Which month could be the toughest for the Grizzlies?
The Grizzlies will play 12 of their first 18 games at home to begin the 2019-20 season.
But they will pay for that luxury later. Memphis plays just four home games in February in the midst of a stretch that includes 15 road contests in a 21-game span.
Does that make February the toughest month on the schedule?
Arguably so.
Here is The Commercial Appeal's ranking of each month on the Grizzlies' slate in order from least-difficult to most-difficult:
October
The Grizzlies only play four games in October, with a road game against the Lakers checking in as the most-challenging contest.
Otherwise, Memphis will have a chance to get at least one early win with games against Miami, Chicago and Brooklyn to begin the season.
It's a manageable beginning to a new era.
January
January starts with a Kings-clippers-suns road trip but only includes one back-to-back.
The month brings games against beatable foes Phoenix (twice), Minnesota, Cleveland, New Orleans (twice) and New York before a challenging February.
After a December packed with four back-to-backs, it will be a somewhat more manageable month.
April
A seven-game season-ending month ends with the Grizzlies playing five straight teams that made the 2019 playoffs.
But one of those teams is the rebuilding Thunder.
And the other four are likely to have clinched their postseasons spots by the time they play the Grizzlies.
November
November ends with a brutal run of seven straight games against 2019 playoff teams. But that stretch includes just one road game and no back-to-backs. Plus, the beginning of the month is not too challenging, with three of the first four games coming against Phoenix, Minnesota and Orlando.
A light beginning to November combined with a relatively easy four games in October could help a young Grizzlies team pick up a few early wins before a challenging run in late November and early December.
December
The caliber of opponents in December is a manageable mix, but the layout of the schedule is what makes it rough. Memphis plays 16 games in the month (the most of any month in the season), and the slate includes four back-tobacks. With games at Utah and Golden State, this month could be a reality check for the young Grizzlies.
March
With three back-to-backs and nine of 15 games on the road, March will present a challenge. It will also be an important month for the team’s development. Will rookies Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke improve after the All-star break as they continue acclimating to the NBA? Or will