The Memphis Grizzlies are Top 5 in the West at this point

[HawaiianJazzFan]

There is honestly not a single team in this league that an OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph team can't beat, now they have a bench.

Speaking just for my team, who's going to stop Deron again?? I don't see how those 4 are better than
Deron, Al Jeff, Millsap, AK, Memo
Lebron, Bosh, Wade, anyone on the earth
Kobe, Pau, Bynum, Artest
Dwight, Vince, Shard, Jameer
Dirk, Kidd, Terry, Haywood, Chandler, Butler
Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Harden, Thabo
Roy, Oden, Wes, Camby, Miller

I like what the grizzlies are doing... but no.

[lilojmayo]

There is honestly not a single team in this league that an OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph team can't beat, now they have a bench.

Speaking just for my team, who's going to stop Deron again?? I don't see how those 4 are better than
Deron, Al Jeff, Millsap, AK, Memo
Lebron, Bosh, Wade, anyone on the earth
Kobe, Pau, Bynum, Artest
Dwight, Vince, Shard, Jameer
Dirk, Kidd, Terry, Haywood, Chandler, Butler
Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Harden, Thabo
Roy, Oden, Wes, Camby, Miller

I like what the grizzlies are doing... but no.

Again, you just proved my point. They can beat anyone of those trios/quads/starting 5. They have 3 guys who can go for 30 points on any given game. No other trio besides the Heat can even potentially do that. One game against Phoenix last year they were close ( Mayo, Gay, Randolph) each almost had 30 points IN THE SAME GAME. Mayo 28, Gay 31, Z-bo 27
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_y ... 2010011829


Last season their starting 5 lead the NBA in ppg out of all starting fives. They have a bench that is going to make them elite, mixed in with the developement of the young stars Mayo and Gay. Gasol is getting better also. This is a 55 win team this year and this upcmoing season they will prove it.

They are playing the thunder tomorrow, I could care less about the score, I want to see how the bench does.

I realize it is preseason I am not putting a lot of stock on it, but you can tell this is going to be one of the elite that's right I said it elite teams of the NBA this year.


"

[HawaiianJazzFan]

Again, you just proved my point. They can beat anyone of those trios/quads/starting 5. They have 3 guys who can go for 30 points on any given game. No other trio besides the Heat can even potentially do that.

Just speaking for my team (other teams could/do have better arguments) but:

Career high in points:
Deron 42 points
Al Jefferson 40 points (twice)
Memo Okur 43 against Indiana last season
Millsap 32 points (twice)
AK 31 points

You are talking about 3 former all stars and 1 player (Jefferson) who I believe will be an all star in this system. Not only do we have 3 players that can go for 30 on a given night... we have 3 players that each have gone over 40 multiple times. What I remember about the Memphis games last year against Utah is that Memphis can score with the best of them but their defense is atrocious.

[GrizzledGrizzFan]

The Grizz still aren't deep enough to be considered close to being a top 5 team in the West. I do think that if they stay healthy again, they are good enough to battle for the 7 or 8 slot in the West though.

[airjordan]

ok leme see 2 blackholes on offense:check, undersized sg:check, avg pg:check, only 1(maybe 2) above avg defender in starting line up: check. ya the top 5 in the west shld be really concerened about the grizzlies.

[walchy]

THE TIMBERWOLVES WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AS THE 6TH SEED!!






This is the delusional homer thread... right?

[durden_tyler]

The point guard position is their only weakness. Starting 2-5 is either average or above average. They'd battle for a playoff spot.

[AdamTheGreek]

they look good on paper but it's still the grizzlies. Something will go wrong.

[vincecarter4pres]

They'll win games in the mid 30's if they don't make a trade or two IMO.

They don't have nearly enough playmaking in that starting lineup, 2 of them are blackhole, ballstopping chuckers, their defense is suspect, their point guard play is below par, Randolph is going to be crying about his extension all season and Rudy Gay can't get along with O.J. Mayo because Mayo just so happens to like winning and personal accountability on the court, what a novel concept.

I think Mayo is as good as gone though. He probably has pretty damn solid trade value and they're not trading Gay after giving him that contract because not many teams are going to want him now and they aren't going to get a player they can sell the fans on for him. Gay's pretty much become the face of the franchise even though he's the 4th best/4th most important player on the team.

Add to this inevitable injuries, which they dodged last season...

[Teckon]

Again, you just proved my point. They can beat anyone of those trios/quads/starting 5. They have 3 guys who can go for 30 points on any given game. No other trio besides the Heat can even potentially do that. One game against Phoenix last year they were close ( Mayo, Gay, Randolph) each almost had 30 points IN THE SAME GAME. Mayo 28, Gay 31, Z-bo 27
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_y ... 2010011829


Last season their starting 5 lead the NBA in ppg out of all starting fives. They have a bench that is going to make them elite, mixed in with the developement of the young stars Mayo and Gay. Gasol is getting better also. This is a 55 win team this year and this upcmoing season they will prove it.

They are playing the thunder tomorrow, I could care less about the score, I want to see how the bench does.

I realize it is preseason I am not putting a lot of stock on it, but you can tell this is going to be one of the elite that's right I said it elite teams of the NBA this year.


"

Just to point out to you....

Last season for Grizzlies,
Mayo averages 17.5 pts per game
Gay averages 19.6 pts per game
Randolph averages 20.8 per game
They are far from averaging 30 pts per game.

By the way, last season for Rockets without Yao,
K.Martin averages 21.3 pts per game
A.Brooks averages 19.6 pts per game
L.Scola averages 16.2 pts per game

Mayo/Gay/Randolph is only 0.8 pts better than Martin/Brooks/Scola trio without Yao last season.
By the way, Martin, Brooks and Scola actually scored 33, 31, and 30pts respectively in the same game against the Spurs.
http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=300226010
The point to note is Rockets still missed the playoff with Grizzlies behind them on 10th spot last season.
How is Grizzlies suddenly become TOP 5 in the West this new season? Rockets at least get Yao back. What significant pieces did Grizzlies add this new season?

[lilojmayo]

They'll win games in the mid 30's if they don't make a trade or two IMO.

They don't have nearly enough playmaking in that starting lineup, 2 of them are blackhole, ballstopping chuckers, their defense is suspect, their point guard play is below par, Randolph is going to be crying about his extension all season and Rudy Gay can't get along with O.J. Mayo because Mayo just so happens to like winning and personal accountability on the court, what a novel concept.

I think Mayo is as good as gone though. He probably has pretty damn solid trade value and they're not trading Gay after giving him that contract because not many teams are going to want him now and they aren't going to get a player they can sell the fans on for him. Gay's pretty much become the face of the franchise even though he's the 4th best/4th most important player on the team.

Add to this inevitable injuries, which they dodged last season...

Gay is a very very good player. He not a dynamic all around player like OJ Mayo, but he can score and is super athletic and very long. Mayo/Gay have chemistry now, and will probably get along better now that they have played with each other for 2 years.

Mayo/Gay there isn't a more talented young SG/SF duo in the NBA.

[Wavy Q]

They'll win games in the mid 30's if they don't make a trade or two IMO.

They don't have nearly enough playmaking in that starting lineup, 2 of them are blackhole, ballstopping chuckers, their defense is suspect, their point guard play is below par, Randolph is going to be crying about his extension all season and Rudy Gay can't get along with O.J. Mayo because Mayo just so happens to like winning and personal accountability on the court, what a novel concept.

I think Mayo is as good as gone though. He probably has pretty damn solid trade value and they're not trading Gay after giving him that contract because not many teams are going to want him now and they aren't going to get a player they can sell the fans on for him. Gay's pretty much become the face of the franchise even though he's the 4th best/4th most important player on the team.

Add to this inevitable injuries, which they dodged last season...

Gay is a very very good player. He not a dynamic all around player like OJ Mayo, but he can score and is super athletic and very long. Mayo/Gay have chemistry now, and will probably get along better now that they have played with each other for 2 years.

Mayo/Gay there isn't a more talented young SG/SF duo in the NBA.

Wade/LeBron say hello

[vincecarter4pres]

Gay is one of the most overrated players in the league.

[ThreeYearPlan]

Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo are BFF's, if they were 5 they'd probably tell their moms to take them to the park at the same time so they can play in the sand box together.

[nonemus]

They'll win games in the mid 30's if they don't make a trade or two IMO.

They don't have nearly enough playmaking in that starting lineup, 2 of them are blackhole, ballstopping chuckers, their defense is suspect, their point guard play is below par, Randolph is going to be crying about his extension all season and Rudy Gay can't get along with O.J. Mayo because Mayo just so happens to like winning and personal accountability on the court, what a novel concept.

I think Mayo is as good as gone though. He probably has pretty damn solid trade value and they're not trading Gay after giving him that contract because not many teams are going to want him now and they aren't going to get a player they can sell the fans on for him. Gay's pretty much become the face of the franchise even though he's the 4th best/4th most important player on the team.

Add to this inevitable injuries, which they dodged last season...

Gay is a very very good player. He not a dynamic all around player like OJ Mayo, but he can score and is super athletic and very long. Mayo/Gay have chemistry now, and will probably get along better now that they have played with each other for 2 years.

Mayo/Gay there isn't a more talented young SG/SF duo in the NBA.

Wade/LeBron say hello

.

[vincecarter4pres]

Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo are BFF's, if they were 5 they'd probably tell their moms to take them to the park at the same time so they can play in the sand box together.

From what I've read(including a couple local articles) they don't get along too well.
Not saying they hate each other, but a few basketball related heated arguments beyond the infamous one that was televised during the timeout last season.

[orange_juice32]

Gay is a very very good player. He not a dynamic all around player like OJ Mayo, but he can score and is super athletic and very long. Mayo/Gay have chemistry now, and will probably get along better now that they have played with each other for 2 years.

Mayo/Gay there isn't a more talented young SG/SF duo in the NBA.

Wade/LeBron say hello

.

Wade is 28

[Wavy Q]

Wade/LeBron say hello

.

Wade is 28

oh my bad, 28 is pretty old.

[orange_juice32]

Wade is 28

oh my bad, 28 is pretty old.

you seriously tryna get sarcastic. i got a few questions for you.. dwyane wade is youthful to you? a 28 year old thats been in the league for 7 years is young? and when did i call wade old? hes in his prime, but hes not young at all

this oj mayo stan really makes the rest of us look bad, but i don't think he had a 28 year old nba veteran in mind when he said "youthful SG/SF combo"

[mid-post]

They'll win games in the mid 30's if they don't make a trade or two IMO.

They don't have nearly enough playmaking in that starting lineup, 2 of them are blackhole, ballstopping chuckers, their defense is suspect, their point guard play is below par, Randolph is going to be crying about his extension all season and Rudy Gay can't get along with O.J. Mayo because Mayo just so happens to like winning and personal accountability on the court, what a novel concept.

I think Mayo is as good as gone though. He probably has pretty damn solid trade value and they're not trading Gay after giving him that contract because not many teams are going to want him now and they aren't going to get a player they can sell the fans on for him. Gay's pretty much become the face of the franchise even though he's the 4th best/4th most important player on the team.

Add to this inevitable injuries, which they dodged last season...

Your whole post is rife with careless inaccuracies and trite memes.
I'm not going to get into the specifics of where you're wrong (because frankly there are too many misapprehensions and blatant falsehoods in your "analysis" for me to address right now). But just for future reference you might want to actually watch a team before you make any lengthy pronouncements about its composition, injuries, player personalities, team chemistry, etc.

Basically anyone who actually watches and follows the Grizzlies on a regular basis knows you just made a bunch of stuff up and presented it as some kind of informed assessment of the team.
Nearly as ridiculous as the OP's proposition btw, congrats.