Why are people outrageously overrating the Grizzlies?

[maybeshewill13]

I like the Grizzlies. They are a tough team, play the post extremely well and are the top defensive side.. BUT every single one of their games against a Thunder team without a top 5-6 player went down to the the wire. Every game was extremely close.

The Thunder start Kendrick ****ing Perkins and Derek ****ing Fisher gets heavy minutes.

Lets face it. Without GAWDbrook this Thunder team is a 6-7 seed. The Grizzlies have won a series they should have.. that's it.

[All Net]

I think thunder deserve credit for how close every game was...

[I.R.Beast]

I like the Grizzlies. They are a tough team, play the post extremely well and are the top defensive side.. BUT every single one of their games against a Thunder team without a top 5-6 player went down to the the wire. Every game was extremely close.

The Thunder start Kendrick ****ing Perkins and Derek ****ing Fisher gets heavy minutes.

Lets face it. Without GAWDbrook this Thunder team is a 6-7 seed. The Grizzlies have won a series they should have.. that's it.
Everyone loves the hardnosed physical underdog man. The thing that is don't get i how people seriously feel as though they improved after the rudy gay trade..Eveb the thunder had a better record without Harden this year, but noone seriously belives they were a better team without him though right?...smh

[COnDEMnED]

Of course they should have won...Also, are you saying Spurs>Thunder? Ipso facto, its not overrating the Grizzlies to say they will be in the finals.

[maybeshewill13]

Of course they should have won...Also, are you saying Spurs>Thunder? Ipso facto, its not overrating the Grizzlies to say they will be in the finals.
People are making threads saying they are going to win the championship because they beat OKC without GAWDbrook.. Nikka please :facepalm

If OKC can keep every game this close with Durant and shitty role players Lebron, Bosh and their better supporting cast will wipe the floor with the Grizzlies.

[SyRyanYang]

People are making threads saying they are going to win the championship because they beat OKC without GAWDbrook.. Nikka please :facepalm

If OKC can keep every game this close with Durant and shitty role players Lebron, Bosh and their better supporting cast will wipe the floor with the Grizzlies.

They will not get past the Spurs.

[maybeshewill13]

They will not get past the Spurs.
I agree.

[AussieG]

Some counter points..

Many Grizz fans, myself included were worried after the first week after that trade. The team was so emo, and would drop their heads and the season appeared over.

Then after the All Star break, they adjusted to the new players (not just Prince).. and the longer time went on, the more that they seemed BETTER after the trade. Better offensive flow, better passing, better defense and a tougher overall team. And the one thing that Gay gave.. clutch shooting, others stepped up like Conley.

All of this was before the playoffs started.

The other thing is.. the Grizz play playoff style basketball all season long. I don't know if that is why they could be overrated or not.. but the point is.. they are used to ugly, scrappy defensive games, the same sort of games that the entire Thunder series was.. every single game.

Since the playoffs have started..

They lost the first 2 in LA and looked to be on the verge of an early exit. They were some bright points, like horrible FT shooting and Chris Paul god mode that gave them hope though.

After that.. they won 4 in a row against the Clippers and the series ended easily.

Then they played OKC and narrowly lost game 1 to a Durant game winner.

Then they won 4 in a row again against the Thunder, with each game getting easier and easier. The biggest thing.. the biggest turning point so far IMO.. was the belief in themselves.. that they can do it. That mental thing of "we got this".

Winning without Westbrook isn't something to brag about.. but they've won 8 out of their last 9 games. And they haven't been easy wins, they've all been difficult. They have stayed composed under pressure (despite nearly choking that game 5).

Everything is going according to plan.. but the team themselves don't even care what any of us say.. whether they are favoured to beat the Spurs or not. They just try to win every game.

All of this without home court advantage.

And even if they lose to the Spurs, it's the best year in franchise history.

The Rudy Gay factor?

The last seasons..

WITHOUT Rudy Gay.. they beat Spurs in 6.. lose to Thunder in 7 (with Westbrook and Harden) without home court advantage.

WITH Rudy Gay.. lose first round to the Clippers in 7.. with home court advantage.

WITHOUT Rudy Gay.. beat Clippers in 6.. beat Thunder in 5.. without home court advantage.

Rudy Gay never won a playoff series with the Grizz.

I guess we can come back to this if they beat the Spurs or not, but even if they don't it's the best season in franchise history.

[2LeTTeRS]

Everyone loves the hardnosed physical underdog man. The thing that is don't get i how people seriously feel as though they improved after the rudy gay trade..Eveb the thunder had a better record without Harden this year, but noone seriously belives they were a better team without him though right?...smh

This is a team that has gone on 2 runs in the playoffs, and both occurred with Rudy out of the picture. Coincidence? Maybe, but I can tell you that the Grizz fans aren't missing him right now.

Edit: AussieG beat me too it. Agree wholeheartedly with everything in that post.

[Byobob]

I like the Grizzlies. They are a tough team, play the post extremely well and are the top defensive side.. BUT every single one of their games against a Thunder team without a top 5-6 player went down to the the wire. Every game was extremely close.

The Thunder start Kendrick ****ing Perkins and Derek ****ing Fisher gets heavy minutes.

Lets face it. Without GAWDbrook this Thunder team is a 6-7 seed. The Grizzlies have won a series they should have.. that's it.


Exactly what my thoughts were. People seem to forget that OKC relies heavily on KD and Westbrook's talents. When Gawdbrook got injured, its like they're competing in a 100m sprint with a sprained ankle.

Don't get me wrong, Memphis is a very good team. I just don't think they belong to the Spurs/Heat tier yet.

Though I'd be happy to be proven wrong. :lol :lol

[Fedor - Laker]

Where in the blue hell are people coming up with this bullshit about Thunders being a scrub team.

IBAKA is no scrub, neither is Kevin Martin, Jackson, Collison, Durant, Thabo. You can make a case for Perkins, but he is a big body that was causing trouble for Zbo in few of the games, and is a work house (albeit lacking BB iq at times.)

This Thunders team was very good a ****ing god send compared to Lebron's 2007 cast. The fact is, Memphis is a very very good team as well, if not the most underrated team in the PO's currently.

[HorryIsMyMVP]

Memphis isn't the type of team to blow teams out but they were in control the whole time I dunno what more you want? They played extremely well and no one expected them to win in 5. I certainly didn't. Prince beasting. Gasol is on another level. But I guess it is to be expected when you really examine the holes in OKC's roster.

[maybeshewill13]

Where in the blue hell are people coming up with this bullshit about Thunders being a scrub team.

IBAKA is no scrub, neither is Kevin Martin, Jackson, Collison, Durant, Thabo. You can make a case for Perkins, but he is a big body that was causing trouble for Zbo in few of the games, and is a work house (albeit lacking BB iq at times.)

This Thunders team was very good a ****ing god send compared to Lebron's 2007 cast. The fact is, Memphis is a very very good team as well, if not the most underrated team in the PO's currently.

:facepalm

[luckylucy]

Well it is not like OKC has been playing with 3 players after Westbrook was injured, Reggie Jackson has been playing really good.

BTW, Perkins might be a fu***** scrub ***** but Collison is way overrated here.

[Crafty]

Thunder played with Perkins. That was 4 on 5. Spurs and Heat won't be like that.

[keep-itreal]

I like their chances at going to the finals.

One thing that got me worried about their chances is every game in the thunder series was a close game. All of those should be blowouts since Thunder doesn't have Westbrook. If Westbrook wasn't injured, then this series would have been close.

Now for the spurs. This team beat the spurs before so they should be able do it again.

I think getting Tayshaun Prince is huge for the team. He and Tony Allen are are great defensive players

[AussieG]

Before the season started and during most of it, I thought it was almost a lock that the Thunder would come out of the West. But I also didn't expect the Grizz or Warriors to play so well.

When the playoffs started, I didn't like the fact that the Grizzlies were on the same side of the bracket as OKC.. I'd have preferred the Spurs in OKC's position. Before the Clippers series, I probably would have preferred to play Spurs over Clippers. Although now that they won that series 4-2 I'm not so sure.

OKC would have been really hard.. they were hard enough as it is.

Shaq and Chuck said the Grizz would have beaten OKC even with Westbrook. We will never know..

I just know that Grizzlies have beaten Spurs in the past, matchup well with them and are on a roll right now.

I expect the Spurs to be easier than Thunder in some ways. But they are healthy and have both Parker and Duncan playing well, and it'll be another tough series. I just hope they don't believe their own hype and continue to play with an underdog tag. Hollins does a good job of focussing on that. He doesn't care about the predictions.

[veilside23]

people seem to really doubt memphis as a team...

why? because they dont have a superstar in their roster ? F that...
because they are a small market team ? F that.

They beat the clippers who everyone thought would come out of the west too.. they beat clippers in 6 freaking games.

and even with westbrook they can still beat okc...

lets just keep doubting and believe that memphis cant beat the spurs...

they are like the pistons in a different way.. they play grinding defense.

and offense they arguably have the best front court .

i wont be surprise if memphis wins it all ;)

[Dagouch]

The Griz are the real deal. I thought the loss of Rudy Gay would weaken them a bit but they appear to be better.

Know if they Play San Antonion that would be an epic series. I see them winning it in 6 but man what a series that would be.

And finally if they Play Miami, I'm thinking Miami would love a hardfought series in 6-7. Z-Bo and Gasol will eat up the The front line of Miami. Lebron will get his but Wade will be Key if they match up.

[Thechosen1]

they are playing teams with coaches that dont know how to exploilt their weakness which is shooting....there is no possible way on earth ZBO and Gasol get in a rhythym when I know damn well that team has no shooting...how teams arent letting tony allen beat them from deep for 4 games will always baffle me.

[lpublic_enemyl]

grizz are one of my favorite teams, but lets be honest with westbrook the thunder would have won. Same thing with their last run against the spurs, injuries and opportunity really helped them. They beat a team with a huge injury that they shud have.

[andremiller07]

I really like the Grizz but tbh I never thought during any of the series they played anything above average against a team that had no business being in the contest without Westbrook.

Other than SF than have MASSIVE advantage at every single position on the floor even the bench.

Gasol>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Perkins
Z-B0/Arthur>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Scrubaka/Collison
Prince<<<<<<<Durrant
Allen/Pondexter>Thabo/Martin
Conley/Bayless>>Jackson/Fisher

To be fair I give props to OKC for not being in the contest pretty much every game. I mean the Grizz 4th best big in Ed Davis would have been OKC's best big pretty much

[Shepseskaf]

How are the Grizz overrated? They're a tough, scrappy defensive-minded squad that could win it all this year.

The next round is going to be very interesting.

[Rose'sACL]

i have spurs winning the series in 6 or 7. Spurs are way more well rounded that the thunder team grizz faced.
I think grizz will be underdogs for that series. I think it will be a close series but most experts and people who value their money will pick spurs to win it in 6 or 7.

[veilside23]

i have spurs winning the series in 6 or 7. Spurs are way more well rounded that the thunder team grizz faced.
I think grizz will be underdogs for that series. I think it will be a close series but most experts and people who value their money will pick spurs to win it in 6 or 7.


it maybe 6 or 7 games but it wont be for the spurs team...

[Artillery]

This is a team that has gone on 2 runs in the playoffs, and both occurred with Rudy out of the picture. Coincidence?

This is also a team that has gone on 2 runs in the playoffs, and both occurred with them beating injured teams.

2011 - Ginobili(broken arm), Duncan(sprained ankles)
2013 - Blake Griffin(ankle injury), Westbrook(meniscus tear)

Overrated. As soon as they run into a healthy team, they're getting bounced in six.

[KG215]

Agree, and I'm just gonna keep saying it until I get over the Westbrook injury and getting bounced from the playoffs, so sorry for being an immature ass. But OKC wins this series in 5, MAYBE 6, games with Westbrook.

[Kurosawa0]

It's not so much to me that people are overrating the Grizzlies as they are underrating San Antonio. I think Memphis will win in 6, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Spurs took it.

It's a mistake to just assume because Memphis beat the Spurs two years ago that it's a given they will this time.

[gasolina]

I guess people are just going to forget 2011 huh? Can't even close us in 6 w/o Rudy Gay and w/ Harden

[veilside23]

This is also a team that has gone on 2 runs in the playoffs, and both occurred with them beating injured teams.

2011 - Ginobili(broken arm), Duncan(sprained ankles)
2013 - Blake Griffin(ankle injury), Westbrook(meniscus tear)

Overrated. As soon as they run into a healthy team, they're getting bounced in six.


is that an excuse already? well whats san antonio's excuse if they lose to grizzlies this year?

its not memphis' fault those players got injured they also played with san antonio with rudy gay out ... or zach randolph.

[KG215]

I guess people are just going to forget 2011 huh? Can't even close us in 6 w/o Rudy Gay and w/ Harden
And I guess you're just gonna forget you already beat the Spurs without Gay because Randolph was playing like a top 3 player in the league during the playoffs. And, don't forget, KD, Russ, Harden, and Serge were 21 or 22 years old getting their first taste of the second round. Even without Harden, OKC in 2013 is better than they were in 2011 as long as Westbrook is healthy. Quite a bit better in my opinion because Westbrook is a smarter and better player than he was then; Durant's much improved as an all-around player and, unlike in 2011, is clearly the second best player in the league and is playing like it; and even Serge is a lot better than he was in 2011.

[ClutchOver9000]

whats been said about the Grizz that's so outrageous?

That they're contenders?

If so...they are :confusedshrug:

[Artillery]

they also played with san antonio with rudy gay out ... or zach randolph.

Randolph was never injured in 2011. And :oldlol: at comparing a cancerours chucker like Rudy Gay to Ginobili/Duncan.

[Goldrush25]

Grizzlies are what's hot right now. I don't see them beating these Spurs. GS definitely, if they somehow pull off the series win.

[LaserEater]

Some counter points..

Many Grizz fans, myself included were worried after the first week after that trade. The team was so emo, and would drop their heads and the season appeared over.

Then after the All Star break, they adjusted to the new players (not just Prince).. and the longer time went on, the more that they seemed BETTER after the trade. Better offensive flow, better passing, better defense and a tougher overall team. And the one thing that Gay gave.. clutch shooting, others stepped up like Conley.

All of this was before the playoffs started.

The other thing is.. the Grizz play playoff style basketball all season long. I don't know if that is why they could be overrated or not.. but the point is.. they are used to ugly, scrappy defensive games, the same sort of games that the entire Thunder series was.. every single game.

Since the playoffs have started..

They lost the first 2 in LA and looked to be on the verge of an early exit. They were some bright points, like horrible FT shooting and Chris Paul god mode that gave them hope though.

After that.. they won 4 in a row against the Clippers and the series ended easily.

Then they played OKC and narrowly lost game 1 to a Durant game winner.

Then they won 4 in a row again against the Thunder, with each game getting easier and easier. The biggest thing.. the biggest turning point so far IMO.. was the belief in themselves.. that they can do it. That mental thing of "we got this".

Winning without Westbrook isn't something to brag about.. but they've won 8 out of their last 9 games. And they haven't been easy wins, they've all been difficult. They have stayed composed under pressure (despite nearly choking that game 5).

Everything is going according to plan.. but the team themselves don't even care what any of us say.. whether they are favoured to beat the Spurs or not. They just try to win every game.

All of this without home court advantage.

And even if they lose to the Spurs, it's the best year in franchise history.

The Rudy Gay factor?

The last seasons..

WITHOUT Rudy Gay.. they beat Spurs in 6.. lose to Thunder in 7 (with Westbrook and Harden) without home court advantage.

WITH Rudy Gay.. lose first round to the Clippers in 7.. with home court advantage.

WITHOUT Rudy Gay.. beat Clippers in 6.. beat Thunder in 5.. without home court advantage.

Rudy Gay never won a playoff series with the Grizz.

I guess we can come back to this if they beat the Spurs or not, but even if they don't it's the best season in franchise history.

Exactly.

They're playing great basketball. Period. Win or lose against SAS, this has been an incredible season for them. They deserve all the praise they're receiving. They've earned it.

[albas89]

I think the main reason why everyone is so high on them is that they are the only team that has a realistic chance at stopping the Heat from repeating.

[Doranku]

Why do people think the Spurs would beat the Grizzlies?

It doesn't really matter, though. The Spurs will lose tonight and then lose a Game 7 at home, marking the end of the Duncan/Parker/Ginobili "Big 3" once and for all.

[TexasBloodMoney]

I love watching this Grizzlies team play, really enjoy the low-scoring/ugly games. First time in a while that there's been a contender without a superstar too.

And it's nice that Bayless finally found his place on a team, as well as seeing Gasol turn into the BEST center in the league.

[crisoner]

They got two solid bigs something nobody in the league has.
They also got good shooters and a solid PG in Collins.

The fav team to win it all is still the Heat but again what are the Heats weakness? Bigs and PG.

Oh and I forgot to mention...the Grizz play GREAT defense.

They are younger then the Spurs and can push around GSW.

I still got the Heat winning it all...but if there is another team to fear its the Girzz.

[DirkNowitzki41]

and every game was extremely close in the dallas/thunder series last year.. still lost in 5. grizz arent overrated.. they're the only team i can actually see giving miami some problems

[Anaximandro1]

This is also a team that has gone on 2 runs in the playoffs, and both occurred with them beating injured teams.

2011 - Ginobili(broken arm), Duncan(sprained ankles)
2013 - Blake Griffin(ankle injury), Westbrook(meniscus tear)

Overrated. As soon as they run into a healthy team, they're getting bounced in six.

It's worth mentioning that the Spurs have won six of the last eight games against the Grizzlies

[JimmyMcAdocious]

I didn't see anything too bad until I read the post about them being better than those mid 2000 Pistons :facepalm

[stevieming]

Overrating!!

No way.

Before the playoffs started, I was chatting with a mate about Miami Heat, and I said Grizzlies would match up best against the Heat, but I couldn't see them getting out of the West, since the route would be so tough with clippers; spurs; nuggets; thunder (didn't think the warriors would be as good as they are.)

Now, they beat the Clippers and I watched the series from Game 2 onwards, they could have won that in 5 easy.

Beat the Thunder in 5, but could have just as easily swept them.

They'll beat the spurs or warriors.

As warriors being a jump shooting team is really perfect for the grizzlies to shut them down, plus Curry is all gimpy now anyway.

Spurs right now:
TP has a light edge over Conley, but Conley is balling the best ball in his life.
Green < T Allen in my opinion, as T Allen will be more valuable as he can shut TP down somewhat I think. Plus the Grizzlies won't stand for Green's constant reaching, someone will hurt him if he keeps sticking his hand in the cookie jar.
Leonard = Prince Essentially both crazy long arm defenders, one has youth the other has experience.
ZBo > Duncan. At this point in their careers, as much as I rate Duncan I think ZBo is better.
MGasol > All other big men on Spurs team.

x Factor = Manu...

But again T Allen can stick Manu. And Conley can go back to TP.

I predict Grizzlies in 6.

Still Spurs are damn good, so you never know. Just so you know, I've stuck some dough on Memphis being the W Conference winners and Champ.

I just feel Memphis with their frontline to dominate boards and paint scoring and their perimeter D to stop Lebron and turn him into a jump shooter will be enough to give them the chip.

Look at the Bulls, ZBo is way better than Boozer currently, and Marc Gasol will dominate whoever on the heat.

I would love to see Memphis against the Heat. As I think that's the one team that can beat the Heat.

Not Indiana - they're not that physical or that good...

Not Spurs - too old and slow against the Heat, defence not good enough to stop lebron.

[gasolina]

And I guess you're just gonna forget you already beat the Spurs without Gay because Randolph was playing like a top 3 player in the league during the playoffs. And, don't forget, KD, Russ, Harden, and Serge were 21 or 22 years old getting their first taste of the second round. Even without Harden, OKC in 2013 is better than they were in 2011 as long as Westbrook is healthy. Quite a bit better in my opinion because Westbrook is a smarter and better player than he was then; Durant's much improved as an all-around player and, unlike in 2011, is clearly the second best player in the league and is playing like it; and even Serge is a lot better than he was in 2011.
Lol wait... are you suggesting that Thunder where somewhat handicapped in 2011 because they were playing the first time in the second round? What do you think the grizz were then? Playoff veterans?

And you say KD, Russell and Ibaka were a lot better this year but seem leae out that Gasol, Conley, Allen are also better than their 2011 versions.

[Fedor - Laker]

grizz are one of my favorite teams, but lets be honest with westbrook the thunder would have won. Same thing with their last run against the spurs, injuries and opportunity really helped them. They beat a team with a huge injury that they shud have.
no way you could prove with Russell OKC would have won. A lot of the scoring sequences would have been different.

Westbrick could have had one of his brick nights, where he goes 2-15

memphis still beats them in 6.

[miggyme1]

:facepalm


hahahaha this bum mad cuz seattle will never get a nba team again. the grizzlies are a good team and they were a darkhorse to make the finals before westbrook got injured so sit down and shutup. every game was winnable for the thunder and in every game they melted like a cheap dollar tree candle. dont hate the grizz for that. then all you bums thinking the spurs gone mop with the floor with grizz need to go back two years ago when we demolished them.yea they got leonard now true...but basically still the same team. we got better since then...... they got better since then.i dont think duncan ready to bang with marc gasol. duncan has had it easy all playoffs on defense...dwight and now bogut....lmao.....lets see what he do when he go up against somebody that can drop 25 on his ass from down low and 15 feet. who the spurs got to bang with zbo??? ill wait....grizz in the finals dont cry when it happens i warned u bums.bye

[Fedor - Laker]

This is also a team that has gone on 2 runs in the playoffs, and both occurred with them beating injured teams.

2011 - Ginobili(broken arm), Duncan(sprained ankles)
2013 - Blake Griffin(ankle injury), Westbrook(meniscus tear)

Overrated. As soon as they run into a healthy team, they're getting bounced in six.
Blake ****ing Griffin LOL!. The dude was getting flexed on by Zbo througout the entire series. He was exposed the same way Ibaka was once they actually match up aginst legit big, (Gasol/Z) lmfao Excuses Excuses is all hear

[veilside23]

no way you could prove with Russell OKC would have won. A lot of the scoring sequences would have been different.

Westbrick could have had one of his brick nights, where he goes 2-15

memphis still beats them in 6.


you are right people seem to praise or miss westbrook alot but last year they put alot of blame on westbrick because he chucks like everyone else that they even wanted to shift his a$$ out of OKC. now suddenly westbrook +OKC beats memphis EASILY ? memphis beat Clippers before OKc so lets not pretend that clippers is equal to or may be better than OKC.

[LONGTIME]

Grizz is going to get exposed if they play the Heat.

[kurple]

Nuggets could/would take Grizz in a 7 game series

[WWRWestbrookDo?]

:applause:

[Kiddlovesnets]

Spurs have exposed this overrated trash, sweeping their ass out of playoffs like its nothing but cake.
:applause:

[maybeshewill13]

I called it. Grizzlies just beat a GOATbrookless Thunder. No special accomplishment. Spurs :applause:

[maybeshewill13]

:durantunimpressed:

[maybeshewill13]

hahahaha this bum mad cuz seattle will never get a nba team again. the grizzlies are a good team and they were a darkhorse to make the finals before westbrook got injured so sit down and shutup. every game was winnable for the thunder and in every game they melted like a cheap dollar tree candle. dont hate the grizz for that. then all you bums thinking the spurs gone mop with the floor with grizz need to go back two years ago when we demolished them.yea they got leonard now true...but basically still the same team. we got better since then...... they got better since then.i dont think duncan ready to bang with marc gasol. duncan has had it easy all playoffs on defense...dwight and now bogut....lmao.....lets see what he do when he go up against somebody that can drop 25 on his ass from down low and 15 feet. who the spurs got to bang with zbo??? ill wait....grizz in the finals dont cry when it happens i warned u bums.bye
:facepalm

[Artillery]

Why do people think the Spurs would beat the Grizzlies?

It doesn't really matter, though. The Spurs will lose tonight and then lose a Game 7 at home, marking the end of the Duncan/Parker/Ginobili "Big 3" once and for all.

Lakers/Kobe fans with the shittiest takes out of all the ISH posters. Droid, tpols, doranku, etc. All incredibly dumb posters.