The Grizzlies have had a great year, spending most of the season locked in 2nd place in the highly competitive Western Conference. They’ve been so solid in fact, that they haven’t gotten the national press for how great they are lately. This week we get to see three prime match-ups – against the Cavaliers, Warriors, and Spurs. With all three of those teams finishing the season up strong, it will be a good chance to see how Memphis could fair once the playoffs start in four weeks.
Below is an exciting match up for each day this coming week that you should check out:
Monday, March 16th – Wizards at Warriors, 10:30pm ET on NBATV
The Wizards are one of the NBA’s great mysteries. Currently in the 5th slot in the Eastern Conference, Washington has fallen from its early season perch as one of the best teams in the league. The Warriors, on the other hand, have done nothing if not continue to impress. The main rub between these two teams is their size – with Washington utilizing two bigs and Golden State often running with none (we’ll not consider Draymond Green a big). Although the Warriors should more than handle the Wizards, they need practice beating teams with dominant big men – as that is a possible weakness once they get into the playoffs.
Tuesday, March 17th – Warriors at Trail Blazers, 10:30pm ET on TNT
On the back-to-back, the Warriors head to Portland to battle the Blazers who just finished up a rough road trip. Coming into the week having lost 4 straight games, Portland is badly in need of a win. Hosting the league’s best team is not the way to get it, but if any team is “built” to take them down, Portland might be it. Damian Lillard needs to be outstanding, and the duo of LeMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez need to own the inside. With Klay Thompson out, Aaron Afflalo has a chance to stand out, and the Blazers will need to play a near perfect game overall in order to challenge the Warriors – but if any team can do that, this might be the one.
Other great games tonight include Spurs at Mavericks (8:00pm ET on TNT) and Heat at Bucks (8:00pm ET on NBALP).
Wednesday, March 18th – Cavaliers at Grizzlies, 8:00pm on NBA League Pass
The Cavaliers have found their stride. Having traded for pieces that have fit into the system, the Cavs now appear to be favorites in the East – or at least likely participants in the Conference Finals. The Grizzlies have been solid all season, and while nobody has really been able to beat them regularly, Memphis hasn’t exactly looked “flashy”. The Cavs, of course, are the definition of “flashy”, so this is an interesting contrast in styles that may prove to be a guide to beating the opposing team.
Other great games tonight include Bulls at Raptors (7:00pm ET on ESPN), Rockets at Pelicans (8:00pm ET on NBALP), and Thunder at Spurs (9:30pm ET on ESPN).
Thursday, February 26th – Pacers at Bucks, 8:00pm ET on NBA League Pass
This is the only game tonight. The Pacers are fighting for the 8th playoff seed, and should have Paul George back, while the Bucks are fading but remain in the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference. Not a particularly special match-up, but so is the night.
Friday, February 27th – Warriors at Grizzlies, 8:00pm ET on NBA League Pass
The Warriors continue the week with a trip to Memphis, where the Grizzlies will be looking to repeat their performance from earlier this year when they trounced the Warriors by playing them strong on the interior. Both teams have padding in their current seeding, so while this game is an important #1 vs #2 matchup in the West, it’s not the playoffs (yet) and both teams have busy weeks. With Bogut back for Golden State, the key here will be for them to handle Gasol and Randolph better than they did earlier in the season.
Other great games tonight include Mavericks at Spurs (8:30pm ET on NBALP), Trail Blazers at Suns (10:00pm ET on NBATV), and Heat at Hawks (7:30pm ET on NBALP).
Saturday, February 28th – Warriors at Bucks, 8:30pm ET on NBA League Pass
On the back-to-back, the Warriors head to Milwaukee to face a team that has sunk since the trade deadline. Whether or not they thought they were playing with house money, the Bucks have gone from contender to make it to the second round to a team in search of a reason to play for the “now”. The future is very very bright in Milwaukee, and while they are likely to make the playoffs comfortably this year they are still a few pieces away from being a serious contender.
Sunday, March 1 – Grizzlies at Spurs, 7:00pm ET on NBA League Pass
Memphis finishes off the week with a trip to their arch-rivals, the San Antonio Spurs. These teams always produce a show when they battle, and this occasion should be no different. Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard have started to look like themselves, and while they remain in 6th place coming into the week, they can’t be counted out. The Grizzlies will look to rough them up, likely pressing on the ageless Duncan and Ginobli in an attempt to pressure them into turnovers. For the Spurs, wins are important and momentum is key as we get closer to the playoff run they so badly look forward to every year.
Other great games tonight include Rockets at Wizards (12:30pm ET on ABC) and Thunder at Suns (9:00pm ET on NBATV).