Memphis is 6-2 and sixth in the West after losing to New Orleans in overtime and then to Indiana. The question is whether a team that went 25-57 last year has found something lasting, or only a hot October.
Is Memphis really a 6-2 team, or is this a hot start?
The numbers lean real. Through eight games the offensive rating is 117.1 and the defensive rating is 106.8, a net of 10.3. Last year's team finished 25-57 with the 27th-ranked defense. Eight games is not a season, but a defense that turns this fast is not luck alone. It is the Grit and Grind standard showing up again.
Do back-to-back losses change the answer?
Not by themselves. Memphis lost 134-135 to the Pelicans in overtime, with Ty Jerome scoring 40, then 103-107 to the Pacers in a game with 16 lead changes. Indiana ran two 8-0 bursts, and the second turned a 91-86 Memphis lead into a 94-91 deficit. One loss came by a point in overtime and the other by four. Neither was a collapse.
Who closes games for this team?
That is still unsettled. Against Indiana, the final five minutes started with Cam Spencer, Cameron Boozer, Cedric Coward, Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Zach Edey, plus-18 in 25 minutes, was not in that group, though he was on the court at the final horn. Boozer, 19, shot 4-of-14 with five turnovers. Coward's 23 points and nine rebounds were the best sign.
How much do the injuries matter?
They matter at guard. Pippen is sidelined by a back issue and Isaiah Stewart has a right knee issue; both carry a Nov. 6 return date. By our count Memphis has lost 210 minutes to injury since Oct. 20. Of 7 players on this club newly listed as questionable-type absences, 5 missed their following game. Quinten Post was cleared.
Can Ty Jerome keep scoring like this?
Jerome averages 27.4 points in seven games and shoots 37.5 percent from three. He is 27 points shy of 2,500 for his career, about one game away at his current pace, which is a projection. Boozer adds 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists over eight games. Two scorers like that can carry a thin roster only so far.
What is the Grizzlies' record and seed?
Memphis is 6-2 and sixth in the West, with two straight losses after a 6-0 start.
Who do the Grizzlies play next?
Oklahoma City on Nov. 6 in an Emirates NBA Cup game. The Thunder are 6-2 and list Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren as out.
