Bear Hug: Grizzlies Getting Pub
Raise your hand if you’ve ever said something like “No one is talking about us. We get no respect from the national media.” (hand raised). I hear/read people making this point about the Griz but it’s simply not true. Perhaps, if you only judge based on Sportscenter highlights you might reach that conclusion. However, the truth is that NBA media members love to write about the Griz. It provides them the opportunity to analyze a team that gets it done in a different way.
Here are a few articles from the past week that center on or mention the Grizzlies. There have been more but these are ones I remember off the top of my head.
Marc Gasol: An Internal Monologue
Chris Ryan of Grantland.com imagines what Marc Gasol was thinking during his thunderous dunk against the Phoenix Suns. It’s hilarious and only takes a second to read.
Grizzlies Manage to Create Depth With Design
Rob Mahoney of the New York Times NBA blog, Off the Dribble, looks at how the Lionel Hollins and Chris Wallace have manufactured depth from thin air.
Depth Makes Grizzlies a Force in Western Conference
J. Michael Falgoust of USA TODAY with another piece on the Grizzlies surprising depth.
Absurd Tanking! Knicks Surging! Miami’s Madness!
Bill Simmons of Grantland.com gives you 33 reasons to be excited about the last two weeks of the NBA season. This is what I’m talking about when I say it’s hard to play the no respect card. For better or worse, Simmons is ESPN’s number one writing personality. Here is a brief excerpt of reason number 26 from the man with over 1.6 million Twitter followers.
If they rig this correctly, they could draw the super-beatable Clips in Round 1 and Oklahoma City (a team they should have beaten last spring) in Round 2. I thought they would make the Finals in December; I feel even more strongly about that in April. Just sayin’.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com list seven teams he believes could win a title. Here’s a hint: one of the plays in Memphis.
I gotta admit, Chase.
I was among on of the ones that counted the Grizz out. I should have learned my lesson from last year.
I stand corrected.