The Memphis Grizzlies were one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season. They made the leap from an exciting, young team to a legitimate contender much quicker than most expected. Memphis finished with the second-best record in the NBA at 56-26. The Grizzlies trailed only the Phoenix Suns for the best record in the league. This strong play has given the squad a great amount of confidence heading into the playoffs. The Minnesota Timberwolves secured a 109-104 victory over the Clippers in the play-in game to secure a matchup with the Grizzlies in the opening round. With the Grizz considered heavy favorites in the series, here are 3 bold predictions for the Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves first round series.

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Memphis Grizzlies: 3 bold predictions for the first round of 2022 NBA Playoffs vs Timberwolves

The Grizzlies Will Sweep

Led by Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves have several exciting young players on the team. They have played some solid basketball for stretches of the season but simply are not in the same category of a contender as the Memphis Grizzlies. In the same way that it has been impressive that the Grizzlies have exceeded expectations, it has been disappointing that Minnesota has not lived up to them. Patrick Beverly may have celebrated like he won the NBA championship after the victory in the play-in game, but the fact of the matter is the team should be disappointed they even ended the season in that position.

Unlike many NBA teams, the Grizzlies do not have to hope for a singular star player to carry their team to postseason success. They possess a well-balanced lineup with impact players all over the floor. Ja Morant leads the team with 27.4 points and 6.7 assists per game while also adding 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Even with his success, the Grizzlies have not missed a beat with him out of the lineup. Memphis is 20-5 without him this year.

The two sides faced off four times this season with each team securing two wins. The postseason is a whole different ball game and the Grizzlies appear primed to make a statement. It will take a heroic effort from Anthony Edwards or Karl Anthony-Towns to match Memphis' scoring in any game, so don't expect this series to go past four.

Ja Morant Will Become A Postseason Superstar

It has been extremely impressive how good the Grizzlies have been without Ja Morant in the lineup. It should be made clear that this is purely a compliment to the supporting cast. In no way a slight toward the former number two overall pick. Any questions about if he is capable of being an NBA superstar should have been answered this year as his eye-popping plays and 30+ scoring nights became the norm.

Morant had a massive scoring increase this season. He improved on the 19.1 points per game he scored last year significantly. Morant averaged 27.4 points per game in 2022. One of the most encouraging areas of growth has been with his jump shot. The Murray State product increased his three-point percentage by 4.1% this season. The 34.4% he shot from beyond the arc is a career-high for the third-year guard and he attempted more shots than ever before at this distance.

It feels as if he is ready to ascend into a whole new category of superstar this postseason. The Grizzlies are a scary team and it all starts with the dazzling play of 2020 Rookie of the Year. He has never been a player that is afraid of the spotlight. Expect Morant to take center stage during this postseason.

Taylor Jenkins Earns His Respect

There hasn't been the proper acknowledgment of how great the Grizzlies' Head Coach has been since taking over in 2019. Taylor Jenkins was given his first head coaching opportunity in Memphis. The franchise is surely grateful they made this choice.

Jenkins has led the Grizzlies to the second-best win percentage in clutch situations. Memphis has come out on top of 65.6% of the games when the score is separated by less than five points with five minutes remaining. This clutch gene will be put to the test in the playoffs and the best way to earn respect as a coach is to secure wins. Pay close attention to the in-game adjustments made by Jenkins . He deserves a ton of credit for guiding this youthful team into the powerhouse they have become.