In an earlier article; I raised the question “Can the Grizzlies claw their way back to the top.” The Memphis Grizzlies were truly one of the most unknowing teams going into the season with being such a good team before and losing players in the offseason due to free agency and suspensions. I wrote this article in the preseason and now since the season has ended; we get to look back and see how they actually did. 

   The Memphis Grizzlies actually finished as one of the worst teams in not only the conference but in the entire league. They ended the season with a 27-55 record and 13th in the Western Conference. This is a major regression from last year. The Grizzlies leading scorer was none other than Desmond Bane averaging 24 points per game Jaren Jackson Jr being right behind him with 22. The Grizzlies got off to a rough 10 game start being 2-8 and then no improvement throughout the year. The Grizzlies were cursed with injuries this season. The list of injuries includes: Ja morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr, Derrick Rose, Marcus Smart, Jake Laavia, Brandon Clarke, Santi Aldama, Luke Kennard, Youtube Watanabe, Vince Williams Jr, and Zaire Williams. With most of these being season ending injuries; the Memphis Grizzlies were forced to pick up players from the G-League and start these players. Based on the horrendous start of the season, I did not expect the Grizzlies to become a playoff team but with all of the injuries to other players, there is no way they would compete. 

   However, when Ja Morant came back for a very small portion of the season and everyone was healthy for about a 5 game stretch; the Memphis Grizzlies went on a 5 game win streak and that makes people think: Could the Memphis Grizzlies have possibly grabbed a play in seed with a healthy team in the second half of the season. I think it is possible for them to have gotten the 9th or 10th seed if everyone would have stayed mostly healthy and a full power Memphis team in the second half of the year. However, even with this pitiful year; I think the Memphis Grizzlies will be back next season and with a fully healthy and full power team, they will be able to be a top 3 seed in the west and make a run in the playoffs. I think this season just needs to be scratched and need to focus on next year and what they can do to keep players healthy and on the court. I wish Desmond Bane and the Memphis Grizzlies the best of luck next season.