Obviously, the Grizzlies were tanking and had to figure out the best way to maximize their 2026 NBA Draft positioning. Still, even when they reach full strength, they are far off of what it takes to be an elite team. If the Grizzlies want to reach that point, the Grizzlies must take notice of an alarming playoff trend. Having a strong halfcourt offense is absolutely essential for finding playoff success.
Even though the Grizzlies must build a culture and get back to the defensive toughness of the Grit & Grind era, they can't afford to abandon halfcourt offense. A lot has gone wrong for the Grizzlies in the last few seasons, but even the promising 2021-22 and 2022-23 teams had issues with halfcourt offense in the playoffs.
Given the fact that the Grizzlies are rebuilding and will likely trade Ja Morant, they have the flexibility to change how they construct their team going forward. Luckily for them, the NBA playoffs are exposing what they must work on.
The Pistons and Rockets are looking like cautionary tales offensively
In all fairness to Houston, they have suffered offensively without Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams. However, with or without Kevin Durant, the Rockets offense has struggled immensely and been the reason why they trail 3-1 to a Lakers team without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Alperun Sengun were all first-round picks, but they haven't been able to create a strong offense together.
The Detroit Pistons won 60 games and deservedly earned the one seed in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, the Pistons clearly made a mistake to not add another quality shot creator at the trade deadline. Despite quality rim protection and facing a Magic offense that has struggled, the Pistons find themselves down 3-1 and facing elimination.
The Pistons having defensive toughness absolutely matters, but not having enough quality shot creators when a team can match their physicality has proven to be a downfall. Cade Cunningham cannot do it by himself, and the Magic have seemed to figure that out.
Both teams could still win their respective series, but their halfcourt offenses have been the biggest limiting factor for not getting more wins.
What the Grizzlies can learn from the playoffs about half-court offense
There is nothing wrong with the Grizzlies wanting to be a sound defensive playmaking team that can create more chances in transition. But they must find more offensive solutions when playoff games slow down. This is especially important with the elite defenses they would see once they return to the playoffs, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
While the Grizzlies must keep improving the defensive side of the ball by adding to the frontcourt and getting more athletic wings with two-way upside, they cannot neglect offense in the process. Having multiple players that thrive as pick-and-roll ball handlers and can create their own shot off the dribble will allow the Grizzlies to find more playoff success.
The Grizz Next Gen era was fun during its rise, and while injuries were a major problem, the half-court offense struggled against the Warriors in 2022 and the Lakers in 2023. Now, the Grizzlies have a chance to right that wrong and build a sustainable halfcourt offense that can thrive in a playoff setting.
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