NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: WARRIORS VS GRIZZLIES

May 13, 2022

Jaren Jackson

Memphis Grizzlies

Game 6: Postgame

Golden State - 110, Memphis - 96

Q. Your initial thoughts now that the season is over and the season and also I saw you and Draymond talking to each other afterwards, Dillon said that there's a mutual respect between the both teams. Can you just share what you guys talked about?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: You know, lot to reflect on in the season, a lot to definitely be proud of, a lot to just look at and definitely tough to end it, for sure. Probably the most fun I ever had playing basketball. I mean, it was the greatest group of guys you could ask for one hundred percent no doubt about it. I know that just from being around them and then if you look from the outside I bet you can tell. And, yeah, I was talking to Day-Day and I mean I've known Day-Day for years, just because where we come from. And, yeah, just told him, Congrats, bro. Big fight, that was a battle, every game was tough, a lot of emotions. Credit to them, they played better today, they did a lot of the little things. So, yeah.

Q. What do you think was the biggest reason they had the 70-44 rebounding advantage with Kevon Looney moving to the starting lineup?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: The reason for the rebounds? I guess they got more than us, man. Even though sometimes the ball was bouncing their way we should have just got more, you know, that's just tough, it's tough to think about. We just gave up too many right there. Me, myself for sure.

Q. You mentioned a lot to reflect on in the season. This particular series, what do you take from it and with the fact that, Dillon mentioned it, like this thing could have gone either way and ultimately they win four, you or, yeah, they win four and what can you take from this to apply to what will probably be several more post-season runs in the future?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: Yeah, definitely something to remember. You look at each game, there was just a lot going on in each game. Two pretty much blowouts, one for each team, games decided by one, games close and then they pulled away right here. So I just, I think everybody was fighting. I think everybody was playing hard, I think everybody was just, we wanted it. So we wanted it, man, for real. Wanted it bad.

Q. As you look back on your season individually, you were able to stay healthy this year after some of the troubles in past years. What's something that you're kind of proud of for your development this year and then also something you're looking to improve on this off-season?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: Yeah, I'm happy I was able to be out there. Being out wasn't fun, so being able to have full or a pretty much full season and be a part of the playoff run and going to the summer healthy is everything I could ask for in terms of health. Credit to the training staff for what we did last year to get me strong enough to compete this year and just you build on it every year, you work on your whole game, you work on your mind. I'm still young so I still, I'm trying to work on everything, there's a lot of things I can do on the court and I want to continue to build on all of them and just become more polished and become more efficient. That's really it, for sure.

Q. You mentioned that this is the most fun you've ever had playing.

JAREN JACKSON JR.: Easily.

Q. What is it that made this year so special, why was this the most fun that you've ever had playing?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: We kept a lot of the same people from last year, so a lot more continuity there. Everybody knows each other. And you got some new guys and they just fit right in to what we had going on. Coach is seasoned now, he got his feet under him, he knows how to coach now. He's Coach of the Year in my eye. So, I mean, you just look at how our season went, we was even a lot early, went on a little bit of a run, got our groove and then was really just having fun with it all, man, like we, I don't know, it was hard to explain, we just rocking with each other. It wasn't, we weren't really caring about pretty much anything else, like we just cared about what we had so much, we were just rocking with each other. It was crazy. And it's just genuine, it's natural. I don't know, man, you're playing with your friends out there, like we really rock with each other. So we hurt for each other and we want shit for each other, so that's really how it is.

Q. You guys all year long you made it clear that you wanted the smoke from everybody, but I do wonder, like because of the history with the Warriors in the play-in game last year and the way you guys competed every time you faced them, are they still in a different lane when it comes to how you guys kind of size yourselves up and, I mean, rivalry gets thrown around too much, but --

JAREN JACKSON JR.: Do I think they're in a different lane from us?

Q. No, I mean the rivalry is not the question, but, I mean, do you still look at them and say, you know, that they are the kind of team that, not only do you guys want to accomplish the kind of things they did, but is there a different edge, a different rivalry with this team, especially after this series?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: Whoever we were going to see in the playoffs, like the two teams that we were going to play a lot, it will probably add a little more, year to year, just because we're seeing them a ton, there's just more emotion there. A team like the Warriors, I've been seeing win since I don't know how long, since I've been alive, since I was younger I was watching them win championships and play with each other and having nice offense. So, but now I'm here and we are here, so we'll see y'all again. I mean, the story continues, man, we're just amped to get back out there, that's what it is, we'll be there.

Q. How will the fact that all of this happened the last, especially the end, happened without Ja, how will that affect how you think about it all, how you digest what took place in this series?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: It didn't really happen without him, did it though.

Q. At the end.

JAREN JACKSON JR.: The end. But for the most part, I mean the kid goes out averaging 40 points and eight assists, so I mean, there's not much else I can say right there. I mean the kid is heroic and he's going to continue to be that.

Q. Does it make it easier to digest?

JAREN JACKSON JR.: To make it easier?

Q. Yeah, because you weren't full strength.

JAREN JACKSON JR.: No. Hell no. No. Come on, there's no way. I'm probably struggling with it right now, but at the same time I got to keep on moving forward, be grown about it and be a professional and just congratulate everybody for the work they did and congratulate my teammates and be happy for the fans how they came out this year, everything was lit. You know, you can't ask for much else, man, it's the playoffs, it's the greatest sport in the world, I'm having the greatest time in the world, with the greatest team in the world, for sure. So, these are my dogs and thank you, thank you all.