The Memphis Grizzlies came into the Orlando Bubble as the No. 8 seed with a 2.5-game lead over the next Western Conference team. As the halfway point to the Orlando bubble regular season is a game away, the Grizzlies have found themselves in an unfavorable position.
The Grizzlies are currently 0-4 in the Orlando bubble after losing to teams that are fighting for the final seed in the West (New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, as well as the Utah Jazz).
Ja Morant is currently without his second in command, Jaren Jackson Jr., who had torn a ligament in his knee halfway through the New Orleans Pelicans game.
Without Jackson, the Grizzlies could forfeit their eighth seed and have a chance to miss the playoffs altogether. This all depends on whether or not the other five non-playoff Western Conference teams pull their season together.
There are five teams in the Western Conference that are trying to take the last seed in the playoffs. All five of these teams started within 5.5 games behind Memphis. But, as it stands now, all five teams are within 2.5 games of them.
The Portland Trail Blazers are the ninth seed, sitting just one game away from obtaining the No. 8 seed. The case for Portland is through the health of the team. When the season was halted due to the pandemic, the team was dealing with multiple injuries. Having players such as Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins back in the lineup is proving to be troublesome for the contenders in the bubble.
Now, with both of the team’s big men back in the rotation, the dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have been able to rest. Nurkic is providing the team an interior defender, which Portland sorely missed. Nurkic also helps Lillard in the pick-and-roll game to which Lillard is able to create easier scoring opportunities for himself. Portland is currently 2-0 in the bubble and are exceeding expectations. Now healthy, they are making a case for the final spot in the West.
The Phoenix Suns are the Orlando bubble’s biggest surprise. Going into the bubble, many believed they were out of place as they were the furthest team away from obtaining that luxurious eighth seed. However, Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton have both been nothing less than spectacular for the Suns. The Suns are currently 3-0, beating teams such as the Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers in a once-in-a-lifetime buzzer-beater fashion.
The Suns are a young team and have yet to see the playoffs since the Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire era. The dedication and focus to win has been showing through the Suns’ roster as they started 5.5 games behind but are now just two games away from overthrowing the Grizzlies. With Booker as hot as he is now, the Suns could be seeing their first playoff appearance since the early 2010s.
The Greg Popovich-led San Antonio Spurs are still in the conversation as they are fighting to continue their playoff streak. Although San Antonio is currently two games behind the struggling Grizzlies, the Spurs have yet to start making a splash in the bubble. They have only won once in three games, and that solo win came against the Grizzlies.
Rudy Gay has been spectacular during the restart as he is leading the bench and finishing games for the Spurs. His efforts, along with the talent of DeMar Derozan, could help uplift a bad start in Orlando. What the Spurs are playing for is the streak that the organization has created. The last time the Spurs missed out on the playoffs was when Tim Duncan was still at Wake Forest.
The Sacramento Kings could overthrow Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, too. As the Kings are currently 2.5 games behind the eighth seeded Memphis squad. De’Aaron Fox has been phenomenal and has shaken off a mediocre 2019-2020 season. Fox and the Kings have slumped as a team, however, as they are 1-3 in the bubble.
For the Kings to make the playoffs, they will have to win three or more games. This will not be an easy task as they still have to face the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. But, with Memphis starting off even worse than the Kings, the team can reassure a playoff spot for the first time since 2006.
The New Orleans Pelicans have the most electric roster out of the five teams that are not currently holding a playoff spot. Zion Williamson is currently on a minutes restriction, and that has immensely damaged the team’s morale and play. With Williamson getting more touches, the Pelicans have started to look more like themselves before the season hiatus. Another player who has shined during the bubble has been guard J.J. Redick, who is looking to extend his playoff streak. Redick has never missed the playoffs since his time in high school.
The Pelicans have started off slow as they are currently 1-3 in the bubble. They are 2.5 games behind Memphis, however, so the team’s hopes to bounce back are not gone. The Pelicans may be last in the West as of right now, but with one of the easiest schedules in the second half of the bubble, they could shock the world and overthrow everyone in front of them.
