On the contrary, during the three seasons when Jenkins coached the Grizzlies to the playoffs, they always held a top-10 defensive rating. And when the roster is healthy, Memphis tends to be one of the best rebounding teams in the league.

Taylor Jenkins is the only coach Ja Morant has ever played under in the NBA. For the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, 'It was a lot to process.'

The Lakers needed a win over the Grizzlies like a fish needs water, so it’s a good thing they got it done. It was a tough game with eight different lead changes, but the Lakers pulled away midway through the fourth and never looked back.

Urgency is a core principle of ours,” said Kleiman, who spoke for less than three minutes. “So, (I) decided to go on with the move."

Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman took full responsibility for the move and looks forward to what the team can do in the playoffs.

The Memphis Grizzlies are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth place in the Western Conference, but they fired head coach Taylor Jenkins on Friday after six seasons. Former assistant Tuomas Iisalo will be the interim coach for the remainder of the campaign.

The Lakers are in fourth place in the Western Conference, one spot ahead of Memphis, since they currently lead the season series against Memphis two games to one. A loss in this game would perhaps doom L.

The Memphis Grizzlies are playing their first game since firing Taylor Jenkins. Follow along for live updates.