CBSSports ranks Memphis Grizzlies first in this week’s power rankings
The Memphis Grizzlies have received much-deserved recognition and a spot at the top of CBSSports’ weekly power rankings for their hot 5-1 start.
The Memphis Grizzlies are off to an unexpected hot start. Without veteran leaders such as Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter, it was hard to see how the Grizzlies would respond.
The perceived starting lineup consisted of two All-Star-caliber players, a giant injury question mark, power forward with elite defense but limited offensive abilities and a talent question mark at the two. In addition, their bench was unproven and had major healthy concerns.
Coach Dave Fizdale made some adjustments in the rotations, and it’s paying dividends. In order to ease him into minutes, he moved Chandler Parsons to the bench as the backup power forward. In the process, Parsons is finding his rhythm from deep and gaining confidence as a result.
The bench is full of injury-reclamation projects — with the exception of rookie Dillon Brooks. Marc Gasol has played at an MVP-level, while Mike Conley has struggled — aside from his crunch-time heroics.
After wins against the Rockets (twice) and the Warriors, some people in the media have taken notice. While there’s still critics sleeping (nothing new, right?), CBSSports has the Memphis Grizzlies are the number one team in this week’s power rankings:
"Barring one bad loss to Dallas, the Grizzlies look great. Marc Gasol is playing like an early MVP candidate and the youth on the roster is already coming into their own. Even Chandler Parsons is playing well. The “Grit ‘N’ Grind” era might be over but these Grizzlies have not skipped a beat."
Nothing that hasn’t been mentioned before, but one thing to keep an eye on is the last sentence. As many times as people say it’s still alive, “Grit ‘N’ Grind” has become more of a mindset than a game style.
Even though they’re last in pace, the offense looks revamped. They shoot more 3-pointers, launching 28.8 attempts per game (13th in the league) and making 35.3 percent (16th in the league). They’re scoring more points, averaging 100.8 points a game. The Grizzlies are also playing faster, generating 13.2 fast break points per game (fifth in the league).
Where the “Grit ‘N’ Grind” comes into play is the defense. They still possess an elite defense that may look better than last year’s. This year, they’ve focused more on switching on everything — a strategy that has worked with more interchangeable players. In addition, they have a top-5 defensive rating (97.2) and have held the Rockets to under 100 points in both games.
It’s hard to see whether or not the Grizzlies can remain the league’s best team, but this run has been eye-opening nonetheless.
Other rankings
ESPN: 5th; other top-5 teams: Rockets, Warriors, Spurs, Clippers.
NBA: 1st; other top-5 teams: Rockets, Warriors, Clippers, Spurs.
Next: Selden's journey to the NBA
Closing Remarks
There’s still certainly more work for the Memphis Grizzlies. Power rankings are nice, but it doesn’t define the season. They can’t stay complacent, and they must continue playing at a high level.