The Grizzlies gave San Antonio everything they had in the first round. Mike Conley was incredible, and Marc Gasol shined.
But the second-seeded Spurs advanced in six games.
The problem wasn’t how Memphis played. The problem was that Memphis had to play a team as good as San Antonio.
Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal:
The Grizzlies were worse last year (42-40), but they also had an absurd amount of injuries. Either way, the last two seasons produced the two worst records of the Grit-and-Grind era.
And there’s no clear solution.
Memphis looks old. Zach Randolph (35), Tony Allen (35) and Gasol (32) are past their primes. Chandler Parsons, the team’s big free agent acquisition, can’t stay healthy.
I’m not sure the Grizzlies could push for a significantly better record next year. Even if they could, I’m not sure it’d be worth the wear and tear on these aging veterans come playoffs.
Gasol is a proud player, and he’s trying to set a high standard. But Memphis’ fate might be a pesky No. 7 seed against a formidable foe. That at least beats one alternative, and considering their collective age, the Grizzlies might not be that far from falling out of the postseason entirely.
