The Memphis Grizzlies have climbed two spots to No. 22 in the latest NBA power rankings after securing back-to-back wins despite missing key players. Without Ja Morant for nearly all of their last five games and Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined by an ankle injury for the past two, the team defeated the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks. Their improved rebounding with Zach Edey back has fueled this recent success.
The Memphis Grizzlies are showing signs of progress in a challenging season, moving up from No. 24 to No. 22 in NBA.com's Week 6 power rankings by John Schuhmann. Despite the absences of star guard Ja Morant, who has played just six minutes over the last five games, and forward Jaren Jackson Jr., out for the past two with an ankle injury, the Grizzlies won both recent matchups against struggling Western Conference foes—the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks.
A key factor in these victories has been the return of rookie center Zach Edey, who has played four games since coming back. In his 101 minutes on the floor, Memphis has outscored opponents by 17.4 points per 100 possessions, largely due to dominant rebounding. The Grizzlies grabbed 57.8% of available boards with Edey in the game, compared to 49.6% without him. Over the last three games, they outscored foes by 54 points (73-19) on second-chance opportunities.
Santi Aldama stepped up in Jackson's absence, earning his first two starts of the season and leading the team in scoring both nights with 49 points on 20-for-35 shooting (57%). Aldama's usage rate of 20.3% is a career high, and he sealed the win over Dallas with a finish over Daniel Gafford. Cam Spencer has also earned rotation minutes, surpassing his entire rookie-season totals in points, rebounds, assists, and steals; he contributed crucially in the closing moments against the Mavericks.
With a 6-11 record (OffRtg: 109.9, 25th; DefRtg: 114.3, 17th; NetRtg: -4.4, 22nd), the Grizzlies are 4-0 against other sub-.500 Western teams. They face a tough four-game road trip starting Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans (NBA Cup), Los Angeles Clippers (NBA Cup on Black Friday), and Sacramento Kings, offering chances to build momentum as they await returns from injured stars.
