Jaren Jackson Jr.’s confident message after Grizzlies seal play-in tournament fate
The Memphis Grizzlies have officially secured a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament after falling 117-109 to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at Ball Arena. The loss, Memphis’ second straight, dropped their record to 47-33 and ensured a Play-In appearance, with their final seed to be decided on the last day of the regular season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 18 points, two assists, two blocks, and a rebound on 8-of-17 shooting. After the game, he made it clear he wasn’t dwelling on the team’s situation, telling The Daily Memphian’s Drew Hill, “I’m still in the season, so I’m not reviewing s— right now.”
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 24 points, adding six rebounds, one assist, and one steal, but the Grizzlies couldn’t contain Denver’s sharp offense late in the game.
With just one game remaining, the Grizzlies are currently eighth in the Western Conference. If the season ended today, they’d face the seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the Play-In opener. Memphis sits one game behind both Minnesota and the Golden State Warriors (48-33) and doesn’t own the tiebreaker against either team.
Grizzlies locked into No. 8 seed as Play-In matchups hinge on crowded West standings
All three teams remain in action Sunday afternoon, with playoff seeding still unsettled. The Timberwolves will take on the NBA’s worst team by record, the Utah Jazz (17-64). The Warriors face a tough test against the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers (49-32), who have won 17 of their last 20 games and swept the season series with Golden State. Meanwhile, the Nuggets will square off against the Houston Rockets (52-29), a team that has recently rested several starters, including during Friday’s game that helped the Lakers lock up the No. 3 seed.
The Grizzlies will wrap up their regular season at home on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET against the Dallas Mavericks (39-42). Dallas is still jockeying for position with the Sacramento Kings for the No. 9 seed, with the standings potentially shifting based on the day’s results.
The NBA Play-In Tournament begins April 15. In this format, the No. 7 seed hosts the No. 8 seed, with the winner advancing to play the No. 2 seed in the first round. The loser gets one more chance, facing the winner of the 9-10 matchup to determine the final playoff berth.
Due to tiebreakers, Memphis is locked into the No. 8 seed and will go on the road to face the No. 7 seed in their Play-In opener. A win puts them in the playoffs as the seventh seed, while a loss would send them into a win-or-go-home matchup for the final spot in the postseason.
Jaren Jackson Jr.’s postgame comments reflected a team staying focused, with Memphis preparing for the intensity of next week’s Play-In Tournament.