The Memphis Grizzlies rolled into Christmas week still trying to find their footing-and if you’ve been watching, you know it’s been a season defined by inconsistency, injuries, and razor-thin margins. One night they’re pulling off gritty road wins, the next they’re coughing up 20-point leads at home. That kind of volatility has become the story of their year so far.
Take their recent loss to the Washington Wizards. Memphis had built a 20-point cushion, only to see it evaporate in a 130-122 defeat that left the FedEx Forum crowd stunned. It was a game that put their season-long issues under a microscope: defensive lapses, a lack of depth, and an inability to close.
Santi Aldama, who’s been on a tear lately, poured in 37 points and grabbed 10 boards in that game. But his breakout performance was overshadowed by what he called a collective failure to defend.
“We didn't play defense whatsoever,” he said bluntly after the game. “When a team has 21 offensive rebounds, it is very hard to win that way.”
Aldama’s frustration was evident-and warranted. The Grizzlies lost Brandon Clarke just four minutes in, and Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out late in the fourth.
With key players sidelined or in foul trouble, the margin for error shrank to nothing. But Aldama made it clear: shorthanded or not, the effort has to be there.
“When you're out there, you just try and find ways to win,” he said. “When you don't have bodies out there, you still have to (do the job).”
And he’s right. Dropping games to lottery teams now only makes the path in April that much steeper.
The Grizzlies know this drill-they’ve been here before. But experience doesn’t make it any less frustrating.
Their 3-3 record over the past six games doesn’t tell the full story. It started with a tough home loss to the Utah Jazz, 130-126.
But then came two impressive road wins: a 121-103 statement against the Clippers and a gritty 116-110 victory over the Timberwolves. That stretch helped restore some momentum, especially considering Memphis had gone 5-1 against lottery teams before that Jazz loss on December 12.
The only blemish in that run? A seven-point nail-biter against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
Then came the Wizards, who stormed into Memphis and flipped the script. Two days later, the Grizzlies dropped a road game to the Oklahoma City Thunder-no surprise given the Thunder’s firepower and Memphis’ depleted roster.
But credit where it’s due: the Grizzlies bounced back with arguably their most cohesive game of the season, taking down the Jazz on the road with a 41-assist performance that showcased just how good this team can look when the pieces click.
“We played selflessly, understood more of the spaces, reading the defense better, recognizing when they're switching, when they're not,” Aldama said after that win. “It’s a process. We are not there yet, but every day I feel like we get closer.”
That’s been the story of Aldama’s season, too. After a rocky start, the 24-year-old is finding his rhythm. His second 37-point outing of the week came in that revenge win over Utah, and it wasn’t just the numbers-it was the confidence, the decision-making, the presence.
“It is better than at first, so it definitely feels good to see the ball go through the hoop,” Aldama said in a postgame interview. “Just trying to be aggressive while staying patient.
That’s what the coaches always talk about. Sometimes it'll be me, sometimes it'll be a teammate.
As long as we get the win, that's what I care about.”
That attitude is exactly what this team needs right now. With Ja Morant and Zach Edey still sidelined, the Grizzlies are leaning heavily on their young core to figure things out on the fly. The blueprint is there-defense, ball movement, and effort-but sticking to it has been the challenge.
For Memphis, the road ahead is less about discovering who they are and more about staying consistent in the face of adversity. And for Aldama, who’s quickly becoming one of the team’s most reliable contributors, the mission is simple: keep building, keep leading, and keep grinding.