10. Memphis Grizzlies (5-4)
Last week: 19
It’s time that I put a little more respect on the Memphis Grizzlies. I originally listed the Grizzlies a lot lower on my rankings, but now it’s quite clear that this core still has some left in the tank. Whether that’s enough to make them all that relevant in the West remains to be seen, but I believe it’s unfair to believe that this team won’t be in the thick of a playoff race.
While their offense is still relatively average, they do have a top 5 defense and a top 10 net rating in the NBA. If they can continue to beat the teams they’re supposed to beat, and pull of an upset here and there, there’s no reason to think that this team won’t be playing meaningful basketball into March and April.