All that was missing from the eulogies about the supposed death of the “Grit and Grind” was the whine. When the Memphis Grizzlies benched Zach Randolph – the lefty, hefty, headband-rocking embodiment of power ball – in December, it was easy to view the move as the latest example of the league's small-ball infatuation.
Even members of the Grizzlies accepted the change as something the team had to make to avoid getting dusted by the Golden State Warriors and all of their copycats – until coach Dave Joerger realized he couldn't fully pull the plug on what defined Memphis and brought back to life the familiar style that best fit his personnel.