Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr.’s return will break the Western Conference

The Memphis Grizzlies are in position to make the Western Conference Playoffs

Somehow, after a losing season with almost exactly the same roster, the Memphis Grizzlies have taken a step forward and are in position to make the Western Conference Playoffs.

Normally, an 8 seed would be a positive, but nothing to get too excited about. That said, the Western Conference is extremely vulnerable right now. Injuries have swept the entire league and the Grizzlies may benefit from the injury bug. Here’s how.

Nobody wants to see Jamal Murray go down and tear his ACL. It was a heartbreaking moment, even for rival teams. Grizzlies fans cannot be excited to watch that happen, but at the end of the day, it opens up a big opportunity for Memphis.

Currently, the Nuggets sit in the 4th spot in the Western Conference on a 2-game losing streak.

The Grizzlies are a decent distance behind them but could close the gap before the playoffs come around. The Nuggets will have a brutal schedule ahead of them, and without their second-best player, they may not be able to survive as the Grizzlies have.

But the team behind them isn’t the squad that they should be worried about. The Los Angeles Lakers sit in 5th place, playing without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It’s unclear when they’ll return, but for the next few weeks, they’ll be struggling mightily.

Pair this with the fact that the Dallas Mavericks have simply been worse than anticipated and the West could have a few mix-ups at the end of the year.

Here’s how the Grizzlies can capitalize on a vulnerable Western Conference.