Uncle Buck

Grizzlies fans know what this means. The side eye emoji, like the bat signal in Gotham, signals that help is on the way!

Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies’ All Star caliber 3-point sniper has been out with a toe injury since November 11. After the initial injury report stated he would be reevaluated in 2-4 weeks, Bane was sidelined for an additional two weeks for the injury.

That takes us to Sunday, the day after the seven game win streak was snapped on the road in OKC, Bane lit the bat signal with a single tweet that read “👀”. Back court partner/super star Ja Morant replied with a set of eyes of this own and again with a picture of Des on the court with the team. The picture had the caption “???”

As I stated on the podcast on Wednesday, finding out that injured players are close to coming back via Grizz players’ tweets is nothing new here. I suspected that Des would be listed as doubtful against the Nuggets on Tuesday night and sit out but then be elevated to “questionable” for Fridays game in Phoenix. While I was wrong about the injury designation for the Denver game, the Grizzlies’ PR Twitter account listed Des as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Suns. It seems that our 2nd best scorer is finally back!

Since going down with the toe injury, the Grizzlies have gone 9-7. They were 10-4 before he went down for injury. This season, Bane had taken a massive step into the All Star conversation. Scoring 24.7 PPG and shooting 46.5% from the field, 45% from 3 on 8.5 attempts per game and 91.2% from the free throw line. To say that Bane has been incredible is an understatement.

In my opinion, the most important part of getting Desmond Bane back is that, for the first time this season, we get to see the Grizzlies core players healthy. 30 games into the season the Grizzlies core of Ja, Jaren, Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane have played ZERO minutes together. Zach Kleiman, Tayshaun Prince and the rest of the Grizz front office have done an incredible job of building a championship contender that is both talented and deep. That depth has been what has kept the Grizzlies winning games despite missing a combined 34 games by JJJ and Des.

The depth and Taylor Jenkins’ scheme are the strengths of the team but when missing key contributors like Trip and Des, the crunch time play making has fallen on Ja, exclusively. Sure, we all know that in the 4th quarter it is time to “Call 12” but with the lack of scorers Ja has been able to be held in check in crunch time. Per statmuse.com, Ja’s 4th quarter scoring this season looks like this: 32.4 FG%, 14.8 3P% and 59 FT%. In my opinion, that’s fatigue. That’s not having your running buddies with you during the course of the games. Depth is great but it is a much greater advantage when your good players play (duh).

If the coaching staff reintegrates Des the same way they handled Ja and Jaren Jackson Jr. then I believe that Bane will start in Phoenix but I do not expect him to play more than 25 minutes for a few games while he gets his sea legs back. He averaged 33.5 MPG before the injury.

The whole league better watch out. The Grizz are tied for 1st in the West and are just now getting healthy. The last 52 games of this season are going to be FUN!!

Ps: thank you Santa for granting me my Christmas wish!