The Hornets went on a rampage at the last moment of the season, winning 5 consecutive games to end the season, and yesterday they beat the Hawks in the final game, solidifying their record at 47 wins and 35 losses.
The Grizzlies lost a game on the 15th, bringing their record to 47 wins and 34 losses.
After the Hornets beat the Hawks, even Popovich thought they were definitely going to play the Grizzlies, as the Grizzlies hadn't been playing as desperately as the Hornets in their final games.
The Grizzlies and the Hornets faced off four times this season, each securing two victories. In the Southwest Division, the Hornets had a record of 9 wins and 7 losses, while the Grizzlies had 8 wins and 8 losses. If the records were the same, the Hornets' ranking would be higher.
The Grizzlies' last game was against the Thunder Team with a record of 54 wins and 27 losses, and Popovich guessed that the Grizzlies wouldn't fight to the death with the Thunder Team.