The Grizzlies had a 35-16 record at the trade deadline, but finished the season on a 13-18 run and lost their first play-in game on Tuesday vs. Golden State. After falling behind by 16 points in the first half, Memphis fought its way back and trailed by just three points in the game’s final seconds, but was unable to inbound the ball on a crucial possession and was called for a five-second violation (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).
The loss means that the Grizzlies will face a win-or-go-home game on Friday in Memphis, when they host the winner of Wednesday’s Kings/Mavericks matchup for the right to earn the No. 8 seed in the West and a first-round matchup with the 68-win Thunder.
“It’s just frustrating because of how far we fell,” Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. said on Tuesday, per William Guillory of The Athletic. “I wouldn’t say we were confident in where we were at, but the fall has been pretty hard on the team. … It’s definitely doable, but we put ourselves in this spot.”
The Grizzlies held a top-five spot in the Western Conference standings for more than four months from November through the end of March before falling to sixth at the start of April, seventh a day later, and eighth on April 11.
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Star point guard Ja Morant turned his right ankle in the third quarter of Tuesday’s loss when he came down on Buddy Hield‘s foot (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report). Although he looked hobbled for the rest of the night, Morant was able to finish the game and said he fully intends to suit up on Friday, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. “I’m playing,” Morant said. “That’s basically the answer I’m giving. It ain’t nothing different.”
- Within a story about Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s emergence as an NBA star, Guillory of The Athletic notes that the big man’s increased usage rate for an injury-plagued Memphis team in 2023/24 paved the way for him to put up the best offensive season in ’24/25. “It was everything. It gave me a chance to be defended by teams in a specific way,” Jackson told Guillory. “(Opposing teams) were throwing all types of crazy coverages and schemes out there. There were a lot of things I had to learn. It presented me with a new challenge. … Usually, my job was to just get it and score. But I had to learn to set up my teammates; make sure they were involved. That was a big step for me.” An All-NBA candidate this spring, Jackson would become eligible for a super-max extension worth up to a projected $345MM over five years if he’s named to one of the three All-NBA teams.
- Friday’s game will have major draft implications for the Grizzlies, who agreed in February to send their 2025 first-round pick to Washington if it lands outside of the lottery. It seemed like a safe bet at the time that the Wizards would receive that first-rounder, but if Memphis loses on Friday, the Grizzlies would keep the pick (No. 14 in the lottery standings) and Washington would instead receive a pair of second-rounders — either the Celtics’, Pacers’, Clippers’, or Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), plus the Hawks’ 2027 second-round pick. If the Grizzlies win on Friday, the Wizards would acquire their first-round pick, which would land at either No. 18, 19, or 20, depending on the results of a Monday tiebreaker.
Take the L MEM, keep the lottery pick, and hope for some luck it moves up. Could’ve seen them taking a series against HOU then seeing who they faced next. They have been dominated by OKC though.
At some point luck needs to turn into action
They backed outta the DFS trade to instead trim the ledger which ended up with Bagley
DFS owns the best +/- on the Lakers for the entire season and he only played half with them . Mem likely awaiting an opponent at home this weekend if they didn’t cheap out there in mid Jan
I mean last year was one of the worst injury years a single team has had.
The year before they have a mindless defender taunt one of the best all time, and lose that series. Then they promptly showed him the door in FA.
This year not as many injuries, but they were terrible down the stretch. I agree they have to figure it out sooner rather than later, but at this point imo the lottery pick is more valuable than winning a play-in game and getting bounced by OKC in 4 MAYBE 5 games with a hobbled Ja.
Idk about the cheap comment, I just think BRK liked LAL offer more. MEM was the #2 seed so their 1st was looking like late 20s. LAL offered 3 2nds which they apparently liked more. MEM also had a healthy Wells and Clarke when the trade was completed, so I don’t think that was the time to offer much more than they did. So they pivot to get out of Smart’s contract by moving the same 2025 1st. Like I mentioned at the time of the trade that brought Smart to MEM, they never should’ve tried getting him in the first place. When all was said and done, MEM lost 3 1st and Tyus for an awful Smart.
Mem backed outta the deal before Lakers deal was on table
They are also known league wide to be notoriously cheap with their draft capital
difference in picks would only be like from 14 to 18, I think they should go for the win
Never heard that portion. I know they were thinking about pivoting, but didn’t hear they backed out completely.
When you draft as well as they have I wouldn’t want to give the picks away for a light return. Also, knowing that premier players have been known to not want to go there (Butler & KD are the latest examples).
I said go for the L because they lose the 1st if they win tonight, so it wouldn’t be just a 4-5 pick drop. I like this draft class, and think they could get another impact player at 14. If they lose, that 1st turns into two 2nds.
Agh thats correct, I thought it was the 26 pick parceled not 25
Yea def Id want to lose tonight as well; your analysis makes perfect sense now, my B
**Yea they backed out and Lakers came outta the blue real quick shortly thereafter
Grizz were 44-29 when they fired their coach. Finished the year at 48-34 2gms behind Clipper for for the 5th seed. They went 4-5 after firing.
Jenkins was a joke. They needed to fire him a while ago.