Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen: Impresses off bench in return

Pippen (shin) amassed 18 points (6-9 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 4-8 FT), four steals, three rebounds and two assists across 23 minutes in Friday's 99-97 win over the Spurs.

Pippen returned Friday after missing the previous three games with a left bruised shin. With Desmond Bane (back), Luke Kennard (personal), Marcus Smart (finger), Derrick Rose (groin) and Ja Morant (shoulder) all sidelined, the Grizzlies were short on guard depth, so Pippen and fellow two-way player Jordan Goodwin ended up splitting the minutes at point guard. Morant is out for the season while the returns of Smart and Rose don't appear to be imminent, but Bane and/or Kennard could be back for Monday's game in Denver. If that's the case, one or both of Goodwin and Pippen could find themselves out of the rotation, as both players are nearing their allotment of active games for the season. The Grizzlies will have to be judicious with their usage of Goodwin and Pippen for the remainder of the campaign.