By Michael Wallace
Grind City Media
MEMPHIS – They’ve been vicious rivals for the better part of a decade.
Maybe it’s because the disdain for one another is real. Perhaps it’s because, in some ways, the smaller market Memphis Grizzlies envy the attention and accolades often bestowed upon the mega-market Los Angeles Clippers. Or, it could be the Clippers wish they could be viewed through the same tough-minded, gritty prism that has become the moniker in Memphis.
But despite all of the things that make them uniquely different entering their latest showdown Thursday at FedExForum, it’s clear the Clippers and Grizzlies have essentially morphed into mirror images of one another in at least one regard.
As currently constructed, both squads seem to be running out of time.
For four years, the Clippers have loaded and reloaded under Doc Rivers’ guidance and around a core of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and
When the Clippers and Grizzlies first set out with these primary roster pieces, they were mainly chasing San Antonio. Yet while the Spurs remain the conference’s most consistent standard bearer, the veteran-laden Clippers and Grizzlies have been essentially lapped by the fun-and-gun Golden State Warriors, who have split the last four trips with San Antonio out of the West to the NBA Finals.
It leaves the Grizzlies and Clippers in a precarious position as they regroup from recent struggles amid the stretch run to the playoffs. What looms is either a potential breakthrough or a possible breakup.
These guys have been knocking on the door and playing in the tough West, just like we have. They’re desperate and we’re desperate.
— Coach Fizdale
“We’re all kind of floating in that same area of, ‘Are you at that point where you’ve got to start looking at tinkering with your team, or are you going to go forward and see how far it can go?’” Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said. “They’ve got winners over there. You can’t help but to respect the Chris Pauls and Blake Griffins. These guys have been knocking on the door and playing in the tough West, just like we have. They’re desperate and we’re desperate.”
Both teams might also be destined for change should either come up short in the playoffs again. Paul and Griffin have early termination options in their contracts and could become free agents this summer. Clippers guard J.J. Redick is also playing on an expiring contract alongside a group of perennial All-Stars and All-NBA players who have yet to even advance together to the Western Conference finals.
While the Grizzlies have locked up Conley and Gasol on long-term max contracts the past two summers, both Randolph and Allen are in the final season of their current deals and headed toward free agency. Their deepest postseason run together came in 2013, when the Grizzlies got to the conference finals for the only time in franchise history but were swept in four games by the Spurs.
I want to apologize…. TO ABSOLUTELY NOBODY!#GrindCity pic.twitter.com/JN6p8YdV0G
— Marc Gasol (@MarcGasol) November 17, 2016
Marc Gasol struts after game-winning shot vs. Clippers- Nov. 16, 2016
Right now, the Clippers (38-26) and Grizzlies (36-28) are simply fighting over the final month of the regular season to claim the No. 4 seed in the West for the right to host a first-round playoff series. The Clippers are fifth in the standings and the Grizzlies are sixth, with both teams reeling in recent weeks and coming off puzzling lopsided losses.
The Clippers have lost five of eight since returning from the All-Star break, including a 16-point setback in Minnesota on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Memphis is on a three-game skid after it suffered a double-digit home loss to the league-worst Nets on Monday, and has dropped five of seven since the break.
As a result, Doc Rivers and Fizdale have relayed similarly frustrated messages this week. While Fizdale said the Grizzlies were at their “lowest point” in the aftermath of Monday’s embarrassing loss to Brooklyn, Rivers questioned his team’s spirit and maturity Wednesday before departing to Memphis.
Another similarity? Whereas Fizdale shook up his starting lineup before Monday’s loss by sending Allen and JaMychal Green to the bench and replacing them with Andrew Harrison and Brandan Wright in a tweak the Grizzlies will maintain Thursday, Rivers benched three starters early in the first quarter against the Timberwolves and said he should have made the move even earlier in the game.
“We lost our spirit,” Rivers told reporters Wednesday. “We cannot allow our offense to dictate how we’re going to play. You could see it all over the floor. Guys were missing layups, wide-open threes, wide-open shots and they let it take their spirit away. That’s what young teams do; not veteran teams.”
Although the Clippers and Grizzlies have little sympathy for one another, they can empathize.
“They’re playing for the same thing we are,” Fizdale said. “Obviously, high levels of respect for Doc. They’re going after home court and we’re going after home court. Both teams have been up and down all year. Both teams have dealt with injuries all year, and you’ve got two prideful, veteran groups. So it should be a fun game. We both really need this win.”
Neither team can afford to take continuity for granted.
“Like seriously … we’ve got to figure it out,” Paul told reporters Wednesday when asked how a team that’s been together as long as the Clippers continue to be so disjointed and inconsistent at times. “I don’t know. That’s a good question. If I knew, I would tell you. We’ve just got to get the spirit right.”
Conley hopes to guide the Grizzlies out of a similar funk and has demanded a stronger sense of urgency.
“We understand we’re not getting younger and we’ve played together for a long time,” Conley said. “We’ve done a lot of great things together, but the things that keep eluding us are the most important. We want to get to the championship and win one. To know our time is coming to a smaller window here, because of age or injuries or whatever, we have to do it now. We understand that. There is no five-year plan or six-year plan like we used to have. It’s got to happen soon.”
Grind City’s NBA Power Index
San Antonio Spurs
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Boston Celtics
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Toronto Raptors
Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis Grizzlies
The Spurs are a game back of the Warriors but have taken the poll’s top spot because Grind City Media’s long-time MVP frontrunner Kawhi Leonard just won’t let his team lose. Last Week: 2
Kevin Durant addressed his knee injury for the first time Wednesday and is progressing with his rehab. But there remains no timetable for his return as the weary Warriors find their way. LW: 1
That’s back-to-back losses now for the Rockets, whose hopes of catching the Spurs or Warriors for the No. 2 seed have shifted to trying to hold off the Jazz to stay third in the West. LW: 3
Andrew Bogut’s tenure in Cleveland lasted all of two minutes before the free agent signee suffered a broken leg that will sideline him the rest of the season. The Cavs must regroup again. LW: 4
The Celtics go from losing to the West-worst Suns to shocking the league-best Warriors in a span of three days. That’s how crazy things are as the stretch run to the NBA playoffs heats up LW: 5
Don’t look now, but Rudy Gobert has mixed in some solid scoring to go with that dominant defense, Gordon Hayward keeps dunking on dudes and the Jazz are peaking at the right time. LW: 10
John Wall and Bradley Beal are now allowing their play instead of their mouths prove if they’re the East’s best starting backcourt. Washington has put the pieces together quickly. LW: 6
Adjusting to life without All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry hasn’t been easy for the resilient Raptors. Toronto now has a league-most 17 wins this season after trailing by double digits. LW: NR
Doc Rivers is threatening bold shakeups in his starting five in an effort to jumpstart the stale Clippers. Since getting off to the best start in franchise history, they appear to be as mortal as ever. LW 8
A home loss to the league-worst Nets represents rock bottom as the season’s lowest point. David Fizdale then invited critics of his message and lineup tweaks to kiss where the sun don’t shine. LW: 9
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.