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The Memphis Grizzlies are this year's biggest surprise. After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season, they were expected to marginally improve this year. Ja Morant's third year, as well as improvements from the other young players, was expected to make them just a tiny bit better.
The Grizzlies took that “tiny bit better” prediction and ran a mile with it. Suddenly, the team is now the second seed in the Western Conference, above powerhouses of years past like the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz. They have looked flat-out unstoppable at times, combining a solid defense with a scintillating offense.
Their sudden rise to the top has many people looking for a Finals run for them. Being the second place in your conference will do that to you. But there's one big roadblock for the Grizzlies in order for them to make the Finals, one that can severely limit them in their most crucial moments.
The biggest roadblock to Grizzlies winning 2022 NBA Finals
At first glance, it seems like this Grizzlies team has no discernable weakness. Ja Morant's explosive 2021 – 22 season has him on some voters' MVP ballots, with the way he's playing. After a few years of experience, he now plays at his own pace, setting the tempo for his opponents. As a result, his decision-making and scoring have been massively improved.
Casual fans would then be led to believe that this team runs through Morant only. However, the last few games of the season have proved that's not the case. In an unprecedented turn of events, the Grizzlies have lost only two games when their star is injured. That's a clear sign of stellar coaching and talent from their squad.
Desmond Bane has become a reliable second option for the Grizzlies, but without Morant, he serves as the number one guy for the team. Steven Adams, who the team traded for in the off-season, has brought some size and playmaking from the big man slot. Jaren Jackson Jr, Tyus Jones, Dillon Brooks, and Kyle Anderson have all been excellent pieces around Morant.
On paper, this looks like a team destined to win it all. However, there's one thing holding this team back so far: experience in the playoffs.
The oldest players on the Grizzlies this season are Adams and Anderson, who are 28 years old. Morant and Bane are just 22 and 23 years old, respectively, and are relatively new to the league. Same goes for Jackson Jr. and a lot of their key rotation players. For short, this postseason run will be their first big run to the top.
While Morant and most of this Grizzlies core went to the playoffs last year, getting all the way to the Finals is a different beast. Unlike in the regular season, you barely get any rest. Once you're in the second round, you'll be playing nearly every other day. That kind of workload might shock the players who aren't that versed in the playoffs.
Also, there's a bunch of factors that change in the playoffs, too. There's added pressure on the players, referee calls will change, and rotations will tighten up. This postseason will be a whole new challenge for this roster, who will be facing this obstacle for almost the first time in their careers.
Does this mean that the Grizzlies can't win it all? No, not exactly. However, it wouldn't be surprising if Morant and co. bow to an experienced Jazz or Warriors team in the second round, just because those teams and their players know exactly what the playoffs bring.
