The Memphis Grizzlies were set up as an expansion franchise in 1995. They were first called the Vancouver Grizzlies as they entered the NBA at the exact same time as the Toronto Raptors. The Grizzlies had a foundation of Bryant Reeves, Shareef Abdur Rahim, Greg Anthony and Byron Scott. In the coming years thru the draft and trades they managed to add the likes of Antonio Daniels, Mike Bibby, Felipe Lopez and Cherokee Parks. The Grizzlies time in Vancouver were full of disappointment and in 2001 the team was moved to Memphis.
The Memphis Grizzlies purchased rookie Center Pau Gasol from the Atlanta Hawks in 2001. Gasol would go on to earn Rookie of the Year and would rapidly become the Grizzlies franchise player. In 2004, they would see an extreme change as the team would make the playoffs thanks to the management of general manager Jerry West, head coach Hubie Brown and the additions of James Posey and Mike Miller. Jerry West would win the Executive of the Year award and Hubie Brown would win the Coach of the Year award. The Grizzlies would reach the playoffs for the 1st time in the history of the franchise but would get unceremoniously swept in the 1st round by the Spurs. Check our NBA Championship odds for a better look at which teams are in the running to win it all this year.
The subsequent season, Hubie Brown would step down as head coach and would be replaced by Mike Fratello. They’d return to the playoffs but they would get swept once again, this time by the Phoenix Suns. In the 2005-06 season, the team significantly modified its roster. They lost Bonzi Wells, James Posey, Jason Williams and Stromile Swift, while adding Damon Stoudamire, Eddie Jones, Bobby Jackson and Hakim Warrick. They’d make the playoffs for the third year in a row with the same end result. This time getting swept by the Mavericks.
The team traded Shane Battier for the rights to Rudy Gay in 2006 and in 2008 traded Pau Gasol for Marc Gasol, Kwame Brown, Aaron Mckie, Javaris Crittenton, and two draft picks. This would bring in a new time, especially after taking big man Zach Randolph. They’d get back in the playoffs as the eighth seed in 2011 for the 1st time since 2006. They’d go on an incredible run thrashing the number 1 seeded San Antonio spurs in 6 games and push the Oklahoma City Thunder to 7 games before bowing down to them in the second round.
With the Grizzlies young history, the best team in franchise history has to go to the 2010-2011 team. They became only the second team in NBA history to defeat a number one seed in a seven game series format as the number eight seed. With the nucleus figuring to stay intact for several years to come, the Grizzlies should only continue to improve.
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