Dillon Brooks returns but Grizzlies don't play like it in loss to Charlotte Hornets

As soon as Dillon Brooks walked to the scorer's table at FedExForum, some fans started cheering as he prepared to make his season debut Wednesday.

At 6:07 in the first quarter, Brooks' return was official after missing the preseason and the first 10 games as he recovered from a fractured left hand. Soon the trickle of cheers turned into a roaring ovation. The cheers stayed as Grizzlies guard Ja Morant almost upstaged his teammate with a 19-point first quarter.

But Kelly Oubre Jr. stole the show with 37 points to lead the Charlotte Hornets to a 118-108 win over the Grizzlies (6-5). Here's what we learned as the Grizzlies' three-game home winning streak ended.

Dillon Brooks is back

Brooks' first sequence was a turnover and a foul on Gordon Hayward. All was forgiven when he had a ferocious fastbreak dunk to end the first half.

He had an efficient 20 points (8-for-17 shooting) with six assists and four rebounds. Brooks also didn't try to force many shots but also had four fouls per his usual aggressiveness.

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It was a good return as he gets his wind back. The Grizzlies' plan to bring him off the bench for the next few games and his debut went as well as expected.

Ja Morant's hot start doesn't last

Morant made his first six shots in the first 4:45 of the game and was 8-for-8 inside the paint in the first quarter. His 19 points were a career-high for most points in a quarter.

But the Grizzlies were too dependent on their leader instead of supporting him. They were outscored by 16 points with him off the floor and it wasted another stellar performance.

Morant also shot 7-for-21 after his hot start and finished with 32 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals. It's the fourth time he's had that many steals in a game this season.

Defense gets buzzed out

The Hornets (6-7) entered Wednesday last in the NBA in defensive rating. At times, the Grizzlies - ranked 28th - looked much worse.

Oubre Jr. tied his career-high with seven 3-pointers and had 15 points in the fourth quarter. Hayward added 25 points and LaMelo Ball flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

The Hornets also shot 41.7% on 3-pointers, showing why they entered the game third in the NBA in that category. It also showed why Brooks' return will help only so much on defense because the Grizzlies need more than one player to step up.

Ice cold

Once Morant checked out at the end of the first quarter, the Hornets went on a 19-0 run. It was just one glaring sign of anemic offense without the Grizzlies' best player.

Things weren't better with Morant on the court either. The Grizzlies shot 23.7% on 3-pointers (9-for-38) and Desmond Bane went 0-for-7 before fouling out. Over the last three games, Bane has missed 15 consecutive 3-point attempts.

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 19 points, six rebounds and two blocks but besides him, Brooks and Morant, no other Grizzlies player scored in double-figures.

Strange rotation

Brooks' return and Ziaire Williams being available figured to change the lineups a bit. Instead, Williams didn't play and the Grizzlies continued riding with John Konchar.

Konchar provides solid rebounding but with the offense cold in the second quarter, it might have helped having more shooting. Williams is still raw but the rookie is a better scoring threat than Konchar at this point.

Coach Taylor Jenkins said pregame he has tough decisions to make with who sits and plays with Brooks back. One decision might be to sit Konchar and trust another reserve who can add more scoring punch.

Next up

The Grizzlies wrap up their homestand Friday (7 p.m., Bally Sports Southeast) hosting the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns.

It'll be another star point guard matchup between Morant and Chris Paul. The Grizzlies also get another chance to measure themselves against an elite team in the West.

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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Dillon Brooks returns but Grizzlies don't play like it in loss to Hornets