Memphis Grizzlies play first game without Fizdale

The Memphis Grizzlies will play their first game without Dave Fizdale against the Spurs. Will this team come out motivated? Or will they falter?

The Memphis Grizzlies shocked the NBA world when they fired Dave Fizdale. He came into the job as one of the most respected, qualified candidates in the league. After 100 games with the team, he’s left jobless after an eight-game losing streak.

Now, the Grizzlies will play their first game without him as they face the San Antonio Spurs — their playoff opponent from last season.

What should we expect from this game? Will their fortunes change?

What to expect

The Grizzlies will either have one of those vintage games where they show their mojo to the fullest. Or, they’ll falter and have a crapshoot of a game.

Even without Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs are still a solid team. Behind Gregg Popovich’s brilliance, San Antonio sits third in the Western Conference. He has simply gotten the most out of his talent, especially with the resurgence of LaMarcus Aldridge.

After this whole Dave Fizdale fiasco, Marc Gasol will have the spotlight in this game. Now that he’s out of his damaged relationship with Fizdale, it’ll be interesting how he responds. Granted, he should have his best game of the season in this one. “Aggressive Marc” needs to be unleashed at full force. If he doesn’t show up, he’ll face heavy scrutiny.

Aside from Gasol, it’s going to be interesting to see how the whole team bounces back. In the midst of an eight-game losing streak and a coaching fire, they could easily falter. However, we’ve seen the resilience of this team time and time again.

Will they show that “Grit ‘n’ Grind” edge? Or lose to adversity?

Game Info

Who: Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs

When: 7:30 PM – ct

Where: AT&T Center – San Antonio, TX

How to watch: Fox Sports Southeast (or any online stream)

How to listen: 92.9 ESPN – Memphis

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