Austin Reaves Sends Message To Grizzlies After Playoff Showdown

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies entered the playoffs thinking they’d be able to take down the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers had to fight their way into the postseason while the Grizzlies ended the year as the second seed with a 51-31 record.

But in the end, it was the Lakers who were triumphant, beating the Grizzlies and then going all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

According to Austin Reaves, beating the Grizzlies was very satisfying.

Speaking to the Full Send Podcast, per NBACentral, Reaves talked about how great it felt to defeat Memphis.

“Their whole team talks s–t. Man, it felt good beating them in the playoffs,” Reaves said.

“Their whole team talks sh*t. Man, it felt good beating them in the playoffs.”

– Austin Reaves on the Memphis Grizzlies

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 16, 2023

The Grizzlies certainly had a lot of self-belief as the postseason began.

Ja Morant has never been shy about broadcasting his confidence in the team.

And Dillon Brooks publicly called out the Lakers and LeBron James, saying he was eager to face them in the first round.

So Reaves and his team were ready to make them eat their words – and they did.

The opening round was both a sign of how far the Lakers had come in a short amount of time and also how many problems the Grizzlies had.

For a few years now, the Grizzlies have been on the verge of postseason greatness but they are continually falling short.

Since last season ended, they made some alterations and the hope is that they have gotten themselves on a better path.

However, they will be kicking off 2023-24 without Morant, who will be suspended for weeks, so they are going to start things off on the wrong foot.

The Lakers will be excited to play against them as soon as possible.

It feels as if perhaps a new rivalry has been born in the Western Conference.