The Memphis Grizzlies are once again the #2 seed in the NBA’s Western Conference. It’s a beautiful thing. And that spot near the top means that Memphis is - deservedly - moving on up the NBA Power Rankings.
The current state of things per the NBA has the Memphis Grizzlies #5 in the Association. They’re behind four squads that you can make pretty convincing arguments for.
Number one is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Makes sense - the first team in the NBA to break the 20-win plateau on the season, Cleveland is running hot with a new coach and a new attitude. That mentality has them playing with an edge on offense, led by Donovan Mitchell cooking with gas alongside under-appreciated producers like Jarrett Allen and Ty Jerome.
Sound familiar? Memphis sees Jerome and Allen and raises you a Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr.
Second is the Boston Celtics. To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man (in a seven game series - relax). Boston remains the deepest team in the league in terms of overall rotation production. Payton Pritchard has played at an All-Star level throughout this season, which would make him the...uh...too many to count All-Star for Boston.
Jayson Tatum. Jaylen Brown. Jrue Holiday. Derrick White. Kristaps Porzingis. It’s darn impressive.
And yet the Grizzlies just beat that crew in Boston for the first time in a decade. NBA Finals preview? Fingers crossed.
Up next in third is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Give credit where it is due, OKC was dinged points by handsome podcasters everywhere (OK fine me and my co-host Damichael Cole) for having an obscenely healthy season last year. All five starters logged at least 71 games started in 2023-2024. That’s ridiculous, in a great way if you’re a Thunder fan.
And when Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein got hurt this year? The armor could’ve fallen. But it hasn’t. OKC is legit. And the road to the NBA Finals almost certainly will go through them.
Then there is #4, the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has the 2nd best player in the world in Luka Doncic, another certified baller in Kyrie Irving, and impressive wing and big depth behind them. Grizzlies fans saw that in action this time last week - a tough loss for Memphis in Dallas where the Mavericks came roaring back to wi...
Ah sorry, I can’t say “roaring back”. Piss poor officiating and self-inflicted wounds did in the Grizzlies. Dallas just did a great job letting Memphis beat themselves.
Of course after those squads are the New York Knicks. The Houston Rockets. The Orlando Magic. A lot of young, hungry teams looking to make names for themselves as the “old guard” of the league looks ready to move along (more on that tomorrow).
It is just really nice that once again, regardless of where you put the Grizzlies in that conversation, that Memphis has re-entered the “best in the NBA” discourse. Their depth, their coaching, and their recent run of winning dictates it.
Getting to the top is one thing. Staying there? The Grizzlies know all too well that’s the tough part.
