Herrington: For Grizzlies, NBA Finals offer hope for next season
Memphis Grizzlies teammates Ja Morant, left, and Desmond Bane play against the Toronto Raptors Jan. 3. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Chris Herrington
Chris Herrington covers the Memphis Grizzlies and writes about Memphis culture, food, and civic life.
The NBA Finals tip off Thursday night, and the Dallas Mavericks, a fifth seed from the Memphis Grizzlies’ own Southwest Division with only one player on this season’s All-NBA team, will represent the Western Conference against the end-to-end East favorite Boston Celtics.
How should the Grizzlies, watching from the couch, feel about that?
Two ways: They’re bitter at what was definitely a good opportunity lost but also hopeful the circumstances allowed the Mavericks’ breakthrough seem likely to repeat next season.
What makes an NBA title team?
The parameters have expanded of late. Have they expanded enough for a team built like the Memphis Grizzlies to squeak through?
As has been widely noted, the Dallas-Boston winner will mark the sixth-straight season the NBA will crown a different champion with no prior champ cycling back to win another in this stretch.
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