MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Grizzlies currently sit in second place in the Western Conference standings, three games ahead of the third place Sacramento Kings.
But the Grizzlies have been struggling of late; they lost six of their last 10 games before the All Star break, and have gone 4-9 since the infamous Shannon Sharpe incident in the game against the Lakers that snapped their 11-game winning streak.
What the Grizzlies want to accomplish in the last 25 games of the season is clear.
“Get back to our basketball where we were the hunters,” Grizzlies All-Star point guard Ja Morant said after the team’s first practice since the break. “Obviously winning. That’s the number one goal, our number one focus.”
Getting back to that level will be challenging in a year Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said is one of the most competitive seasons to date. Seeds three to 12 in the Western Conference are separated by only four and a half games and the Grizzlies will take on the two best big men in the league this week in Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic.
The Grizzlies will have to re-find their winning ways without their starting center Steven Adams, who’s been out since Jan. 22 with a knee injury. Adams is only averaging eight points and 11 rebounds, but his numbers aren't indicative of his impact on the team. Jenkins said Adams still hasn’t participated in five-on-fives during practice and won’t play against the Philadelphia 76ers Thursday.
Jenkins kept an optimistic point of view when discussing the team’s first practice since the break and what he expects from his team the remainder of the season.
“We’ve had our good moments, we've had our not so good moments this year,” Jenkins said. “We have to recognize that. It’s a great learning opportunity and guys came in with a great mentality”
Jenkins said everyone came back looking refreshed, recharged, and renewed. He also said they discussed how they could become their collective best self.
Grizzlies All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. echoed that sentiment.
“It was good to see everybody,” Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. said. “It was good to get back to work. We’re more locked in than ever, for real.”