The Memphis Grizzlies parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins this week. Jenkins had been the head coach of the organization since the 2019-20 season — all of Ja Morant's career. With nine games left, the Grizzlies have minimal time to get acclimated to their new coach, Toumas Iisalo.
This gives a big advantage to teams in the Western Conference, none more than the Los Angeles Lakers. Memphis and the Lakers are currently tied with a 44-29 record, and three losses behind the Houston Rockets for the two seed.
The Lakers won two of their first three games, with a potential tiebreaker game being decided on Saturday March 29. With a new coach, the Grizzlies have a whole new system to learn in a short time. If this is an eventual first round matchup, the Lakers caught a big break.
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How much of an advantage does L.A. have?
The Grizzlies fired Jenkins left with nine games left in the season, usually, teams need a lot more time to adjust to a new coaching style. Under Jenkins, they were a top four offense and a top-10 defense this season. Due to an injury-riddled season last year, has used his depth to keep his starters from playing heavy minutes.
Assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo will be their new interim head coach. This was Iisalo's first year in the NBA but has been a coach in the EuroLeague, where he was the head coach of Paris Basketball in 2024, won the EuroCup and EuroCup coach of the year.
Being one of the most successful coaches in Europe, he clearly has the chops to succeed in the NBA. He's no stranger to coaching a championship team as well, but he has very little time for his players to learn his tendencies.
This gives the Lakers an advantage going into their game and potentially the playoffs. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and JJ Redick are some of the smartest basketball minds, and are familiar with how they all operate. The Grizzlies are familiar with each other, but not their new coach.
By the end of the season, teams want their chemistry to be at their best, across players and coaches. No one will know how the Grizzlies will look, react, or respond to the coaching of Iisalo. We do know that the Lakers respond very highly to the coaching of Redick.
A win against the Grizzlies on Saturday would give the Lakers huge break. They already hold the tiebreaker over the Denver Nuggets and getting another tiebreaker advantage that could decide their place in the standings is important. Lucky Los Angeles, they can play the first game the Grizzlies have under the regime of a new coach.