The Grizzlies’ season has been a rollercoaster, with stretches of momentum followed by disappointing downturns. This team has consistently struggled to hold leads in the fourth-quarter, and closing out tight games is an ongoing problem.
In their most recent home game against New Orleans, Memphis was not able to get it done in the final minutes, resulting in a frustrating loss to a Southwest Division rival. Considering the Pelicans sit at the bottom of the division standings, this was a game that Iisalo’s squad really could not afford to lose.
Every Southwest team has lost to the Pelicans
The Pelicans’ 12-36 record is slightly misleading. While they might not be the talk of the division or the Western Conference, they’re not a team that can be overlooked. Crescent City boasts a lot of very talented shooters, including a couple rookies, who are propelling the offense and keeping the team afloat. As they have shown multiple times already, this New Orleans team is fully capable of turning up the heat when their opponents least expect it, and Memphis needs to be ready anytime this matchup appears on its schedule.
Despite being in last place in the Southwest, the Pelicans have victories against every team in the division. The Rockets fell to them in overtime, the Mavericks lost twice, and the Spurs dropped one at home, as did the Grizzlies. Standings and rankings don’t always tell the whole story, a reminder for the Grizzlies and their fans as they navigate through a challenging season.
Why can’t Memphis do the same thing?
If New Orleans can pull off these types of victories despite not having the best record, why can’t the Grizz do the same thing? The answer is they can, but it all comes back to the late-game struggles that have plagued the team all season long.
Against the Thunder on January 9th, they lost by one point, after having a sizable lead for the majority of the game. In Berlin versus the Magic, a strong start was spoiled when Orlando found momentum. If the Grizzlies want to replicate what New Orleans has been doing, they need to have stronger fourth-quarter performances moving forward.
Even in the wake of injuries, the Grizzlies have shown they have the talent to compete with most teams. Their ability to build chemistry and adapt has also been highlighted, in spite of having a starting lineup that is constantly changing. There are a lot of role players who have stepped up to the plate and proven what they are capable of doing on numerous occasions.
The NBA season is hard enough without the nightly uncertainty of who will be available, so Memphis just needs to take it one game at a time. If they could rediscover some of their clutch instincts and improve their fourth-quarter play, some of these close games might start to sway in a different direction.