The Memphis Grizzlies are in a strange spot right now-competitive enough to stay afloat, but still searching for that breakthrough moment. Their recent loss to the San Antonio Spurs on December 2 is a perfect snapshot of where they are: not quite outmatched, but not quite ready to close out games against quality opponents either.
Let’s start with the context. Memphis had won the first three games of their four-game road trip, so the loss in San Antonio didn’t derail momentum entirely.
And when you factor in that Ja Morant remains sidelined-along with three other key rotation players-it’s hard to be too harsh. But this one still stings, because it was there for the taking.
The Spurs were missing two of their top three players, including Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. This was a game Memphis could’ve-and probably should’ve-won.
What’s more concerning is the pattern that’s starting to take shape. The Grizzlies are struggling mightily against teams with winning records.
That’s not just a bump in the road-it’s becoming their identity under head coach Tuomas Iisalo. Since he took over late last season, Memphis is just 2-23 against teams .500 or better, including the final stretch of the 2024-25 regular season, the play-in tournament, and the playoffs.
This season alone, they’re 1-13 in those matchups. Flip the script, though, and they’re 8-0 against sub-.500 squads.
That kind of split is hard to ignore.
It’s clear the Grizzlies can handle business against the league’s lower tier. But the moment the competition stiffens, the cracks start to show.
That’s where Iisalo’s decisions come under the microscope-especially his rotation patterns. In the loss to San Antonio, Memphis held a 7-point lead in the fourth quarter before Iisalo pulled Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. for a brief two-minute stretch.
During that window, the Spurs went on a 9-0 run and flipped the game. By the time Edey and Jackson were back on the floor, the Grizzlies were trailing by two with five minutes to play.
It’s the kind of sequence that can swing a game-and maybe even define a season.
Now, it’s not all doom and gloom. Memphis has won five of its last seven after a rough 4-11 start, clawing back into the ninth seed in the West.
That’s no small feat, especially given the injuries. But if they want to keep climbing, they’ve got to start beating the teams above them.
That’s the next step in their evolution-and in Iisalo’s, too.
There’s still time for him to grow into the role. But if the Grizzlies are going to shake off this pattern of mediocrity, it starts with finding answers against the league’s better teams.
That means smarter rotations, more consistent execution, and a willingness to adapt when the game tightens up. Because in the NBA, beating the teams you're supposed to beat will keep you in the mix-but beating the teams you're chasing is what gets you to the next level.