The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in the league right now. The squad from Tennessee had an up-and-down start, but have been on a roll ever since. In their last 12, they won eleven in a row and just lost to the Dallas Mavericks. They have been mesmerizing to watch, as this team really only has one star. Ja Morant is playing like one of the best players in the world right now. The Grizzlies, however, have a balanced squad next to Morant, and even when he missed time earlier in the season, the team was 10-2, showing no signs of slowing down. With their recent win streak and general play, they have skyrocketed into some serious conversations. On that note, here are two why the Grizzlies are serious title contenders.

Reasons for Grizzlies' title contention 

1) Ja Morant 

In all honesty, we have not seen a point guard dominate this much without a stable three-point shot in a very long time. The last one who did on this level was probably Allen Iverson, and Ja Morant has had his fair share of comparisons with the Answer. Right now, the Grizzlies stud is averaging 24.4 points, 6.8 assists, 5.8 rebounds, on a ridiculously effective 48.6% field goal shooting percentage. That is made even more impressive when taken into consideration that Morant takes 18.7 shots per game.

What is even more impressive is his recent stretch, in the Grizzlies super run of 11 wins. Morant averaged 26.7 points, on 50.5% shooting from the field, shooting almost 20 field goal attempts per game. That is very impressive and while there were conversations about Morant being in the All-Star Game, the discussions are now shifted to does Morant have an MVP case he can boast. That is a different conversation altogether, especially considering the fact that the MVP field is very rich. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and a few more all believe they have cases for the MVP, but Morant is getting close to that level.

Now, the question of sustainability is a relevant one. The Grizzlies clearly do not fully rely on Morant, otherwise, they would stumble in the 12-game stretch earlier this season without him. However, in that stretch without Morant, the team did play the stumbling Lakers, played twice against the Kings and the Trail Blazers, and played other lowly teams like the Rockets. Due to this, it is an important thing to take into consideration, should Morant slow down or get an injury, will the Grizzlies founder.

That is just speculation, of course, as the current state on the court is as such, that the Grizzlies must be considered title contenders due to Ja Morant. The young guard has been able to get to his spots, keep his teammates involved, hit some great, clutch shots, and make sure that everything is clicking on the floor. Even if he slightly slows down, or gets a minor injury, his play has been so mesmerizing that it would still be a legitimate title effort with Morant averaging 22 points on 45% shooting. And there is a very specific reason for that.

2) The squad stepped up 

Continuing on from the first reason, the Grizzlies youngsters stepped up to the plate. While Morant is the out-and-out leader of the team, other Grizzlies players came out swinging this season and do not plan to stop, it seems. Interestingly enough, after trading away Jonas Valanciunas to the New Orleans Pelicans in the offseason, there were worries about the offense of the Grizzlies. However, the young guns have answered in a huge way.

There are three leaders, next to Morant, of this rising up process of the Grizzlies. First, we have Dillon Brooks, the fifth-year player who has taken another step forward this season. He actually increased his efficiency on more shots, shooting 42.6% from the field and averaging 18.4 points, both upgrades from last year. His three-pointer is still not consistent enough, shooting just 32.7% from behind the arc, but he has still been a great option for the 8th ranked offense in the league.

Next to him, it is Desmond Bane and his play this season is not so much a step forward, as it is an Olympic leap. After averaging just 9.2 points last season, Bane jumped to 17.5 points per contest, shooting 46.6% from the field and an amazing 42% from behind the three-point line. The Grizzlies guard is the perfect player for the team's setup, as he draws defenders from the lane to the perimeter, so Brooks and especially Morant can take their opportunities inside the paint.

Last but definitely not least, it is Jaren Jackson, the fourth-year player who is bouncing back after missing the majority of the 2020-21 season. After just 11 games that season, he played 44 out of the 45 available games this season and, while he is not on the level he was in 2019-20, Jackson is slowly getting there. The Grizzlies have a solid inside presence, who can still go out beyond the arc and shoot the three-ball. He is nowhere near the level of Morant or even Bane, but Jackson is a great complimentary piece. Glue guys like Steven Adams, Kyle Anderson, DeAndre Melton, and others are also there, and while they do not contribute much offensively, they are still key cogs in the Grizzlies title-contending machine.