MEMPHIS – The Memphis Grizzlies bounced back Friday night and added on to the Mavericks’ General Manager Nico Harrison’s dog pile of embarrassment, beating the Dallas Mavericks handily at home to secure their spot in the Western Conference playoffs. The 2025 NBA Play-in tournament has come to an end, and now the entire bracket is set for the NBA playoffs.
After falling short to the Warriors after a Ja Morant ankle roll, Memphis sent Dallas packing to Cancun. They made Harrison eat his words, “defense wins championships,” while having two players, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., with 20+ points, while they both shot above 50% from the field.
Zach Edey also had an efficient game, scoring 15 points while shooting 77% and having 2 blocks after seemingly looking like a statue in the pick-and-pop game against Golden State.
Resiliency was a consistent theme throughout the Play-in for the Grizzlies, so hopefully this can muster up some momentum and that signature Memphis grit to rattle off a win in round one, as they’re just cattle walking into the slaughterhouse against the 68-win, MVP front leader Shai-Gilgeous Alexander-led Oklahoma City Thunder.
Now, as the Mavs and Anthony Davis are limping, literally, into the offseason after a chaotic and emotionally draining year, the future has never seemed more gloomy for an organization. At least the band-aid’s off, and Jason Kidd, his team, and fans alike can start the healing process throughout the offseason. Although for some, possibly all, it’ll still be painful watching Luka put up 40 in three quarters against the T Wolves from their living room.
Moving into the first weekend of playoff games, there are multiple first-round series that are poised for an entertaining matchup. Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers play the consensus best player in the league, Nikola Jokic, and the Nuggets in the #4 and #5 series, and this smells like a 7-game series.
The battle between the two-way mechanical dominance of Leonard and the offensive wizardry of Jokic will be must-see TV, although I do think Los Angeles is a bit deeper and built for the playoffs this season. But, if there was anyone to prove me wrong in the NBA postseason, it’d be the three-time MVP & NBA champion. James Harden returns to X-factor status in this series, too, as Denver has no defensive answer for such an offensive artist.
Unless the Nuggets can get more out of their key players, like Jamal Murray who hasn’t cracked 20 points in the past three games, Denver could squeak out a first round win against the Clippers, but I think the combination of the efficient buckets from Harden, Leonard, and even Norman Powell will be too much for them. Not to mention that the Clippers have a positive defensive force for the Joker in Ivica Zubac. Although Jokic will still get his, having an impactful player on the defensive side of the ball at that position makes a difference nonetheless.
The real season starts now, and if the Play-in was any indication of the entertainment value of this year’s NBA postseason, I couldn’t be more excited.
