Special Edition Link Dump: Memphis in the Spotlight

May 27, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; A general view in the fourth quarter of game four of the Western Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs between the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

One of the many perks of reaching the conference finals (and being one of only four teams for NBA journalists to talk about) is the extended media coverage. Some of the best writers in the game (national and local) took deep, insightful looks at the Grizzlies, and discovered the culture and attitude that made this team unique. Some even spent time in Memphis and began to appreciate the Grizzlies in their regional context. Sit back and read some of the best coverage that was posted in the last few weeks.

▷ Grantland

Remembering the Grizzlies: Grit and Grind Until the End of Time | Andrew Sharp

“As for the Grizzlies? It’s been a long time since we had a team that was this enjoyable to follow on a daily basis.”

The Z-Bo Issue | Zach Lowe

“This is a team comfortable in its own skin, and one that understands how it wishes to go about every grind of a possession.”

Grizzly Man | Zach Lowe

“We used to laugh at Mike Conley, too. We don’t anymore.”

▷ SB Nation

Everyone knows someone in Memphis: the Grizzlies, the city, and the end | Spencer Hall

“A team rarely ever truly represents a city, but the Grizzlies — and Memphis — weren’t normal in the least.”

▷ ESPN TrueHoop

Memphis Grizzlies: The Cable Drama | Kevin Arnovitz

“In just seven months, the Memphis Grizzlies have packed enough intrigue for a season of an Emmy-award-winning TV series.”

Grinding to a halt in Memphis | Kevin Arnovitz

“How do you quantify culture? That’s one of the inordinately difficult questions facing the Grizzlies this offseason. Because it’s impossible for even the most unsentimental observer to spend time on the ground in Memphis without sensing there’s something authentic about the relationship between the city and its team.”

▷ The Memphis Flyer

Welcome to Memphis: The Griz Glossary | Chris Herrington

“Under Allen’s manic influence, the Grizzlies and their fans have developed one of the league’s more colorful cultures.”

How a Resurrection Really Feels | Chris Herrington

“…Memphis likes chaos and color. Toughness and theatricality. This is a town raised on wrestling and rock-and-roll and raconteurs. Where Sputnik Monroe and Dewey Phillips and Tony Allen are part of a treasured continuum. This was a game with 18,119 waving towels that read “We Don’t Bluff” only because “I’ll Beat Your A**” is a bridge too far. This is a town where the mascot unfurled a banner that read “FINISH THEM” in the fourth quarter and a spontaneous chant of “Whoop That Trick” filled an arena. It’s a little crazy. We know that.”

To top it off, Grantland honcho Bill Simmons spent some time in the city as a part of the ESPN Countdown crew, and was thoroughly charmed.