Why Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins is the clear front-runner for NBA Coach of the Year award

The Memphis Grizzlies, with a record of 55-23, are the second-best team in the NBA this season and have clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

If you’re just now tuning in to the NBA as the regular season comes to a close, you may be surprised to find out that one of the smallest markets in the NBA has been dominating the competition.

A deep bench, an All-Star starter, tight-knit chemistry, and a brilliantly implemented culture and system has enabled the Grizzlies to become the biggest success story in basketball.

The man pulling all the strings on the court is Taylor Jenkins, the team’s head coach. In just his third season with the Memphis Grizzlies, he has taken this squad from being an average NBA team with a winning percentage of .456 in year one to .527 in year two, and now .705.

Memphis Grizzlies Coach Taylor Jenkins deserves NBA Coach of the Year

There’s one statistic that puts into perspective just how impressive Taylor Jenkins’ team has performed this season and it deals with how infrequent the starters have played together this season.

The Memphis Grizzlies starting five of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams have only played a total of 96 minutes together all season.

Put another way, Jenkins has squeezed every bit of value out of his bench players. He’s constructed creative pairings and lineups to win games. His coaching staff has created a system that involves every player and preaches a culture of selflessness.

The entire roster consists of players aged 28 or younger. No one on the team has won a championship, let alone ever participated in an NBA Finals. There is a total of one All-Star game appearance on the roster (2022, Ja Morant) among all players.

Even more jaw-dropping is the fact that only Steven Adams and Kyle Anderson have competed in a playoff series that has gone beyond the first round.

Adams, while with the Oklahoma City Thunder, advanced to the 2014 Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in his rookie season.

Anderson, while with the Spurs, advanced to the 2017 Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Jenkins has developed his team into a well-oiled machine, despite the constant setbacks of not having a fully healthy and realized roster.

Contrast that to the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns and Monty Williams, the odds-on favorite to win the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year award, and you’ll see that he has a roster full of established talent and experience.

The starting five of Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and Deandre Ayton have played a total of 708 minutes together this season.

Virtually the entire team has deep NBA playoff experience and NBA Finals experience since they just competed in the seminal event last season.

There are 15 total All-Star Game appearances on the roster, all coming from Chris Paul and Devin Booker.

Not to take anything away from Monty Williams— he’s a brilliant coach, motivator, and planner. But, Taylor Jenkins’ path to success has been filled with countless more roadblocks than Williams’s path.

When you factor in the lack of starters, the success without an MVP candidate and his ability to get the Grizzlies to execute a game plan is unparalleled.

Taylor Jenkins is without a doubt, the clear favorite to win 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year.