The Memphis Grizzlies have turned an unexpected opening stretch into a pretty clear statement about where this team is headed.
A few years ago, this franchise looked like it had everything lined up for a real run. Ja Morant was the superstar point guard, Jaren Jackson Jr. gave them an elite defensive anchor, and Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks and the rest fit the roster almost perfectly.
But Memphis only managed one playoff series with that group, and the organization shut the door on that era last season when it traded Jackson Jr. to the Jazz and Morant to the Blazers. Bane and Brooks were gone before that.
What’s left now is a rebuild, only it doesn’t look like one in the usual sense. Cameron Boozer, Cedric Coward and Zach Edey have stepped in as the new faces of the team, and Memphis has stormed out to a 5-0 start that has caught the rest of the league off guard.
Some around the league expected the Grizzlies to spend another year flirting with the lottery. Others thought they might be a little more dangerous than that - a team that could be loose, lively and tough to deal with in the West. Through five games, they’ve looked better than even that.
The numbers tell part of the story. Ty Jerome exploded in the opening week and led the league in scoring.
Boozer then delivered his first career triple double against the Blazers. Coward and Edey have been a steady force on the defensive end, and Coward has added efficient offense to the mix while looking like one of the more underrated young players in the sport.
Tumoas Iisalo deserves credit too. He appears to have built a system that fits this group, and after butting heads with Morant often last season, he now has a roster that seems to be pulling in the same direction.
There’s even a chance the hot start stretches further. Memphis could open the season 8-0 with games against Sacramento, New Orleans and an Indiana team without Tyrese Haliburton.
No matter how far this streak goes, the bigger picture is already taking shape. The Grizzlies are moving the right way, and while a playoff berth this season is still to be determined, the young core in Memphis is growing together fast enough to make this team look dangerous for the years ahead.
In Other News...
Cam Boozer Just Put Himself In Rare Grizzlies Company
Cam Boozer keeps finding ways to make a young Grizzlies season feel even more unusual. In the win over Portland, the Memphis forward filled the box score across the board and helped push the Grizzlies to a 5-0 start, a strong opening that has come with plenty of early-season buzz around the roster.
The performance also put Boozer in rare company, since he joined a very short list of players to reach a triple-double at such an early age. For Memphis, it was another sign that the rookie is already doing things the franchise has not seen before, even as the team keeps rolling through the first stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Frontcourt Depth Is Already Facing A Familiar Concern
The Grizzlies frontcourt depth is already being tested by a problem that has followed this group before. Quinten Post left Thursdays win over Portland with a right ankle injury and was ruled doubtful to return, then never made it back into the game, adding another uneasy note to a big-man rotation that has been trying to stay intact.
Isaiah Stewarts situation only adds to the concern. He missed the season opener with an ankle injury, sat out for 14 days, and has been productive since returning, but his own injury history is part of the same larger pattern. For Memphis, the issue is not just one missed game here or there, but whether the team can count on its size and physicality staying available long enough to hold up over the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Cameron Boozer Just Put Memphis In Some Rare NBA History
Cameron Boozer gave the Grizzlies a little slice of NBA history in their win over the Trail Blazers, and he did it with the kind of all-around line that turns a good night into a memorable one. In 28 minutes, the rookie filled up the box score and showed why Memphis has reason to be intrigued by how quickly his game is translating at the pro level.
At 19 years and 103 days old, Boozer moved into a rare spot in league lore, becoming the youngest forward ever to post a triple-double and the second-youngest player overall to do it. It is the sort of milestone that says plenty about his versatility, and it also leaves Memphis with a bigger question now hanging over the achievement: how often can he keep stacking nights like this? [Read more 🡒]