Grizzlies & NBA Finals Trend

A strange pattern has emerged in the NBA Finals over the past five years.

Four of the last five teams in the Finals missed the playoffs just a year before. The 2020 Lakers, 2021 Suns, 2022 Warriors, and 2024 Mavericks all had this in common.

Reasons Behind This Trend:

There were good reasons for these misses. In 2018-19, LeBron didn’t have Anthony Davis. The Suns lacked Chris Paul’s leadership in 2019-20. Klay Thompson was missing from the Warriors lineup in 2020-21. And in 2022-23, the Mavericks were still figuring out how Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic could play together.

Grizzlies’ Potential to Continue the Trend:

Could the Grizzlies follow this trend by making it to the 2025 NBA Finals after missing out last season? Richard Jefferson thinks it’s possible because they were a strong team as recently as two seasons ago. They were even ranked as high as No. 2 seed for two straight years before injuries and suspensions hit them hard.

“We were talking about them [Grizzlies] two seasons ago like we talk about OKC Thunder now,” Jefferson said on ESPN’s “NBA Today”. “They had people picking them for the Finals. Injuries and off-court issues set them back…but they have so much talent.”

The Team’s Strengths:

Jefferson also pointed out that having Jaren Jackson Jr., Marcus Smart (both former Defensive Players of the Year), Desmond Bane (an elite shooter), and Ja Morant (a superstar) gives Memphis a solid chance at reaching the NBA Finals in 2025. Plus, Brandon Clarke is coming back from an Achilles injury, which is a big boost for them.

Memphis signed Derrick Rose and drafted Zach Edey, who many think could be Rookie of the Year. This team is stacked!

Looking Ahead:

The Grizzlies are expected to win around 46.5 games next season but might do even better once Morant and his teammates find their rhythm againโ€”they won over 50 games just a couple of seasons ago.

Fans believe this team can go far if everything clicks into place!

Their first game of the new season is against Utah Jazz on October 23rd.

James Shotwell
James Shotwell
James, a dedicated writer for BasketballHour, holds a degree in English and Creative Writing. A genuine sports enthusiast and skilled betting advice provider, he writes engaging articles and valuable winning strategies for sports.

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