Memphis Grizzlies

Ah, the Grizzlies. Despite beginning their NBA journey in Vancouver in the NBA’s 1995 attempt to expand into Canada (alongside the Toronto Raptors) armed with the fearsome logo of a snarling grizzly bear clenching a basketball in its claws, the Vancouver edition of the franchise proved incredibly toothless, setting an all-time NBA record at one point with 23 straight losses. All in all, the Grizzlies logged a mind-boggling 359 losses against just 101 wins over six NBA seasons before the team relocated to Memphis. With the move, many fans expected the name to change (given that there are no grizzly bears in Tennessee), but the team stuck with the moniker and became the Memphis Grizzlies. With the addition to their roster of players like Pau Gasol, who won Rookie of the Year in 2001-02, the Grizzlies gradually improved and made the playoffs for the first time in their history in 2003, where they lost in the First Round 4-0 to the San Antonio Spurs. Two more playoff appearances followed, as did two more First round exits, then the team reverted to type again, missing the playoffs for four years running. Since 2010, however, the Grizzlies have seen an uptick in their fortunes due to their “Grit and Grind” style featuring Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, which saw the team make its first deep runs into the playoffs, including a 4-0 Western Conference Finals loss to the Spurs in 2013. The Grizzlies surprised many basketball fans (even their own) in 2021-22 when they finished second in the Western Conference in the regular season (eventually falling in the Conference Semifinals to the Golden State Warriors 4-2). They proved it was no fluke in 2022-23 when they finished second again, but they were again dumped out of the playoffs early on. This season, Memphis Grizzlies fans will be hoping that the talents of Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart, along with the troubled Ja Morant when he returns from suspension, will finally bring their team the respect it so desperately craves in 2023-2024.