The Memphis Grizzlies have exceeded expectations through the NBA season’s first month. It’s time to hand out some hardware to the players most responsible.
Friday marked the 2018-19 season’s one-month checkpoint. The Memphis Grizzlies have now played well into double-digit games, and early-season small samples are beginning to give way to sustainable trends.
Month one has to be considered a great success for the Memphis Grizzlies. Their preseason situation was murky, to say the least, with many swapped roster pieces, a newly-installed coach, and multiple identity issues. Sputtering out of the gate seemed very likely.
Instead, Memphis is 9-5, unlikely kings of the Southwest Division, and have beaten some of the NBA’s best teams early.
They’re stubbornly refusing to evolve with the league’s pace-and-space revolution; suffocating teams on D, and snaring national media buzz.
While their start seems promising, it’s realistic that this team hasn’t even hit their ceiling yet, on numerous levels. Mike Conley wasn’t himself for the season’s first ten games and is only now regaining form.
Their hot start has been pulled off basically without JaMychal Green or Chandler Parsons, and with Dillon Brooks either injured or (mostly) below 100%. And the roster will likely only gel further with continuity after Memphis flipped over half their rotation this offseason.
There’s suddenly plenty to be excited about for Memphis fans this year. But before we look too far ahead, here are Beale Street Bears‘ First-Month Grizzlies Awards. We’ll be handing out each of the NBA’s annual trophies (obviously excluding Coach of the Year):