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The Memphis Grizzlies entered the NBA Playoffs with hopes of making noise as a young, hungry team. Instead, Jaren Jackson Jr. was among many handed a harsh reality check by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who completed a first-round sweep with a dominant performance that left EVP Zach Kleiman searching for answers. The series, which was marred by Ja Morant's cryptic tweets and unfortunate injury, exposed the Grizzlies' struggles to match the depth, execution, and relentlessness of Mark Daigneault's almost-perfect Thunder.
Turnovers on offense and defensive lapses were the result. After the final buzzer sounded on their season, several players acknowledged the gap between themselves and the league’s elite, stressing the need for better execution, consistency, and mental toughness in high-stakes games. Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies' defensive anchor and 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, told ClutchPoints about the steep learning curve of postseason basketball.
“There are always things to learn from the playoffs. Every game counts. Every lead is important. So many different things,” Jaren Jackson Jr. lamented. “A lot of stuff that comes from watching film, adjustments, stuff like that. There's, there's a ton.”
The Thunder, led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, overwhelmed the Grizzlies with their ball movement, defensive intensity, and ability to capitalize on mistakes. Memphis showed flashes of fight in front of the FedEx Forum crowd but couldn’t sustain the level of play needed to mount a serious challenge, especially once a camera-shy Ja Morant went down.
Scotty Pippen Jr. provided the Grizzlies a spark off the bench, but finished the series with 14 turnovers to 14 assists. Prioritizing 48 minutes of focus on cleaning up the sloppy play is step one to championship contention, the Hall of Famer's son told ClutchPoints.
“Obviously, they are a good team,” Pippen Jr replied. “You've got to be perfect playing against them. You can't just have a 20-point lead and chill. You've got to keep your foot on the gas.”
Memphis showed flashes of fight at home but failed to capitalize on critical moments. Speaking with ClutchPoints, Santi Aldama credited the Thunder's selflessness and defensive tenacity for their dominance.
“Yeah, I mean they are the one-seed for a reason,” Aldama said. “They've been killing teams for the whole year. That's what makes them so great. They are super selfless. They move the ball; they scrap on defense. Like, you need high-level fight and high-level execution (to win an NBA Playoffs game). I think the fight was there (from the Grizzlies at home), probably the best it's been, we've just got to execute better.”
Despite the sweep, the team remains optimistic about its young core, led by Jackson, Ja Morant, and Desmond Bane. However, the masterclass in playoff execution underscored the gap Memphis must close to contend for a championship. As the Grizzlies head into the offseason, Jackson Jr.'s words linger as a call to action. “There's a ton” to learn, and the work starts now with a clear understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level.
The shorthanded Grizzlies should not feel too bad about the early NBA Playoffs exit though. Either Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) or Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) will likely have problems escaping Oklahoma City's Thunderdome without at least one bad loss as well. That has been the story all season thanks in large part to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA MVP muscle.
