Should Phoenix Suns or Memphis Grizzlies be No. 1?

OKLAHOMA CITY — With the NBA’s 75th anniversary season winding down, the Memphis Grizzlies are no longer a surprise team.

They’re a legit championship contender.

Not even predicted to make the playoffs by the NBA general managers heading into the 2021-22 season, the Grizzlies have gone from being eliminated as an eighth seed last year to secure the second overall seed this year.

They just topped NBA-best Phoenix, 122-114, Friday night without Ja Morant (knee), Jaren Jackson Jr. (thigh), Desmond Bane (ankle), Steven Adams (calf) and Tyus Jones (hand).

Head coach Taylor Jenkins was ejected late in the first half, but the Grizzlies snapped a nine-game win streak for the Suns, who were at full strength.

Memphis is the only team to have a winning record against Phoenix this regular season. The Grizzlies took the season series, 2-1, but is that enough to rise to the top of The Republic’s NBA Power Rankings through Saturday’s games?

More:Arizona Republic’s NBA power rankings: Does now full-time Kyrie Irving put Nets in top 5?

1. Phoenix Suns (62-15, last week 1st)

Yes, Memphis finished 2-1 against Phoenix, with Friday’s victory even more impressive considering it was short-handed and the Suns weren’t.

The Suns were also looking to set the franchise record for wins in a single season, but Memphis denied them that celebratory moment in its arena.

Still, Phoenix is ​​7½ games ahead of the Grizzlies heading into the final week of the regular season. The Suns remain the NBA’s top team with their All-Star guard, Devin Booker, rising up the MVP ladder.

Apr 1, 2022;  Memphis, Tennessee, USA;  Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks (24) yells back at the referee as they play the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum.  Mandatory Credit: Joe Rondone-USA TODAY Sports

2. Memphis Grizzlies (55-23, Last week 2nd)

Dillon Brooks plays to exhaustion.

His 30-point performance in Friday’s win was not only a special performance, but he gutted through some major fatigue to lead the Grizzlies to the emotional victory.

Curious to see what his role is when Memphis is full strength in the playoffs, but whatever it is, the Grizzlies need him to be a difference maker come postseason.

Mar 30, 2022;  San Francisco, California, United States;  Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) reacts after fouling Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the first half at Chase Center.

3. Golden State Warriors (49-29, last week 3rd)

The way they hung in there against Phoenix in a 107-103 loss without Stephen Curry and with Klay Thompson shooting 1-of-10 from 3 is a good sign for the Warriors.

Curry is going to miss the rest of the regular season with a foot injury. The Warriors might very well fall to fourth in the West as they have just a game lead on Dallas.

Andrew Wiggins says the Warriors are still the NBA’s best team, “especially when everyone is healthy.” With Curry progressing, Golden State will get a chance to prove that in the postseason.

4. Miami Heat (50-28, Last week Next 5)

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, left, drives to the basket past Chicago Bulls center Tristan Thompson during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, April 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The Heat bounced back from losing four straight games to winning three in a row. The two road victories over the Celtics and Bulls were impressive.

Jimmy Butler is averaging 24.3 points on 36-of-43 shooting from the field, five rebounds and five assists during this win streak. The Heat have a deep team, but they’ll still need Butler to play well to make a deep postseason run.

Back atop the East, Miami has the 23rd toughest remaining schedule, but Toronto is trying to maintain that fifth seed while Charlotte and Atlanta are separated by game in battling for play-in position.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) is defended by Detroit Pistons forward Saddiq Bey during the first half on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

5. Philadelphia 76ers (47-30, Last week 4th)

This is tough because Philadelphia is just a half game ahead of Boston, but the Celtics will be without center Robert Williams III for the remainder of the regular season.

Williams suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee, has undergone surgery and is expected to return in four to six weeks. He’s not Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, but Williams is a key player for the Celtics.

So Philadelphia could easily push past Boston in this final week. The Sixers snapped a two-game skid with one of those losses coming to lowly Detroit with a dominant 30-point victory over Charlotte.

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) looks for an opening past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jarred Vanderbilt (8) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Boston.  The Celtics won 134-112.  (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

next five

Boston Celtics (48-30) – They still have one of the league’s best duos in Brown and Tatum, but the Celtics will need to lean even more on having the league’s top defense to keep winning.

Milwaukee Bucks (48-29) – The Bucks go from winning at Philadelphia and at Brooklyn to giving up 153 points in an ugly home loss to the Clippers. They rested their Big 3, but 11 3s for Robert Covington?

Dallas Mavericks (48-30) – Kristaps Porzingis got a little revenge on the team that traded him as he scored 24 points in helping Washington blitz Dallas by 32 despite Luka Doncic scoring 36 in 36 minutes.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, looks to drive to the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 1, 2022, in Denver.  (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Toronto Raptors (45-32) – The Raptors were once 9-13. They’ve gone 36-19 since. Nick Nurse can flat-out coach, but can Toronto, winners of five straight games, hold off Chicago for fifth in the East?

Denver Nuggets (46-32) – Looks like Nikola Jokic could very well win a second-straight MVP award, but the Nuggets are still in danger of falling into the play-in tournament. Does that even matter?

One last thing

This regular season could end with the NBA’s most storied franchise not even making the play-in tournament.

The Los Angeles Lakers are game behind San Antonio as an 11th seed in the Western Conference heading into Sunday’s games.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and forward Anthony Davis stand together before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles, Friday, April 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

With five games left, the Lakers are in serious dangerous of missing out on the playoffs after being one of the preseason favorites to win it all.

To put their highly disappointing season in perspective, they are 31 games behind Phoenix.

With Anthony Davis back from a foot injury, there is hope, but they have the third toughest remaining schedule.

The Lakers play Denver twice, Phoenix, Golden State and Oklahoma City.

Wow.

Have an opinion on the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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