Zach Edey Stats Tonight: How did the Grizzlies rookie fare against Cleveland Cavaliers? (Feb. 23)

Zach Edey and the Memphis Grizzlies faced the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time this season on Sunday. The rookie got his first look at Cleveland’s twin tower combo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. A win by the Grizzlies would give them a head start in the season series against the Cavs and cap off a five-game road trip on a high note.

The No. 9 pick in the 2024 NBA draft had little impact in the first quarter. He played for roughly five minutes and missed the only shot he took. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins went with Santi Aldama or Brandon Clarke to pair with Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontline.

Zach Edey bounced back in the second quarter with six points and made his presence felt on defense. The Memphis Grizzlies kept in step with the hosts to trail by just 62-56 at halftime.

The former Purdue star opened the third quarter with a block against Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen. He anchored the defense and the boards but failed to score. The rookie took a seat with 5:20 left in the period as Taylor Jenkins went to Santi Aldama for the Spaniard's outside shooting.

Zach Edey worked hard on the boards early in the fourth quarter. He finished the period with four offensive rebounds. The rookie did his task, but the Memphis lost 129-123.

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG	3-PT FG	FT	+/-
Zach Edey	6	9	0	1	1	2	2-5	0-0	2-4	-11

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Zach Edey has struggled in his last few games

Zach Edey averaged 14.3 points and 10.0 rebounds in his first three games in February. Since then, he has struggled to sustain his impressive start to the month. Over his last six games, he is averaging 4.3 PPG and 7.0 RPG.

Edey's drop in performance seems to be Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins' preference for more shooting from his frontline. Jenkins would often go to Santi Aldama, who is averaging 41.9% from deep in February. Aldama's floor-spacing game unclogs the paint for Ja Morant to exploit.

Jenkins usually starts with the 7-foot-4 center but takes him out for the Spaniard, particularly in late-game situations.