With the Denver Nuggets' loss to the Milwaukee Bucks last night, the Memphis Grizzlies find themselves 0.5 games ahead of them for the second seed in the Western Conference standings. They face the New York Knicks tonight with a chance to extend their lead, especially if the Nuggets lose again at the Detroit Pistons.
While the team prepares to move forward from their thrilling come-from-behind win against the Phoenix Suns in their last game, their star players look to continue their positive progress. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane each scored 25 points and over to combine for 82 of their 151 points scored in that game.
The star trio found themselves a part of yet another NBA player ranking list, and while they all deserve recognition, the order of their presence may surprise you. The FanSided Dot Com crew ranked their top 99 players in the NBA.
Ja Morant ranked as the 30th best player
Before the regular season began, Ja Morant was consistently ranked as a top 20 player in the NBA across various platforms. He ranked as high as 16 on CBS Sports top 100 and as low as 24th on the Ringer's top 100 player list in October.
However, through 36 games this season he has averaged his least points per game average (20.8) since the 2020 - 2021 season and is shooting the worst field goal percentage of his six-year career (43.4%). Due to this, it should come as no surprise that he ranks as the 30th player in the league in the FanSided NBA99.
While that seems disrespectful based on his history and occasional moments of excellence this season, the consistency has lacked. He just had a game that defined his season in a nutshell, beginning the game shooting 2-14 against the Suns before scoring 11 consecutive points in regulation to take the game to overtime before eventually winning.
Jaren Jackson Jr. cracked the top 20
The Grizzlies big man's transition into superstar stardom was recognized as he ranked 18th in the FanSided NBA99 list. His rise should come as no surprise after securing his second NBA All-Star appearance while leading the team in scoring.
He has become one of the best two-way players in the NBA as his offense has caught up to his elite defense this season. What's even more impressive about Jackson Jr. is that his defense hasn't let up as he finds himself as a favorite to win his second Defensive Player of the Year.
Jackson Jr. began the season ranking consistently in the 40s with a high of 42 (HoopsHype) and a low of 55 (ESPN). It is safe to say he won't begin next season anywhere that low of the player rankings as the respect for his play is noticed around the league.
Desmond Bane ranked 48th
The Grizzlies' sharpshooting starting shooting guard is averaging his lowest points per game average (18.1) since his rookie season in 2020 - 2021 but is shooting a career-high field goal percentage (48.9%). His struggles to adapt to the Grizzlies' new offense early in the season have been a thing of the past for a few months now.
He has improved his playmaking over the years, averaging a career-high 5.5 assists and asserting himself on the boards with a career-high average of 5.7 rebounds per game. Bane's ascension from spot-up shooter to scorer to playmaker has been fun to watch as it compliments Morant and Jackson Jr. to perfection.
Desmond Bane may be a bit low due to his efficiency but it isn't the craziest position considering the players surrounding him in that tier. He ranked in the 40s before the season as well with his highest ranking at 42 (Action Network) and lowest at 60 (ESPN).