Snapping a four-game losing streak was what the Grizzlies needed in the worst way when they defeated the Dallas Mavericks on November 7th. They left no room to spare as they led by as many as 35 points against another team in their own turmoil, as they continue to navigate life after Luka Doncic.
While the win was needed for the Grizzlies, more work will need to be done to overcome their early 4-6 start. Unfortunately, they have a tough schedule coming up against teams in a certain category they have struggled to beat, dating back to last season.
The Grizzlies 0-6 against teams .500 and above
If you had to sum up the Grizzlies' 4-6 start, it would be one of the simplest things to explain. Their four wins have come against teams with a record below .500, and their six losses have come against teams with a record of .500 and above.
The biggest disappointment of the Grizzlies' 12-16 finish to the regular season last season was their inability to beat a team with a pulse. They finished last season with a 14-25 record against .500 and above teams, including a 2-13 finish in their final 15 games against those teams. Including the play-in tournament and playoffs, they finished with a 2-18 record against winning teams.
It's a must that the Grizzlies snap their current skid to begin this season because four of their next five games will be against teams with a record of .500 and above. Three of those games will be on the road, but the one they have at home is against the defending champions and the team with the best record in the NBA at the moment in the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Also, the one team in this stretch that has a below .500 record is the Boston Celtics on the road, which is an arena where they have historically struggled to get a win. They beat the Celtics in Boston last season to snap a 10-game losing streak that hadn't seen the Grizzlies win since 2013.
Speaking of streaks, the Grizzlies begin this tough stretch against a Thunder team they have lost nine in a row to in the regular season, and 13 in a row when including their first-round playoff series last season. Getting the win against the Mavericks on Friday was needed for positivity, but now the team must overcome its biggest hurdle to keep pace in the Western Conference.