Grizzlies center Steven Adams expected to miss the NBA playoffs
The Memphis Grizzlies suffered a significant blow before the start of the playoffs as veteran big man Steven Adams will miss the playoffs due to a knee injury.
Adams hasn’t played since Jan. 22 against the Phoenix, where he suffered a sprained posterior cruciate ligament. He went through a stem cell injection around a month ago. However, that hasn’t progressed the recovery enough to move toward a postseason return.
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The 29-year-old has served as a key frontcourt piece, averaging 8.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 42 games. The Grizzlies are already shorthanded without big man Brandon Clarke, who tore his Achilles tendon on March 3 against the Denver Nuggets.
Memphis will continue to lean on Xavier Tillman Sr. to fill the starting role, where he’s averaged 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in 29 starts. Rookie Kenneth Lofton has also garnered an increased role to provide more depth and scoring in the frontcourt.
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The Grizzlies are locked into the second seed in the Western Conference standings. The team will await the play-in tournament results to know which team they will face in the first round.
Memphis will need their youthful backcourt of Ja Morant and Desmond Bane to lead the offensive charge if they hope to push toward NBA title contention.
The Western Conference appears to be an open competition, which could see a deep playoff run for the Grizzlies. Memphis holds more experience as a result of their second-round exit last season to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
