The Memphis Grizzlies were looking to continue their hot start, as they touched down in Portland with a 4-0 record. Ja Morant faced off against the Grizzlies for the first time since being traded to the Trail Blazers over the summer. Two undefeated teams, but only one of them would remain that way.
In the end, it was the Grizzlies who came out victorious, spoiling Morant’s revenge game with their fourth straight road win.
History is made
For the majority of the first half, the game stayed fairly close, with several ties and back-and-forth swings. Memphis was getting contributions from so many players on the starting lineup, as well as the bench, and that same storyline continued into the second half.
Cam Boozer had an incredible night and got his first career triple-double, but he also made history in the process. With 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, Boozer became the youngest frontcourt player to record a triple-double and the second-youngest player in NBA history to do so.
This was a huge moment for the rookie, but Cam Boozer wasn’t the only one making history for Memphis. The entire team made history, too. Until now, the only other time the Grizzlies began a season 5-0 was in 2014-15. Yes, it’s an incredible start to the year, but how will this young group handle the long NBA season?
Everybody is contributing
Well, the Grizzlies are proving they have an important key to success, which will help them as the season progresses. That key is roster depth. Even though the sample size is small, this group has shown in the first five games that there are many players who can be a threat to opponents.
In this most recent game against Portland, eight Grizzlies had a double-digit scoring night, the team had a total of 54 rebounds (25 of which were off the bench) and 32 assists, 18 made three-point shots, and nobody missed a free-throw. They played great defensively too, which ultimately led to their 124-103 victory over the Trail Blazers.
There is also a clear sense of companionship with the group that is almost giving off a similar vibe to the 2021-22 Grizzlies squad.
As Cam Boozer was being interviewed about his historic triple-double, Cedric Coward, GG Jackson, and Taylor Hendricks gathered around him. “He’s just a rookie!” Coward said proudly about his teammate.
And even before that, with about two and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter, everyone on the Memphis bench was hyped up. Cam Boozer, Isaiah Stewart, Cam Spencer, and Zach Edey were jumping up and down, high-fiving each other on the sideline.
The best surprise for Grizzlies fans
This is an early-season surprise, especially after ESPN predicted the Grizzlies would go 27-55 and finish the year among the bottom five teams in the Western Conference.
It’s hard to make predictions when a team is rebuilding, because nobody knows how the team will perform together yet. However, so far, this new-era Memphis team has exceeded expectations, and Grizzlies fans have a lot to be excited about this year!
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