Jerami Grant
Grant has been a somewhat polarizing player, with many believing he’s a strong two-way player but others decrying his defense as overrated and his scoring as inconsistent. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle. In my analysis, Grant is solid on both ends of the court and his athleticism makes him an interesting foil to a player like Paul Millsap.
Though scoring 19 points on 5-11 shooting from the field and 2-5 from 3-point range in Game 1, Grant’s tunnel vision is sometimes concerning and can throw his teammates out of rhythm. Where Grant needs to make more of an effort is on the boards, as he didn’t pull down a single rebound against the Jazz despite playing 39 minutes. Defensively, although he was far from perfect, his length was the key to slowing down Jazz star Donovan Mitchell in overtime.
Moving forward, his performance in the team’s playoff opener was memorable as it provided evidence of how his defense might be used on the perimeter (especially when a player such as Torrey Craig is struggling to slow a star down). Jokic’s touchdown passes to Grant were also of interest, as it can be something the team uses for quick points down the line.