NBA Team Analysis: Grizzlies Need to Turn Things Around

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The Memphis Grizzlies are a very talented NBA team, which finished second in the West with a record of 51-31 and was eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the First Round of the playoffs. They have the pieces to get further and will recover important pieces and also are adding new players which make them stronger.

Key Injuries

All teams suffer injuries, the seasons are long, back 2 back games and the Grizzlies suffered with key players out of the court. Players like center Steve Adams just played a career-low 42 games the past season. He missed the final part of the schedule and was sidelined with no uniform during the elimination first round in the playoffs, against the Lakers. He injured his right knee and would miss three to five weeks due to a right PCL sprain. Missing Adams the team lost its best rebounder and defender, those players who do the dirty work and cover up mistakes. He is the oldest player in the Grizzlies locker room and is heavily spoken by the team.

Brandon Clarke

Forward who suffered an Achilles injury, left the team and had played an integral part of the Grizzlies rotation this season. He appeared in 56 games and averaged 10 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1,3 assists in 19m5 minutes per game.

Ja Morant The Star That Needs To Bright This Season

The franchise player who was having one of the best seasons of his short career, numbers like 61 games played, 26,2  ppg, 8,1 APG, shooting for 46,6% FG and 30,7% from beyond the arc. This team without any distractions outside the court and key players healthier, has made it deep in the playoffs. The NBA Odds for next season, are more mature, with fewer injuries, and new talent coming in, which may push NBA Lines to get better.

Why was Morant Suspended by the League

Two main incidents off the court got the young 23-year-old player in trouble. The first one was on March 04, 2023, when the player inside a Colorado Strip club, on Instagram Live, recorded himself waving a gun. Eight days later the NBA suspended the player for eight games without pay for “conduct detrimental to the league” and assumed full responsibility for the incident.

On May 14th, 2023, a second incident, two months after the incident in Colorado, this time the team took action saying “The player Ja Morant has been suspended from all team activities pending League review” This after a video of him flashing a gun on Instagram Live circulated online.

Who are the New Players on the Roster?

Marcus Smart, the heart and soul of the Boston Celtics, arrived at the Grizzlies as part of a three-team deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics and Tyrus Jones to Washington and some other moves. This player will bring experience, hard work, and discipline to the locker room, this player can make this team get to a higher level. He can play both, point guard and shooting guard positions. He was named the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the first guard to win the award in Gary Payton back in 1996.

Derrick Rose, the veteran 34 years old, who has played for five different franchises, es in the later part of his career, coming off the bench, played 27 games with the New York Knicks last season and averaged 12,5 ppg.

Another key player who will be part of this interesting team is its power forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who will make $27 million this next campaign he was the second-best player on the squad, played 63 games, averaged 18,6 ppg, and was a great shooter making 50,6% FG and 35,5% from three point.

This team is loaded with talent, youngsters, and veterans but basically a very good team, well coached, they just have to focus on the court, prevent injuries, and play hard.  The Lines can make them favorites and go deep in the playoffs next season.