The Memphis Grizzlies enter the final week of the regular season in a four-way tie for fifth place in the Western Conference standings. While they lose the multiple-team tiebreaker scenario they control their own destiny to gain the fifth seed out West.
While that won't give them a homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs, getting a top-six seed helps avoid the play-in tournament. As they enter the final week with games against the Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, and Dallas Mavericks the team will look to keep their winning momentum going.
A two-game winning streak and the first two wins of interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo's tenure have the Grizzlies believing again and in a rhythm to make a run. One specific player has benefitted from the coaching change after former head coach Taylor Jenkins' inconsistency with his usage.
Zach Edey is becoming the player they anticipated when they drafted him
The 7'4" rookie center and number nine overall draft pick last season has had an inconsistent rookie season as the team's starting center. After foul trouble hindered his early season performance Zach Edey showed glimpses of a serviceable starting big man until an ankle injury halted his development.
Edey had to get adjusted to a role he wasn't accustomed to in college as he was the primary offensive threat at Purdue. With the Grizzlies fielding a starting lineup with two All-Stars and another high-level player, Edey's role is to provide toughness, screens, and rebounding.
After his post-All-Star break struggles reached a halt, Taylor Jenkins removed him from the starting lineup. However, the coaching change brought change to his usage and playing time as coach Iisalo immediately placed Edey back in the starting lineup, and it has paid off with an adjustment.
Tuomas Iisalo added pick-and-roll back in the gameplan
Zach Edey has said the pick-and-roll aspect being added more into the offense has helped his performance lately. He explained that while he was primarily in the post in college, he was very effective in the pick-and-roll.
Many people assumed that Edey's role would be predicated on the pick-and-role with Ja Morant just as was the case when Steven Adams was the starting center. Since the coaching switch, Zach Edey has produced double-digit rebounding games in four of their last five games.
Included in that are two double-doubles and the Grizzlies' single-game rookie rebounding record, with 21 coming against the Detroit Pistons. He has also reached at least 26 minutes of playing time in four of those two games, as opposed to the 21 minutes per game he averaged for the season.
Zach Edey is looking the best he has in his role at the perfect time for the Grizzlies as the playoffs/play-in approaches. With Brandon Clarke out for the season, he will be called on to produce at his recent level when the light gets brighter in the next week.