Inheriting the mantle of their predecessors, the new grizzly bear is awe-inspiring
For the Grizzlies, the impression of the little fairy is "defensive tough, tough, small strong spirit", which is the spirit that flows in the blood of this team and is engraved in its bones, and we can know a little bit about its past performances. Whether it's the miracle of the black eight Spurs in the first round of the playoffs in 2011, the seven-game series with the Thunder in 2014, or the first round of the 2-4 elimination of the Spurs in 2017, we have witnessed a team that can play a "five-five- open" situation with any team, and its unbridled characteristics in the course of the game cannot help but be admirable.
In a duel in a martial arts drama, doing your best is the greatest respect for the opponent, and I think the Grizzlies have done this completely, so whether they win or lose, they can get the respect and appreciation that the opponent is willing to offer. When your opponents use normal offensive and defensive tactics to duel with real knives and guns, and feel disdain and scorn for those small means, it is difficult not to be in awe. Maybe this is the tradition of the Grizzlies, from the coaching staff to the players are baptized by this team culture, such qualities are the result of long-term subtlety.
The old greets the new, and the Grizzlies are pleased with the new leader
Even though the "black and white males" have faded away from the NBA, Gasol Jr. has returned to Spain, Randolph has disappeared on the court, Tony Allen is no longer in the jianghu, Conley has found his place in the new owner Jazz, and the old Grizzlies are gone. All along, the team's rebuilding road will not be able to see results anytime soon, but Memphis was very fortunate to be favored by the goddess, selecting point guard Morant with the second pick in the first round in 2019. The self-confident little man who called himself the "God of Point Guard" as soon as he debuted, while being arrogant and arrogant, also used his absolute strength to justify himself, so that the new Grizzlies can become the new upst team in the West.
After the arrival of the 21-22 regular season, many stars lost their dominance in attack because they could not adapt to the new rules of free throws, but Morant was able to rise against the trend and become a rising star. He once ranked in the top five in scoring, compared with Curry, Durant and other long-established superstars, in scoring, rebounding, steals, blocks, shooting percentage, three-point shooting rate, free throw shooting rate have refreshed his career highs, which is a data-based presentation of his personal ability progress.
First the brave day, then the lake net, the Grizzlies into a strong team touchstone
At the beginning of the season, the Warriors played an unstoppable offense, once again showing the deep heritage and inviolability of the Dynasty Championship team, but the Warriors still had a difficult opponent, and the Grizzlies gave the Warriors a rare defeat. The Warriors' defensive strength lies in the overall co-defense and unlimited change of defense, but the Grizzlies have a number of ball carriers who are good at mid-range and throwing, plus they have a number of flexible players, can limit the Warriors' outside line and defeat opponents in the Warriors' difficult to defend offensive methods, the Warriors are not wronged in their hands.
Then in the seven-game winning streak just achieved, the Grizzlies defeated the Suns, Nets, and Lakers respectively, first to kill the brave day, and then to destroy the Lake Net, making the Grizzlies a touchstone for a strong team, quietly coming to the fourth place position in the West with a record of 26 wins and 14 losses, and successfully completed the small goal after the reconstruction. We may be able to believe that Morant can lead the Grizzlies to the rise, but we can't guess that this team can play so well and become the big dark horse of the West with such a rapid posture.
Against the trend, Morant and the Grizzlies are a perfect match
At this moment, the 22-year-old Morant began to show his sharp edge, and his offensive performance of 25 points per game has allowed him to rank among the superstars, and the data can objectively show his strength. So far this season, Morant is in first place with 13.6 points per game, teammate Dillon praised Morant as the best defender in the league, and Bill Simmons thought Morant was as undefendable as Rose of yesteryear. To be recognized by the public, it must be the result of the prominence of our own strength, not the deliberate efforts of us to sneak around.
At the same time, according to US media statistics, in the past 20 games, the Grizzlies have been able to limit the opponent's overall shooting rate to 42.2%, which is the lowest in the league. While continuing the team's strong defensive spirit, the Grizzlies have also seen more possibilities for many teams with their anti-trend play, after all, the Warriors' small-ball play has made the league's teams follow suit. Judging from the number of three-point shots, the Grizzlies' average three-point shooting per game ranks outside the league's twenty, which is out of place in the current atmosphere of emphasizing speed and three-point play, but the Grizzlies are able to achieve excellent results.
The strange team core and special team style make Morant and the Grizzlies a perfect combination, and the two are a perfect match. Morant not only has the physical qualities of Rose and Westbrook, but also has unparalleled ball quotient and extremes, which allows him to quickly stand out among many point guards. Perhaps, we are witnessing the history of a legendary defender, just being in it and the authorities are confused.
The Grizzlies have a chance to be spoilers in the West, and you and I have to appreciate this journey, and Morant's time is not to be missed.