WHAT'S THE REASON FOR MEMPHIS SUCCESS?

The Memphis Grizzlies are now sitting in the 8th spot of the Western Conference standings, and if the season ended today, they would be locked to dispute the 1st round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. Almost midway through the season, no one expected that the Grizzlies would be in such position. So what’s the reason for their success? Is the Western Conference much weaker this season, or are Memphis’ players much more improved? Both questions are correct, and we’ll take a deeper look into that.

1. THE STATE OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE

Only for two times this decade (excluding the lockout season), that the 8th seed reached the midway point of the season with a negative record. It was the Portland Trail Blazers for two consecutive years in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 with an 18-24 record in both those times. Much of the times, the 9th seed would have a positive record but ended up missing on the postseason, something that was part of a frequently heated discussion from various analysts, due to the Eastern and Western Conference discrepancy. The only time that this event didn’t occur was back in the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 season when the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets finished with a 40-42 record. Does this mean that the conference is more top-heavy at the moment, as the 4 or 5 best teams are legitimate contenders for the title, or is the league more balanced with the talent more spread out between conferences? A negative record this season will most likely make the playoffs as the last seed, something that never happened this decade. This shows that the bottom teams in the Western Conference this year are not as good as the previous seasons.

With their win against the Spurs, we have a new 8-seed in the Western Conference.



The Memphis Grizzlies. pic.twitter.com/AA715xWkbk — Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 11, 2020

2. JAREN JACKSON JR. AND JA MORANT

The sophomore forward, who was chosen with the 4th pick on the 2018 NBA Draft, was part of a group of players that were called as potential All-Stars in the league. Deandre Ayton, Trae Young, Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley and Jaren Jackson Jr were selected within the first five spots, and honestly, all of them gave a very good impression on their first NBA season. Labelled as a versatile Power Forward, with a very good touch around the rim, and an extremely competent shooting ability from outside, Jackson Jr. didn’t take long to give the impression that it won’t take long for him to be one of the best in his position. He finished with averages of 13.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 1.4 BPG to go along with 1 made three-pointer per game. He was poised to have a much improved 2nd year in the league, but the addition of Ja Morant, an explosive Point Guard coming from Murray State, accelerated that process. The hype was set on Zion Williamson during this previous NBA Draft, but Ja Morant was sitting right behind him. Although everyone knew about his potential, he had to sit out the 2020 Summer League due to injury, leaving everybody’s excited to see him come the start of the season. Fast forward to now, and he’s no longer a prospect but a sure thing. A mix from Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, Morant is taking the league by storm, helping his team collect wins on their way to a playoff seed. His highlights have been insane throughout the season, and while we pray he continues to deliver many more, we should also pray for his safety, as he sometimes lands in the most awkward ways.

The Grit N’ Grind Grizzlies are long gone. It’s time for a new era with a more enthusiastic basketball. The change of culture from the Grizzlies has been an unexpected twist of events, but a pleasant one. Ja Morant and JJJ are the main core for the future, aided by what many people say that was the steal of the draft in Brandon Clarke and also Dillon Brooks. The veteran presence of Jonas Valanciunas, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill are a nice mix to the young players on the team, while the pressure of not being in a big market could help them develop with time. Even if they don’t make the postseason this year, watch out for this dynamic duo, one that will surely make an impact for years to come.