped lift the Grizzlies to a 123-103 win.
He finished 17-for-25 from the field, including five 3-pointers. He also recorded six assists and seven rebounds in 32 minutes.
It capped a whirlwind journey for Jerome. After a high-grade calf strain delayed his Grizzlies debut last season until late January, he was
hearing MVP chants from the Memphis crowd on opening night.
“It’s a cool moment,” Jerome said. “I was just really pleased with the crowd tonight. Opening night, I had no idea what to expect. Last year, given the circumstances, we didn’t have a lot of packed houses by the time I was back playing. It was really cool to see that place packed and the fans into it. That’s going to help us a lot at home.”
How Jerome stole the show
It didn’t take Jerome long to get going.
He quickly recognized that the Jazz were going under screens, giving him room to operate. He scored the Grizzlies’ first two baskets with his signature running floater before expanding his range as the game progressed.
As the night went on, Jerome and Grizzlies center Zach Edey discussed how Utah’s defensive approach continued to give Jerome opportunities to get to his floater and pull-up 3-pointer rather than commit to defending him more aggressively around screens involving Edey.
“He was looking for lobs,” Edey said. “He was trying to get me involved, which I appreciate. But they were staying home, they didn’t want to respect him on the floater even when he had 20 in the second quarter, 30 in the third quarter. I said (expletive) it, go get 40.”
"If teams are going to play us like that, I'm confident in those shots," Jerome said. "Basketball kind of tells you what to do. Shoot, pass, (or) dribble. It's a simple game."
Why Ty Jerome’s teammates weren’t surprised
Jerome’s career night quickly captured the NBA’s attention. Entering the game against Utah, his career high was 33 points.
His shot-making sent FedExForum into a frenzy, particularly when he launched a 34-foot 3-pointer from near the logo to reach 41 points. The shot sparked one of the loudest reactions of the night, with Grizzlies legends Zach Randolph and Tony Allen jumping out of their courtside seats and grabbing one another.
But for Jerome’s teammates, his performance wasn’t a surprise. They had spent the summer working alongside him and had already seen what he could do.
“Crazy, but I feel like I expected it,” Scotty Pippen Jr. told The Commercial Appeal. “I’ve seen it every day in practice. The way he shoots the ball, the way he gets to his spots. Every time he was making those shots, I’ve seen him making them.”
Pippen went on to call Jerome “one of the most efficient three-level scorers I’ve played with.”
Jaylen Wells and Kris Murray have established themselves as two of the Grizzlies’ top defenders. Wells admitted that he struggled to stop Jerome during summer workouts.
GG Jackson recalled sitting next to Murray on the bench as Jerome continued to score. Murray seemed to take some satisfaction in watching Jerome do the same thing to opposing defenders that he had done to them in practice.
“Now seeing it against other players, I’m like, cool, it’s not just me,” Wells said.
Reaching new heights
So, what’s next?
Opponents will undoubtedly take notice of Jerome’s performance. He’ll receive more attention on scouting reports, and the defensive challenges will only get tougher.
But his breakout performance wasn’t entirely new. In the 15 games he played for Memphis last season, Jerome demonstrated a similar level of efficiency.
Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo drew attention when he compared Jerome’s efficiency in that limited sample to that of Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic. The sample size was small, but Iisalo believes Jerome’s production can translate into a larger role.
Now, Jerome must show he can continue it.
“We’ve joked about the comparisons to some of the best offensive handlers in the league, but the numbers are essentially the same,” Iisalo said. “The game sample and minutes are a lot smaller . . . The challenge obviously is to sustain it and do it night after night in a role that he really hasn’t been in before in the NBA as a starting point guard.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ty Jerome's 45-point night takes NBA by storm, but Grizzlies aren't surprised
