Despite a recent 4-game losing streak that has slowly chipped away at their top spot in the West, the Memphis Grizzlies are still considered a top-10 team.
In a recent tweet, a graph laid out every NBA team based on their regular season records over the past 10 seasons. Among the top contenders were none other than the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies have seen tremendous victories and are one of the most successful teams based on their wins and losses. Even with LeBron James‘ dominant time in Cleveland, the Cavaliers are nowhere near the success of the Grizzlies this decade.
Some of the top teams that may look familiar in this chart are Western Conference foes by the likes of the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder. Also included are the Miami Heat (kudos to LeBron again) and a surprising appearance by the Atlanta Hawks. Additionally, the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers receive recognition in this discussion.
Out of all these teams, though, you will find the Memphis Grizzlies in 9th place out of 30 NBA franchises. Memphis has spent 69% of their franchise days above .500 over the last 10 seasons.
This is an impressive statistic if you read through all the other teams that have been listed. It is an even more impressive feat if you take notice of all the teams that were not listed, such as the Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Full chart of %Days above/below .500 in last decade. Look at the Spurs ... pic.twitter.com/cXFXz3tjnG
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) December 13, 2018
DECADE STRONG
The Memphis Grizzlies are still one of the best teams of this decade. Over the past few games, we have seen a struggling Marc Gasol, a lack of inside shots, and many Western Conference teams taking control simultaneously. This has pushed Memphis a step or two below their hot start to the 2018-19 season.
In the games that the Grizzlies control the pace, they can control the game. Memphis may be the slowest team in the league, but they did not become one of the best teams by giving into other teams. The Memphis Grizzlies are continuing their recipe for success without alterations.