MEMPHIS – When asked if everyone left practice healthy on Tuesday, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said absolutely.
Thankfully.
Warriors and Mavericks fans only wish their coach had the same response with Steph Curry and Luka Doncic both dealing with injuries heading into the start of the playoffs.
No such issues for the Grizz as they held their first playoff practice, as healthy as they’ve been in months.
While the Grizzlies still don’t know who they’ll face Saturday at 2:30, the work has already begun with a certain uptick in focus and edge with the postseason, just days away.
For as great as the regular season was, this is what you play for and this team knows it.
“They understand this is the best basketball of the season. This is what you play for, to play for these last two months of the year,” Jenkins said. “To play the most heightened basketball. Every possession matters even more. It’s the first to four so there’s a journey over that every two weeks within the series.”
“There was a level of detail, commitment, execution. I think we’ve been pretty good at all that stuff, all year long,” said Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane. “You could tell everyone was a little more locked in today, preparing for the playoffs, hopefully for a long run.”
Bane having a little watch party tonight as by night’s end, the Grizzlies will finally know their playoff opponent with the T’Wolves and Clippers playing in the play-in portion of the postseason.
Winner of this game heads to Memphis for a best of seven series.
For what it’s worth, Bane is picking the Clippers to win.
