Three straight winning seasons can't shelter the Memphis Grizzlies from that dismal playoff record. The team that was finally going to take that next step has started this playoff series in the same fashion as the last two teams.
This was the team that was going to exorcise past demons and win a playoff game, maybe even pull the upset and win a series. All the pieces were finally in place.
After two seasons of selfish play and whining by the likes of Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells, the mastermind, Jerry West, donned his Superman cape once again and went to work. He crafted the right team at the right place at the right time. This was the year that the TEAM would come first. Everyone checked their egos at the door, and Coach Mike Fratello had the team focused.
Things were looking so rosy that Disney Studios was on hold to buy the exclusive rights to the Grizzlies' miracle story starring Danny Devito as the small but lovable coach who led his team against all odds.
Then came adversity. Like any great team, this year's Griz can only be judged by how they handled themselves during the tough times. After losing Damon Stoudamire to a season-ending knee injury, things looked dark. However, after suffering through a few games, West was able to bring in veteran Chucky Atkins to guide the team the rest of the way.
Pau Gasol finally stepped into his role as a true NBA star, earning All-Star honors and carrying the team on his back throughout most of the season. Even the fans got in on the Pau mania, donning beards to cheer on their favorite Spaniard.
Meanwhile, Gasol's powerful inside presence continued to open up three-point shots for Mike Miller, who continued to shine from beyond the arc and is a strong contender for the NBA's Sixth-Man Award.
With Pau and Mike providing the play the Grizzlies needed, the only other piece of the puzzle was continuing to play the Fratello-style stingy defense. Memphis responded by posting the league's best scoring defense, giving up only 88.5 points per game.
The last problem the previous two playoff teams faced was limping into the playoffs. Any good postseason run usually begins with a late-season surge. Memphis finished by winning eight of their last nine and was one of the hottest teams in the league at season's end.
All of these factors were to lead to finally winning a playoff game. Instead, the Grizzlies have extended their NBA-record playoff-losing streak to nine. Whether it's the ghost of bad luck past or just nervousness for the task at hand, this team is continuing down the same path as playoff failures of the past.
What happened? How is it that Pau managed to miss all of his first half field goal attempts while the Grizzlies were outrebounded 24-6? How is it that the same team who led the league in defense all season managed to give up over 100 points to their opposition?
These are the questions that need answering if the Grizzlies are to have a chance at winning a game in this series. Pau has to reassert himself as a true All Star, and Fratello has to reignite the fire in his defense to bring down Dallas.
Yes, the Mavericks are a better team. Yes, this same Dallas team won the season series against Memphis three games to one. However, the Grizzlies have played them close all season. They are familiar with this team and should be able to overcome the odds to steal a few wins from them.
If Memphis is to pull the upset and advance to the second round, they have to win in Dallas.
Now is a good time to start a new playoff streak. One that will lead to a series win.
