The Finals Are BACK: Grizzlies vs. Hawks Is Everything We Asked For

Hold up, hold up, hold UP. Did we just witness the 2024 NBN Finals turn into a heavyweight fight? Because that 122-95 beatdown Memphis laid on Atlanta in Game 4 wasn't just a basketball game—it was a statement. A declaration. A 27-point "You thought you were going to sneak out of FedExForum with a championship?" that left Hawks fans clutching their laptops like last year's fantasy squads.

Series Recap: A Tale of Two Cities (and Two Teams)

Let's rewind, because the narrative here is absolutely delicious. The Hawks entered the Finals on the back of a grueling seven-game slugfest against the Wizards, clinching Game 7 on the road with a gritty 103-100 victory. They were tired. They were battle-tested. They were for real.

Game 1? Memphis said "thanks for playing." The Grizzlies punched first with a 19-point blowout that made the Hawks look like a Round 1 opponent, not a Conference Final survivor. Wizards fans were grinning—at least their team took the eventual champs to seven games.

But here's where it gets spicy. The Hawks answered. Days 155 and 157? Atlanta, motherflippin' Atlanta, won three straight against the Grizzlies. Wait—let me check the math here...

Actually, scratch that. Looking at the scores again: The Hawks took Game 3 in an absolute 148-142 overtime thriller that saw both teams go absolutely nuclear. Then Memphis flipped the script with a 17-point W in Game 4, followed by that 27-point annihilation in Game 5 that has the series sitting at 2-1 Memphis with momentum as one-sided as a blowout in the fourth quarter.

The X-Factors: Who's Got the Golden Ticket?

Carmelo Anthony has been everything Atlanta hoped for in his seventh season—30.1 points per game on 47.5% shooting, plus 8.1 rebounds that make him a genuine two-way force. When Melo gets cooking, the Hawks are unbeatable. When he goes cold? Atlanta's bench better be ready to bail him out, because the Grizzlies' defense has been swarming.

Speaking of swarming—Nate Thurmond down low is an absolute problem. His 15 rebounds per game are the backbone of Atlanta's glass control, and in those close games, every extra possession is worth its weight in fantasy gold. He's the type of player who doesn't get headlines but wins championships.

On the other side, whoever's running Memphis's offense has been cooking. The Grizzlies' ball movement in Games 4 and 5 was surgical—and when they shoot that well? Good luck slowing them down.

What Each Team NEEDS to Win

  • Hawks: Get back to the aggressive, take-everything mentality that won Game 3. They need Melo and Thurmond to dominate the glass, force turnovers, and get out in transition. Half-court chess against Memphis's defense is a losing game.
  • Grizzlies: Keep doing exactly what they're doing. Home crowd is electric, the bench is contributing, and the defensive rotations are sharp. Don't let Atlanta's role players get comfortable.

Chart Central: Stars Are Doing Star Things

The Pick: Who Takes It Home?

The Hawks are desperate now. Down 2-1 in the Finals with Game 4 on the road? That's where legends are made. Atlanta wins in 7. Book it. The Conference Finals taught us this team doesn't know when to quit, and Carmelo Anthony isn't letting his first championship slip away without a fight. The Grizzlies are dangerous, but the Hawks have that dawg in them—and that's what wins rings.

Game 5 tips off soon. Don't blink.

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