Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo addressed his team’s struggles after Wednesday’s 131-95 loss to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. The Grizzlies fell behind early and were never able to recover, losing for the seventh time in eight games.
Iisalo cited shooting inefficiency as a major factor. “One way to lose is not to make shots today. I think we struggled a lot even with open three-pointers… their shot making was at a relatively high level,” he said.
The coach emphasized the importance of maintaining team identity. “You can lose games… but go away from your identity or the things that we know produce wins is something that we must correct right away,” Iisalo said.
Memphis was outrebounded 58-41 and gave up 34 second-chance points. Iisalo noted, “We got bullied on the boards… transition game… in the half court, we were late for several actions, unable to communicate or arrive with the ball, basic things.”
Iisalo also reflected on the team’s current injury issues. With Ja Morant sidelined, he acknowledged the challenge of a depleted backcourt facing a well-organized Celtics squad. “Vince is a good player… but we have four point guards ahead of him injured right now,” he said.
Despite the lopsided result, Iisalo stressed effort and perseverance. “We keep working… we know we can do better… the fact that we are struggling in certain games… shouldn’t be because of effort like tonight,” he added.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 18 points, while Santi Aldama added 14. Boston’s balanced scoring, led by Payton Pritchard with 24 points and nine assists, kept the Celtics in control throughout the contest.
The Celtics made 21 three-pointers and dominated in transition, extending leads up to 38 points. Iisalo emphasized the need to learn from the performance and use it as motivation moving forward.
Memphis now sits at 4-9, while Boston improved to 6-7. The Grizzlies face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, and the Celtics host the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday.
