The Minnesota Timberwolves, one of the most pleasant surprises from this season, have punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs. Awaiting them is the team that was perhaps the most pleasant surprise from this season, the Memphis Grizzlies. The matchup features several young stars like Ja Morant, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and Jaren Jackson Jr.
The two upstart squads split the regular-season matchups at two wins apiece. The Grizzlies won the second-most games in the NBA this season but the Timberwolves have lots of talent and are coming off of a thrilling win. A series with so many players looking to prove themselves should be a treat.
Although the Timberwolves have a strong team with a bright future, the Grizzlies will send them packing in either five or six games in the first round of the postseason.
2 reasons Grizzlies will beat Timberwolves in first round of 2022 NBA Playoffs
2. Jaren Jackson Jr. can handle Karl-Anthony Towns
The Clippers made Towns' life miserable in the play-in game with their usage of smaller, quicker defenders on him and their constant swarming to the ball when he had it in the post. This came at the cost of D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards having tremendous games.
The Grizzlies won't need as many bodies to match up with Towns this time around. They have an ace in the hole: one of the league's best defenders. Jackson has put himself in the conversation for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. His ability to square up with any player and use his long arms to disrupt any offensive activity has helped the Grizzlies elevate to an elite defensive team.
Not only does Jackson have the build to keep up with Towns' size and quickness, but he can also shut down any play they try to run for him. The Grizzlies also have stout defenders like Kyle Anderson, Brandon Clarke and Dillon Brooks that they can deploy on KAT from time to time. Overall, Minnesota is going to have to figure out how to get by Jackson.
Towns most likely won't shoot as poorly as he did against the Clippers. He will be a tough matchup for Jackson, especially in one-on-one scenarios, because of his deep scoring bag. But Jackson should be able to hang with him, if not dominate him.
1. Memphis has the matchup's best player, Ja Morant
Have the best player, have the best shot at winning the series. It's as simple as that. The Grizzlies have that advantage with Morant. Few players can control a game quite like the Grizzlies' 22-year-old sensation. What becomes a highlight reel for the fans becomes a nightmare for opposing defenses.
What makes Morant even more likely to have an amazing series is that the Timberwolves' interior defense is not very strong. They allow a good amount of interior shots and aren't good at preventing makes. This season, they have allowed opponents to shoot 63.7 percent on shots five feet or closer to the rim, which is the 13th highest mark in the league. The Grizzlies' star will have a Thanksgiving Day-level feast against the Wolves defense.
Morant thrives in the paint more than any guard and nearly every player in the last decade. He can beat just about anyone to the paint and levitate over anyone brave enough to contest him.
Minnesota will have a very tough time keeping Morant out of the paint and possibly an even tougher time trying to slow him down.
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