The fallout from the NBA's 2025-26 schedule release continues as the NBA offseason reaches a stalemate for player movement and news. The Memphis Grizzlies received a heavy home slate to begin next season, but the level of competition gets tougher as their stretch continues.
After they face New Orleans, Miami, and Indiana at home to begin their regular season (teams that are predicted not to be high-level playoff teams), their schedule gets tough quickly. However, the tough stretch might appeal more to the Grizzlies as it includes a couple of rivals and a team they can't wait to see again.
Memphis gets an early chance at redemption
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the defending NBA champions, and defeated the Grizzlies in a first-round playoff series sweep en route to their first championship since moving to Oklahoma. The Grizzlies held a 27-point lead in Game 3 of their series before Ja Morant left the game with a hip injury, and the rest was history.
Ja Morant made shockwaves during his exit interview when he said the Grizzlies would've tied the series at 2-2 if he had never left that game with the injury that ended his season. That quote alone means the team has Oklahoma City circled on its calendar for the upcoming season, and they will see them early on November 9th at the FedExForum.
In total, they only play the Thunder three times this season (twice at home) after facing off against them four times last regular season. Outside of the first round sweep, the Thunder have dominated the Grizzlies with nine consecutive wins over them in the regular season, and 13 straight including the playoffs.
That kind of dominance never sits well with a franchise no matter the circumstances of how the matchups played out with different sets of injuries. Last season, the Grizzlies didn't play the Thunder until late December for their first matchup in Oklahoma City.
After their second matchup in February, they played six times in March and April, splitting home and away evenly, including their playoff series. Ja Morant will look to reclaim a spot among the NBA's elite this season, and facing the reigning MVP and Finals MVP, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, early will be a test to see if Morant is ready for that level again.
The Thunder dominated the NBA as a whole last season with 68 wins and the NBA Championship. They are the standard right now, and the Grizzlies will have to get over the hurdle of consecutive losses to them to gain the confidence to surpass them when it matters the most.