NBA: Grading would-be playoff teams in the Western Conference

8. Memphis Grizzlies (32-33)

Grade: B+

The Memphis Grizzlies are another team that has put the league on notice. They aren’t a threat to win anything but the jump they have made this year is one that has to be talked about. Although they are only 32-33, they are currently sitting as the 8th seed in the Western Conference. That is a place nobody had them in at the start of the year.

Ja Morant is proving to people why he is the Rookie of the Year, building chemistry with all of his teammates and leading a young Grizzlies team to a playoff spot in the gauntlet that is the Western Conference. Jonas Valanciunas has become a much better player since arriving in Memphis, averaging a double-double his last two seasons.

Jaren Jackson Jr. is quietly having a solid sophomore campaign improving in categories across the board. There are numerous players doing their part such as Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson, Tre Jones, etc. The Grizzlies are a nice young team that has exceeded expectations and deserves to be where they’re currently at.