As 2018 comes to a close, it is time to look back at the many ups and downs the year brought the Memphis Grizzlies organization.
There was not a ton to be excited about as a Memphis Grizzlies fan over the first half of 2018.
The team was hemorrhaging losses; Mike Conley’s health was in question, and Marc Gasol’s ceiling was, too. Few of Memphis’ pieces seemed like long-term fixes, and the Ghost of Chandler Parsons severely capped (pun intended) their flexibility.
The Grizzlies’ 2018 may as well not have started until Draft Night, where they appear to have reaped great value from last season’s misery. Jaren Jackson Jr is already making a loud impact, and is mimicing the arc of a legitimate franchise player. He is sure to clutter this list for many fans.
Grizz Nation has to be thankful for an improved record by the final day of 2018. Though they sit just outside the Western Conference‘s top-eight at 18-17, this season has been filled with more positives than negatives. By this time in 2017, the Memphis Grizzlies were sitting at 12-26 and had endured an 11-game losing streak followed by a five-game losing streak.
2019 figures to be a major year in Grizzlies franchise history, with a final decision on Parsons’ contract sure to be made, plus Gasol’s chance to opt out of his current deal, it is necessary to appreciate this year of transition that we have witnessed from Memphis in 2018.
Beale Street Bears presents our writers’ picks for their favorite Memphis Grizzlies moments of Year 2018 in the following slides.