We have long known that the Memphis Grizzlies is one of the stories of the year in the NBA. That Ja Morant, all star from this course and God only knows until whenis one of the new faces of the League, a superstar who wins games, fills stands and turns on televisions. That Taylor Jenkins (still 37 years old) is the great candidate for Coach of the Year although there are still fans who would not recognize him even if they went up with him in an elevator. That beyond Morant, the Grizzlies have a roster young, deep, electric and truly legit. But some still need to believe that they are much more than all that, because they are. That they are not going to be mere troupes or a simple animator in playoffs. Because nothing indicates that it will be so. That this is, really and without fireworks, one of the best teams in the NBA 2021-22. Also positioned to be one of the best for years to come. We’ll see how many.
The Grizzlies blew out the Pacers (133-103) in a game they led 44-23 after a perfect first quarter in which they made a franchise-record ten 3-pointers for a season-high 21 total with 50% (21/42). At the break, the thing was 74-48, just before a 10-0 that made it a brutal 84-48 with 22 minutes still to play. So there was time for the bottom of the closet, including a Santi Aldama who played 18 minutes and grabbed 2 rebounds in his first time on an NBA court since January 30 and after showing again in the G-League that the talent is there. that there is a future
With the victory against a team (25-49) that is going for its pick in the top 5 of the draft, the Grizzlies have 51 (51-23). It is the fourth time in its history that they exceed 50 and they are on average (68.9% of wins) to sign the best season in their history: 56-26 in 2012-13 (68.3%), the year in which Marc Gasol was Best Defender. That was worth for a fifth place in a much harder West than the current one. In fact, the Grizzlies have never finished higher than fourth in the Conference. Now they are second, with two and a half games over some Warriors against whom they play on Monday. And they only have eight left to confirm themselves as the best team in the entire NBA beyond the untouchable Suns. Better, too, than any in the East.
That Marc Gasol team (and Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph…) peaked with a West final (in 2013, precisely) but it was for years (a stretch between, more or less, between 2010 and 2017) the pride from Tennessee, a hymn to tough, old-school basketball. To the concrete and the wire fences: the team of the scream and grind. These are now some much more spectacular Grizzlies, supersonic, daring and vertiginous. The grind and grind produced in the seven years cited five wins by at least 30 points. The 2021-22 Grizzlies, with this one against the Pacers, have six.
The most impressive thing, of course, is that Ja Morant was missing, that he had also missed the last two games (including the exhibition against the Nets) of a team that has seven wins in the last eight… and that he is 16-2 on the season without Morant, his absolute franchise player (27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists). Before the game, Jenkins warned that the point guard’s knee was injured and that he has to stop for two weeks… but he will be in time to play a bit before the playoffs, for which the Grizzlies have already made a ticket mathematically.
They also didn’t play another essential like Dillon Brooks and one of the main backups, Brandon Clarke. But it does not matter: Desmond Bane, another of the players of the future, finished with 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists although he did not have to do almost anything in the second half (23 points in the first with a 5/6 in triples). Jaren Jackson put up points (20) bullying and Steven Adams, everything else in the zones: 6 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks. Tyus Jones showed that he is one of the best substitute point guards in the League (starting without Morant, of course) and Anderson, Tillman, Konchar and Melton hit the ground running from the bench. What was said: a deep and fearsome, electric team. Intense in defense, dizzying in attack and that he has no interest in waiting until the world is ready to consider him a contender: he believes it… and for very good reasons.