The Memphis Grizzlies know too well how the Houston Rockets feel right now after losing their starting point guard, Fred VanVleet, for the entire season. Just three days before the 2023-24 season began, the Memphis Grizzlies learned that then-starting center Steven Adams would miss the entire season after undergoing knee surgery.
Now, Steven Adams is a member of the Houston Rockets and has to endure his teammate suffering a torn ACL one week before the start of training camp. The injury is devastating to a Rockets team with high expectations to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top Western Conference spot. While it will sting in the Rockets' path to surpassing the defending champions, a team like the Grizzlies can believe that it can catch up to its rivals.
The Western Conference is wide open
The expected pecking order of the Western Conference this season was to be the Thunder, Rockets, and Denver Nuggets at the top, and teams like the Clippers, Lakers, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Warriors, and Mavericks vying to avoid the play-in tournament to have a chance to upset one of the top teams. The Rockets finished last season as the second seed before a first-round exit, but added Kevin Durant this offseason.
The VanVleet injury hurts them at a position where the Grizzlies were already better than them at point guard. Now, their depth is depleted with no clear option to bring in due to the hard cap rules. The Grizzlies lost the season series 1-3 to the Rockets last season and felt like a team that might take a step back this offseason.
However, with a healthy Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. expected to return soon from his offseason turf toe surgery, they can talk themselves into competing with the Rockets, especially with their backcourt advantage. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game that the Grizzlies know all too well. However, they happen, and this case appears to help the Grizzlies as they look to compete with the Western Conference elite this season.