Hibernation Over

By Max Berger

After losing a heartbreaking seven-game playoff series to the Clippers last spring, many people doubted whether or not the Memphis Grizzlies could come back stronger in the 2012-2013 NBA Season. The first game of this season, Memphis lost, again, to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers may have won that opening game of the season, but at a cost: they awakened the beasts from hibernation, and by beasts I mean the Memphis Grizzlies, who have been on an absolute tear ever since that opening night loss.

The Grizz have won six straight, sitting at 6-1, and have been manhandling everyone in their path, including the two teams from last year’s NBA Finals: the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

AP Photo/ Sue Ogrocki

On November 11^th, Memphis tore apart the defending champion Miami Heat 104-86. The Grizz held the Heat to their second lowest point total of the season and forced Dwayne Wade, who finished with just 8 points, into shooting 3-15 from the field. Zach Randolph had 18 points and 12 rebounds and reserve guard Wayne Ellington put on an incendiary performance, nailing 7 three-pointers and chipping in 25 points off the bench.

Memphis defeated Oklahoma City 107-97 in their next game. “They really picked up their intensity. They played better than us, they deserved to win,” said Thunder head coach Scott Brooks of the Grizzlies. Small forward Rudy Gay had one of his best games of the season with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

After dominating the Heat and Thunder in consecutive games, the Grizzlies have proved that they are hungrier than ever and ready to feast on any of the league’s top teams.

Memphis is doing it on both offense and defense, ranking fourth in the league in total defense and fifth in points per game with 101.6. This is a well-balanced team with every player chipping in.

Zach Randolph, aka Z-Bo, is currently leading the league with 14 rebounds per game. Point guard Mike Conley, in his sixth year in the league, is averaging a career best in points, assists, and rebounds per game. Rudy Gay is doing the same, with 20.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Center Marc Gasol is one of the best passing big men in the game, and guard Tony Allen is still a premier perimeter defender, who, every game is faced with the challenge of defending the opponent’s best wing player.

Currently, Memphis has roared to the second best record in the Western Conference behind Southwestern Division foe San Antonio. It’s still very early in the season though, and teams all around the league may face significant injuries and decreased production with some of their players.

The way it looks now, though, the Grizzlies are not going away any time soon. Perimeter shooting has always been a concern with this team, but so far it has not been an issue with players like Conley, Ellington and others contributing in that department. Memphis will be one of the most ferocious defending teams in the league throughout the season, and if they can continue to score and put up points like they have been doing, they are going to be tough to beat – in the regular season as well as the playoffs.