The bubble has really felt like a Small World so far for the Grizz.
I’ve never been to Disney World. *Full stop*
Growing up in south Memphis, this factoid never really registered to me as something that was odd. As I got older and talked to more people, I realized I was usually in the minority when it came to Magic Kingdom visits.
Now as I sit here at the end of the Memphis Grizzlies eight-game bubble seeding run, I can honestly say…that happiest place on earth slogan is false advertising! (just kidding…kinda)
The Grizz experience has mostly been a never-ending haunted mansion ride thru injuries, inconsistent play and head-scratching rotations. Except for a blowout of OKC, it has been the opposite of anything magical.
That is until it was absolutely put up or shut up time for the boys in Beale St. Blue.
With their proverbial backs against the wall, the Grizzlies finally gave their fans a chance to actually enjoy the bubble life by defeating a Freakless Bucks squad by a score of 119-106.
But to just call it a win would be severely understating the importance of that particular victory. Just think about the positives that came out of it:
- Franchise history was made. Ja Morant (12p/13r/10a) and Jonas Valanciunas (26p/19r/12a) both recorded triple-doubles in the same game.
- #GoodDillon. 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting will work just fine, especially for Dillon Brooks’ confidence moving forward.
- The team can take a collective deep sigh knowing their season won’t end with the bitter taste of not even making it to the play-in round.
- Making the play-in!
Now that last one is probably obvious, but think about it in another context.
https://twitter.com/JaMorant/status/1294044033627697153?s=19
Just imagine standing in line for your favorite Disney attraction for hours and when you finally get to the front, they close that junt in your face! Yeah buddy, that’s what not making it would have felt like for the Grizz and their fans alike.
So even though it’s been far from the Happiest place on Earth for the first eight games, at least Memphis’ first visit will have an exciting finish, and that’s a Bear Necessity.
Get it? The Jungle Book? It’s a Disney movie.
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