After playing 19 games of inconsistent basketball, the Memphis Grizzlies lost Ja Morant to a strange injury. For Grizz fans, this seemed like terrible timing, as Memphis was struggling to get into a rhythm.
Somehow, they’ve found that rhythm without their star player.
Since Morant’s injury, the Grizzlies are 4-0. But what if I told you that their record wasn’t the most impressive part of this stretch? That honor would go to the Grizzlies’ record-breaking margin of victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder where Memphis won by 73 points. So this begs a simple question…
How long can the Memphis Grizzlies continue their winning streak without Ja Morant in the lineup?
The original question in regards to Morant’s injury was much simpler — can the Grizzlies survive without their point guard for a couple of weeks? A .500 record would have been nice, but even a losing record could have been acceptable.
4-0 is completely unexpected and warmly welcomed. But how long can Memphis actually continue this winning streak? Here’s a list of the teams that the Grizz have defeated in this undefeated stretch.
- Sacramento Kings (10-14)
- Toronto Raptors (11-13)
- OKC Thunder (6-16)
- Dallas Mavericks (11-11)
I’m not here to diminish the Grizzlies’ accomplishments but their only victory over a team that doesn’t have a losing record on that list came against the Dallas Mavericks, who were also missing their star player in Luka Doncic.
On Monday, the Grizz will get their first challenge against a winning team when they face the Miami Heat. That said, the Heat are one of few teams with more significant injuries than Memphis, as they’ll be missing Bam Adebayo, Victor Oladipo, Markieff Morris, Marcus Garrett, and possibly Jimmy Butler.
In short, I’m saying that there’s a real chance for the Grizzlies to extend their winning streak to five games.
After this game, the Grizzlies will get the Mavericks again. This time, they’ll play in Memphis and Luka Doncic may be back for that contest, which would give the Grizzlies their first true challenge.
After that, the Grizz will get another tough contest against a star-studded Los Angeles Lakers team. Memphis took on the Lakers with a healthy Ja Morant early in the year and lost by just three points. This will be a formidable test for this team.
If you want my honest opinion, I think the Grizzlies’ winning streak will end with five games. That said, stranger things have happened in basketball — it’s never smart to choose against a team’s momentum.