The Memphis Grizzlies are grappling with a significant hurdle as they approach the final stretch of the 2025 NBA season. The announcement on Saturday, March 22, confirmed that forward Brandon Clarke will miss the remainder of the season due to a high-grade PCL sprain. This injury occurred during the first half of the Grizzlies' recent loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on March 19, a game that further complicated the team's playoff trajectory.
This marks the second consecutive postseason that the Grizzlies will navigate without Clarke, who missed last year's first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers following a torn Achilles tendon. Clarke has been a staple in the Grizzlies lineup since they drafted him in 2019 alongside star player Ja Morant. The two players have developed an intuitive chemistry on the court, essential for the team's offensive and defensive strategies.
In the current NBA season, the Grizzlies boast a record of 43-28, placing them fifth in the highly competitive Western Conference. With only 11 games left in the regular season, the team must act quickly to adjust their game plan and fill the void left by Clarke's absence. Especially as they gear up for a potential playoff matchup against formidable opponents.
Clarke's impact extends beyond his statistics. He averaged 16.5 points, nine rebounds, and 29.4 minutes off the bench in a crucial playoff series victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022. His effective partnerships with Jaren Jackson Jr. have been particularly crucial. This season, Jackson and Clarke’s lineups have outscored opponents by 8.2 points per 100 possessions, showcasing their solid chemistry on the floor.
As they reconfigure their strategy, the Grizzlies will look toward assembling effective pairings with Jackson, particularly focusing on newcomers Santi Aldama and Zach Edey. Impressively, data indicates that Memphis has a net rating of 10.1 when either Edey or Aldama plays alongside Jackson—a promising statistic as the team exercises what few options they have left.
Both Aldama and Edey will play a more significant role moving forward, meaning that establishing their synergy with Jackson will be pivotal. This season, the combination of Jackson and Edey notably demonstrated strength on the boards, pulling in 57.1% of available rebounds—a statistic that could prove crucial in close playoff games.
While Clarke has generally been praised for his rebounding prowess—ranking second on the team in rebound percentage—there remains cautious optimism for Edey’s ability to fill that role as well. Clarke's teams with Jackson secured 51.8% of total rebounds, showing a solid performance. The pressure is now on Edey and the remaining big men to produce similar, if not enhanced, rebounding figures.
In terms of bench depth, the Grizzlies have a few alternatives, including Jay Huff and Marvin Bagley III. Huff has had his moments and is currently averaging seven points with an impressive shooting percentage of 41.7% from three-point range. However, a glaring concern arises with his performance; lineups featuring Huff alongside Jackson showcase a disappointing net rating of minus-6.5, one of the lower pairing performances on the team.
Meanwhile, Bagley, who has yet to gain significant playing time with Memphis, is expected to step up as a finishing option for Morant's alley-oop passes—a skill that Clarke excelled at and one that can pull defenses off balance. Bagley’s potential, paired with Jackson and Morant’s dynamic play, could serve as an essential replacement strategy as the team navigates its way through the final games of the regular season.
The clock is ticking for the Grizzlies to regroup and reestablish their rotations, thereby ensuring they can leverage their full roster strength as the playoffs approach. Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins will need to employ effective strategies and rotations to best utilize the remaining roster talent, all while maintaining competitiveness against upcoming playoff-caliber teams. The clock is ticking toward a playoff berth, and every game counts more than ever.
