Memphis Grizzlies: The Birth of Grit ‘n’ Grind
By AJ Salah
Grit ‘n’ Grind. Stylish alliteration aside, these two words (and conjunctive letter) perfectly defined the Memphis Grizzlies’ rise to NBA relevance. Descendant from a moribund existence that hardly spanned a decade but left a wake of failure in two cities, GNG spawned a new era of both pride and success for a lost franchise.
The GNG Memphis Grizzlies were Brienne of Tarth on a basketball court: far from the prettiest, but stoic, determined, and brutally effective. Their rugged style endeared them deeply to the blue-collar city of Memphis, and NBA fans nostalgic for the days of the Bad Boys Pistons and 90’s Knicks.
While they gutted their way to several deep playoff runs, the NBA habitat swiftly shifted around the Grizzlies, leaving their ground-and-pound style in the dust. “Space and pace” became the name of the game; grit and grind were no longer sufficient.
While the writing had been on the wall for months, the death knell came this summer with Zach Randolph finding a new home – and Tony Allen almost certain to follow.
While we mourn the departed, let us take a moment to reflect on the origin story of Grit N Grind, and the key moments that helped shape an NBA revival in Memphis:
April 30, 2002: Jerry West Hired as President of Basketball Operations
Every legacy needs a foundation. Even though West left Memphis years before the Grit ‘n’ Grind era (and even if his signature moment with the Grizzlies was losing the most harrowing coin flip in NBA Draft Lottery history), he was the cornerstone.
West’s hiring was the first step towards legitimacy, lending credibility to a team nobody took seriously. The moves he made in years to come set the table for Memphis, bridging the gap between lottery fodder and playoff staple.
June 28, 2007: Mike Conley Drafted 4th Overall
Before Conley was one of the NBA’s best two-way point guards, and even before he was dismissed as an overpaid youngster, he was a highly-touted prospect in search of emergence from Greg Oden’s shadow at Ohio State.
Nabbed early in what turned out to be a very “diamond in the rough”-type draft, Conley’s road to stardom was far from direct. While he took time to forge his all-around skill set, his steady work ethic and iron-clad toughness were never in doubt.
February 1, 2008: Draft Rights to Marc Gasol Acquired from Lakers
Media pundits and opposing teams lambasted this trade at the time.. The Gasol-for-Gasol swap was dismissed as a one-sided dump that served L.A. the Larry O’Brien Trophy on a silver platter. After all, certified bust Kwame Brown was the original centerpiece of Memphis’ haul.. The younger Gasol was then an unheralded foreigner taken 44 picks after Conley in 2007.
True as that may have been, first impressions eventually flipped when Marc evolved into one of the NBA’s best big men. In Gasol, the Grizzlies scored a multi-faceted All-Star to serve as the perfect high-post counterpart for a wrecking ball they’d soon acquire.
January 25, 2009: Lionel Hollins Named Head Coach
With a couple key pieces in place, the Grizzlies needed a bench boss to set the tone. Lionel Hollins – an NBA champ with the ’77 Blazers – was a no-nonsense hire who’d been with the organization through some of its darkest days.
A brash workaholic and stubborn puritan, Hollins was heavy on the tough love, and pulled no punches when it came to demanding maximum effort from his players. His style led to future clashes with front offices and wayward rosters, but meshed perfectly with the resilient GNG platoon.
July 17, 2009: Zach Randolph Acquired from Clippers
In contrast to Conley, Z-Bo’s talent was never a question. However, his attitude had worn thin on several franchises, starring on the infamous Jail Blazers before problematic stints with the Knicks and Clippers.
Everything clicked for Randolph in Memphis, where he solidified his rep as a low-post bully, while growing into a heralded franchise leader and community ambassador. His physical play was a headache for more delicate rivals (*cough* Blake Griffin) as the backbone of GNG’s punishing reputation.
Related Story: What ZBo Meant to Memphis
July 13, 2010: Tony Allen signed
Ironically, the man who became known as “The Grindfather” was the last crucial piece to the GNG puzzle. An NBA champ with a relentless dedication to defense, his arrival added Teflon coating to the Grizzlies’ phalanx.
While he only exacerbated Memphis’ eventually-fatal lack of shooting, Allen immediately became the team’s emotional leader, and a lynchpin of the GNG mentality…
February 8, 2011: Rudy Gay Sits, Memphis beats OKC 105-101
…Case in point, this victory came when pseudo-star Rudy Gay sat out with a toe injury, drawing Allen’s ire. The Grindfather thus hung 27 on the Thunder (9-12 from both the field and stripe), with 3 swats and 5 steals in a, um, gritty OT victory.
Of course, his most important contribution came in his post-game interview, where the legend of “Grit N Grind” originated:
These events came to light this past weekend, when Allen’s Q & A at the Basketball Hall of Fame’s ‘60 Days of Summer’ touched on that game. The interview unearthed GNG’s origin and sparked a comical public beef with Gay. Even on his way out, The Grindfather gifted us a lingering reminder of his awesomeness.
April 29, 2011: Memphis Defeats San Antonio 4-2 in First Round of Playoffs
If Grit N Grind was born after the OKC victory, it exploded on a national level when the Grizzlies mauled the top-seeded Spurs, pulling off the uber-rare 8 vs 1 playoff upset.
Conley and Allen suffocated the Spurs’ backcourt, while Randolph and Gasol tossed Tim Duncan around like a rag doll in the post. It was an emphatic victory that signaled Memphis’ arrival as a legitimate NBA threat. The Memphis Grizzlies have made the postseason every year since, the NBA’s third-longest active streak.
Closing Remarks
Of course that streak is in serious peril coming into this season. The Memphis Grizzlies lost several key contributors and are severely tapped for cap space after the Chandler Parsons contract bonfire.
While Gasol and Conley remain as a talented one-two punch, the roster around them is shallow and unproven; hardly cause for optimism in a Western Conference that’s as loaded as ever.
As the front office weighs its options on whether to blow the team up or soldier on through their stars’ primes, the requiem for “Grit ‘n’ Grind” can officially be penned.
GNG was a unique and heartfelt tribute to days of NBA past, when effort and physicality trumped spacing and speed. A dying breed amid a vastly-altered landscape, it was likely the last of its kind, and it played out with passion ‘til the bitter end.
Let us not forget it soon.