Memphis Grizzlies: The Future is Bright
The way last season ended for the Memphis Grizzlies was nothing short of devastating. After the impressive defeat of the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round and the convincing rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals, the Grizzlies seemed poised to take on, and possibly overcome, the veteran powerhouse San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. However, being swept by the Spurs was not how the team envisioned the playoffs ending.
Very shortly after the playoffs, the team announced they would not be re-signing coach Lionel Hollins, who for the last four seasons had led the team out of the gutter and turned them into a playoff contender. After this controversial move, seen by some as a poor management decision, the Grizzlies hired assistant coach Dave Joerger to replace Hollins, who has left mighty big shoes to fill.
Although last season will be seen as a failure, the Grizzlies acquired something very important, something far more important than any free-agent signing. They gained an identity. They certainly made some noise in the regular season finishing with the best record in franchise history at 56-26, tying the Clippers for fourth place. Throughout the playoffs, the team showed the entire league that they are a force to be reckoned with by not backing down from any opponent while being placed an underdog.
This team possesses something that has grown to be a great deal of importance in the NBA, an established big three. No, their big three is not at the level of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, or Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but make no mistake, this group will lead the Grizzlies to great success for many years to come.
The play of elite yet underrated point guard Mike Conley combined with the big-man tandem of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol make for an incredibly effective combination that can score from the perimeter and in the post.
Conley, only in his fifth year, has become one of the league’s best point guards. This season he averaged 14.6 points and 6.1 assists per game. He also proved to be unaffected by playoff pressure as he increased the level of his play and averaged 17 points and seven assists during the postseason.
Big men Randolph and Gasol also proved to be extremely productive during the season. Z-Bo averaged 15.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, finishing fourth-best in the league in rebounding. Gasol, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, averaged 14.5 points and eight boards a game. Along with Conley, Gasol also rose to the pressures during playoff time and averaged more than 17 points and almost nine rebounds.
All three of these players have the potential to be all-stars this year. With the efficient and consistent play of guard Mike Conley and arguably the best front court in the league with Randolph and Gasol, the Grizzlies are not going anywhere and are poised to be contenders in the Western Conference for a long time.
Yes, the future certainly looks bright in Memphis.