Spring Break
Hope in the Grizzly City
Peter Zanca
Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Sports
When the Memphis Grizzlies began their regular season two weeks ago, the city of Memphis didn't have high expectations for its lone major professional franchise. With nearly every sports media outlet predicting the Grizzlies to finish at the bottom of the Western Conference this season, fans braced themselves for another long season ending with high hopes for the 2009 NBA Draft.
However, in the Grizzlies' first few games the team has given the city a different kind of hope. Owner Michael Heisley previously described this season as the first year in a three-year plan to build a playoff team-but the players and coaches are demonstrating that they don't plan on waiting three years. They are ready to win now.
In the first few games of the season, the Grizzlies have already shown a great deal of competitive drive and have pulled out several victories over teams from last year's playoffs. Most notably, the Grizz beat the Orlando Magic in the home-opener on a stunning buzzer-beater-making it the first opening-night win since the franchise was born. Using the basic formula for restarting a struggling team from scratch, the Grizz have a resilient team in the making.
Over the summer, team management committed fully to building this team from the bottom up with young players. Veterans Mike Miller and Brian Cardinal were shipped off to Minnesota for rookie O.J. Mayo. Hakim Warrick now remains as the sole Grizzly left from the team's playoff years. Rounding out the team's youth movement were second-round steal Darrell Arthur and Spain's Marc Gasol, acquired in the trade for his brother Pau. The Grizzlies now stand as the third youngest team in the league.
However, the front office's most brilliant acquisition doesn't even wear a uniform. Assistant coach Kevin O'Neill was hired essentially as the team's defensive coordinator. In the opening games of the season, O'Neill's handiwork has been beautifully displayed. Through their first four games, the Grizzlies kept each of their opponents to fewer than 97 points. Last year's team managed that feat only twelve times over the entire season. The players' observable commitment to toughness and intensity on the defensive end has kept the Grizzlies in each of their games and has provided them with opportunities to win each one.
The best part of this new mindset, of course, is that it is exciting to watch. There is a shared passion and competitive drive in these players not seen in a Grizzly team since the 50-win season in 2003-2004.
As alluded to, perhaps the most notable aspect of the team is their youth across the board. Most teams tend to keep one veteran star around as the model for their youngsters, but the Grizzlies are taking a riskier path. While veterans Greg Buckner, Marko Jaric and Antoine Walker warm the bench as leftovers from the Mayo trade, the organization has chosen third-year star Rudy Gay to be the team's leader.
However, in the Grizzlies' first few games the team has given the city a different kind of hope. Owner Michael Heisley previously described this season as the first year in a three-year plan to build a playoff team-but the players and coaches are demonstrating that they don't plan on waiting three years. They are ready to win now.
In the first few games of the season, the Grizzlies have already shown a great deal of competitive drive and have pulled out several victories over teams from last year's playoffs. Most notably, the Grizz beat the Orlando Magic in the home-opener on a stunning buzzer-beater-making it the first opening-night win since the franchise was born. Using the basic formula for restarting a struggling team from scratch, the Grizz have a resilient team in the making.
Over the summer, team management committed fully to building this team from the bottom up with young players. Veterans Mike Miller and Brian Cardinal were shipped off to Minnesota for rookie O.J. Mayo. Hakim Warrick now remains as the sole Grizzly left from the team's playoff years. Rounding out the team's youth movement were second-round steal Darrell Arthur and Spain's Marc Gasol, acquired in the trade for his brother Pau. The Grizzlies now stand as the third youngest team in the league.
However, the front office's most brilliant acquisition doesn't even wear a uniform. Assistant coach Kevin O'Neill was hired essentially as the team's defensive coordinator. In the opening games of the season, O'Neill's handiwork has been beautifully displayed. Through their first four games, the Grizzlies kept each of their opponents to fewer than 97 points. Last year's team managed that feat only twelve times over the entire season. The players' observable commitment to toughness and intensity on the defensive end has kept the Grizzlies in each of their games and has provided them with opportunities to win each one.
The best part of this new mindset, of course, is that it is exciting to watch. There is a shared passion and competitive drive in these players not seen in a Grizzly team since the 50-win season in 2003-2004.
As alluded to, perhaps the most notable aspect of the team is their youth across the board. Most teams tend to keep one veteran star around as the model for their youngsters, but the Grizzlies are taking a riskier path. While veterans Greg Buckner, Marko Jaric and Antoine Walker warm the bench as leftovers from the Mayo trade, the organization has chosen third-year star Rudy Gay to be the team's leader.
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