The Memphis Grizzlies just got owned by the Minnesota Timberwolves. What started as a tight back-and-forth match suddenly turned into a one-sided beating, where the Timberwolves went absolutely nuclear. The Timberwolves dropped 52 points in just 12 minutes. Memphis had no answer defensively. They kept up offensively, sure, but the defensive side? A disaster.

It felt like Anthony Edward came into this on a mission. After what happened in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks’ last match, he looked like he had something to prove, dropping 44 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds. And the Grizzlies ended up on the receiving end.

With just two games left in the regular season, the timing couldn’t be worse for Memphis. The Grizzlies are currently sitting at 7th in the Western Conference, but the gap between them and the 4th-seeded Denver Nugget? Just one game. And guess who’s the next on their schedule? 

That’s right—the Denver Nuggets. 

A win against Denver could shoot Memphis into a much more secure playoff seed, taking them out of the uncertainty of the Play-In series. And with the Mavericks arguably a softer match-up compared to the Nuggets and the Timberwolves, the opportunity is right there. But make no mistake, this is it. Crunch time. No more slips. And Ja Morant isn’t Mincing words.

After facing the loss to Minnesota, he sent a message loud and clear to the locker room ahead of the Nuggets clash saying, “Play some f*****g defense and go get a win.” No sugarcoating, straight to the problem, they faced against the Timberwolves. 

From setbacks to second chances

To really understand the weight of this moment, you’d have to go back to the last season. 

The 2023-24 Grizzlies were a mess. The Face of the Franchise,  Ja Morant, started with a BANG. 25-game suspension, and when he finally returned, he played just nine games before a season-ending shoulder injury. Now you may think even though Jalen Brunson was out this season, the Knicks still managed to secure the Playoffs. Hear me out though, it gets even worse for Memphis. Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and even Derrick Rose all missed a serious time of the regular season. Memphis was forced to roll out over 50 different starting lineups. That must’ve been a separate NBA record. 

The result? A brutal 27-55 record and the 13th place in the West. No playoffs. No Play-In. Just utter chaos and disappointment.

Fast forward to now, things look a whole lot different when compared. Despite Ja missing 31 games this season, the Team is healthier, hungrier, and sitting right at the edge of a chance to write a redemption story.

So, can the Grizzlies find a way to stop Nikola Jokić and secure their spot for the playoff in this final two-game stretch? The NBA is a wild ride, and if this season has taught us anything, it’s that it’s unpredictable. Just look at Golden State’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs. For the Grizzlies, it’s now or never. Will they rise to the occasion or let it slip away? Only time will tell.