Forgotten stats that prove the Grizzlies are one of the best teams in the NBA

The Memphis Grizzlies were a perennial playoff team, making seven consecutive appearances from 2010-2017 in the Core Four era, which starred Mike Conley Jr., Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol. Three consecutive losing seasons followed as that core group got older and separated, leading to the "Grz Nxt Gen" era upon drafting Ja Morant as the second pick of the 2019 NBA draft.

The first member of the new era was Jaren Jackson Jr., who was drafted in 2018 and got a chance to play with Core Four stalwarts Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol for one season before they were both traded. In Ja Morant's rookie season and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s second season in 2019, the Grizzlies began the season 6-16 before going 22-10 in their next 32 games to go into the NBA All-Star break with a winning record.

Covid-19 entered the equation as the Grizzlies were 32-33 and 3.5 games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers for the eighth seed before the shutdown. The Grizzlies showed their youth in the bubble by going 2-6 in their eight games before losing to the Trail Blazers in the newly introduced play-in game to miss out on their third straight playoffs and secure a third straight losing season.

Then the 2020 draft came around, and the Grizzlies traded into the last pick of the first round to select Desmond Bane to complete what would become their new core group in Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. What followed was three consecutive winning seasons and playoff appearances, including a second-round appearance in the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

Since the 2020-2021 season, the Grizzlies have a record of 115-75 when Ja Morant is in the lineup, a 60.5 winning percentage. Furthermore, the Grizzlies are 100-63 in games Desmond Bane has played with Ja Morant since he entered the league and 104-71 in games Jaren Jackson Jr. has played with Ja Morant in their careers together.

In the Grizzlies' disappointing season last year, that trio only played nine games together due to a suspension and a season-ending injury to Ja Morant. In those nine games, the Grizzlies had a record of 6-3 and looked to be on pace to climb out of their 6-19 hole to challenge for a play-in spot by season's end.

No matter how the Grizzlies are viewed coming into this season, one thing is for sure: the team is a proven winner when Ja Morant is on the court. To go a step further, they are one of the NBA's best when Ja Morant, Desmond, Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are on the court together, and if health permits, the NBA should be put on notice.