With 9 games to play and a 40-33 record, the Grizz hold a 1.5 game lead over the Rockets for the 8 spot. With that in mind, I did a little number crunching, below are the magic numbers the Grizz need to get to catch or hold off each team they are competing against. In other words, if the Grizzlies wins and Denver losses add up to a combination of 14 the rest of the way, the Grizzlies will pass Denver, and if the Grizzlies wins and Houston losses add up to a combination of 9 the rest of the way, the Grizzlies will hold off Houston. That's how it's listed.
Grizz Magic Numbers:
Denver - 14
Portland - 13 (Will be one game less if the Grizz win at Portland on 4/12, would give the Grizz the tiebreaker)
New Orleans - 12
Houston - 9
Phoenix - 7 (7 would give them a tie with Phoenix, but the Grizzlies took the season series 2-1)
Utah - 5
Utah is all but eliminated at this point.
The Grizzlies are 2 games back of New Orleans and 2.5 back of Portland, so it's going to be an uphill battle to get anything but the 8 seed. The easier schedule gives them a shot though.
Grizz Magic Numbers:
Denver - 14
Portland - 13 (Will be one game less if the Grizz win at Portland on 4/12, would give the Grizz the tiebreaker)
New Orleans - 12
Houston - 9
Phoenix - 7 (7 would give them a tie with Phoenix, but the Grizzlies took the season series 2-1)
Utah - 5
Utah is all but eliminated at this point.
The Grizzlies are 2 games back of New Orleans and 2.5 back of Portland, so it's going to be an uphill battle to get anything but the 8 seed. The easier schedule gives them a shot though.
