Grizzlies Top 5 Moments of the Decade

The Memphis Grizzlies are at the beginning of a long rebuilding process. Just because they’re not at the best they’ve been all decade doesn’t mean we can’t open the history books, and take a look at some of the best moments from the past 10 years.

Over the last decade, the Memphis Grizzlies have gone through a huge transformation as a franchise. Coming into 2010, the team had only experienced three winning seasons, and those seasons were the only playoff berths they had. In 2011, the team made the playoffs again, and won its first playoff series. They made the playoffs for seven straight seasons, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2013.

Behind the “Core Four”, the Grizzlies established their famous “Grit and Grind” mentality. They were a team that no one ever wanted to catch in the playoffs, because each series was a slugfest. The Grizzlies played a slow, defense-oriented game that wore opponents down mentally and physically. Marc Gasol served as an elite defensive anchor, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. With enforcers Tony Allen and Zach Randolph constantly berating the opponent’s best players, the Grizzlies were a modern-day version of the “Bad Boy” Pistons from the early 90’s. Despite his calm demeanor, Mike Conley was arguably the most competitive of the bunch. He always rose to the occasion when the games got tight.

While the Grizzlies were unable to capture the elusive NBA Championship, they managed to string together the most competitive stretch in the team’s history. The Core Four have moved on, and the franchise is aiming to establish a new identity. Now, they’re beginning their rebuild behind Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. While there’s much to be excited about going forward, here’s a look back at some of the top moments of the last decade.