NBA basketball was at the height of its superteam era from 2015 to 2018. During that stretch, the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers met in the NBA Finals for four consecutive seasons. As thrilling as those battles were, there was a growing desire for more parity around the league.
Nearly a decade later, the NBA has achieved that goal. Since Golden State’s 2018 championship, eight different franchises will have won titles in eight seasons, including this year’s Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.
When expanding the count to different teams that have reached the Finals since 2018, the number jumps to 14. That means nearly half the league has won a conference championship during that span.
The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the 16 teams that have not experienced that feeling. In fact, the franchise has never reached the NBA Finals in its 31-year history.
Professional sports are often copycat leagues. Once a team reveals a championship blueprint, others are quick to follow.
Here are three lessons the Grizzlies can take from the Spurs and Knicks.
Winning takes a little luck
While the most talented teams often make the Finals, that is not always the case. Injuries are part of the game, and many championship runs require a few fortunate breaks along the way.
In the Western Conference semifinals, the Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had a hobbled Anthony Edwards and was missing starter Donte DiVincenzo, who had a torn Achilles. San Antonio completed its conference finals victory over Oklahoma City without having to face Ajay Mitchell (right calf strain) or Jalen Williams (left hamstring strain) in Game 7.
The Knicks’ impressive run included defeating a Philadelphia 76ers team led by an injured Joel Embiid. The Knicks were expected to face the Boston Celtics in the second round, but an injury to Jayson Tatum altered the series and helped pave the way for Philadelphia’s upset of Boston.
Championship teams still have to capitalize on those opportunities, but postseason success often requires a combination of talent, health and good fortune.
Small point guards can win
This lesson comes primarily from the Knicks. The Spurs are a better example of the modern trend toward bigger, more versatile guards. But winning with a smaller lead guard remains possible. The Knicks are led by Jalen Brunson, who is listed at 6-foot-1.
What they have done particularly well is build a roster around him. He is surrounded by tall, versatile wings who can help cover for him defensively, while strong rim protection provides another layer of support.
The Knicks likely cannot afford to pair Brunson with another undersized guard without sacrificing too much defensively. However, Brunson’s offensive production, combined with four above-average defenders who possess size and versatility, has proven to be a winning formula.
Youth can win
After the 2023 season, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman publicly questioned whether Memphis needed to “triple down on youth.” At the time, it was a fair question.
Since then, Oklahoma City and San Antonio have helped provide the answer.
The Thunder won the 2025 championship with a roster built primarily through the draft and with limited playoff experience. Now, the Spurs are showing that youth can win when the right talent is in place.
Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have a combined six seasons of NBA experience, yet they have not looked overwhelmed by the moment.
As the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement places greater restrictions on expensive veteran rosters, more teams will look to contend while their best players remain on rookie-scale contracts.
The Grizzlies have a chance to follow that path. They have produced four NBA All-Rookie selections the past three seasons and now own the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. If those young players continue to develop, Memphis could be positioned to take the next step sooner rather than later.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What Memphis Grizzlies can learn from NBA Finals, Spurs, Knicks