The 2024-25 NBA season has already provided its fair share of drama and excitement for the Memphis Grizzlies as they attempt to return to the top of the Western Conference standings. A 4-3 record through seven games represents a team that has been up and down as shown by their play, but a recent surge in performance might provide dividends for what's to come.
Riding a two-game winning streak as they take on the Brooklyn Nets for their second and final matchup of the season, here is where media outlets have the Grizzlies ranked in their week two power rankings.
NBA.com: 11th
The Grizzlies rank directly below fellow Western Conference contenders the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers in the nba.com rankings. They noted the Grizzlies' lack of continuity that has carried over from last season with their early-season injuries.
They also noted the efficiencies of Ja Morant and Scotty Pippen Jr.'s minutes played on the court together as they have outscored their last two opponents by 28 points (wins against the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers). The Grizzlies have gotten back to their identity of dominating the paint, outscoring their opponents by 14 points per game.
HoopsHype: 12th
The Grizzlies rank directly above fellow Western Conference contenders the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Pelicans in the HoopsHype rankings. HoopsHype identified X-Factors for each team and mentioned the recently converted two-way players in Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr.
The term "super-subs" was used when describing the impact of Huff and Pippen Jr. while the team nurses another injury-riddled start to an NBA season. Huff was lauded for his elite blocking numbers (1.3 blocks per game) and excellent marksmanship from the three-point line (55.6% shooting) while Pippen Jr. received praise for his on-ball defense and playmaking (7.3 assists per game)
ClutchPoints: 11th
The Grizzlies ranked in between Western Conference contenders in the ClutchPoints power rankings. The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks ranked above them while the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings ranked directly below them.
The Grizzlies' depth received praise from ClutchPoints as they specifically named Scotty Pippen Jr., Jay Huff, and Jaylen Wells' production. They mentioned the upcoming Lakers at Grizzlies game on November 6th as the benchmark for the Grizzlies to know where they stand in this early season.
Final Verdict
Consistency is key and that is the truth for how the Grizzlies were ranked throughout the three power ranking sites above. Each site ranked them just outside of the top 10 and praised the depth of the team amid the early-season injuries. Also, their Western Conference rivals ranked around where they are ranked which shows the competitiveness of the conference as expected.