Ja Morant is an NBA star, but his tight circle of friends include former college teammates, who are thrilled to be in Utah to cheer him on.

Former Grizzlies star Mike Conley Jr. reflects on his first playoff series as Ja Morant enters that territory. “My first-ever playoff series was in San Antonio, so I found myself playing against Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan, guys I idolized,” Conley said.

It’s not just about Morant and Conley; Dillon Brooks’ defense and how Taylor Jenkins deploys his lineups shouldn’t be undervalued. 

When Mike Conley was traded to the Utah Jazz, everyone said the trade was “win-win.” But nobody expected the Grizzlies would do this much winning, this soon.

Games against the Jazz at FedExForum are scheduled for May 29 and 31.

Friday night the Ja Morant led Memphis Grizzlies advanced to the NBA playoffs with a thrilling overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry. Check out what we found on Twitter.

The incandescent Morant and the Grizzlies traveled to California and knocked off Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. It may not have been the biggest upset in Grizzlies postseason history. But it was a beautiful night.

Through the night, chronicling a game no Grizzlies fan will soon forget.

The Grizzlies will face former point guard Mike Conley Jr. in the first round. 

Morant scores 35 against Warriors, and two rookies made clutch shots as the Grizzlies go to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. 

Related stories:

Calkins: Ja Morant and his 'team full of dogs' make it an epic night

Herrington: Grizzlies-Warriors game diary, a new classic relived

Box score: Grizzlies 117, Warriors 112 (OT)

Grizzlies to face Jazz in NBA playoffs

The Grizzlies plan to go West and stay West until next week. 

The Grizzlies won the first postseason game of the NextGen era Wednesday night. It was an important moment for the new edition of the Grizzlies. But that’s not all it was.