Expectations weren’t high for the Grizzlies coming into the 2018/19 season. Oddsmakers placed Memphis’ over/under at 34.5 wins, which would have put the team in a tie with Dallas for the 12th-best record in the Western Conference. And it’s not as if fans and experts widely viewed that projection as pessimistic. In fact, in our preseason over/under polls, more than 60% of our respondents for the Grizzlies picked them to finish under 34.5 wins.
A little over a month later, as the regular season nears the one-quarter mark, the Grizzlies aren’t just exceeding expectations — they are, improbably, the No. 1 team in the Western Conference. Of course, the top 10 teams in the West are separated by just 2.5 games, so it’s not as if Memphis is running away with the conference, but the team’s 12-5 mark is good for first place for now.
While it remains to be seen if the Grizzlies’ early-season success is sustainable, it’s not as if a bunch of guys on the roster are playing over their heads. Offseason additions Jaren Jackson Jr. and Shelvin Mack have been better than expected so far, and the fact that Mike Conley and Marc Gasol have stayed healthy is a big help. But the Grizzlies’ major free agent signee, Kyle Anderson, hasn’t made a huge impact, and their third highest-paid player, Chandler Parsons, has once again been sidelined by health problems.
Memphis’ management talked in the offseason about wanting to return to a grit-and-grind style of play, which seemed like an unusual approach to take in a league that has become increasingly fast-paced and offense-oriented. However, it’s a path that’s worked for the Grizzlies so far.
Despite playing at the slowest pace in the NBA and ranking 26th in three-point attempts, Memphis is winning because of its defense and its ability to take care of the ball on the offense — the club ranks fourth in the NBA in defensive rating, fifth in takeaways, and fourth in turnovers.
The Grizzlies couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, but it comes with no guarantees. They still have 65 games left to play, and as we noted above, the top 10 teams in the West are separated by just 2.5 games. That group of 10 teams doesn’t even include the 8-9 Spurs or the 8-10 Jazz, who are out of the playoff picture at the moment, but figure to make a push at some point.
What are your expectations for Memphis this season? Will the Grizzlies’ hot start help propel them to a playoff berth at season’s end, or will they eventually drop off and finish outside the top eight in the Western Conference?
Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to weigh in.
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
They will definitely not stay in first place, but I can see them holding onto a top 4 spot.
They wont, rockets are coming lmao
chandler parsons returns to avg 15/5 which is a crack heads pipe dream
They’re only 2.5 games from being out of the playoffs right now..
They will miss the playoffs with San Antonio and the Lakers.
Miss by a few games, West is tough
Not right now it isn’t. A lot of mediocre basketball being played.
Happy for Anderson and his new contract, but man what were the grizzlies thinking?? He doesn’t do anything at a elite level. Draymond should take notes and try to steal money from another team and call it a career.
I always have said, I don’t really like the way Memphis play, but man they really do deserve an awful lot of respect, even if they don’t make it to the playoffs at the end. Is so refreshing to see a team who plays with a different system, that is the only way you can win by playing to your strengths, if they were playing the GSW way, sadly like the majority of the league do, they would be at the very bottom of the WC, so I hope they keep it up.
How about that, slowest pace in the league & top of the WC, unbelievable!!!!!
If Conley stays healthy they make the playoffs.
As a Memphian, I really hope so as playoff basketball is a great experience in Memphis. But if I’m being realistic, it’s probably only a matter of time until Mike of Marc get injured and it’s bsck to the lottery. But historically this team has proven people wrong so I won’t be shocked if they make it
If they stay healthy, this team will stay in the playoff hunt. They made some really good moves under the radar moves during the off-season, and I love Jaren Jackson Jr. I had a chance to talk with him during Summer League and he was by far the most personable and enthusiastic of the players that we met. Seemed like a genuinely “good guy”.
This was tough, as the only other current top 8 team that I think could drop out are the Clips, and even they look to have a better roster to stay in than the Grizz. That said, I think there are major red signs with the teams on the outside looking in.
If NO stays around the playoff race, but just outside around trade deadline, would they do the unthinkable and move Davis now, making them worse today, but making them much deeper in the future? Are the Kings for real, probably not. I don’t like San Antonio’s roster or the way they’re playing now. Jazz may not have that secondary scorer on the roster to give them firepower to keep up in the west.
I can see 8 seed, with some surprise teams (Spurs, Jazz, Wolves) finishing on the outside looking in.
Mike conley & gasol have proven over the years that theyre winners. memphis has the same DNA that it always has w. it being a slow pace, defensive team. Im not surprised at them being in playoff contention and i never thought that they were as bad as people made them seem. i can see them finishing at 6th seed and playing the lakers first round.
One formula for success is to zig when others zag. Grit & grind when others pace & space.
In the East, the top teams have the top centers.
The bottom 5 are the most unsettled at center.
In the middle, the centers for Miami 6-11 & Boston 9-9 want to be Fs, while good center play has elevated Orlando 9-9 & Brooklyn 8-11. Charlotte 9-8 could be in that category too.
The West is less clear but an order of 1MEM, 2POR, 3OKC, 4LAC & 5GSW supports the importance of center play. (Montrezl Harrell is +8.)
Props to the Grizz. Who wants to play that team? They fight you for everything and they don’t mind doing it their way. Have to respect them
I know still is early on in the season, but I did all summer long forecast Utah & San Antonio out of the playoffs, I got massacred for it, but… so far so good. Though I didn’t put neither Clips or Grizz’s in, so not too perfect neither.
Memphis has played the Suns twice, the Hawks, the Wizards, and they’ve drawn the Kings twice. None of these teams are good. If Memphis had split these games, they’d be out of the playoffs right now.
I like the team, Conley is great, Gasol is very good, and they’ve got some talent developing. But are they better than New Orleans? The clippers? The Spurs? Seems like it’s too soon to say.
Vegas is pretty good at predicting wins… Memphis is more likely to blow it up than make the playoffs.