5 reasons why the Memphis Grizzlies will make the NBA Playoffs in 2021

The Memphis Grizzlies will not be in any discussions regarding NBA Finals contenders, but they shouldn’t be out of the NBA Playoff conversation.

On a normal year, their current position would put them on the outside looking in, but with a restructured playoff system in 2021, the Grizzlies actually have a really solid chance of earning a opportunity to compete for a championship.

It’s been an uphill battle without Jaren Jackson Jr. in the lineup, but based on where they’ve positioned themselves without him, their chances look pretty good.

While the Grizz have over-performed, they’ll be battling for a spot against a handful of under-performing teams in the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, and New Orleans Pelicans.

The Memphis Grizzlies have unexpected star power in 2021

When it was announced that Jaren Jackson Jr. would be missing a bulk of the season, the general consensus was that the Grizzlies might be in trouble this season. It wasn’t the end of the world, but Memphis needed their young star to make a playoff push.

But that hasn’t been the case so far.

While the Grizzlies may have been out of the conversation during a normal year, they’re in contention for a spot in the NBA Playoffs this year. Ja Morant has had a solid year, but the real star power on this team has come from Jonas Valanciunas.

Since the season has gotten going, JV has been playing at an All-Star level. He didn’t really settle in for a while, so he wasn’t even considered for a selection, but you cannot deny the fact that he has been one of the league’s elite big men this year.

He has become a lock for a double-double in every game this year, bringing consistency to a Grizzlies team that has been in need of a rock for the past few years.

He won’t do it alone, but I’ll get into the importance of this in the next slide.