Grizzlies vs Lakers: Head to Head History

by James Idayi
Grizzlies vs Lakers: Head to Head History

The Memphis Grizzlies currently boast one of the youngest, most talented rosters in the NBA. Ja Morant, their superstar point guard, seems destined to lead Memphis to many successful playoffs runs in the next decade. While many believed that last season would be the one where Morant’s Grizzlies broke through into being a championship contender, their momentum was halted in the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers. Yet, this wasn’t just a normal playoff series from LeBron James’ Lakers. After some disrespectful words were said by select players on the Grizzlies, the Lakers made their playoff matchup with Memphis personal — and the result was a series that Memphis is eager to get vengeance for; perhaps as soon as the 2023-24 regular season.

In this article, we’ll discuss the head to head history between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies, note where their shared contempt in the 2023 stemmed from, break down how their First Round matchup in last year’s playoffs went, and predict how these teams will fare in 2023-24.

Grizzlies vs Lakers Head to Head History

The Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers have played each other a total of 108 games (102 of which have been during the regular season, with the other 6 occurring in the playoffs). The Lakers hold the edge in the all-time series, 67-41. In the playoffs, the Lakers also hold a 4-2 edge.

Memphis and Los Angeles first played each other November 17, 1995, when the Lakers beat the Vancouver Grizzlies (Vancouver being the Grizzlies’ first location) by a score of 114-91. The most recent matchup between these two teams came on April 28, 2023, when the Lakers beat the Grizzlies 125-95.

The longest win streak within these two teams’ history is when the Lakers defeated the Grizzlies 12 straight times, from November 17, 1995, to April 8, 1998.

Here is a look at the 2022-23 season to the 2010-11 season NBA Regular Season for games between the Grizzlies and Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game Log

GameDateHome TeamAway TeamResultScoreStreakHead-to-Head LAL – MEM
102Mar 7, 2023Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW112-103Lakers won 163 – 39
101Feb 28, 2023Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL109-121Grizzlies won 162 – 39
100Jan 20, 2023Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW122-121Lakers won 162 – 38
99Jan 9, 2022Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL119-127Grizzlies won 361 – 38
98Dec 29, 2021Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL99-104Grizzlies won 261 – 37
97Dec 9, 2021Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL95-108Grizzlies won 161 – 36
96Oct 24, 2021Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW121-118Lakers won 461 – 35
95Feb 12, 2021Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW115-105Lakers won 360 – 35
94Jan 5, 2021Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW94-92Lakers won 259 – 35
93Jan 3, 2021Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW108-94Lakers won 158 – 35
92Feb 29, 2020Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL88-105Grizzlies won 157 – 35
91Feb 21, 2020Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW117-105Lakers won 357 – 34
90Nov 23, 2019Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW109-108Lakers won 256 – 34
89Oct 29, 2019Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW120-91Lakers won 155 – 34
88Feb 25, 2019Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL105-110Grizzlies won 254 – 34
87Dec 23, 2018Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL99-107Grizzlies won 154 – 33
86Dec 8, 2018Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW111-88Lakers won 254 – 32
85Mar 24, 2018Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW100-93Lakers won 153 – 32
84Jan 15, 2018Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL114-123Grizzlies won 252 – 32
83Dec 27, 2017Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL99-109Grizzlies won 152 – 31
82Nov 5, 2017Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW107-102Lakers won 352 – 30
81Apr 2, 2017Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW108-103Lakers won 251 – 30
80Mar 3, 2017Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW122-110Lakers won 150 – 30
79Jan 3, 2017Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL116-121Grizzlies won 749 – 30
78Dec 3, 2016Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL100-103Grizzlies won 649 – 29
77Feb 24, 2016Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL119-128Grizzlies won 549 – 28
76Jan 15, 2016Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL84-109Grizzlies won 449 – 27
75Mar 6, 2015Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL97-97Grizzlies won 349 – 26
74Nov 26, 2014Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL93-99Grizzlies won 249 – 25
73Nov 11, 2014Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL102-107Grizzlies won 149 – 24
72Apr 13, 2014Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL90-102Grizzlies won 349 – 23
71Feb 26, 2014Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL103-108Grizzlies won 249 – 22
70Dec 17, 2013Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW96-92Lakers won 149 – 21
69Apr 5, 2013Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW86-84Lakers won 348 – 21
68Jan 23, 2013Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW106-93Lakers won 247 – 21
67Nov 23, 2012Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL98-106Grizzlies won 146 – 21
66Mar 13, 2012Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW116-111Lakers won 346 – 20
65Jan 8, 2012Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW90-82Lakers won 245 – 20
64Dec 20, 2011Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesL85-86Grizzlies won 144 – 20
63Feb 7, 2011Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW93-84Lakers won 444 – 19
62Nov 30, 2010Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW98-96Lakers won 343 – 19
61Nov 2, 2010Los Angeles LakersMemphis GrizzliesW124-105Lakers won 242 – 19

Please note that this table is simplified. The “Streak” column indicates the number of consecutive wins for the team that won the particular game, at that point in the series history. The “Head-to-Head LAL – MEM” column shows the cumulative record of the Lakers against the Grizzlies after each game.

Grizzlies vs Lakers Rivalry Background

Because these teams don’t play in the same division and had never met in the playoffs prior to 2023, there was little sense of rivalry between Los Angeles and Memphis. Yet, that all changed when Dillon Brooks, former forward for the Memphis Grizzlies, had choice words for LeBron James in the midst of their First Round playoff matchup in 2023. After Game 2, Brooks — who was clapping in James’ face constantly during Game 2 — was asked about these in-game confrontations with the NBA legend.

“I don’t care. He’s old,” Brooks said, referring to the 38-year-old James. “He wanted to say something after I got my fourth foul, he should have been saying that earlier on. I poke bears. I don’t respect anyone until they come and give me 40.”

“When I’m on that floor, you’re just another player to me,” Brooks said, via the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I don’t care who you are. You’re just 6-8, 270 pounds and you’re a basketball player.”

Despite Brooks’ backtracking, James and his Lakers teammates took that initial insult to heart — and from there, what was once a respectful matchup between two Western Conference teams became a full-blown rivalry.

But before we get into the consequences of Brooks’ quote, let’s break down the playoff matchup he referred to.

2023 Western Conference First Round

After finishing the 2022-23 regular season with a 51-31 record, the Memphis Grizzlies entered the Western Conference playoffs as the #2 seed. The Los Angeles Lakers, on the other hand, finished the regular season with a 43-39 record, and had to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament in order to secure their playoff position. And once they did so, they were matched up against Memphis.

Game 1 of this Western Conference First Round series took place in Memphis. Although the Grizzlies took a comfortable lead into the locker room once the first half ended, 21 second half points from the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura allowed Los Angeles to outscore Memphis 69-47 in the last two quarters, so that the Lakers took Game 1 by a score of 128-112.

Game 2 was also in Memphis — but Ja Morant wasn’t able to play due to a hand injury he sustained during Game 1. Yet, the Grizzlies had multiple players step up in Morant’s absence, including an unexpected Xavier Tillman, who scored a career-high 22 points. Due to Tillman’s effort, the Grizzlies were able to win Game 2 103-93 and even the series 1-1.

Between Games 2 and 3 is when Dillon Brooks made his LeBron James comment — which he likely regretted once Memphis came to Los Angeles for Game 3 and James scored 25 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Despite Ja Morant returning and scoring 45 points, the Lakers took Game 3, 111-101.

Then came Game 4, which proved to be the most exciting game in the series. Because both teams were tied 104-104 at the end of regulation, this match went to overtime in Los Angeles. During overtime, in his 270th playoff game, LeBron James recorded his first 20 point, 20 rebound game of his career — and in doing so led the Lakers to an inspiring 117-111 overtime win, giving them a 3-1 edge in the series.

Game 5 was in Memphis. Despite Anthony Davis scoring 31 points and grabbing 19 rebounds for the Lakers, Ja Morant’s 31 point outburst (which was complemented by 33 points from Desmond Bane and 18 from Jaren Jackson Jr.) allowed the Grizzlies the stomp the Lakers at home, 116-99.

The series then returned to Los Angeles for Game 6. Unfortunately for Memphis, this game seemed over just as soon as it started. The Lakers dominated on both sides of the ball in every quarter, and destroyed the Grizzlies 125-85. Therefore, the Lakers advanced to the second round of the playoffs, and the Grizzlies season ended.

Grizzlies vs Lakers 2023-24 Matchup Analysis

The Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies play each other four times in the 2023-24 regular season: on November 14 (in Los Angeles), January 5 (in Los Angeles), March 27 (in Memphis), and April 12 (in Memphis).

While the Grizzlies added Marcus Smart (an excellent defender) to their roster during the 2023 offseason, their most notable roster change (at least, as it pertains to the Lakers) is that they allowed Dillon Brooks to sign with the Houston Rockets. Now that Brooks is no longer on Memphis, tensions between these two teams will likely have died down by November 14, when they first face off. Yet, although there’s no more bad blood, matchups between Memphis and Los Angeles should still be exciting — especially witnessing the battle in the paint between Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr. And as Ja Morant continues to ascend into superstardom, we’re also watching the waning of LeBron James’ NBA career. For those reasons alone, any matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies is must-watch.

James Idayi
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