- Memphis has the 12th most difficult remaining schedule in the NBA.
An underwhelming five-game homestand did not carry over into the weekend for the Memphis Grizzlies.
After losing four straight, they went on the road and won games on Friday and Sunday. The latest game was a 107-104 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ja Morant and Desmond Bane continued to lead the way, combining for 62 points and 14 assists.
While the Grizzlies (40-24) went undefeated over the weekend, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers both lost games. That development is important because both teams recently overtook the Grizzlies in the Western Conference standings.
The Houston Rockets, who own the regular-season tiebreaker over Memphis, also remain in close pursuit.
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Each of those four teams are in the race for the No. 2 seed. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a 12-game lead for the No. 1 seed, and barring a historic collapse, they are a safe bet to stay there.
Securing the second seed guarantees home-court advantage through the Western Conference semifinals. As competitive as the West has been, that’s a coveted spot.
Here’s an updated look at the Western Conference playoff picture.
Where Grizzlies stand in the West
The Grizzlies are currently the No. 4 seed, one game behind the Nuggets and Lakers.
Memphis has split its two meetings with the Nuggets this season. They will play one more time in the regular season, on April 11, which will determine the series winner and as the potential tiebreaker.
Memphis is 1-2 against the Lakers; it can tie the season series on March 29, but catching them will be a more difficult task. If the season series is tied, the next tiebreaker is Western Conference record. At 27-12, the Lakers have a four-game lead over Memphis.
Strength of schedule comparison
The Grizzlies are at home for the next two games, Monday and Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz, respectively. The Grizzlies are likely to be favorites in both of those matchups.
Memphis has the 12th most difficult schedule remaining by winning percentage. The Lakers and Nuggets are fifth and sixth, respectively.
Houston, which is a game behind the Grizzlies, has the 16th toughest schedule remaining.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
