Two days of workouts that followed Saturday's loss to Oklahoma City didn't result in an end to what is now a seven-game losing streak for the Grizzlies as they lost to Atlanta on Wednesday 105-95.
The game was the 100th for the Grizzlies under coach Marc Iavaroni, who saw his record in Memphis drop to 26-74. The Grizzlies trailed the Hawks by as many as 26 points in the third quarter before going on one of their fourth-quarter tears to get the deficit back to single digits temporarily.
I think the losing streak is taking its toll on the Grizzlies players. It's hard for any team, even a group of veterans, to endure losing as many games as the Grizzlies have recently. These young guys are rattled at this point. They're not used to this kind of struggle, and that could be devastating for them. If they don't have the confidence to think they can win when they take the court each night, it's going to be a long season. The players say they have to play for pride once they're down 20 points in the third quarter, but they need to apply that attitude to the season as a whole. Play like you're down 20 points at tipoff every night, no matter who your opponent is. Play every game like you're down 20 games in the division standings (thankfully, it's only seven at this point). You don't have to wait until the fourth quarter to develop that mindset if that is what motivates you.
The players are saying all the right things. They seem to know what needs to be done. They just need to find the passion to do it. They need a spark, which comes most often with a coaching change. The players need to find something, either real or imagined, that will give them the energy they need to be successful on the court. Now is the time when you play the "no respect" card. It's the Grizzlies against the world.
Keywords: Memphis Grizzlies
