Marc Gasol and Mike Conley (Photo : Twitter)
The Memphis Grizzlies were once touted to be contenders. They seem to have been "forgotten."
That's the description that given by Sir Charles In Charge. All the buzz about the Western Conference in the upcoming season concerns the Warriors, the Spurs, the Rockets and even the Thunder who did not make the playoffs last season.
Perhaps it's because, as NBC Sports asks, they are too old? The argument is presented in numbers and facts.
"Three teams posted an average age, weighted by minutes played, above 30 in last year's playoffs.
One signed LaMarcus Aldridge. Another thought it locked up DeAndre Jordan and initially planned to rebuild if it didn't get him.
The third: The Memphis Grizzlies."
NBC mentioned that the other "aging" teams, the Spurs and the Clippers, have made improvements. The Grizzlies, on the other hand:
"The Grizzlies will once again rely heavily on Zach Randolph (34) and Marc Gasol (30).Tony Allen (33) and Courtney Lee (30 in a few weeks) will be key on the wing. Can Mike Conley (28 in about a month) hold it all together?"
Mike Conley is at his peak, and is rising up the steep point guard ladder. But the Grizzlies have no young star to support him at the backcourt. The rest of the team's core:
"But the other big offseason acquisition was Matt Barnes (35). The rotation is littered with old players like Vince Carter (38) and Beno Udrih (33). Jeff Green (29) hasn't performed nearly as well as hoped since last season's mid-year trade."
It is still a strong team, with one of the best center-power forward tandems in the league plus an elite "one," that is enviable.
Sir Charles in Charge states that it's because they haven't caught up with the three-ball style. "A big reason they have struggled to get over the hump is the lack of outside shooting on the roster. Last season, they shot the eighth worst 3-point percentage in the NBA (33.9 percent) - and that was only on 15.2 attempts per game (2nd worst in the NBA)."
Will old school "Grit and Grind" still hack it in the NBA? It would still be good enough to merit a playoff appearance. But a match-up against any of the top teams mentioned may lead them to a first round exit. Will that also spur a paradigm shift for Memphis?
