By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Memphis Grizzlies became the first team to bow out of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, suffering a 0-4 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first-round series.
Interim head coach of the Grizzlies, Tuomas Iisalo, summarized the series in just a few words.
“Turnovers hurt our chances of winning,” Iisalo said.
Iisalo, who took over as head coach on March 29th after the dismissal of Taylor Jenkins, was asked if he would remain on the Memphis bench?
“I don’t have any thoughts on that subject. I tried to do my best. Those decisions are for somebody else in the future. Do I want to be the permanent head coach? Yes, why not,” Iisalo responded.
The former Telekom Baskets Bonn and Paris head coach joined the Grizzlies’ staff last summer and surprisingly had the opportunity to be the head coach in his first season. He also discussed his experience as head coach.
“I’m sure I’ll have time to reflect on that. At some point, but I haven’t really been thinking about it. Just been trying to do my job as well as possible. I see myself as trying to help the guys compete on the court and provide them with tools that they can use to compete against the other team. Whatever reflection there is will have to wait for the future, also for my part. But again, I’m extremely proud of the guys and how they’ve handled this adjustment.”
What will be his next step after being eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs?
“I’ll go home. I’ll probably have a glass of bourbon because we are here in the south. Then, we’ll start writing the reviews from the coaching staff side for the exit interviews tomorrow. Basically, we’ll discuss the ideas we have for each player, give them a few tools for the summer, and just share our thoughts on the areas they can improve and the areas where they did well. We want to have a base for the conversations that will take place tomorrow,” Tuomas Iisalo concluded.