30 reasons to be excited for the 2018-19 NBA season

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29. Reviving the Grit-N-Grind

For awhile there, it felt like the Grit-N-Grind culture of the Memphis Grizzlies was dying. With Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Vince Carter all leaving last summer, then Mike Conley being out for practically the whole season, the time for trading Marc Gasol and blowing the whole thing up was at hand.

Instead, the Grizz could see a rapid revival in 2018-19. They used their fourth overall pick on Jaren Jackson Jr., a perfect two-way successor to Gasol and possibly a complementary frontcourt piece to play alongside him. They used their second round pick on Jevon Carter, a gritty defender who might as well have been born with a Grizzlies jersey on.

Chandler Parsons is healthy. Kyle Anderson is there to make a slow team look like it’s running through molasses. Even Conley’s new hairdo looks like it was styled after a grizzly bear. Memphis may not be the funnest team to watch, but Grit-N-Grind is most certainly back as long as the two main Grizzlies stars stay healthy.