As the Western Conference’s second-place finisher, the Memphis Grizzlies finished the season 56-26, led by a dynamic young core that plays at an exciting tempo.
On Tuesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104 in the Play-In Tournament to secure the seventh seed in the Western Conference as they ended the season 46-36.
The first game of the best-of-seven series between the two teams will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at FedExForum and be broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast and ESPN.
The regular season head-to-head matchups between the two teams resulted in a 2-2 season series split, with each team winning at home. In contrast, Dillon Brooks did not appear in any of the four games.
During the regular season, the Grizzlies went 30-11 at home and 26-15 away from the FedExForum. While the Wolves went 20-21 on the road, they went 26-15 at home.
The NBA’s two top-scoring teams square off in this series — the Timberwolves averaged an NBA-best 115.9 points per game, while the Grizzlies set a franchise mark with 115.6. For the first time in Grizzlies history, the team finished in the NBA’s top five in scoring in the 2021-22 season.
It has been a record-breaking season for Memphis. On the strength of stingy defense, the Grizzlies became the first team to lead the NBA in rebounds, steals, and blocks since steals and blocks became official stats in 1973-74. The team also led the league in fast break points, offensive rebounds, points in the paint, and second chance points.
Grizzlies writers Sharon Brown and Aimee Stiegemeyer preview this series by answering questions that could determine whether Memphis advances to the second round.
In the season series, many have pointed out that the Wolves have held Ja Morant to an average of 20 points per game. Will the Wolves be able to hold Morant at bay?
Sharon Brown: The regular season is over, so forget about it. Morant is going to be all in on this one. He watches film and knows exactly what he needs to do. This is a player who will take advantage of any opportunity presented to him by the defense, and he can count on his teammates to step up when times get tough, just like they’ve done all season. Morant will put this team on his back if he needs to. I assume that Jenkins will have multiple ball-handlers in at times to take pressure off Morant.
Aimee Stiegemeyer: Not a chance. I have complete faith in Morant’s ability to switch into a higher gear, and I expect Playoff Ja to be next level. He takes winning very personally and plays with a chip on his shoulder, which will serve him well during the postseason.
Which matchup are you looking forward to seeing — Anthony Edwards against Morant or Karl-Anthony Towns against Jaren Jackson Jr.?
SB: It will be easy to say Morant vs. Edwards but I’m interested to see how well KAT and JJJ will match up. Will JJJ be able to disrupt KAT on defense? Jackson Jr. led the league in blocks per game (2.3), total blocks (177), and stocks, steals and blocks (250). Will JJJ be able to avoid being in foul trouble? Will he be able to get anything he wants on the offensive end? Jackson has to avoid getting into foul trouble since he’s the anchor on defense. If the Grizzlies are to advance past the first round, they will need to rely on his consistency on offense, his impeccable defense, and his availability to be on the floor.
AS: Ja Morant vs. Anthony Edwards, and Dillon Brooks vs. everybody.
When it comes to Memphis, who will be the team’s “x-factor”?
SB: One — The two-way play of Dillon Brooks is exemplary. He’s getting better at creating his own shots and finding open teammates when he passes the ball. In the Utah Jazz series last year, we saw that Brooks is a natural for the playoffs. Brooks scored 25.8 points per game.
Two — The impact of the Grizzlies bench. All year long the bench has stepped up when players have been in and out of the lineup. It can be either Tyus Jones, De’Anthony Melton, Ziaire Williams, Kyle Anderson, or even John Konchar.
AS: It will be a combination of Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks rather than a single player. This is the kind of matchup that Dillon the Villain thrives in.
Who do you think will have the biggest impact off the bench for the Grizzlies?
SB: Jones — he has been so aggressive this season scoring the ball. He’s the best back-up point guard in the league and recorded the best single season assist-to-turnover ratio (7.04) in NBA history. Jones has the ability to slow things down when need be and make the right plays. He’s the anchor for that second unit.
AS: If I have to pick one individual player it would be Brandon Clarke. His stats against the Timberwolves are slightly higher than his regular season stats, and his style of play matches up well against them. But the bench unit as a whole will continue to be a key point to success. This is the deepest Grizzlies team in history and the second unit has proven they can show up and fill in spots when the starters are resting.
(statmuse link : https://statm.us/e/BaZnMUiXy)
What do you think will be the outcome of the series?
SB: Grizzlies in 5 or 6.
AS: Grizzlies in 5.
