Amid a tough and frustrating season for the Memphis Grizzlies, there have still been moments worth celebrating.
While the team’s key members, including Ja Morant, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama and Scotty Pippen Jr., have missed most of the season due to injuries, their absences have given others a chance to prove themselves.
For the Grizzlies, that has meant players expected to serve limited roles during the 2025-26 season have instead stepped into the spotlight. When Memphis (24-44) plays host to the Boston Celtics (46-23) Friday night, one of those players will be Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who is performing as if he will be in next season’s rotation regardless of who is healthy seven months from now.
Taylor Hendricks, acquired last month in the deal that sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah, has made an impact, too.
In Wednesday’s 125-118 win over the Denver Nuggets that snapped an eight-game losing streak, Prosper finished with 19 points and two steals in 23 minutes, while Hendricks contributed 13 points, six steals and three blocks in 24 minutes.
With the Grizzlies’ roster short on big men, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Prosper started the game trying to slow down 6-foot-11, 284-pound Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a five-time All-NBA first-team selection. Hendricks, at 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, also took his turns in challenging Jokic.
“(Jokic) is one of the best players in the world, but my thought was this is a great challenge for me,” Prosper said. “I wanted to make it as difficult as I can for him and use my quickness to my advantage.”
Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo hasn’t overlooked the efforts of Prosper and Hendricks.
“Both of those guys are, game after game, playing against opposition (centers),” Iisalo said. “Just their energy level — we try to cycle through pretty fast, so they can come in and give their best effort, and then the next guy can come in and step in.
“Taylor has been really great. It’s one of the things that really hasn’t surprised us, but just the ability he has with his wingspan, he’s really disruptive, he’s able to pressure even smaller guards, but especially big guys, while still holding his own physically and being able to rebound for his position.”
Boston has won three straight games and eight of the last 11, thriving with Jayson Tatum back on the court after his Achilles injury. He has played in six games so far and scored 24 points with 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s 120-99 victory over Golden State.
“Offensively, he’s making great reads and I think his conditioning is continuing to get better,” said Boston coach Joe Mazzulla. “Defensively, he’s rebounding and competing at the point of attack in our individual defenses and executing the game plan. He’s getting better and better for us.”
The Celtics entered Thursday just 3 1/2 games out of first place in the conference, though the East-leading Detroit Pistons were due to play Thursday night at Washington. Boston will return from this single-game trip to play three at home before opening a four-game road trip.
Payton Pritchard made 5 of 10 3-point tries on his way to 24 points and nine assists when the Celtics thumped the Grizzlies 131-95 on Nov. 12 in Boston.
