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Memphis Grizzlies Come Away from Orlando as Victors

By Christian Dudley

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Nov 19, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Memphis Grizzlies guard Jordan Adams (3) dribbles toward the basket during the Grizzlies 96-92 loss to Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Memphis Grizzlies are the NBA’s 2015 Orlando Summer League champions!

The young Memphis Grizzlies came to Orlando. They saw. They conquered.

The Memphis Grizzlies are the 2015 Orlando Summer League champions!

That is correct. The players that pretty much saw very little and almost no floor time in the 2014-15 season are proving to be extremely valuable when given the opportunity–and the minutes.

In a championship matchup that featured the Grizzlies versus the Orlando Magic White team, it nearly seemed like your typical Grizz game on a week night. Memphis earned an early lead, but it did not last. It was a back-and-forth affair for the remainder of the game, and like any typical Grizz contest, it went to overtime. And then another overtime.

Per summer league rules, a second overtime is played by the means of “sudden death,” describing the first team to put a point or points on the board is the eventual victor.

This scenario had already been experienced earlier in the week by the Memphis Grizzlies when they won via sudden death on a Russ Smith second-chance basket–a floating shot in the paint.

Would history repeat itself?

It definitely would on Friday.

The Grizzlies have been looking in the direction of “Russdiculous” all week long. He has been their go-to guy on both ends of the floor, especially in clutch moments of the games.

Smith’s tossed layup would win it all for the Grizzlies–marking the end of a highlight-filled week for Russdiculous and his M-Town squad.

The final score read:

Final. 73. 38. 75. 211

The Grizzlies’ 2014 first round NBA Draft selection, Jordan Adams, had his ups and downs this week on both ends of the floor. At times it looked as if he is ready to play a major role for Memphis in this upcoming season while other times it looked as if he was only half into the game being played. Overall, he put forth a solid effort and showed Grizz Nation that he can be a scoring option off the bench. He finished with 12 points (3/10 shooting) and four rebounds in the championship game.

Russ Smith was by far the best player of the game once again and the argument could be made that he was the most impressive youngster in the entire 2015 Orlando Summer League. Despite his small stature, Smith routinely drove into the lane, grabbed rebounds, made big baskets, and found teammates for good shot attempts in each of the Grizzlies’ games this week. He displayed clutch shooting and playmaking abilities while coming up with huge defensive stops.

Just how instant was his offense? Take a look for yourself at this halftime buzzer-beating and lead-changing dagger:

With such a great week by Russdiculous, one has to think that there is a guaranteed roster spot with Russ’ name written on it in permanent ink. Smith was the epitome of grit-‘n’-grind in each game.

For his tremendous week, Russ Smith was named to NBATV’s All-Tournament team. The top-five list is as follows in the next tweet:

Second-year big man Jarnell Stokes has finally come alive after a slow start to the Orlando Summer League. He grabbed six rebounds and contributed seven points to the scoreboard for Memphis. He, along with Smith and Adams, have separated themselves form the rest of the pack that is known as their summer league teammates. These three players most definitely packed the majority of the punch for the Memphis Grizzlies en route to the championship.

Andrew Harrison struggled for the Grizzlies again despite his team getting the win. He is having trouble finding a rhythm against increased competition in the newest stage of his professional journey. He missed the potential game-winning layup on Friday, but thankfully Smith enabled M-Town to come away with the W later in the matchup. The Grizzlies’ Front Office has some huge fans of his, so he still has a solid chance at making the final roster in late-October.

The Grizzlies’ JaMychal Green has not played much this week due to an illness.

Apr 13, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Leandro Barbosa (19) fouls Memphis Grizzlies guard Russ Smith (2) on a shot with Golden State Warriors center Marreese Speights (5) during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 111-107. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Will the leadership–along with his scoring ability and passion–shown by Russ smith earn himself a guaranteed roster spot with Memphis in the upcoming season?

Can the Memphis Grizzlies follow the summer league championship with their first ever NBA World Championship?

One key for Memphis to winning the World Championship may need include them handing rotation minutes to a few of the young guys of their summer league roster throughout next season. Battered bodies and a lack of fresh legs were major factors to the Grizzlies’ downfall late in the 2014-15 season as well as the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

Russ Smith and company are displaying impressive development and perhaps they will have turned enough heads in Memphis’ Front Office to earn important roles–and guaranteed roster spots–as we move closer to training camp and the preseason.

Grizz Nation, which young Grizzlies were you most impressed during the Orlando Summer League? Have any solidified a roster spot in your eyes? Should anyone be cut before preseason? Let us know your thoughts!

Continue to check Beale Street Bears for the latest offseason news and info regarding your Memphis Grizzlies!

Go Grizz!

Next: Ed Davis Snubs Mike Conley in a Portland Press Conference?

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