Two Former Memphis Grizzlies in 2015 NBA Finals

Jun 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Marreese Speights (5) handles the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) during the second quarter in game one of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The 2015 NBA Finals have begun and even though the Memphis Grizzlies are not in the series, there are two former Grizz players making an appearance.

Tonight’s Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals is currently being played–the Cleveland Cavaliers versus the Golden State Warriors. The Memphis Grizzlies’ franchise did not reach this point of the postseason, but they do have two former club members playing in the Finals.

Who are the two?

May 4, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mike Miller (18) rebounds in the first quarter against the Chicago Bulls in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland’s Mike Miller (pictured right) and Golden State’s Marreese Speights (pictured left). Two players that gave solid contributions to the Memphis Grizzlies during their tenure with the squad–and in Miller’s case, two different tenures.

Mike Miller spent seven seasons–the most of any of the six teams he has been a member–with the Memphis Grizzlies. He amassed just shy of 6,000 points with the Grizz while seeing floor time in 453 Grizzlies’ games (281 of those being starts). What is very astounding when looking at Double-M’s statistics from his Grizzly days is that he nailed 844 three-point shots in those seven seasons.

Apr 4, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors center Marreese Speights (5) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Marreese Speights was a Grizzly for parts of two seasons. He played in exactly 100 games for Memphis (56 starts). He tallied 788 points and 563 rebounds in a Grizzlies’ uniform before being dealt to Cleveland in the 2012-13 regular season.

This is Miller’s fourth appearance in an NBA Finals series while this is Speights’ first. There certainly are two completely different anxiety levels amongst the two players as they suit up in this series–Mike having been in this type of atmosphere many times now yet Marreese experiencing this for the first time.

Can Speights win his first NBA World Championship or will Miller rack up another one? We will all witness an answer to this very soon as the 2014-15 NBA season is nearing an end.

Best of luck to both former Memphis Grizzlies!

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