With two weeks remaining in the NBA season, the Memphis Grizzlies are limping into the postseason.
The Grizzlies have played a franchise-record 27 players this season, and currently have six players injured on the roster. During the month of March, the Grizzlies have kept only five teams under 100 points, two of those teams were against struggling teams like the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings who scored 97 and 98 points, respectively.
The team is 2-8 in their last 10 games and have a tough stretch coming up in their final seven games of the regular season, including two games against the record-chasing Golden State Warriors.
“It’s frustrating,” Grizzlies guard Tony Allen said. “We’ve got to stay together. We’re playing hard and just have to play smarter. Losing games like this just makes it harder.”
Memphis (41-34) sits in fifth place in the Western Conference and control a one and a half game lead over the sixth seed Portland Trailblazers.
“At this point in the season, it’s concerning that we’re seeing a lack of effort from the Grizzlies in some of these games,” Grizzlies beat writer for Blu3WorldOrder.com Anthony Sain said. “Of course the team has a ton of injured players that are out, but we’re not seeing a lot of urgency from the healthy guys despite all of the chaos.”
(Photo by: Associated Press | Brandon Dill)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley reacts after scoring consecutive three-point baskets during a game agains the Phoenix Suns.
Hopefully, the injury bug will come to an end in time for starting point guard Mike Conley and backups P.J. Hairston and Brandan Wright to return at the tail end of the season.
At this point, the Grizzlies can’t miss the playoffs because they will owe their first round draft pick to Denver in that scenario.
So, what other options do you have? It’s simple. You have to make the playoffs and find a series that you have a chance to be competitive in.
“There are plenty of teams that would just be happy to make the playoffs, but that’s not us,” Grizzlies head coach Dave Jeerer said. “We want the fifth seed and we want to play the Los Angeles Clippers.”
The Grizzlies are 1-1 versus the Clippers this season, and the team feels like they would have a chance to knock them off if they can get guys healthy.
In their previous matchup against LA on March 19, the 10-point underdog Grizzlies knocked off the Clippers 113-102 at FedEx Forum.
“Don’t get me wrong, making the playoffs would be great, but it would be upsetting to not get the fifth seed,” Jeerer said. “We’re going to go out and find a win wherever we can and keep fighting.”
If the Grizzlies fall to the sixth, seventh or eighth seed, they’re in trouble because Memphis has zero wins over Golden State, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City so far this season. Therefore, the Bluff City bears don’t stand a chance in the first round against one of those teams. With recent success against the Clippers, at least they have a chance to be competitive and possibly pull off an upset.
