Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 5 Preview: The Grizz are on the brink of elimination

WHO: Memphis Grizzlies (51-31, 35-6 home) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (43-39, 20-21 away)

SERIES: Lakers lead 3-1

WHEN: 6:30 P.M. CT

WHERE: FedExForum – Memphis, TN

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN: TNT/Bally Sports Southeast/92.9 FM ESPN Memphis

INJURY REPORT:

MEMPHIS: Steven Adams (Out, Right Knee PCL Sprain), Brandon Clarke (Out, Left Achilles Tear), Jake LaRavia (Out, Rigth Calf Soreness)

L.A. LAKERS: LeBron James (Probable, Right Foot Stress), Anthony Davis (Probable, Right Foot Soreness), Dennis Schroder (Probable, Right Achilles Soreness)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS:

MEMPHIS: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman Sr.

L.A. LAKERS: D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Davis

The clock is ticking on the Memphis Grizzlies’ season and tonight, it could strike midnight. Memphis has struggled on the road all season and Games 3 and 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers were no different. The Grizzlies put themselves in an insurmountable hole early in Game 3 and were unable to close out LeBron James and the Lakers in the fourth quarter and overtime on Monday night. 

For the second straight year, the Grizzlies are staring down the barrel of a 3-1 deficit but this time Memphis is facing elimination in the first round. Even with the injuries to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, a first-round exit is still a disappointment for the 2-seeded Grizzlies who entered the postseason with championship aspirations. It would be a particularly bad flameout if they were to lose in five games, ending their season on their home court. 

Through four games, the Lakers have looked like the healthier, deeper and superior team. Memphis has struggled offensively and Los Angeles has received major contributions from role players such as Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves. Dillon Brooks and Taylor Jenkins have received heat for Memphis’s underwhelming playoff performance, and a Game 5 loss could put them both on the chopping block.

So, while Game 5 holds massive stakes for the Grizzlies’ season, an abrupt exit could spark big moves that shape Memphis’s future. A year ago, when Memphis was down 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors, they came out on fire in Game 5 blowing the eventual champs out the building. Could NBA fans see something similar on Wednesday? Or will King James close out the Grizzlies on the road? Here are the keys to tonight’s game. 

Get Gritty in the Grindhouse

The Grizzlies were 35-6 at the FedEx Forum in the regular season, the best home record in the league. In theory, Memphis did not need to win a single road game until the Western Conference Finals to advance. With home-court advantage through the first two rounds, the Grizzlies could coast on the road and still win if they continued their home-court dominance. Unfortunately, Memphis sacrificed home-court advantage after losing Game 1 to the Lakers. To overcome a 3-1 deficit, Memphis will need to win a game on the road but the climb back starts at home. 

For well over a decade, Memphis basketball has been defined by “Grit and Grind.” That is never more evident than in the playoffs. The Grizzlies showed this heart in Game 2 when they held off the Lakers without Ja Morant. While the playstyle may not be, the phrase “Grit and Grind” is unique to Memphis. The city embodies the mindset as much as the team and when the Grizz are at home and the growl towels are waving, Memphis is a different team. 

We saw it in Game 5 last year against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Grizzlies’ electric comeback win, highlighted by a Morant game-winner, had the Memphis faithful in a frenzy that is special to the NBA Playoffs. Home-court advantage is supposed to mean something in the postseason. It has meant something all year for the Grizzlies and now, more than ever, the team needs to stand up for the M. 

Can the Bench Please Stand Up?

You have probably heard the old adage – role players play better at home. That better be the case Wednesday. While Memphis would love big performances from Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., this series has been defined by one drastic scoring margin. The Lakers are averaging 29.8 bench points per game in the series. Memphis is only averaging 19.8 points off the bench. 

For a team that prides itself on its depth and versatility, Memphis has been stagnant and limited in the postseason. The Grizzlies averaged 34.8 points off the bench in the regular season but some of Memphis’s top reserve contributors have disappeared in the postseason. In Game 4, Tyus Jones, David Roddy, Santi Aldama and Luke Kennard combined for 19 points (7/18 FG, 4/12 3PT). In Game 3, the bench combined for 12 points (5/23 FG, 2/14 3PT). 

Aldama has been able to hit some threes, but his defense has been exposed by Los Angeles’s frontcourt players. In his limited minutes, John Konchar has grabbed some rebounds and made a few highlight blocks but has not been a factor scoring the basketball. Roddy has been impressive for a rookie, draining some threes and playing decent defense on James. Kennard has not been involved nearly enough. The sharpshooter was Memphis’s big trade deadline acquisition but is only averaging 22.3 minutes per game and five field goal attempts. There is no reason Kennard should only have five shot attempts per game and 3.3 three-point attempts when Memphis is lacking an offensive spark. 

TYUS JONES PUTS MEMPHIS UP 4!@memgrizz 106@Timberwolves 102

One minute left on on ESPN pic.twitter.com/2HYhQ0onCE

— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2022

Who Memphis needs more than ever is Tyus “Stones” Jones. He has completely disappeared through four games. This is a guy that scored in double digits in four of Memphis’s first-round games. He is the guy that hit the dagger that sent Minnesota home. Jones has received the label of “the best backup point guard in the league” and yet he has been MIA for the entire series. I would say he is shooting tour dates but when someone goes 0/7, that doesn’t exactly correlate. Clarke was the hero off the bench in last year’s crucial Game 5 against the Timberwolves. Memphis will need someone else to play that role tonight. 

Prediction

There are two ways to look at Memphis’s Game 4 overtime loss. The pessimistic view is that was the Grizzlies’ last gasp. They gave it all they could but they fell short against a great opponent. The optimistic view is that 38-year-old James played over 45 minutes and there is only a 48-hour turnaround between Game 4 and Game 5. 

Playoff series are always hard to reflect on. Memphis was right there in Game 1 and fell apart once Morant went out with a hand injury. Game 4 came down to a few plays (and a few horrendous calls and a large free-throw differential) and was easily winnable for Memphis. 

There are two ways to look at Brooks and Morant skipping media availability on Monday night. The pessimistic view is that they were frustrated and demoralized by the loss and have been unable to back up their bold comments. The optimistic view is that they are locked in for Game 5 and are not trying to cause any more off-the-court distractions as they face elimination. 

I am going to choose to be optimistic, at least for Game 5. The Grindhouse needs to be rocking and, accordingly, the bench needs to step up and lend support to Memphis’s stars. The season is not yet over but there is work to be done. That work starts tonight.

Prediction: Memphis 112, Los Angeles 104