Despite being one of the top teams in the Western Conference for most of the regular season, the Memphis Grizzlies struggled to end the year and ended up in the Play-In Tournament. Despite ultimately securing the No. 8 seed in the West, the Grizzlies were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

According to Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies' fate was sealed when Lu Dort collided with him mid-air before Game 3 went into halftime. A nasty spill on the hardwood ruled him out for the final one-and-a-half games of a four-game sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.