The Grizzlies lost another basketball game Monday night. Ho hum. They gave up numerous made threes to players who usually don’t make them. Yawn. Multiple Memphis players missed their three point shots...AGAIN.
It can sound like a broken record at times. But this election day, the choice is clear. Instead of focusing time and again on what bad is happening for the Grizzlies in any given loss - today, let’s choose positive thoughts.
For example - I am positive that I didn’t dream Zach Edey’s dominant performance against the Nets. And I am also positive that another “Dream” would be impressed with the game the “Big Mane” played if he were to see it.
Not since Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon has an NBA rookie imposed his will on a basketball game the way Edey did in Brooklyn Monday night. It hadn’t happened in decades...and probably won’t happen again for some time. But the scope of the dominance isn’t what matters. What does matter, is that Edey can absolutely contribute in the same way he was elite on every night moving forward.
Edey can rebound at a high level. He can score efficiently. Zach can keep learning NBA angles, and pursuing shot takers and making them think twice before testing him near the rim. He can make the paint his, and impose himself on the lane on a game to game basis.
The improvement in Edey in just the first three weeks of the season has been remarkable. And if you’re a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies, why would you let a game where 50% of the originally projected rotation didn’t play take away from that joy?
“Joy” is also the word that should be used when describing Ja Morant playing basketball. The MVP dark horse/likely All-NBA winner was once again the talk of social media after making not one, but TWO 360 lay-ups in-game.
You read that correctly. Click the links tagged above, watch them both, then come back. I’ll wait for you.
...
Back now? Cool. Wild, right? TWO 360 lay-ups! ABSURD.
Ja Morant is box office. He’s Broadway, one of the biggest stars on the biggest stage. He provides something that in the 21st century is fading more and more - a shared experience. People have so many options of things to watch and ways to spend their time and money.
But when Ja Morant does something jaw-dropping, rest assured it’ll be on social media with quickness. And his return to the floor on a consistent basis is worthy of celebration.
Yeah, Memphis lost. But the Grizzlies are 4-4...which is better than what they were this time last year. Morant is back. Edey is getting better by the day. The good for Memphis outweighs the bad - at least for now.
Make the choice this election day to make that the focus. Better days are ahead for the Grizzlies. Ja Morant and Zach Edey will almost surely be a part of them.
