After a brutal performance in Sunday’s series opener, Jackson has shown up offensively in the two games since. However, it hasn’t been enough to secure a win for the Grizzlies, and the team will be staring down elimination on Saturday. And with Ja Morant (hip) potentially missing Game 4, even more production will be needed from Jackson on both ends of the floor. Through three games, Jackson has recorded two steals and one blocked shot. While those categories aren’t the only way to measure a player’s defensive impact, JJJ averaged 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game during the regular season.

Jackson Jr. rebounded nicely from a low-scoring Game 1 in which he totaled just four points. The two-time NBA All-Star led the Grizzlies in scoring on Tuesday, with his total exceeding more than his regular-season average of 22.2 points per game. However, in a rare occurrence, the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year did not record any blocks or steals in the Game 2 loss. Memphis would benefit from repeat performance from Jackson Jr. on Thursday as it looks to earn its first win of the series when taking the floor at FedExForum in Memphis for Game 3.

There’s no sugar-coating Jackson’s performance in Memphis’s 51-point loss: he was abysmal in Oklahoma City. This effort was surprising, as JJJ averaged 19.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.3 three-pointers in three regular-season meetings with the Thunder. It doesn’t need to be said that Jackson must be better. If “Trip” plays at the level he did on Sunday, this series will likely be a short one. Game 2 is on Tuesday.

JJJ had a better night offensively on Friday than he did in Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors, which helped propel Memphis back to the postseason. He was joined by Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, who each scored 22 points, as the main producers of offensive for the Grizzlies, though they had six players score in double figures. Jackson Jr. had four triples in each of their play-in games, and if he continues to knock down shots at that rate during their series against the Thunder, they’ll certainly have a chance to make some noise.