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Lakers’ 3 keys to beating the Grizzlies in the NBA Playoffs

By Alex Santiago

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 28: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game at FedExForum on February 28, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 28: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game at FedExForum on February 28, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) /
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It hasn’t completely sunk in yet, but Los Angeles Lakers playoff basketball is back. Who would have thought? The sea of purple and gold that filled up the Crypto.com Arena and the electricity you could feel through the TV Tuesday night has been greatly missed. And that was just for the play-in!

Los Angeles opens its first-round series as the betting underdog, and rightfully so. The Memphis Grizzlies put together a great season from start to finish. Memphis is led by Taylor Jenkins (one of the best coaches in basketball) and stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

They also possess one of the deepest rosters in the league, even with the losses of Branon Clarke and Steven Adams.  The Lakers will certainly have their work cut out for them against the new villains of the NBA.

Here are the 3 keys in the Lakers’ matchup vs the Grizzlies:

1. Slow the game down

The Grizzlies have finished top 2 in the West the past two seasons, and still own one of the youngest rosters in basketball. That means they love to get out and run, trying to speed their opponents up as much as possible. Dillon Brooks is 27, he will be their oldest active player in this series.

Memphis has averaged the second-most transition points in the league this year (25.8), while the Lakers’ gave up the fourth-most (23.4). Although Los Angeles is no slouch at getting out and going either (sixth in transition points), it will probably be in the team’s best interest to play in the half-court as much as possible.

When they aren’t scrambling back, the Lakers present one of the most suffocating half-court defenses in the league. On the other side, Memphis struggles more often than not when they aren’t playing so fast.

Many times this season, especially recently, the Lakers have shown the ability to just turn it on when they need to most. For example, on Tuesday night, Los Angeles completely shut down the T-Wolves’ offense in the fourth quarter.

They held them to 5 of 23 from the field and forced 9 turnovers in that period/overtime alone. Including mid-way through the fourth when Minnesota didn’t score from the 6:01 mark all the way until Mike Conley got fouled with 0.1 remaining on the clock.

Hopefully, the Lake Show realizes that this is the playoffs now and remains locked in for multiple quarters at-a-time because my goodness, the team has shown the flashes of being elite. The four-day rest period they have had since Wednesday, along with the two full days of rest they will have after games one and two should help with that.

On the offensive side, LeBron has picked a part quite a few defenses in his 20-year career. When you provide him with the best teammate he has ever played with and shooters, give me the king. The Lakers also have guys in D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves who have shown they will be able to take some of that load off of him and be able to create in a half-court setting.

At the end of the day, not many teams feed off of their home crowd more than Memphis, so LA has to do everything in its power to keep them out of the game.

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