"They don't say s**t when they're losing" - Anonymous NBA player outlines issues with young core of Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have had a rapid rise to being considered among the top NBA contenders, but have made quite a few enemies in the process.
Led by Ja Morant, Memphis plays with a swagger that is unique to it compared to all the other teams around the league. The youthful squad is not afraid to get in opponents' faces and can often be seen dancing around the court when things are going well.
This was pointed out in a recent anonymous poll created by The Athletic. Reporters polled a number of NBA players on various questions, and the Grizzlies caught some heat for their polarizing antics. An anonymous player said:
"They’re frontrunners. They’re just extra. They talk when they’re winning. They don’t say s*** when they’re losing. Their whole thing over there is just annoying."
“They’re frontrunners. They’re just extra. They talk when they’re winning. They don’t say s— when they’re losing. Their whole thing over there is just annoying.”
- Anonymous NBA player’s issue with the Memphis Grizzlies
(Via @TheAthletic ) https://t.co/rn2a7GzMSU
Dillon Brooks came in third in voting for the player who talks the most trash at 14.1%. He trailed behind only Draymond Green and Patrick Beverley. "The Memphis Kids" also received 3% of the votes.
Memphis Grizzlies outlook
Like them or hate them, the Memphis Grizzlies are still a team that no one is itching to play. They finished the regular season with a 51-31 record, which put them in second place in the Western Conference. They are facing the LA Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs and are down 1-0 after the Lakers won Game 1.
A notable storyline to watch is Ja Morant's health. The two-time All-Star suffered a scary fall in the fourth quarter of the opening matchup and had to leave the game with a hand injury. X-Rays came back negative, but Morant is a game-time decision for the second matchup which will take place Wednesday night.
Ja Morant headed to the locker room with an apparent injury after this play. https://t.co/MZOrSN9Tmz
Just last season, the Memphis Grizzlies made it to the conference semifinals before falling to the Warriors in six games. Morant suffered a knee injury in Game 3 of the series after knocking knees with Jordan Poole and was forced to miss the remainder of the playoffs.
Getting their superstar back on the floor would be huge for Memphis as it is difficult to come back from being down 2-0 in a series. In NBA history, only 7.2% of teams have come back to win a series after losing the first two games.
It's clear that the Memphis Grizzlies won't have too many fellow NBA players rooting for them. But the attitude that the Grizzlies put on display is what has made them who they are. They will now find out if there is enough to drive them through the wide-open race in the Western Conference.