How Do The Miami Heat Stack Up To The Best In The West?
By Noah Decker
Miami Heat: How They Stack Up To The Best In The West- Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the biggest surprises this season. While many expected them to be a playoff team this year, hardly anyone expected them to own the third-best record in the NBA coming out of the All-Star break.
Memphis Grizzlies
This young gritty team has fought hard all season, earning win after win in a tough Western Conference. Their biggest contributor has been Ja Morant, who has emerged as a star on the brink of superstardom, if not already there.
As a 6’2” guard, he ranks right up at the top when it comes to points in the paint. Morant plays among the giants and in his case, he soars above them.
The Grizzlies got a taste of what the playoffs look like last year. Ja Morant took it upon himself to lead the team.
How Miami Heat Stack Up Against The Top Teams In East. light. Read
He has inspired his young team to improve together and the results have shown. The Grizzlies were even winning games when Ja Morant was out due to an injury.
They have several other players who have emerged as great contributors, such as Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. They have become a legitimate team that could compete in the West.
The Miami Heat have several advantages over the Grizzlies. One of those is star power.
The combination of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo outmatches the Memphis stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson. They also have more playoff experience.
Miami’s team is made up of a balanced collection of veterans and young players, most of whom have played in an NBA Finals game. The Grizzlies lack that type of experience.
The Grizzlies are still a very young team, so they probably need a few more years to grow before they can think about making it to the NBA Finals. However, like the Suns, they have been introduced to the playoffs, so they might find a way to make it this year.
If they do discover a working formula to make it out of the West, the Heat should still have a pretty good chance to win the series against them too.