Experienced Grizzlies feeling confident hosting Timberwolves

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — All-Star guard Ja Morant believes one big difference between last postseason and these playoffs for Memphis: The Grizzlies now have playoff grit.

“Last year we were playing in. This year, we’re not,” Morant said.

The Grizzlies are young, talented, deep and more than a bit confident after going from playing their way to the Western Conference's eighth seed a year ago to the No. 2 seed — along with the NBA's second-best record — this season.

“Now, having that experience, I pretty much feel like we’re ready,” Morant said. "Not only on taking the leap to make it to the second round, but to the Finals.”

Bold talk for a franchise that has never started a postseason seeded this high.

This is the third time ever that Memphis will start a playoff series at home, the first with this next generation. The Grizzlies start their best-of-seven, first-round series Saturday hosting the seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in a matchup of the NBA's top scoring teams who also are two of its youngest.

Minnesota center Karl Anthony-Towns believes this is a great matchup for the NBA. This series features two of the league's most exciting, young players in Morant and Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards, and Towns said these could be the NBA's next dynasties.

“We’ll go out there and make the ratings, and we’ll make the show happen," Towns said.

Whoever tunes in should be treated to a fast-paced basketball game as both teams like to get up and down the floor quickly.

Minnesota led the NBA averaging 115.9 points a game with Memphis second with a franchise-record 115.6 points. Memphis led the league in fast-break points (17.7) with Minnesota fourth (15.2). Memphis was first in second-chance points, Minnesota fourth. The