How the Grizzlies can practically win a top 6 seed before February

The NBA playoff picture is starting to come into focus as most teams approach the midpoint of their season. I Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., i Desmond Bane are in a decent position, but The Memphis Grizzlies are still training Zach Eddy to what it takes to win consistently. luckily Taylor Jenkins he will get to coach the group through a relatively easy test in the middle. A sweep before hosting the Houston Rockets (27-12) would nearly secure the Grizzlies (26-15) a top-6 seed in the Western Conference.

Losing easy games at home before visiting Houston would only increase the pressure on this home core. However, the path to reducing pressure is simple. First up is the return match against Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs (19-20) on January 17. Then it’s back home for a date with Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves (21-19) a few days later to start a pretty manageable back-to-back. – playground. The Charlotte Hornets (9-28), New Orleans Pelicans (10-32) and Utah Jazz (10-29) follow and are still the three worst teams outside of Washington.

Neither team is taken lightly, but the Grizzlies need to separate themselves from the Spurs and Timberwolves by beating those teams heads-up before a few trap games. After the homestand comes a visit to Madison Square Garden. For Rookie who grew up in Grizzlies hockey Zach Edeywill be the first. The New York Knicks (27-15) are weak, but seem to have lost a step this season. They are 3-5 in their last 8 with losses to the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. Coach Thibs is rolling the dice and the Grizzlies can use tired legs in anticipation of the NBA All-Star break.

The fourth and final showdown with the Rockets to end January is already circled on the calendars. The Grizzlies will want revenge after suffering two heartbreaking losses and a blowout so far. Memphis will mean business on January 30th, a Thursday night on TNT that is sure to bring out the best in FedEx Forum fans.

A 5-2 record over the next seven would leave the Grizzlies with 31 wins and 36 games remaining in the regular season. A 6-1 record would give Memphis plenty of breathing room (5-8 games over seventh place) regardless of other outcomes.

They battled for this position with Ja Morant (17 missed games) spending nearly half the season on the injury report. Jenkins could still rack up 12 more wins over the next three months even with some minor injuries. If form holds, that would be enough to secure a top-six seed. However, giving the Spurs, Timberwolves and Pelicans wins would pull the Grizzlies down while lifting their direct rivals.

Losing games as a betting favorite or underdog is a recipe for disaster. Memphis has 11 games in February due to the NBA All-Star break, and seven are on the road. Most are opposed to fellow top-six playoff contenders. The Grizzlies will cross the line to see the Toronto Raptors and battle through four in six nights. From there, it’s all crap given how tight things are in the NBA Play-In tournament picture.

So who says regular season games aren’t important? That attitude is not allowed in the Grizzlies locker room.

Five wins to relieve a lot of pressure as the players tire. That’s all. Memphis will then host the Spurs twice, the Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks and the Jazz in the back half of the season. Travel to Toronto, Utah, Portland, and Charlotte shouldn’t be a daunting business trip. The Grizzlies would need about one win per week to get a top six seed.

Sure the Grizzlies will win a few coin flips as well, but Ja Morant and Taylor Jenkins have seemed willing to leave a lot to chance this season. Jenkins’ minutes are limited, and Morant occasionally refuses to dunk because of injury concerns. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder (34-6) are running away from the pack, but Memphis can at least get a big leg up with a few extra days off before the postseason begins.

That’s why closing out January with some huge performances from Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. stands out as key to future success. Creating that extra cushion in the standings now will discourage several teams from trying to chase the Grizzlies later.