LOS ANGELES — At some point over these last few weeks, the Memphis Grizzlies officially waved goodbye to their delightfully rugged Grit n’ Grind era.
Marc Gasol is 31 and broke his foot a week before the All-Star break. Zach Randolph is 34 and a sack of rice defending pick-and-rolls. Tony Allen, for better or worse, will be Tony Allen for the rest of time. Mike Conley is out indefinitely with a sore Achilles and a free agent this summer. Paleontologists get fired up every time Vince Carter hits a three.
An unthinkable number of injuries, coupled with two major trades with the future in mind (Jeff Green and Courtney Lee were swapped out for Lance Stephenson, P.J. Hairston and a few draft picks) have decimated the roster. But somehow the Grizzlies have managed to hold onto their cushion as a No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Entering games Thursday, they lead the No. 6 Portland Trail Blazers by 4.0 games.
Is this a scrappy mirage, or is it the final sendoff to one of the most identifiable and consistent franchises of the decade?
Here’s a brief list of some play ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Michael Pina
Depleted Memphis Grizzlies Have Become NBA’s Most Improbable Playoff Contender
March 23rd, 2016 by Michael Pina Leave a reply »
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