Memphis Grizzlies: 5 biggest disappointments from 2017-18 NBA season

5. The firing of David Fizdale

The Memphis Grizzlies got the regular season off to a hot start, winning their first three games and five of their first six contests. It looked like head coach David Fizdale had everything figured out in the early going, but when their floor leader, Mike Conley, went down with injury, things changed in a hurry.

The Grizzlies lost eight games in a row, including an ugly loss to the Brooklyn Nets, 98-88, on Nov. 26, before Fizdale was subsequently fired from his post. Two seasons in, Fizdale was given the boot, which dampened any hopes of a positive outcome for this group.

After going 43-39 and making the postseason in 2016-17, Fizdale was let go after a 7-12 start. Nothing could really prepare him for losing Mike Conley, but that wasn’t the biggest issue. The biggest problem for Fizdale was his relationship with Marc Gasol, or lack thereof.

Fizdale benched Gasol for the fourth quarter during their loss to the Nets back in November. Gasol was 6-for-17 (35.3 percent) with five rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block through 28 minutes of action. Brooklyn outscored Memphis 32-18 in the third quarter of that game.

Despite the rift, Fizdale shouldn’t be out of a job too long with so many other head coaching positions vacant. He has the ability to be a head coach in the NBA so long as politics don’t get in the way. It just won’t be for the Grizzlies, who now need to worry about finding his replacement.