3 teams who may leapfrog the Grizzlies in 2022-23

Memphis Grizzlies will need to watch out for these 3 NBA teams in 2022-23

The Memphis Grizzlies had a magical 2021-22 season, finishing second in the West and falling to the eventual champions, Golden State Warriors, in the Western Conference Semifinals. While they have set the bar high for next season, it is unsure if they can live up to the expectations and meet similar success.

The Memphis Grizzlies lost Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton this offseason, relying on internal improvement and rookies to fill the gaps. Meanwhile, there are a lot of Western Conference teams that made big improvements on their roster, making the race in the West even more crowded.

While the Grizzlies will undoubtedly be in the playoff mix, let’s take a look at three teams who may leapfrog them in the standings during the upcoming season.

Dallas Mavericks look to keep last season’s momentum

The Dallas Mavericks shocked the world last season when they upset the first-seeded Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals and reached the Conference Finals. This summer they made some key moves to ensure they will remain a Finals contender.

They may have lost Jalen Brunson, a player that was taking a lot of ballhandling responsibilities away from Luka Doncic, but I don’t believe his departure will hurt them much. Spencer Dinwiddie can fit next to Luka quite as well and provides better three-point shooting, while the return of Tim Hardaway Jr. (who was lost half of last season due to injury) should replace Brunson’s offensive production.

Meanwhile, the Mavs acquired two players that drastically improve their frontcourt, Christian Wood and Javale Mcgee— two players that are definite upgrades at the center position. Wood can offer a huge offensive boost and will instantly become the team’s second scoring option, while Javale is a proven veteran that has been the backup center on championship teams.

With adding size and some defense to their already perfect offensive system, I’d say Dallas is very likely to take the Southwest Division crown away from the Grizzlies next season.