With the preseason in full swing, Grizzlies fans are eagerly waiting for Memphis' first regular season game on October 22nd. It’s only natural to start thinking about where the Grizzlies might fall in terms of rankings, even though it’s difficult to tell this early on. Overall, Memphis had a pretty successful off-season, which leads many to believe that the Grizzlies will be highly competitive in the Western Conference.
However, the Grizzlies have recently made announcements that not a single fan wanted to hear. The news, which adds to Memphis’ Santa Claus list of injuries, could completely change the trajectory of the season, especially in the beginning.
Ugly flashbacks to 2023-24
It was already expected that Zach Edey would be out for a few weeks at the start of the year, as he suffered an injury back in early June. Jaren Jackson Jr. also appeared on the off-season injury report around the same time as Edey, but there seemed to be some optimism that he would be able to return at the start of the regular season. Now, in addition to Edey and Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke and Ja Morant have been added to the list of injured Grizzlies.
Although Morant suffered an ankle sprain, he is considered week-to-week, which means he could possibly play at the start of the season. That said, it makes fans uneasy knowing that Morant is still dealing with injuries. Clarke’s situation is similar, as fans were under the assumption he would be healthy and ready to go on October 22nd. Now that that is not the case, Memphis will need to pivot and find a new starting lineup that can take care of business in those first few weeks of the season.
A strong start is key
Regardless of injuries, the Grizzlies need to start the upcoming season in the same way they started last year. Strong! This momentum propelled them toward the top of the Western Conference Standings last season, where they sat for the majority of the year. While starting strong is important and great for a team’s overall confidence, it’s equally important to consistently play competitive basketball for the entire season and finish even stronger than they started.
Top 5 in the West?
Will Memphis be a top 5 team in the Western Conference this year? They absolutely could be, but there are now a lot more question marks about the health and depth of this roster that might be a huge factor. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets are all teams that are predicted to be in the running for best in the West. That’s a lot of teams.
Not to mention, the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, and Dallas Mavericks have a chance to shake up the entire conference. What about the Portland Trail Blazers or New Orleans Pelicans? Could either one of them be a surprise dark horse team? Believe it or not, the Western Conference might be even more dangerous than last season.
All that to say, the Grizzlies have the talent and depth to be able to compete with every single one of those teams. Memphis’ depth will be put to the test very early because of injuries, but they have the pieces. The Grizzlies can be a top 5 team in the conference if they can prioritize consistency, play their brand of basketball, and foster a strong dynamic between everyone on the roster as soon as that whistle blows at 7:00 pm CST on October 22nd in the FedexForum.