Memphis Grizzlies: NBA Restart 2020 Preview, Prediction, Picks

The Memphis Grizzlies hope o cap their coomeback season with a trip to the NBA Playoffs when their season resumes.

The Memphis Grizzlies were probably the biggest surprise in the NBA this season, as a team in a complete rebuild and extremely young roster sits with a 32-33 record and currently the eighth seed in the West. However, the Grizzlies were showing signs of trouble before the break with losses in seven of their last 11 games. Overall, the Grizzlies have the seventh best shooting percentage in the league at 47 percent, while their 45 percent shooting percentage is ninth best in the league. Can these baby Grizzlies keep it up and actually make the playoffs? Get NBA Picks and NBA Predictions for EVERY GAME at Sports Chat Place.

Let’s give a quick breakdown of the Grizzlies remaining schedule and how the break impacts the squad moving forward as we gear up for NBA playoff basketball in Orlando.  

Remaining Grizzlies Schedule: vs. Blazers, Jazz, Spurs, Thunder, Bucks, Pelicans, Pelicans, Celtics

Roster Update: Jontay Porter should still be out as he continues to rehab from a knee injury. Brandon Clarke was progressing well from a quadriceps injury and was targeting a return at some point in March, so he should be ready to go in August. Jaren Jackson Jr. should return from his knee injury that had him day to day, and Justise Winslow says he’s pain free from his back injury, which should lead to his Memphis debut when basketball resumes. Grayson Allen was reportedly going to miss the remainder of the season due to hip soreness, but there’s no word if his situation changes due to the long hiatus. 

Help Or Hurt: I’m going to say the break helped these young Grizzlies, as they weren’t playing well the last two weeks and it gave them a chance to catch their breath and regroup. Last season, we saw the young Sacramento Kings run out of gas in their playoff push and this pause in the season prevents things from sparring out of control for the Grizzlies. The break also allowed Justise Winslow time to heal from his back injury and join the club for the first time since being traded from the Miami Heat. Winslow brings experience, can handle point guard duties, and he’s one of the better defenders in the league. If the Grizzlies are going to do anything in the playoffs, Winslow and his scrappiness will be key.

Potential Seeding: The Grizzlies are either eighth seed or bust, as they’re seven games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the seventh seed, which is all but out of the question. The Grizzlies will either win the eighth seed outright or they’ll have to participate in a play-in game if another team with within four games of them for the last spot. The schedule isn’t easy for the Grizzlies and a lack of experience at this stage could be what hurts them the most. With all that said, the Grizzlies do control their own destiny, which is all you can ask for in sports.

Odds: The Grizzlies are +10000 to win the West and +20000 to win the NBA title. The Grizzlies are a fun watch and a team heading in the right direction, but there’s no reason to bet either of those options, and they’d be massive underdogs as well in a potential first round series with the Los Angeles Lakers. No future bet on the Grizzlies for me, but they are a team that could be worth betting on in the first eight games of the return, especially in one underdog spots.