Basketball diehards are now counting down the days and weeks rather than months for the return of meaningful games at all levels. Players are gathering for cardio-based chemistry building ahead of training camp. As for the league in general, the 2025-26 NBA schedule release offered the first real glimpse into the routes every team must take to the postseason. For Tuomas Iisalo's regrouping Memphis Grizzlies, the stretch from Thanksgiving through Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not just a test; it’s a gauntlet. A mix of brutal road trips, potential high-stakes tournament games, and a transatlantic journey will define Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s championship mettle.
Unfortunately, the already road-weary Grizzlies play five of seven away games before the turkeys are thawing out. Starting with the trip down Interstate 55 to play Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans (Nov. 26), Memphis is preparing for a Thanksgiving week that offers little to be thankful for in terms of schedule ease. After balling in the Big Easy, the Grizzlies head to Hollywood for what might be their most forgiving game of the trip. Facing the Los Angeles Clippers (Nov. 28) with a 9:00 PM CST tipoff that will not be nationally broadcast, this feels like a cross-country trip where enjoying the nightlife and taking a loss at the Intuit Center is acceptable.
It's a distasteful admission to customers paying good money for tickets, but most fans back in Memphis will be asleep anyway. The Grizzlies catch the Sacramento Kings (Nov. 30) and San Antonio Spurs (Dec.2) after leaving Los Angeles. Both games should be competitive, with the possibly well-rested, load-managed Grizzlies having legitimate chances to steal victories on the road from middle-of-the-pack Western Conference foes.
Frankly, this trip is a perfect barometer for the new-look Grizzlies. Three of these games should be highly competitive, if not winnable. The outlined strategy of conceding the late-night, non-national TV game in Los Angeles is a savvy, if cynical, approach for Tuomas Iisalo. All things considered, a 3-1 road trip is a realistic goal.
Grizzlies head back home
After logging thousands of flight miles, the Grizzlies return to the sanctuary of FedEx Forum for a crucial two-game homestand. First up is revenge against the Clippers (Dec. 5), providing Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. an excellent opportunity to flip any negative script from their Hollywood visit. The crowd's energy should be palpable as well, especially if the preceding road trip goes according to plan. Scoot Henderson's Portland Trail Blazers follow (Dec. 7), presenting another winnable game that could help the Grizzlies build momentum heading into the most uncertain section of the regular season.
Then, the schedule goes dark. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the holiday schedule is the 10-day gap that accommodates the NBA Cup knockout rounds. The league has deliberately left two games unscheduled, creating a scenario where no one knows who or where the next contests will be played. If the Grizzlies do find themselves playing for the NBA Cup trophy in Las Vegas on December 16, they'll face a challenge before the champagne-soaked uniforms can be washed.
Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert's Minnesota Timberwolves (Dec. 17) await less than 24 hours after any potential championship celebrations or second-place sulking. This quick turnaround from potential euphoria to regular-season reality will be a situation to watch closely. How the locker room responds to Tuomas Iisalo will inform several future decisions. On the positive side, at least Las Vegas to Minneapolis is a relatively short flight. However, this could be another load management (and scheduled loss) scenario.
It is more important for the Grizzlies to protect homecourt. Following the Timberwolves tilt, the Grizzlies return to Beale Street to wrangle with the Washington Wizards (Dec. 20). This might be the last brief respite before the schedule becomes truly unforgiving. Getting wins over every Eastern Conference lottery team traveling to the FedEx Forum is a near necessity to keep up in the West.
Tuomas Iisalo makes Christmas wish
The days leading up to Christmas present a nightmare scenario for any NBA team. Memphis really got the lump of coal, though. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. need everyone healthy to survive a brutal road back-to-back set against the title-holding Oklahoma City Thunder (Dec. 22) and Lauri Markkanen's Utah Jazz (Dec. 23). These games epitomize everything challenging about NBA scheduling: quality conference opponents, hostile environments, and zero recovery time between contests.
At least the Grizzlies get to sleep in their own beds on Christmas Eve, but the holiday break is short-lived. Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks invade FedEx Forum on December 26, arriving just as families are still cleaning up wrapping paper from their living rooms. The year closes with a final 2025 road game in Washington (Dec. 28) and a tough home matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers (Dec. 30).
Then, the spotlight shines brightest…or as bright as a midseason game can be given the NBA's 82-game slate. The new year starts with a bang as the Grizzlies face the Los Angeles Lakers in a two-game set (Jan. 2 and Jan. 4). Morant and Jackson Jr. will relish sharing the Hollywood spotlight with Luka Doncic and Lebron James. Tuomas Iisalo's staff matching wits with JJ Redick's aging roster is sure to produce a few fireworks. Memphis needs to steal one win to sway the national media narratives.
A four-game homestand follows against the Toronto Raptors (Jan. 8), Chicago Bulls (Jan. 10), Charlotte Hornets (Jan. 12), and Miami Heat (Jan. 14), offering a chance to stack wins before a unique challenge: two games against Desmond Bane’s Orlando Magic in Berlin, Germany (Jan. 15) and London, England (Jan. 18). The NBA’s consideration of the MLK Day trip means lighter travel beforehand, but jet lag and the Magic’s defensive length could make these games tricky.
Coming home will be no picnic either. The Atlanta Hawks (Jan. 21), Pelicans (Jan. 23), and Denver Nuggets (Jan. 25) are all expecting to pick up road wins in Memphis. The timing couldn't be more demanding from a sporting attention perspective either.
Most of America will be glued to their televisions watching Super Bowl setups as the NFL's Conference Championships wrap up on January 25. The Grizzlies, however, will not have that luxury. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. will be on a flight preparing for Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets (Jan. 26).
This holiday schedule will reveal everything about the core's championship aspirations. The players who emerge as reliable contributors during this stretch will likely define the team's ceiling for the remainder of the season. Anyone in a slump can expect to be shopped before the NBA Trade Deadline.
For better or worse, the NBA schedule makers have given the relatively young and untested Grizzlies perhaps the most challenging gift possible: a chance to prove they're ready for the bright lights when it matters most. If this group can navigate the holiday gauntlet with a .500 record or better, they'll have proven they belong among the Western Conference elite. If not, calls for EVP/GM Zach Kleiman's job would definitely get louder in Grind City.
