Grizzlies: Tyreke Evans frustrated by finish in loss to Bucks

MILWAUKEE – Super sub Tyreke Evans put the Grizzlies on his back offensively during an important stretch in the fourth quarter.

He single-handedly gave the Grizzlies a chance to win Monday night in the BMO Harris Bradley Center. But Evans scoring 14 of his team-high 27 points in that final frame wasn’t enough for the Grizzlies to avoid a 110-103 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Evans attempted just one shot during a span of nearly seven minutes after he tied the score at 84. Evans sounded as though he didn’t like how the Grizzlies’ equal-opportunity offense operated near the end of the game.   

“Everybody has to know their identity. We come into the game and everybody thinks that they’re just going to get 30 (points),” Evans said. “We’ve got to know who to go to and who the role players are. The good teams do that. That’s just the bottom line. We’ve got to figure out who we are… We’ve lost a couple of games we should have won. If we want to make the playoffs, we can’t have that.”

Evans has scored 20-plus points off the bench in six straight games. He’s shot at least 45 percent from the field in in each of those outings.

The last NBA player to put together such a run was Hall-of-Famer Sarunas Marciulionis while he played for the Golden State Warriors from March 27-April 2, 1992.

Mike Conley’s offensive struggles continue

There is no question that Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley is frustrated by his play mostly likely caused by a sore left Achilles. Conley made just two of 12 shots Monday night in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, and he’s begun another shooting slump just 13 games into the regular season.

“It’s all mental. This game is mental,” Conley said. “I’ve been through it, the ups and downs, and I always come out on top. It’s no different this time. I’m just going to take it day by day and keep improving. We just need to figure it out. It’s tough.”

Griz center Marc Gasol expressed little concern about his closest teammate.

“If he’s out there, that means he’s ready to play. If he’s not, it’s the next guy up,” Gasol said.

Rookie Dillon Brooks brings a positive note

Grizzlies rookie Dillon Brooks tied his season high with 19 points against the Bucks and he continues to earn the confidence of veteran teammates.

“The most impressive thing about Dillon is his poise,” Conley said. “He’s been very poised in big games and made a lot of big time plays in fourth quarters. He has a lot of heart and I like that from him.”