Embattled Memphis coach grinding, needs Grizzlies to show grit on 4-game roadie

If nothing else, Tuomas Iisalo’s first full run as Memphis Grizzlies head coach is coming with every obstacle imaginable to test his mettle. It’s like playing a video game at the hardest level possible to test yourself, but doesn’t look like much fun.

This Zach Edey head knock is the latest trial to overcome, arriving early like Thanksgiving Day indigestion to help snap the first win streak of the 2025-26 season.

Iisalo had his star point guard criticize his substitution patterns before October ended, suspended him for a game to open this month, and hasn’t played with his anticipated full deck once. The injury-related chaos comes with the gig, but Iisalo will have an opportunity to prove he can be more than just the first Finnish-born head coach in NBA history over these next few weeks.

A simple search on any social media platform will produce droves of fans already calling for the Iisalo experiment’s end, but he’ll get a longer leash from Memphis management than that. His lone win against a team with a better-than-.500 record remains the 114-113 conquest Ja Morant helped secure in Phoenix just before speaking out and earning his one-game timeout, but this upcoming four-game road trip looks like a great chance to strengthen his grip on the reins of his team.

Familiar foes give Grizzlies great shot at potential road split

The Grizzlies have already defeated the Pelicans and Kings in FedEx Forum and have better records than both entering this roadie, which fortunately won’t feature any back-to-backs. The other two contests will see them enter games against the L.A. Clippers and San Antonio Spurs as underdogs, but only the trip to Intuit Dome will feature an opponent expected to be at full strength since Victor Wembanyama (calf strain) won’t be back by Dec. 2.

There’s a chance Morant might be, since he’ll be re-evaluated to open December and may have a shot to suit up for the Grizzlies in San Antonio upon their return from the West Coast. If Edey has made it back and Iisalo has found ways to beat teams currently more lost and just as depleted as his, he’ll have come through the worst of this miserable run of misfortune intact.

The Grizz might be better for it, too. A team looking to re-establish their “Grit and Grind” brand while being saddled by one injury-riddled season after another over the past few years has developed quality depth. They’ve got two of the best rim protectors in the league in Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr., who also has a chance to rise to the challenge on this trip.

Depth has been a bright spot during difficult November

Vince Williams Jr. has been a bright spot since Morant went down, Coward can prove resilient after his first run of poor play following a brilliant start to his rookie year, and versatile bigs Santi Aldama and Jock Landale should round out a fierce frontcourt if the guys who are supposed to be ahead of them on the depth chart can get healthy and start performing as expected.

The Grizzlies did a nice job galvanizing amid adversity in their last road game in Dallas, holding on after the Mavericks took exception to a questionable Aldama foul on rookie Cooper Flagg. Memphis held Sacramento and Dallas to 96 points in its victories, and even though the jawing between Morant and Klay Thompson drew criticism since the star guard hasn’t been playing, that he was chiming in and taking up for teammates from the bench is a sign he’s still willing to fight.

The Grizzlies need to get used to scrapping since this season appears to be an uphill battle, so if Iisalo pushes the right buttons for his guys to adopt a “Memphis vs. everybody” on the road, he should be able to sway some critics already looking to run him out of town.

Familiar foes give Grizzlies great shot at potential road split

Depth has been a bright spot during difficult November

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