When encountering the Nets, the Grizzlies are not the favored side, because the other side is a championship team, and their own side is at a disadvantage regardless of their book strength or star quality. But the Grizzlies became the winner, winning 118-104 over the Nets to extend the winning streak to five games. This isn't the first time the Grizzlies have beaten the title contenders, and during a five-game winning streak, they also took down the Suns. The Suns reached the Finals last season and are now the second-best team in the league and are favourites for the title. In previous games this season, the Grizzlies had also beaten the League's No. 1 Warriors and cut off top teams such as the Jazz 76ers.
Today, the Grizzlies are 4th in the West with a record of 25 wins and 14 losses, and they are not a championship-fighting team. But in the playoffs, the Grizzlies are opponents that any team doesn't want to touch because they think they have to peel off their skin. The feared grizzly bear is back, and they left a strong mark on history.
In the 2010-11 season, the Grizzlies finished with a record of 46 wins and 36 losses, making it to the playoffs as no. 8 in the West. The First Spurs in the West that year were also a big favorite for the title. Before the series began, the Grizzlies were thought to be swept. However, the Grizzlies broke out of the big cold, eliminating the opponent 4-2, becoming the fourth team in NBA history to create a black 8.
In the 2013-14 season, the Grizzlies came close to creating the Black 7 miracle. That season, the Grizzlies made the playoffs with a record of 50 wins and 32 losses. In front of the big team led by Durant and Westbrook, the Grizzlies look vulnerable. However, the Grizzlies played the Thunder very badly, and the battle was a 3-3 draw, and the Thunder were able to advance by grabbing 7.
For many seasons in a row, the Grizzlies have been tough in the playoffs, and no team can easily get past them. The Grizzlies at the time were powerful because they built an iron-blooded defense. Inside the defensive gates against Gasol, Randolph is willing to work hard defensively, and no one can easily score in the Grizzlies penalty area. The Grizzlies have super gates such as Tony Allen on the outside, and even superstars such as Durant have a headache when they see them.
Compared with the previous Grizzlies, the current Grizzlies also focus on defense, but the defensive level only belongs to the middle class, and they are more powerful in offense. So far this season, the Grizzlies have averaged 111.6 points per game, ranking 6th in the NBA.
The firepower is strong because the Grizzlies have super scorer Morant. This season marks Morant's third season in the NBA, averaging 25.1 points per game and 41 points in a single game. With a variety of scoring methods, Morant's lethality in the penalty area is the first in the league. Averaging 14.7 points per game in the penalty area, Morante is the king of the box, although he is only 1.91 meters tall.
Outside of Morant, Brooks averaged 19.3 points per game, Bain averaged 17.4 points per game, Jaren Jackson averaged 16.1 points per game and Melton averaged 10.5 points per game. There are 5 people who average double-doubles per game, and there are 9 players who average 4 points per game, which is almost everyone can attack.
Such a grizzly bear is also difficult to defend. Morant has missed a number of games this season, but the Grizzlies have won back-to-backs as Bane and others stepped forward. Conversely, when Bane and the others are muted, Morant can also stand up and take over the game. Role players such as Clark can also serve as tacklers, and Clark has scored in double figures in three consecutive games.
The Grizzlies are a difficult team to defend for any team, which is the key to their ability to cut down multiple strong teams this season. In the playoffs, the Grizzlies are also difficult to be defended, and it is possible to eliminate the Warriors or the Suns and change the NBA championship pattern.