MEMPHIS – Franchise catalyst Mike Conley is vowing a healthy and productive
return, Marc Gasol is determined to bounce back from a frustrating campaign and
rookie lottery pick Jaren Jackson Jr. is eager to prove he’s the most impactful
talent coming in from the draft.
The revamped Grizzlies get a chance to turn those lofty expectations into
realities when their 2018-19 regular season opens Oct. 17 at Indiana before
making their FedExForum debut two nights later against Atlanta.
The Grizzlies’ mission is clear: Regroup from last season’s tumultuous 22-60
meltdown that thwarted a run of seven straight postseason appearances and grind
their way back into playoff contention. To help accomplish that goal, nearly
half the roster has been upgraded with versatile, high-IQ role players as the
team gears up for the start of training camp late next month.
Now that the NBA’s full 2018-19 schedule has been released, here are Grind City
Media’s 10 most intriguing games as the Grizzlies embark on the season.
The Grizzlies open on the road for the first time in five years and face a
Victor Oladipo-led Pacers squad that may be the most improved in the East,
especially if they learned from squandering that first-round series lead against
the eventual Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers. The Grizzlies won’t have to
wait long to see Tyreke Evans, who joined Indiana in free agency after one
productive yet enigmatic season in Memphis. It’s also a homecoming for Indiana
natives Conley and Jackson as the Grizzlies look to win their third consecutive
season opener. The Grizzlies will also roll out at least six new players on the
roster after retooling the supporting cast.
The home opener comes against the first of three top-five lottery picks in a
stretch of four games when Trae Young and the Hawks visit. The Grizzlies are
unveiling their new home unis and new FedExForum court design this season.
Evidence of newfound health for Conley and Chandler Parsons in the home opener
would be ideal, too. And count on that familiar Grit-N-Grind approach as J.B.
Bickerstaff coaches his first home game since having the interim tag lifted. The
last time the Grizzlies saw the Hawks, Jackson drilled eight three-pointers in
his Utah summer league debut and Jevon Carter defensively locked down Young …
again.
The Grizzlies have recently enjoyed their fair share of regular-season success
against the defending champion Warriors, having gone 3-4 the past two years,
including an overtime loss at Golden State last season. This is the first of two
visits to the Bay before Christmas for the Grizzlies. They get two return trips
from Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and crew in the season’s final weeks when they
could have a healthy and productive DeMarcus Cousins. If the trend continues,
the Grizzlies could catch the Warriors slipping early before they really get
rolling.
Despite best intentions on both sides, it just didn’t end well in Memphis
between David Fizdale and the Grizzlies, who parted ways amid a long losing
streak and irreconcilable differences. Fizdale landed on his feet with the
Knicks and returns for the first time since last November’s dismissal in New
York’s lone visit to FedExForum. The Grizzlies recovered from last season’s
turmoil with a great draft, and solid offseason roster moves. Brace for an
emotional night, with Fizdale still tight with Bickerstaff, Conley and fans.
Take that for nostalgia.
LeBron James in purple and gold will be a sight to see. The four-time league MVP
tipped the balance of power further to the west when he bolted Cleveland again.
This time, he locked himself into a four-year max contract to play out the final
seasons of his dominance as a Laker. This is the first of two marquee visits
from King James, and the Grizzlies will be on the tail end of one of their 15
back-to-back sets this season. Still, it’s the highlight of a home schedule that
features two visits each from the Lakers, Warriors and Rockets.
Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are long gone. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale
and Robert Parrish are long, long, long gone. Yet, the Celtics remain a major
draw in Memphis and will be again over the holiday break as Kyrie Irving, Gordon
Hayward get reacclimated with the East favorites. The game closes out the 2018
home portion of Memphis’ schedule. It’s one of 13 games in December against
teams that made the playoffs and/or boasted winning records last season. And
that doesn’t even include the month’s two matchups with the Lakers.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Game tradition continues in Memphis as
the Grizzlies host MVP candidate Anthony Davis and the Pelicans as part of a
nationally televised holiday triple-header. The Grizzlies hung 123 points on the
Lakers in last season’s MLK50 game for their second-highest scoring total of the
season in a home victory. The annual game is just one of many highlights in a
special slate of tributes and community service to honor the MLK legacy as
league executives and legends descend on Memphis. It kicks off a potentially
pivotal five-game homestand that is the longest of the season for the Grizzlies.
At age 37 and entering the final season of his two-year deal with the Kings,
it’s not out of the realm of possibility that this could potentially be Zach
Randolph’s final NBA game in Memphis. The 17-year veteran and rugged forward
remains beloved in Grind City. He’ll soon see his No. 50 jersey hanging from the
FedExForum rafters when he retires. The Kings make one trip to Memphis this
season, which means this may be one more time to see Z-Bo don that headband and
bully somebody in the paint. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies aim to make the most of a
January in which they play nine of 16 games at home.
Speaking of ‘catch them while they last’ opportunities, even Gasol admits he no
longer takes games against big brother Pau Gasol for granted as both push deep
into their decorated careers. A decade worth of clashes adds another matchup
when the new-look Spurs come to Memphis for the first game of a back-to-back set
the Grizzlies play entering the All-Star break. DeMar DeRozan’s addition starts
a new chapter. Oddly, for the first time since 1996, the Grizzlies face a Spurs’
roster without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker or Kawhi Leonard.
Reigning league MVP James Harden and the Rockets are still fuming over losing
that 3-2 series lead to the Warriors in the Western Conference finals after
Chris Paul got hurt last spring. They’ve tweaked the roster by adding future
Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and former Grizzlies’ swingman James Ennis in the
wake of Trevor ‘Tell Me Why’ Ariza’s departure. Even if healthy, the Grizzlies
will likely face a brutal fight to contend for the playoffs. This visit from the
Rockets launches a regular-season closing, 12-game stretch that also includes
two home games against the Warriors and visits from the T’Wolves and Thunder.
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Memphis
Grizzlies. All opinions expressed by Michael Wallace are solely his own and do
not reflect the opinions of the Memphis Grizzlies or its Basketball Operations
staff, owners, parent companies, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known
to the Memphis Grizzlies and he has no special access to information beyond the
access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the
media.
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