Derrick Rose Slams Grizzlies' Defense: 'No Way in Hell' We Can Win These Games

Veteran guard Derrick Rose criticized the Memphis Grizzlies' defensive communication following a 110-89 home loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

According to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Rose said: "If we're not going to talk on the defensive end, there's no way in hell we're going to win these games. That's just honestly speaking."

During the absence of superstar guard Ja Morant, who is suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 campaign for flashing a gun during an Instagram Live video, the Grizzlies have been one of the NBA's worst teams this season.

With Friday's loss, Memphis dropped to 3-12, which is the second-worst record in the Western Conference ahead of only the 3-13 San Antonio Spurs.

It represents a significant fall from grace for a Grizzlies team that reached the playoffs in each of the past three seasons and won over 50 games in each of the past two years.

The Grizzlies have had myriad issues, but it can be argued that their biggest shortcoming has been on the offensive end.

With just 106.2 points per game, the Grizzlies are 29th in the NBA in scoring, ahead of only the Portland Trail Blazers.

They also have the worst field goal percentage in the league at 42.5 percent and the second-worst three-point shooting percentage at 33.1 percent.

Rose, who was the 2010-11 NBA MVP with the Chicago Bulls, was among the lone offensive bright spots for the Grizzlies on Friday, going 8-of-9 from field for 17 points off the bench.

Statistically, the Grizz are in the middle of the pack defensively this season, ranking 18th in points allowed per game and 16th in field goal percentage allowed.

Given their issues on offense, however, that is nowhere near good enough, especially when considering Memphis was 11th in points allowed last season and allowed the worst shooting percentage in the NBA to opponents at just 45.3 percent.