Before the Memphis Grizzlies' loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last night, they saw another rise up the NBA Power Rankings. They are now winners of 12 of their last 15 games and look to end the year creeping up on the Western Conference's number-one-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
While the Grizzlies continue to make their status as one of the NBA's best known to the rest of the league, the notice has been felt and the following rankings show just that.
NBA.com: 4th
The Grizzlies rose one spot in the NBA.com power rankings, swapping positions with the Dallas Mavericks who fell from fourth to fifth. The fourth spot is fitting for a team that had the NBA's fourth-best record at the time, only trailing the teams with the top three best records in the league: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Boston Celtics.
NBA.com mentioned that during the Grizzlies' 12-2 stretch over their previous 14 games before last night, eight of their opponents ranked in the bottom 12 of defense, leading to the Grizzlies having the NBA's top-ranked offense during that stretch.
The Grizzlies had only played against two teams that rank in the top seven in the NBA on defense but that changed this week with two opponents that rank in the top seven on defense this week. One opponent was the Clippers last night which the Grizzlies struggled shooting against with a 38% field goal percentage (including 38% from three).
The next opponent? The NBA's number one ranked defensive team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the battle of the top Western Conference teams on Sunday night.
ClutchPoints: 3rd
The Grizzlies rose one spot in ClutchPoints NBA power rankings, surpassing the Eastern Conference's second-seeded Boston Celtics. The Grizzlies' eight-game home winning streak (snapped last night) was highlighted along with their improved defense after beginning the season with an 8-7 record and searching for their identity on that end of the floor.
That's weird to say considering defense has been the Grizzlies' calling card for over a decade through different eras. The enhancement of the Grizzlies' offense this season has clouded the good defense they have played but it shows in the point differential column (+10.2).
However, the Grizzlies rank fourth in the NBA in defensive efficiency while also ranking sixth in offensive efficiency. The Grizzlies' impressive offensive showing might be what is exciting Grizzlies fans and the NBA fans but their defense remaining top tier is what has them as winners of 12 of their last 15 games.