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At a point not long ago, the San Antonio Spurs had won 59 more games than the Memphis Grizzlies through their total series history. Because the Grizz are among the NBA's newest franchises, with history from the then-Vancouver Grizzlies dating back to 1995, the Spurs racked up that lead by winning 87 of their first 115 head-to-head lead meetings, including playoffs. But the arrival of Ja Morant and the fledgling Victor Wembanyama era have told a drastically different story.
As the two teams get set to meet once more this season, it's worth noting that the only time the Spurs have beaten the Grizzlies since 2021 came last season when Memphis was without Morant, Jaren Jackson, Jr., Desmond Bane and was so shorthanded they only played eight guys. Related, Morant suited up in just one of the four match-ups between the two teams last year, yet they won three of them.
It's a stretch that's been indicative of the last five seasons. Memphis has taken 16 of the last 17 against the proud franchise that's held the upper hand in most series through decades, especially this one.
Grizzlies recent domination of Spurs
In their first season after the “Bubble” stretch in Orlando, Florida, the Spurs opened at the Grizzlies. That night, the Spurs were led by three players who are no longer on the team. DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points, Dejounte Murray added 21, and LaMarcus Aldridge notched 20. Though Morant went off for 44 on that December 23, 2020 night, the Silver and Black came away with the 131-119 victory.
The second overall pick of the 2019 draft hasn't lost to the Spurs since.
Memphis started what would prove a 13-game series winning streak on January 30, 2021. It lasted until the aforementioned Grizzlies loss, which occurred on April 9, 2024.
This season, Memphis has won all three meetings between the two. All have taken part this year, and none have been close. Morant's squad came away with a 129-115 outcome on January 15. The score was 140-112 two nights later. The franchise's annual month-long Rodeo Road Trip that the Spurs will close in Memphis started there with a 128-109 loss by Wemby and company.
An end to Spurs domination
The Spurs and Grizzlies have met in five playoff series. Though it came in notable fashion, Memphis has won only one of those match-ups. As an eighth seed, they knocked off top-seeded San Antonio 4-2 in the first round of the 2011 playoffs.
Outside of that series, the Silver and Black have dominated in the “second season” with three sweeps, including in the 2013 Western Conference Finals. Their last playoff meeting came in 2017 when a unit led by Kawhi Leonard won in six. Overall, the Spurs have won 18 of the 24 playoff meetings.
Then there's the regular season history between the two for a quarter century. Leading up to the run they're on now, the Grizzlies split a four-game season series two straight years. But, between the fall of 1995 and the spring of 2018, the Spurs have won 75% of the meetings. For a span of more than five calendar years, Memphis didn't beat San Antonio. That Spurs winning streak once grew to as long as 21 in November of 2002. The next season, they swept the Grizz in their first playoff meeting.
It's domination that's not only long been over but fits what the Grizzlies are doing to the Spurs now.
