The Memphis Grizzlies are a little less than a month away from beginning the 2026-27 season.
Each NBA season represents a fresh start, but this one truly feels like one for the Grizzlies, who have overhauled their roster, with many of the franchise’s longest-tenured players no longer in Memphis.
The names on the backs of the jerseys are different, but many of the records and statistics established during the franchise’s previous 31 seasons will stand the test of time.
Since moving to Memphis, the Grizzlies have had roughly three different cores. There was the group led by Pau Gasol, followed by the Core Four during the Grit 'n' Grind era and then the Ja Morant-led group that emerged in 2019.
Now, Memphis is preparing for its next era.
The Grizzlies
selected Cam Boozer with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and he’ll be one of the players tasked with headlining what comes next.
Each core has produced memorable seasons, broken records and established new ones. As the page turns to this group, some franchise marks could eventually be within reach, while others may be nearly impossible to touch.
Here are three notable team records from Grizzlies history.
89.3 points allowed per game
The stifling Grit 'n' Grind defense was built around making life difficult for opposing offenses. No season reflected that more than 2011-12, when Memphis held opponents to a league-best 89.3 points per game.
That remains the lowest single-season mark in franchise history, and it’s unlikely to be touched anytime soon.
NBA teams play at a much faster pace and attempt far more 3-pointers than they did during the Grit 'n' Grind era, making a season-long scoring average that low increasingly difficult to achieve.
Defensive rating is a better measure of a team’s defense because it accounts for possessions rather than simply points allowed. The 2012-13 Grizzlies own the franchise record with a 100.3 defensive rating while allowing 93.4 points per game. The 2011-12 team had a 101.8 defensive rating.
Still, the philosophy behind those teams is making a comeback in Memphis. The current Grizzlies are being built around the idea of having a tough, physical and versatile defense.
29 made 3-pointers in a game
The Grizzlies tied an NBA record by making 29 3-pointers last season in an April loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Memphis was without many of its regular rotation players in that game, leading to an unusual number of 3-point attempts. The Grizzlies made the most of them.
Knocking down 29 3-pointers is an extremely difficult feat, but this current roster has the shooting to make another run at the record on the right night.
Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer are among the NBA's best shooters, while several other players on the roster are capable of shooting league-average or better percentages from 3-point range on meaningful volume.
The NBA’s continued emphasis on 3-point shooting also gives the Grizzlies a better chance of threatening their own record than some of the other marks.
73-point win
The Grizzlies put themselves in the NBA record books in 2021 with a 73-point victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
That remains the largest margin of victory in NBA history.
Getting anywhere near 73 points is unlikely. Memphis has enough 3-point shooting to build a massive lead on the right night, and its defensive identity could create opportunities for a blowout.
But winning by 73 points requires virtually everything to go right.
The Grizzlies have a chance to establish plenty of records during this next era. This one, however, may be one that stands for a very long time.
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: Three Grizzlies team records the next era could, couldn’t break
