Kurtenbach: Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins’ ‘curiosity’ is absurd, shameful
Golden State Warriors – Memphis Grizzlies: Taylor Jenkins' postgame
press conference comments about Jordan Poole, Draymond Green have
tainted his once-exceptional reputation.
>Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins welcomes Jaren Jackson Jr.
(13), who heads to the bench during the first half of the team’s NBA
basketball game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Nov. 19,
2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
>Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins welcomes Jaren Jackson Jr.
(13), who heads to the bench during the first half of the team’s NBA
basketball game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Nov. 19,
2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
By DIETER KURTENBACH | dkurtenbach@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News
Group
PUBLISHED: May 10, 2022 at 7:30 a.m. | UPDATED: May 10, 2022 at 7:30 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/10/kurtenbach-grizzlies-coach-taylor-jenkins-curiosity-is-absurd-shameful/

Just call him “Curious” Jenkins.

Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins has done a marvelous job in his
two years at the helm. He’s helped turn a small-market team into a
formidable Western Conference contender and a team to be reckoned with
for years to come.

I’d go as far as to say that he was shortchanged in NBA Coach of the
Year voting. He finished second this season.

But this is his first high-stakes playoff series, and the spotlight has
not been kind to the young coach’s developing reputation.

It’s said that character is revealed when pressure is applied.

Well, Jenkins’ curiosity is coming out in this series against the
Warriors. And let’s just say that it’s not a positive trait.

First, he was curious if Jordan Poole intentionally injured Ja Morant’s
knee when he grabbed it going for the ball in Game 3. It was a strange
play, no doubt, but a ludicrous insinuation by the Grizzlies’ head coach.

“Jordan Poole actually grabbed his knee and yanked it, which kind of
triggered whatever happened,” Jenkins, 37, said. “So I’m actually going
to be very curious to see what happens after that.”

Nothing happened. The Grizzlies petitioned for the NBA to look at the
play. The league did and said there was nothing sinister or deserving of
punishment about it.

Perhaps Jenkins was just emotional after losing his star in a huge
series. It would have been fair to let this one go — chalk it up to
frustration.

But then on Monday, Jenkins’ curiosity stuck again.

And this time, there was no viable excuse. It was just unbecoming.

Monday’s slog of a Game 4 was capped by Draymond Green blocking Jaren
Jackson’s game-tying 3-point attempt with 12 seconds remaining.

And boy, that play had Jenkins’ mind running going into his postgame
press conference.

“I’m actually curious what they’ll say if there was — I think there was
contact,” Jenkins said. “I’m just curious what they’re going to say at
the end of that one. That was heavily contested, but I think there was a
lot of contact.”

It’s funny that Jenkins made such a claim after the game, because at the
moment, he made no such assertions. Not a single person on the
Grizzlies’ bench or on the court did, either.

In a league where every possession seems to end with someone whining and
complaining to the referees about injustices being done to them and no
one reacted to Green making “a lot of contact” with Jackson on the
biggest play of the game?

Jenkins’ assertion isn’t just absurd. It’s a flat-out lie.

--
Dieter Kurtenbach
@dieter
Yeah. No. And, by the way, you didn't think so in the moment. No one
did. Cut this out.
[video]

Warriors on NBCS
@NBCSWarriors
Taylor Jenkins has some thoughts on Draymond’s game-clinching block 👀
[Embedded video]
10:24 PM · May 9, 2022
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--

And while he might think claiming a foul after the fact is clever, what
it does is make him look like an exceptionally sore loser. It makes him
look immature.

Because the Grizzlies made the elite eight, this is the first time a
great number of NBA fans are paying attention to Jenkins.

But instead of an impressive tactician and strong motivator, they’re
being introduced to someone who plays Tucker Carlson — “I’m just asking
questions” — in his press conferences.

Maybe this stuff plays in Memphis. I’d like to think it doesn’t, but
that’s probably wishful thinking.

Regardless, making baseless accusations under the guise of curiosity is
a more than valid reason to think less of Jenkins outside of the mid-South.

Luckily his players don’t buy into the nonsense.

If Jenkins is disreputable, then let’s give some serious credit to
Jackson. When asked about the “controversial” play the game, the
Grizzlies big man wasn’t sure what was being referenced.

“Oh the one I missed? Yah, I missed. I missed,” Jackson said.

A 22-year-old showing better character and judgment than his 37-year-old
head coach?

That’s not a good look.

I’m curious how Grizzlies owner Robert Pera — a San Carlos native —
feels about that. Very curious indeed.