Are the Grizzlies for real?

[LkrFan]

They are perched on top of their division at 8-1. After a 9-point road defeat to the Clippers on opening night, they've had impressive wins against Heat, OKC, and New York (consecutive Ws BTW). SA is not to be counted out by any stretch of the imagination, but Memphis is bigger, more athletic, and younger so I have to believe they will win the division (injuries aside for either team).

I like their swag. I like their toughness. They don't seem intimidated and looks like they are primed to make the next step. Thoughts?

[Clipper Nation]

Not having a superstar pretty much lowers their expectations as far as playoffs are concerned, and they're not as deep as advertised... I have to believe they'll cool off eventually...

[baseline bum]

Randolph is having another monster year again. With their size they have a real shot to take the conference if they stay healthy.

[024]

they play hard defense, have an allstar frontcourt, a dynamic wing player, a scoring PG, and play efficient offense where not one person dominates the ball. they've been following the spurs' championship blueprint. they even have their own lockdown defender in tony allen. they can make the WCF this year if they stay healthy.

[Clipper Nation]

they've been following the spurs' championship blueprint.

Except they don't have a Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, or Manu...

People have said the same shit about Memphis for three years now, tbh... I get it, they're a small-market team, they act tough on the court, "grit n' grind," etc., but it's sickening how people have lined up to fellate the Memphis freaking Grizzlies, tbh....

[rayjayjohnson]

grizz are better than the clippers tbh

[Clipper Nation]

grizz are better than the clippers tbh

Tbh, recent head-to-head results suggest otherwise...

[rayjayjohnson]

Tbh, recent head-to-head results suggest otherwise...

last i heard playoff series are 7 games.

grizz are for real. you need to accept it.

[Clipper Nation]

last i heard playoff series are 7 games.

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012/matchup/_/teams/grizzlies-clippers

[rayjayjohnson]

that was last year son.

grizz are back and they're better.

[Clipper Nation]

Clippers got better too... no more Foye or Mo Williams stinking up the joint, tbh....

[baseline bum]

You're not giving Randolph enough credit. He's a monster on the glass, is a pretty versitale scorer, and he's shown himself to be a bigtime playoff performer. The Clippers look really solid too (especially if Odom can ever get in shape), but don't hate on the grizz man.

[Clipper Nation]

It's a rivalry, I gotta hate on the Grizz, tbh... :downspin:

[pass1st]

Grizz are dangerous, shedding OJ probably helped chemistry

[rayjayjohnson]

It's a rivalry, I gotta hate on the Grizz, tbh... :downspin:

good point

[LkrFan]

Rudy is maturing as a player as well. He stood up LeBron, KD, and Melo. Then dropped L's on all 3 of them. I'm impressed with them tbh.

[Brazil]

I like Grizz chance tbh to reach the WCF

their starting 5 is one of the most balanced in the nba tbh

their flaw is their bench, Speights is solid but the rest sucks badly

[Paranoid Pop]

I like Grizz chance tbh to reach the WCF

their starting 5 is one of the most balanced in the nba tbh

their flaw is their bench, Speights is solid but the rest sucks badly

Yup and the Clipper have the strongest bench in the nba, that's how they stole the series last year. The Clips looks like the early favorites to win the west to me but it's a long season.

[baseline bum]

I like Grizz chance tbh to reach the WCF

their starting 5 is one of the most balanced in the nba tbh

their flaw is their bench, Speights is solid but the rest sucks badly

It'll be interesting to see if they can upgrade it before the deadline. That size though, I mean, they have a really high ceiling with Randolph and Gasol playing like they are. I know Miami would want no part of that matchup in the Finals.

[racm]

I like Grizz chance tbh to reach the WCF

their starting 5 is one of the most balanced in the nba tbh

their flaw is their bench, Speights is solid but the rest sucks badly

This is true. Conley/Allen force turnovers like crazy and Conley isn't horrible on offense and tries to get a good shot.

Gay is a scorer who occasionally becomes a chucker but when he chucks Randolph boxes everyone out

Randolph might be an MVP candidate, tbh; then Fat Gasol is the same as his bro but not as soft

[Raven]

still haven't made up my mind about it.. two years ago without gay they looked like the real deal, but when gay came back they regressed a lot.. if they have finally learned how to make zach and rudy work well toghether, they may be up to something...

[Stalin]

still haven't made up my mind about it.. two years ago without gay they looked like the real deal, but when gay came back they regressed a lot.. if they have finally learned how to make zach and rudy work well toghether, they may be up to something...

fascinating tale, scrah

[racm]

still haven't made up my mind about it.. two years ago without gay they looked like the real deal, but when gay came back they regressed a lot.. if they have finally learned how to make zach and rudy work well toghether, they may be up to something...

Gay was out for the end of the 2011 season when Randolph beat up on TOSB Duncan/Dice and the turd towers. Then Randolph only played in 38 games last season (starting in 8) then was unsurprisingly ineffective in the playoffs.

Now they're both healthy and don't have a chucker in Mayo to take away touches from them and Fat Gasol

[TheCultOfPersonality]

I'll say this. The Grizzlies are not the same team they were last season.

1. This season's Zach Randolph is much better than last season's Zach Randolph.
2. The Grizzlies backup point guard is not Jeremy Pargo (who sucks) or OJ Mayo (who doesn't have good handles and is turnover prone at that position). After years of the backup PG being a liability to the Grizzlies they finally found a decent backup point guard in Jerryd Bayless who comes in and runs the offense, hits some shots, and don't get the Grizzlies beat.
3. The Grizzlies are a better 3 point shooting team than they were last season (although they sucked against Charlotte) which has a little bit to do with the additions of Bayless and Ellington and the improvement of Quincy Pondexter. Can they keep it up? We shall see.

The Grizzlies should be getting Darrell Arthur back soon.

[Latarian Milton]

their next step will be exchanging some of their best performers to the lakers for some craps, they are farming team to lakers

[TheCultOfPersonality]

their next step will be exchanging some of their best performers to the lakers for some craps, they are farming team to lakers
The Grizzlies got Marc Gasol and a draft pick that turned into Darrell Arthur in that Lakers trade.

[Jodelo]

Arthur is a key for the Grizzlies. I like his game!

[scanry]

fascinating tale, scrah

:lol

[scanry]

their next step will be exchanging some of their best performers to the lakers for some craps, they are farming team to lakers

Thank god Jerry West is longer running that franchise. Mf@cker gifted the Lakers 2 championships.

[JamStone]

I'm not convinced. I think their ceiling is second round in the playoffs. They're still a good team, but I don't think they're a legitimate title contender or a legit contender to take the WC.

[scanry]

I'm not convinced. I think their ceiling is second round in the playoffs. They're still a good team, but I don't think they're a legitimate title contender or a legit contender to take the WC.

Pretty obvious because they don't have a superstar to take them all the way. The 2005 Pistons are the only team that won it all without a superstar. They were very well coached, cold blooded and played exceptional Defense. I always wonder how the Spurs could've fared against the Pistons in 2004? Weren't they the top two defensive teams that year?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The Spurs would have beaten the Pistons in 2004. The Pistons won the finals that year because of Karl Malone's injury and Kobe deciding it would be better to lose than watch Shaq win another finals MVP.

[Richie]

I think the Grizz are hugely underrated. They have all the pieces to win a championship IMO, especially with a lot of teams playing small at the 4.

They need to keep everyone healthy and get some chemistry. They may not have a superstar but with such a huge front court and good defenders like Allen they can match up well with a lot of teams.

Health has been in issue in previous years for Randolph and Gay. If they are 100% going in to the playoffs they will cause some upsets.

[scanry]

The Spurs would have beaten the Pistons in 2004. The Pistons won the finals that year because of Karl Malone's injury and Kobe deciding it would be better to lose than watch Shaq win another finals MVP.

Truth bomb.

[baseline bum]

The Spurs would have beaten the Pistons in 2004. The Pistons won the finals that year because of Karl Malone's injury and Kobe deciding it would be better to lose than watch Shaq win another finals MVP.

I disagree; the 04 Pistons were a lot deeper than the 05 Pistons that took the Spurs to 7 games, and the 04 Spurs didn't have Barry. Their backup PG situation was a mess with Jason Hart also, and Nesterovic was their center (they didn't get the Rose for Mohammed gift from Isiah until the next season). Duncan was healthier in 04, but I'm not sure that cancels everything else out. I think the 04 Pistons would have probably won the series in 6 against the 04 Spurs.

For instance, their shallow bench in 05 was a huge problem in game 7 when Duncan got the Wallaces and McDyess in foul trouble in the third quarter, and they got stuck putting Prince on him (of course Duncan went off). In 04 they had not only the Wallaces, but Mehmet Okur, Elden Campbell, and Corliss Williamson to throw on Duncan. I think they were much better equipped for guarding Duncan that year,

[Bill_Brasky]

Rudy Gay is in mash mode lately.

[baseline bum]

Crap, I see that Campbell was on their 05 roster too. Not sure why Brown didn't go to him instead of Prince to guard Duncan in game 7, as Cambell gave them good minutes against Shaq in the 04 Finals.

[purplengold]

grizz gota good shot if west keep fuckin up, they floor is the 2nd round prolly

[baseline bum]

I don't see why everyone says their ceiling is the second round. They gave OKC a hell of a series in 2011 and weren't far from making the WCF then. With a healthy Gay they're now significantly better than that team while the Thunder have seriously regressed after the retarded Harden trade. With no 2011 Mavs in the conference it's hard to see how the Grizz don't have a great shot.

[purplengold]

said floor

[ElNono]

Rudy has yet to show he can handle pressure situations... last season coach put the series against the Clips in his hands, and he blew it.

[LkrFan]

I'll say this. The Grizzlies are not the same team they were last season.

1. This season's Zach Randolph is much better than last season's Zach Randolph.
2. The Grizzlies backup point guard is not Jeremy Pargo (who sucks) or OJ Mayo (who doesn't have good handles and is turnover prone at that position). After years of the backup PG being a liability to the Grizzlies they finally found a decent backup point guard in Jerryd Bayless who comes in and runs the offense, hits some shots, and don't get the Grizzlies beat.
3. The Grizzlies are a better 3 point shooting team than they were last season (although they sucked against Charlotte) which has a little bit to do with the additions of Bayless and Ellington and the improvement of Quincy Pondexter. Can they keep it up? We shall see.

The Grizzlies should be getting Darrell Arthur back soon.

I like the Bayless pickup. I didn't even know he was backing up Conley. And I totally forgot about Arthur not playing yet. They have playoff experience, their core has been together a few years now, and they have internally improved (through jettison OJ and Rudy/Zach's consistent play). They have size, rebounding, athleticism, speed, and toughness. Things are looking good for dem Grizzlies tbh.

[scanry]

I disagree; the 04 Pistons were a lot deeper than the 05 Pistons that took the Spurs to 7 games, and the 04 Spurs didn't have Barry. Their backup PG situation was a mess with Jason Hart also, and Nesterovic was their center (they didn't get the Rose for Mohammed gift from Isiah until the next season). Duncan was healthier in 04, but I'm not sure that cancels everything else out. I think the 04 Pistons would have probably won the series in 6 against the 04 Spurs.

For instance, their shallow bench in 05 was a huge problem in game 7 when Duncan got the Wallaces and McDyess in foul trouble in the third quarter, and they got stuck putting Prince on him (of course Duncan went off). In 04 they had not only the Wallaces, but Mehmet Okur, Elden Campbell, and Corliss Williamson to throw on Duncan. I think they were much better equipped for guarding Duncan that year,

The series could have gone either way. The Laker series pretty much exposed the PG weakness the Spurs had, but i still think we could've taken it. Duncan was much healthier in 2004 and he had two bum knees in 2005. The Lakers losing in 5 is still a mystery to me. Shaq was putting up 2001 like numbers and they (Kobe) still found a way to f@ck it up. Looking back at the finals numbers, Shaq shot 60% from the field, took 28 fewer FG's than Kobe and yet he still outscored him in the finals. :wow

[baseline bum]

The series could have gone either way. The Laker series pretty much exposed the PG weakness the Spurs had, but i still think we could've taken it. Duncan was much healthier in 2004 and he had two bum knees in 2005. The Lakers losing in 5 is still a mystery to me. Shaq was putting up 2001 like numbers and they (Kobe) still found a way to f@ck it up. Looking back at the finals numbers, Shaq shot 60% from the field, took 28 fewer FG's than Kobe and yet he still outscored him in the finals. :wow

Huh? The Lakers played a gimmick defense where they just packed the lane and dared Turkoglu, Horry, and Bowen to shoot threes all day, and none of them could buy a basket. Turkoglu was especially bad, since half his shots were taken with no one within 10 feet of him. Parker was shredding the Lakers until they brought out that defense in game 3. There was nothing he was going to do when wide open outside shots weren't falling; LA was practically playing a zone.

[thunderfan]

Too early to tell. They could potentially go far. They are a very good team. However, until you go far in the playoffs, you're unproven. Playing great early is nice, but it's not necessarily an indicator of how far a team will go in the playoffs. People tend to draw conclusions too early. THis isn't a 10 game season. Drawing conclusions on a short sample size is a dangerous thing.

[TIMMYtoZO]

The Spurs would have beaten the Pistons in 2004. The Pistons won the finals that year because of Karl Malone's injury and Kobe deciding it would be better to lose than watch Shaq win another finals MVP.

My nig, Deandre, with the goods.

[Clipper Nation]

The Spurs would have beaten the Pistons in 2004. The Pistons won the finals that year because of Karl Malone's injury and Kobe deciding it would be better to lose than watch Shaq win another finals MVP.
Come on now... Lost in the tears over :cry Karl Malone's injury :cry is that the Lakers still had Shaq, as well as familiar roleplayers such as Fisher, Horace Grant, Rick Fox, and Rapist Snitch Ballhog, and yet they still got whooped and exposed by Detroit... nobody was beating the Pistons that year, tbh....

[Morg1411]

I like the Grizz this season. They're scary good. They do need to upgrade their bench, which is only so-so beyond Bayless and Pondexter, but apart from that they're playin' some mean ball.

[thunderfan]

I like the Grizz this season. They're scary good. They do need to upgrade their bench, which is only so-so beyond Bayless and Pondexter, but apart from that they're playin' some mean ball.

Their bench is actually very good. Ellington, Speights, Arthur.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Come on now... Lost in the tears over :cry Karl Malone's injury :cry is that the Lakers still had Shaq, as well as familiar roleplayers such as Fisher, Horace Grant, Rick Fox, and Rapist Snitch Ballhog, and yet they still got whooped and exposed by Detroit... nobody was beating the Pistons that year, tbh....

1) Horance Grant didn't play a single minute of the 2004 finals or playoffs for that matter due to an injury. That's why Medvedenko was their only option once Malone went down. Nice try on the revisionist history.
2) Rick Fox played 30 minutes total during the finals, so 6 minutes per game. He also missed most of their regular season games and was banged up all year iirc. Mentioning him as an asset to them is pretty dumb.
3) They didn't get whooped as much as people like to remember. Detroit had absolutely no answer to Shaq in game 1 and only won because Kobe shot the Lakers out of it and deliberately denied Shaq the ball. If Kobe actually got the ball to Shaq, LA wins game 1 and never gives up home court. The 2-3-2 format made that series look more one sided than it was.
4) The Pistons were taken to 7 games by the Nets and almost to 7 by the Pacers. They got through a horrible conference in semi-convincing fashion and got to play a team that was imploding and in the finals because of a fluky shot. Every championship team had some amount of luck going for them, but the 2004 Pistons lucked out due to a shitty Eastern Conference and Kobe's ego finally exploding.

[Morg1411]

Forgot about Speights. Ellington is hot right now, I'll be curious to see if he can maintain that level of play. Either way, they're damn good, at least at the moment.

[Clipper Nation]

Tbh, Detroit was just toying with them scrub-ass Nets... didn't they finish the regular season on a 20-4 run? Also, Pacers were pretty nice that year, they won 61 games...

Not sure why you want to scoff at the Pistons, tbh... with the talent the Lakers had even without Malone, their 1-4 Finals exit was a huge embarrassment and exposure, tbh....

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Tbh, Detroit was just toying with them scrub-ass Nets... didn't they finish the regular season on a 20-4 run? Also, Pacers were pretty nice that year, they won 61 games...

Not sure why you want to scoff at the Pistons, tbh... with the talent the Lakers had even without Malone, their 1-4 Finals exit was a huge embarrassment and exposure, tbh....
I'll respond to the content of this post after you admit to revising history regarding Horance Grant.

[Clipper Nation]

I'll respond to the content of this post after you admit to revising history regarding Horance Grant.
Tbh, I thought he got a few minutes, but then I realized I was confusing that for some reason with Detroit giving Elden Campbell minutes, my bad...

[tlongII]

I think they're legit. They have a strong post game, they rebound, and they play tough defense. They are kind of an "old school" team and not many teams are used to playing against that style.

[Ice009]

The Spurs would have beaten the Pistons in 2004. The Pistons won the finals that year because of Karl Malone's injury and Kobe deciding it would be better to lose than watch Shaq win another finals MVP.

I still can't get over Shaq shooting 60% + for the series, and Kobe just kept jacking up shots again Prince and missing quite a lot of them. He just didn't really want to pass the ball to Shaq. Karl Malone injury hurt them a lot too.

Anyway, I think the Grizzles are a pretty tough team. They play tough and hard, that is the kind of game that I like. I don't like soft play.

[Ice009]

I disagree; the 04 Pistons were a lot deeper than the 05 Pistons that took the Spurs to 7 games, and the 04 Spurs didn't have Barry. Their backup PG situation was a mess with Jason Hart also, and Nesterovic was their center (they didn't get the Rose for Mohammed gift from Isiah until the next season). Duncan was healthier in 04, but I'm not sure that cancels everything else out. I think the 04 Pistons would have probably won the series in 6 against the 04 Spurs.

For instance, their shallow bench in 05 was a huge problem in game 7 when Duncan got the Wallaces and McDyess in foul trouble in the third quarter, and they got stuck putting Prince on him (of course Duncan went off). In 04 they had not only the Wallaces, but Mehmet Okur, Elden Campbell, and Corliss Williamson to throw on Duncan. I think they were much better equipped for guarding Duncan that year,

Tought call, but I would go with the Spurs in that series. Detroit would have had to shock us like they shocked the Lakers.

[Clipper Nation]

They're not nearly as tough as advertised, tbh.... they're coddled by the refs and their bigs flop, tbh......

[thunderfan]

They're not nearly as tough as advertised, tbh.... they're coddled by the refs and their bigs flop, tbh......

You, as a Clipper fan, are bringing up another team and flopping??!!

[Clipper Nation]

You, as a Clipper fan, are bringing up another team and flopping??!!
http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/11/oklahoma-citys-kevin-martin-warned-by-nba-for-flop-against-pistons/

[thunderfan]

http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/11/oklahoma-citys-kevin-martin-warned-by-nba-for-flop-against-pistons/

Dude, I'm not calling the Clippers floppers based on one incident (as you've mentioned above). I'm talking a consistent history of absolute blatant flopping by Clipper players. I'm not suggesting ANY team is without players who flop, but the Clippers are so far in first place with ridiculous flopping, it's not even close.

[Clipper Nation]

http://www.outsidetheboxscoreblog.com/2012/06/shane-battier-and-russell-westbook-pull.html?m=1

[thunderfan]

http://www.outsidetheboxscoreblog.com/2012/06/shane-battier-and-russell-westbook-pull.html?m=1

I'm talking a consistent history of absolute blatant flopping by Clipper players. I'm not suggesting ANY team is without players who flop, but the Clippers are so far in first place with ridiculous flopping, it's not even close.

[thunderfan]

I could also sit here all day and find flopping videos on youtube. What's the point? There's no denying the Clippers are the biggest flopping team in the league.

[Clipper Nation]

:cry

[thunderfan]

Don't be a moron. I can appreciate the talent LAC has, I just hate the flopping and you know they do it. I hate flopping from anyone, so I'm glad to see the refs are doing a better job of letting things go this season...at least that's what I'm seeing. I don't know if the warnings and fines will solve the issue, but its a step in the right direction.

[Reck]

Grizz just got curb stomped by Philly again tonight. That makes two straight ass whopping by pretender teams.

This team has been stumbling the past month.

[Clipper Nation]

Not having a superstar pretty much lowers their expectations as far as playoffs are concerned, and they're not as deep as advertised... I have to believe they'll cool off eventually...

Right about dem Grizz...

[Brunodf]

Unless they ship Rudy Gay, they are not contenders.

[midnightpulp]

Like I've been saying all year, Grizzlies are antiquated. That grind-it-out shit no longer works in the NBA. Today's game is all about spacing, spacing, spacing, and the Grizzlies are still rocking a twin-tower configuration straight out of 2005. Sadly, with all the rule changes and what not, games (and championships) are no longer won in the post.

[racm]

Grizz just got curb stomped by Philly again tonight. That makes two straight ass whopping by pretender teams.

This team has been stumbling the past month.

Got exposed once they started playing road games, tbh.