Memphis Grizzlies: 5 Early Season Takeaways

The Memphis Grizzlies have quietly climbed to a 17-8 record in the Western Conference. Here are five takeaways from the first quarter of the season.

Don’t look now, but the Memphis Grizzlies are fifth in the Western Conference and climbing. They’ve won six straight games, including a convincing 110-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors on December 10. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Much of that success is due to what first-year head coach David Fizdale has this team doing on the defensive end. The Memphis Grizzlies are one of just six teams in the NBA allowing less than100 points per game.

They have allowed 100 points or more in just 12 games so far this season. They rank third in opponents points per game, allowing just 97.6 per contest.

Even more impressive, the Memphis Grizzlies have managed to go on this six-game winning streak without point guard Mike Conley. Conley is out for six weeks due to a transverse process fracture in his vertebrae. The winning streak began when Conley went out with his injury.

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This is Fizdale’s first season as head coach and he’s off to a great start. Big man Marc Gasol is averaging a career-high 19.9 points and 4.1 assists per game.

The “other Gasol” has found his confidence this season behind the three-point line, attempting a career-high 3.6 three-point shots per game.

Here are five early season takeaways for the Memphis Grizzlies.