The Grizzlies’ sky is falling.
Well, no, not really.
Would a victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves have been great? Of course, it would! A 42-19 record with 21 games remaining comes with a more excellent ring than 41-20. Alas, that is where the Memphis Grizzlies sit.
Thursday’s contest in Minnesota displayed a fair share of rust from both teams, especially in the first quarter. The issue lay in Memphis’s inability to shake off enough of that rust to produce a victory in a game they really should have won.
Driving into the paint quickly turned into a cautionary tale, resulting in consistently missed shot opportunities and turnovers. Their half-court offense looked lifeless at times, providing little of the ball motion and leaving the ball-handler stuck. Ja Morant struggled to produce at the level he’s accustomed to and then dealt with a nagging ailment for most of the second half.
But hey, at least Memphis dominated the glass, especially in terms of offensive rebounds.
Either way, it isn’t genius to put too much stock into one game. With 21 games left and their sights set on a deep postseason run, the Grizzlies must focus on the road ahead.
While Memphis turns its attention to playing the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, the team is faced with some questions heading into the final stretch before the playoffs. Let’s dive into a few of those, shall we?
Grizzlies Questions Heading into Home Stretch
Dillon Brooks
Undoubtedly, the most prominent question surrounding the Grizzlies involves the future status of Dillon Brooks and what his reintegration back into the line-up looks like.
Only playing in 21 games this season, Brooks’s timetable for returning keeps getting pushed back. If and when he can continue basketball activities, it is still unclear when he could return to the line-up. The Grizzlies face some challenging decisions regarding the current rotation and his role when that happens. Ideally, Memphis is in a comfortable position in the standings to ease him back into things. The goal needs to surround his impact in the postseason, not necessarily the remainder of the 82-game campaign.
Still, this Grizzlies team found success in its pieces despite Brooks’s absences. Players stepped up and carved out roles in the rotation to get this team rolling at a high level. Shot distribution spread out, allowing more opportunities for others to produce. For a player used to taking a substantial portion of the team’s shots, the challenge involves where he fits in now. The thought of him coming back into the fold and receiving a similar amount of looks each game seems unrealistic.
Let’s be clear; a healthy Dillon Brooks significantly strengthens this Grizzlies team. Even if his offensive role changes, his impact on the game defensively is invaluable, especially come playoff time. Still, it will be interesting to witness his reinsertion into the roster, hoping he’s healthy enough in time.
Team Health
Regarding health, injuries are a consistent x-factor that could lower a team’s ceiling. Just ask the Phoenix Suns, who now have to survive without Chris Paul for the foreseeable future.
Of course, the most significant injury worries surround Ja Morant. Although his ailments Thursday appear minor, his style of play and history instills a level of concern. Yes, regular-season wins are still significant. Memphis has plenty of time to climb or dip in the Western Conference standings. Still, this team is making the playoffs and has a good chance of contending, as long as their stars are healthy.
For that reason, making sure players like Morant are healthy for the postseason has to be the organization’s primary goal. If the star point guard needs to take a few games to heal, it is better to do it now than risk further injury down the road.
Style of Play
When firing on all cylinders, the Grizzlies are the most exciting team in basketball. The pace at which they move the ball up the court and score provides a dozen highlight-reel plays each game. Throughout the regular season, this style of play continues to work. However, will the same remain true come playoff time?
Historically, the game slows down in the postseason. A more methodic half-court offense takes precedent as teams tighten up defensively and become disciplined. Memphis demonstrates some weaknesses playing a slower style of basketball and fails to match up well against teams who thrive in those situations. The Grizzlies should not abandon their identity. They are a successful team because they play a brand of basketball that fits this current roster. At the same time, they need to make adjustments in crunch time. The playoffs should present a lot of tightly contested matchups, and Memphis must prepare for those circumstances.
Youth and Inexperience
The Memphis Grizzlies are a young team exceeding pretty much everyone’s expectations. Although the future is bright for the franchise, ignoring the team’s lack of experience in the playoffs is hard.
Can a team so “green” continue to break the mold and make a run to the NBA Finals? It certainly is not impossible. However, one could also identify this fact as the one thing holding the Grizzlies back from being genuine contenders this year.
What’s Next?
The Western Conference playoff race does not possess the same level of excitement as the Eastern Conference. The Eastern Conference looks like a royal rumble; the Western Conference paints a clearer picture.
Still, there is plenty of exciting basketball left. The Grizzlies head to Chicago to take on the Bulls Saturday night and then head home to play the Spurs on Monday. Then, Memphis kicks off March in Boston against the Celtics.
While the Spurs are a team outside of the play-in tournament picture, the Bulls and Celtics are very much in the playoff picture. Neither game will be easy, especially playing them away from FedEx Forum.
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