The Los Angeles Lakers have been a thorn in the side of the Memphis Grizzlies for the last couple of seasons. The second-seeded Grizzlies lost to the seventh-seeded Lakers in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs and haven't been the same since.
What followed that playoff battle was an injury-riddled 2023-24 season that began with a Ja Morant 25-game suspension, before another first-round loss as an eighth seed last season. The Lakers finished with the three seed last season and have also won six of their eight regular-season battles against Memphis in those two seasons, signaling a one-sided rivalry.