The Memphis Grizzlies are not a title contender quite yet. That said, they are one of the most secure teams in the league from a personnel standpoint.
Taylor Jenkins has been a great coach and this team is extremely confident in the players that they have rostered. Ja Morant is a franchise player, while Jaren Jackson Jr. will be his sidekick upon his return from injury.
But this is an extremely young team. Morant and Jackson Jr. are both still 21 years old with their best basketball ahead of them. As a result of this, there are a handful of questions that are still unanswered as we push toward the playoffs.
Can the Memphis Grizzlies stay above .500?
The first question is more of an immediate worry. The Grizzlies certainly have the talent to compete with anybody in the league but have played with massive inconsistencies in their game.
This has led an extremely talented team down a road that has made it difficult to maintain a record over .500. Currently, Memphis sits at 21-20 with their eye on the prize. They’ve bounced back and forth around an even record but have struggled to move past this threshold.
In a tough Western Conference Playoff race, having a .500 record isn’t going to do the Grizzlies any favors. Even if this is good enough to earn them a spot in the play-in tournament, they’ll have a tough draw and a difficult path to the playoffs.
But all of this could change depending on Jaren Jackson Jr.’s return date, which leads me to the next slide.