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Memphis Grizzlies: 3 Days of Rest Could Bear Bad News for 2019 NBA Draft Pick Conveyance

ByChristian Dudley|
Memphis Grizzlies (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Though the Memphis Grizzlies had three straight days of rest, they entered Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets minus two additional counterparts while maintaining the plan to convey their NBA Draft pick.

The third full week of March tipped off for the Memphis Grizzlies with their final three-day stretch of zero games scheduled. This should have allowed the team to enter the final portion of the schedule with rejuvenation in order to win more games. They are preparing to convey their 2019 first-round NBA Draft pick rather than tanking to retain it.

Achieving their ultimate goal would have been too simple. As injuries have bitten the Grizzlies all season long, the flood gates are now open on the injury reports. Memphis will have to finish the season shorthanded at multiple positions.

On Monday, the Memphis Grizzlies announced swingman C.J. Miles is out for the remainder of the season due to a “left foot injury” sustained in Saturday’s 135-128 road loss to the Washington Wizards. This was a direct hit to Memphis’ small forward position, especially considering how well C.J. has been playing since joining the Grizzlies following February’s NBA Trade Deadline.

C.J. Miles dropped a season-high 33 points on 11/16 shooting (8/12 from three-point territory) on March 13th versus the Atlanta Hawks. He had fallen into a role of inconsistency with the Toronto Raptors‘ rotation, but has found a spark with a role of greater importance with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The change of scenery has Miles shooting 5% better from outside on nearly two more attempts per game than in Toronto. His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) has also spiked from an 8.1 with the Raptors to a 10.9 with Memphis. Especially for a team needing shooters and any signs of offense, this bit of news is a big blow.

Additionally, on Wednesday, the Memphis Grizzlies announced that Avery Bradley — a stellar defenseman plus a remarkable scoring threat since joining the team via trade — will also be sidelined. However, there remains hope Bradley could return prior to the completion of the 82-game schedule.

Avery Bradley’s arrival in Memphis has been a godsend for his career. After disastrous times experienced as a member of the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers, he is proving that he has plenty of game, and not only on the defensive end.

Since February’s trade, Bradley is averaging double the amount of points he produced as a Clipper. Avery is shooting 46.3% from the field, including 38.4% from long-range. On the season, he has achieved four instances of 20+ points and one game of 33 points, which have all come since landing with the Grizzlies. His 2018-19 PER has jumped from a 5.6 in Los Angeles to a 14.6 with Memphis! This is the version of Bradley which became extremely popular with the Boston Celtics.

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Even if Avery Bradley only sits for this week’s slate of games, this greatly impacts the Grizzlies’ chances of winning. Bradley plus C.J Miles have been two important pieces for Memphis and their uptick in winning percentage over the past month. The Memphis Grizzlies are currently attempting to gobble each and every victory possible so that they can in fact convey their first-round pick in June’s NBA Draft. It has been publicly stated that they would prefer to convey the pick this season rather than next.

From March 5th through 10th, the Grizzlies achieved a three-game winning streak, which really propelled them into a position favorable for conveying their NBA Draft pick. Yet, the hard knocks keep coming. The absence of C.J. Miles marks the fifth player on Memphis’ roster which is deemed done for the 2018-19 NBA season (including Kyle Anderson, though listed as being out “indefinitely“). Avery Bradley will be the sixth if he fails to return to game action this season.

Wednesday’s matchup brought the Memphis Grizzlies’ final visit of the season versus the James Harden and the Houston Rockets. In going against the reigning League MVP, it was going to be a difficult battle for the Grizzlies, and even more so considering the recent injury reports. Harden dropped a 50-point performance on Memphis earlier in the season, and that was no different on Wednesday.

James Harden led a major comeback attempt in forcing overtime versus Memphis. He finished the night with 57 points, but it was not enough. The Grizzlies miraculously earned the victory inside the Grindhouse by a final score of 126-125 in overtime.

Grizzlies Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff played just eight guys in the overtime win. Three of those players logged greater than 40 minutes each. Memphis dug deep for this victory, and this is what it will take in order to achieve their No. 1 goal; otherwise, they will be making a first-round selection in this year’s NBA Draft.

The Memphis Grizzlies now own a 29-42 record, which gives them a 40.8% winning percentage. They rank as the NBA’s seventh-worst club, but they still have ground to gain. They are running out of time, and Saturday’s loss to the Wizards stings even more by the day. The road does not get any easier from here over the final 11 games, especially considering Memphis’ numerous ongoing injuries.

For now, it appears most likely the Grizzlies will be keeping their 2019 first-round NBA Draft pick. Things could and will change, especially with teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers helplessly free-falling in the standings. Still, it is a race to the finishline and a handful of teams are bound to meet in the middle. Each and every game counts for Memphis, who hopes to be that team one step ahead in a photo finish.

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