bestfiction Chapter 138 Grizzly's Nirvana
Chapter 138 Grizzly's Nirvana
Chapter 138 Grizzly's Nirvana
The Grizzlies have received little attention since they joined the NBA in the 1995-1996 season. The team was just a product of then-president David Stern's expansion to the north. Back then, the Grizzlies in Vancouver and the Raptors in Toronto joined the league together.
However, after Mike Bibby was recruited into the team in the 98 season, the team's strength has been greatly improved.However, the team's record was lackluster, and it was not until the addition of Pau Gasol in the 21st century that it began to enter the playoffs.
But the team's record in the next two seasons was disastrous. In the middle of 2000-01, Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley began to consider the prospect of the Grizzlies in Vancouver.The gloomy record has reduced the team's popularity and supporters.The burden on the team is getting heavier and heavier, almost bringing the team's operations to a standstill.
After many discussions and visits, the executive president of the team began to have the idea of moving out of the new city, and began to look for suitable partners in several key cities.
After weighing the options, Heisley decided it was time for the Grizzlies to make a change.The team needs new players, a new home and a fresh start.
After he felt the idea was ripe, he appealed to the NBA.On February 2001, 2, President David Stern agreed to Heisley's request, and the latter began a swift but intense relocation plan.
After a lot of wrangling and talking, the city of Memphis, Tennessee, in the midst of renovation, was the perfect target.Bringing in the Grizzlies was the right thing to do at the right time for the city.The city's traditional culture and thriving light industry are also in urgent need of such business opportunities.
But Memphis will need a strong, united leadership if it is to stand out against New Orleans, Anaheim and Louisville.
Mayor Willie Herrenton and Jim Root of Shelby County fit the bill.The two showed great enthusiasm and sincerity for the construction of the city and the introduction of new teams.
On February 2001, 2, Grizzlies management visited Memphis and met with Mayors Hellenton and Root.When the team arrived in Memphis, they received a warm welcome, all holding signs that read "NBA NOW."
People beat drums and showed great sincerity, and all those who supported the relocation plan also hung purple and orange signs on their yards, cars and even companies.This made the team executive president at the time feel unprecedented satisfaction and full of vision for the future.
The referendum also showed that the vast majority of people in the city wanted to own an NBA team. On the negotiating table, the team and Memphis officials also achieved a basic agreement.Then, on March 2001, 3, Michael Heisley agreed to make Memphis the Grizzlies' next home court.
The Grizzlies officially settled in Memphis, Tennessee. Since then, the Memphis people have their own NBA team. Fans began to gather in masks, paraded in the streets, and held various slogans to protest the city hall and the team's management. Satisfied with the decision.
The most important thing is that the refurbishment of the arena and the surrounding commercial supporting facilities have enabled countless people to find business opportunities, and people began to re-examine the city in front of them.More and more capital began to pay attention to this city that no one cared about before.
It is a pity that after moving to the new city, the team's record has not ushered in a qualitative change.Although Gasol has entered the playoffs many times in the Grizzlies, he has never tasted the taste of victory in the playoffs.This tragic record did not end until the previous two years, when Zach Randolph brought the No.8 Grizzlies into the second round when the outside world was not optimistic.
And what he defeated was the Spurs team with the best record in the league. Zach Randolph defeated the extremely powerful Spurs team with a big score of 4 to 2, which was the fourth black eight miracle in history. Randolph's net worth has skyrocketed, and his reputation has grown.
The team finally ushered in a new endorsement contract, and Randolph even signed the super five-year contract with the management, becoming a hero of the city and enjoying the worship of people from all walks of life.
"Hey, Zach, I heard that they hung your huge poster next to Pau Gasol. Is it like this?" Du Lin teased the big boy in front of him.
Randolph smiled embarrassedly, "Beating the Spurs has always been my dream. When I was in the Trail Blazers, I wanted to have a head-to-head confrontation with Tim Duncan. Unfortunately, the Trail Blazers were swept twice by the Spurs. Didn't get a win, and what's even more annoying is that Randolph played as a substitute and played very little time."
Yes, the roaring god Rasheed Wallace is still in the formation, and Zach Randolph can only play as his substitute. Unless Wallace is suddenly injured, he may start as a starter, but this There are not many opportunities, and he is generally depressed in the Trail Blazers.
The Grizzlies also had a brief period of glory in the 03-04 season. At that time, the president of operations was our LOGO man, Jerry West. He appointed Hubie Brown as the team's head coach. The ten-man rotation team's record has been soaring all the way.
And the record has been greatly improved, achieving 50 wins. You must know that last season they only won [-] games with the same main lineup. This is a remarkable achievement, and Hubie Brown himself became that Coach of the year.
The next few seasons were lackluster. Gasol played and stopped, until the team selected OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay one after another, the team began to slowly get on the right track.
But what really ushered in the new life of this team was Zach Randolph, who was traded with the Knicks in the 09-10 season, although the team sent away its top star in the previous year Pau Gasol, but the arrival of Zach Randolph quickly injected new soul into this team.
Randolph's tough defense and solid footwork at the basket made the whole league frightened. Gasol also gradually grew up, gradually having the shadow of his brother, and the image of a versatile player who can shoot and pass has taken shape.
The team's double interior combination has become a nightmare for all teams. Both of them have a long enough range. This requires particularly high defensive players. After all, the footsteps in that position are not fast enough to keep up. They are few and far between.
In particular, Gasol Jr. can even cause damage from beyond the three-point line, which was unbelievable at the time, and the small ball style was not yet fully prevalent at that time.
(End of this chapter)