The Memphis Grizzlies host the Boston Celtics at the FedEx Forum on Friday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Grizzlies are 24-44 and 11th in the West with a 12-20 home record, while the Celtics are 46-23 and second in the East with a 22-13 road record.
The Grizzlies are coming off a surprising 125-118 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Celtics are on a three-game win streak, coming off a 120-99 win over the Golden State Warriors. The last meeting between these teams came on November 12, 2025, with the Celtics picking up a 131-95 win. Tonight’s game will be the final encounter this season for this inter-conference matchup.
The Grizzlies are led by Ja Morant, who’s averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists this season, but has played just 20 games for the franchise. In his absence, the Grizzlies will rely on guard Ty Jerome, who’s averaging 20.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists this season.
The Celtics have been led by Jaylen Brown all season, with the MVP hopeful averaging 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in his first season as the team’s sole star. Jayson Tatum has made an improbable return after suffering an Achilles tear last season, averaging 20.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists since his return.
The Celtics will head into this game as sizable favorites over the tanking Grizzlies, who are just a few losses away from mathematical elimination from the postseason. Nonetheless, this should be a feisty clash if the Grizzlies’ win over the Nuggets is any indicator.
Injury Report
Grizzlies
Ja Morant.: Out (elbow)
Santi Aldama: Out (knee)
Brandon Clarke: Out (calf)
Zach Edey: Out (ankle)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: Out (finger)
Scotty Pippen Jr.: Out (toe)
Jahmai Mashack: Out (ankle)
Celtics
N/A
Why The Grizzlies Have The Advantage
The Grizzlies haven’t been that competitive this season overall, sitting No. 11 in the West while being 20 games under .500. However, their on-court unpredictability could be a reason why they can overcome the Celtics.
They snapped an eight-game losing streak with a win over contenders like the Nuggets by emphasizing defensive efficiency, forcing their way to the free-throw line, and forcing turnovers. Over the season, the Grizzlies have a 116.8 defensive rating (22nd in the NBA) and shoot 23.4 free throws per game (16th) while forcing 8.8 steals per game (10th). These are some of the margins they’ll hope to steal this win, especially if the Celtics’ three-point-heavy offense falters on the court.
The Grizzlies also have one of the best ball-moving offenses in the NBA, making 302.6 passes per game. This also translates to a high assist number with 28.5 per game on the season (seventh), but it does show the Grizzlies can move the ball around and find offensive opportunities to exploit.
The Celtics are an elite team, so the Grizzlies don’t have many other weapons to comfortably rely on. Hopefully, they can maximize these margins and win the game.
Why The Celtics Have The Advantage
The Celtics have been one of the best teams in the NBA all season because they’ve mastered the fundamentals despite losing several key contributors from their 2024 championship squad.
They have a 119.7 offensive rating (2nd) and a 111.6 defensive rating (fourth), which gives them a +8.1 net rating, the second-best in the league, only behind the reigning champions. It’s important to remember that most of these stats come from before the Celtics got Tatum back into their lineup for just six games. Despite having uncertainty at the center, Boston also has 46.3 rebounds per game, the fourth-best in the NBA.
The Celtics attempt the third-most three-point shots in the NBA with 42.5 attempts per game but also convert it at a high clip of 36.2%, which is generally lower than the numbers they’ve had in past seasons. This is an elite team with plenty of room to be even better, so it’s hard to imagine how the Grizzlies can even hope to compete with them. They also have an empty injury report, so they won’t have any breaks on the court, unlike against the Nuggets, who were missing some key contributors.
X-Factors
The Grizzlies’ 20-year-old forward GG Jackson is thriving with the increased opportunity he’s received since the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, and among the team’s injuries. He’s averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds this season and has become a core rotational player towards the end of this season. Given that he scored 44 points in an NBA game as a rookie, the Celtics can’t let Jackson find a rhythm on the court in this win.
Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward is averaging 13.4 points and 6.2 rebounds this season and has shone with the additional opportunity afforded to him. He’s an interesting two-way prospect who’s yet to find consistency on the court due to rookie troubles as well as minor injury concerns. The Celtics will hope to limit his production if they want this to be a comfortable win.
Derrick White is regarded as one of the most underrated guards in the NBA with good reason. He’s averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season as one of the most consistent two-way guards in the NBA. While his offense can falter from game-to-game, he’s always a high-level defender and playmaker who makes the Celtics hum on both ends of the court. It’s impossible to stop Boston if White is having a good game.
Payton Pritchard has been a mainstay in the Celtics lineup as one of their key scoring options, averaging 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. While he’s had a more consistent starting role this season with 49 starts in 67 appearances, he’s still one of their best players to throw at secondary rotations. Prichard can break down most NBA defenses, and if he starts making his shots, the Celtics are almost unbeatable.
Prediction
The Celtics should be able to seal a comfortable win in this game. The Grizzlies will likely be hoping to improve their lottery odds by falling a few positions back in the West, currently two games ahead of the No. 13 seed Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics have no incentive to let up in the slightest and should be able to pull this off, barring a terrible shooting performance.
Prediction: Grizzlies 109, Celtics 125
