In a season full of negatives, the Memphis Grizzlies still won
The Memphis Grizzlies are on the cusp of finishing last in the NBA, but like I’ve said all season, when they’re losing, they’re still winning.
Losing with purpose, something I never thought I would be on board with, but with the prospects coming out of college and overseas, the Memphis Grizzlies needed this. They needed to lose after seven straight playoff appearances, and losing two of their core four this past off-season. I’m sure you’re wondering where the positives are in a losing season, but not looking to deep it is pretty easy see.
Progression
For years, Memphis has had an “older” team, and progression with rookies and young guys has never really been a thing. However, starting in 2017 it looks as if the Grizzlies will bring together a new core. Dillon Brooks, Ivan Rabb, Kobi Simmons and the future top-five pick.
These guys will fill the roles around Mike Conley and Marc Gasol when the ball is tipped in 2018. Simmons, Rabb, and Brooks all hadn’t really experienced losing in their collegiate careers, but they needed this season to study their own game after close losses and to progress towards next season.
Guys like Andrew Harrison and Wayne Selden will be ready when the ball is tipped next season, too. Selden has battled injuries this season, but just his presence on the court has been good to have at times. Harrison has turned his game around from last season and has made a really good case to be an NBA point guard in the future. With the Grizzlies, maybe. With 10 other NBA teams? No doubt Harrison has the tools to be a good NBA point guard.
If we’re looking at another area of progression, Gasol’s attitude with the younger guys has been a lot better to say the least. In the past, Gasol would have a small fit and blame others, but losing 50+ games with guys that are fighting for an NBA future has Marc teaching more about the game. Teaching them when to roll, where to be, and even providing constructive criticism in post-game pressers.
Gasol has been a true professional this season for the Grizzlies, and that has been a huge positive.
Bloggers/Pod casters
I’m sort of new to this, but I felt like all of us became close. Everyone on the blogging network for the Memphis Grizzlies bonded off a common interest: Tanking.
Getting ready for next season was the clearcut choice when the season started, and became clearer as the losses piled up. “#TankEmDown901,” as Anthony Sain would label this season, was fun. Yes, fun, becuase our season hasn’t started until the draft lottery. That night, our season starts, but this was a good preview.
The Fans
The fans are what make all of this possible, right? It took sometime to get you guys all in on the team tanking for a brighter future, but we are all in this together. We write, and podcast for you guys; you make it possible. This season showed how many people were all in on the team in Beale Street blue. It was fun to have conversation before games, and talk via Twitter and Facebook, you guys are amazing.
While we focus so much on the team losing, I and several others continued to look for the positives to watch for this season. The seeing players progress and getting closer with the fans and the people I look up to were all positives in the 2017 “tankathon.”