The Los Angeles Lakers are in a tricky spot. Why? Shouldn’t they be thriving with Luka Doncic on the roster? Well, yeah—Luka’s been putting up monster numbers. But despite his brilliance, the Lakers can’t seem to string together wins when it matters most. They’ve dropped 6 of their last 10 games, and with the playoffs around the corner, that’s a problem. They might be missing a key piece as they head into a crucial matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Austin Reaves, who’s been on fire lately—dropping 30 points against Chicago—is questionable with a nagging ankle sprain.

Reaves hurt his right ankle badly in the third quarter against the Bulls. You could see he was in pain, but he didn’t back down. He stayed in the game and almost carried the Lakers to victory with clutch plays. It looked like he had sealed the deal with a game-winning layup. But no—the basketball gods had other ideas. Josh Giddey’s half-court buzzer-beater snatched the win away, leaving the Lakers stunned.

Now, both teams are tied at 44-29, making this matchup an all-or-nothing battle for the 4th seed in the Western Conference. If the Lakers win, they’ll take the season series 3-1 and secure the tiebreaker over Memphis, giving them a huge advantage as the postseason approaches. But let’s be real, the Lakers haven’t exactly been a model of consistency lately.

And with Reaves’ status still up in the air, others will need to step up big time. Luka Doncic and LeBron James have been carrying the load (and doing it damn well), but without Reaves, the Lakers will need Dalton Knecht and Jordan Goodwin to step in and hold down the fort. To make things even better, the Grizzlies aren’t just showing up to play—they’re showing up with a point to prove after firing head coach Taylor Jenkins.

Taylor Jenkins was called into the Grizzlies office this morning and was fired in person, sources tell ESPN. Stunning dismissal. Jenkins now becomes one of the top head coaching candidates for the upcoming cycle. He had a .539 winning percentage as Grizzlies coach. https://t.co/fKRG7MNY58

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 28, 2025

The Memphis Grizzlies made a bold move ahead of their clash with the Lakers. As reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, they fired head coach Taylor Jenkins in person on Friday morning after six seasons. Jenkins played a huge role in developing young stars like Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, but Memphis’ inconsistent performance this season led the front office to pull the plug. Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman acknowledged the tough decision, saying, “I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons. This was a difficult decision given the consistent and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor’s leadership. I wish Taylor the very best going forward.”

To fill the void, Memphis has named assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo as interim head coach. Iisalo, who joined the Grizzlies two seasons ago after a successful run in Europe, now faces the challenge of guiding Memphis through the final stretch of the season. With the Grizzlies still in the hunt for the 4th seed, Iisalo’s debut comes with serious playoff implications. The Grizzlies will be fired up, and Saturday’s game is about to get intense.

Los Angeles Lakers Depth Chart

With Reaves listed as questionable, Dalton Knecht is expected to step into a larger role, potentially taking on more minutes and contributing on both ends of the floor. Knecht has shown flashes of promise and could provide the Lakers with much-needed scoring depth if Reaves is unable to go. Additionally, Jordan Goodwin is likely to see increased playing time off the bench, bringing energy and defensive intensity to the second unit while helping to stabilize the backcourt in Reaves’ absence.

Position
STARTER

PG
Luka Doncic

SG
Dalton Knecht

SF
Rui Hachimura

PF
LeBron James

C
Jaxson Hayes

Memphis Grizzlies Depth Chart

With Taylor Jenkins out and interim coach Tuomas Iisalo taking over, the Grizzlies are expected to make some adjustments to their rotation. Desmond Bane will likely take on an even bigger playmaking role, guiding the offense while maintaining his scoring prowess. Additionally, Ziaire Williams is projected to see increased minutes off the bench, providing valuable contributions on both ends of the floor as Memphis looks to stay competitive in the playoff race

POSITION
STARTER

PG
Scotty Pippen Jr.

SG
Desmond Bane

SF
Jaylen Wells

PF
Santi Aldama

C
Jaren Jackson Jr.

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