Memphis fans finally have something to cheer about after a successful 2010 season for their beloved Grizzlies, coming within one game of the Western Conference Finals, and winning their first playoff series’ in franchise history. So what moves does Memphis make in order to get over the hump and become a true force in the NBA.

Memphis found a way to turn things around this season under head coach Lionel Hollins after an unimpressive 2009 season. The Grizzlies finished 40-42 and were an irrelevant stepping stone in the powerhouse Western Conference last season, but that’s all in the past.

After squeaking into the playoffs this season, and drawing the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs in round one, Memphis was written off by most analysts and fans before the playoffs even began. Nobody thought that this small-market team, with Rudy Gay sidelined by injury, could make any real noise in the post-season. The Grizzlies had other plans.

Not only were they able to handle the Spurs, they dominated them, and though they went on to lose in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder, they proved something to basketball fans everywhere: that first series was no fluke.

The scrappy 2010 squad was a throwback to the physical style of basketball fans were accustomed to watching in past decades. In fact they became my favorite team to watch in the playoffs for that very reason. Leading the NBA in points in the paint behind star-forward Zach Randolph and budding young center Marc Gasol, Memphis forced teams to outwork them, and proved that they would not roll over for anybody.

Not only was this team big and strong, but they had arguably the best perimeter defense in the league. Signing former Celtics guard Tony Allen in the off-season and trading for veteran forward Shane Battier at the deadline sparked a new attitude in this team, one we hadn’t ever seen out of Memphis before.

As the old saying goes “offense sells tickets, defense wins championships.” Too many teams seem to have lost sight of this adage of late, but Hollins kept his team focused on locking down the other teams scorers and rebounding the basketball en route to becoming a team that was near impossible for opposing coaches to prepare for.

On the offensive end, Memphis caught a crushing blow when their best wing scorer Rudy Gay injured his shoulder midway through the season, requiring surgery which would keep him sidelined through the playoffs. Gay was quickly becoming the “go-to-guy” on the team, but Hollins was able to rally his troops to pick-up the slack, causing some to believe that the injury turned out to have a positive impact on the team in the long-run.

Fourth year point guard Mike Conley finally came into his own and is looking like the franchise point-guard that the Grizzlies had aspirations for him to be on draft day in 2007. Conley knocked down key shots throughout both playoff series’ and has become the leader of the young team which in prior years was yearning for stability.

Although having the worst season of his short career, and almost being traded at the deadline, OJ Mayo was true to form in the playoffs, scoring in bunches off the bench and proving to be extremely difficult for any other backup guard to deal with.

With all of these key pieces in place alongside young talent in Sam Young, Darrell Arthur and former Maryland star Greivis Vasquez, what other pieces do the Grizzlies have to put in place to make the next step and become a serious championship contender? The answer may be none.

Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley in a recent interview insisted that Rudy Gay will not be traded as much speculation had pointed to. With an off-season to prepare with the same team, and the possibility of adding more size off the bench in the upcoming draft, Hollins’ team may be poised for a big run next season.

If Gay can return to form, Randolph and Gasol can continue their domination down low, Mike Conley can continue to improve, and OJ Mayo can finally find his place with this team, there is no reason that they can’t improve looking forward, and build upon what 2010 started.

With the Lakers, Spurs, and Mavericks all aging very quickly, the young Grizzlies could contend with Oklahoma City as favorites in the Western Conference for years to come. Don’t worry Memphis fans, 2011 was not a fluke, it was the beginning. With hard work in the off-season, many more playoff victories are on the horizon. The future is in their hands.

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Teams are making their final push for seeding in the NBA playoffs which are just weeks away, beginning April 16. Teams are preparing for the home stretch of the season, but also have an eye on where they sit in the standings, and what type of draw they will have come playoff time. The Western Conference has several intriguing matchups that should result in thrilling basketball as a carryover from March Madness.

No. 1 Spurs vs. No. 8 Grizzlies: The Spurs have been a surprising team this year, having the best record in the NBA. They still have the main components of their championship teams with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. Although the eighth seed could be the Jazz, Rockets, or Suns, the Grizzlies have the berth for now. The Grizzlies have some nice pieces down low with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, and point guard Mike Conley is finally coming around. The Spurs are just too veteran of a team and have played so well this year that they won’t have a first round letdown. This is a team that has been there before and with Richard Jefferson making them a more athletic team, they will muscle their way into the next round, and compete to play in the Finals.

No. 2 Lakers vs. No. 7 Hornets: The defending champions, the Lakers, are one of the deepest, most complete teams in the NBA. Even if they don’t have the best record in the regular season, they are built to win in the post-season and they will be tough to beat, no matter who the opponent is. The Lakers have great big men, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, a good defender, rebounder and scorer in Ron Artest, experience and smarts in Derek Fisher, and possibly the best player in the NBA, Kobe Bryant. That’s not even mentioning the type of talent they bring off their bench, guys who would start for many other teams. The Hornets have put together a nice season this year, and have good forwards, David West and Trevor Ariza. Chris Paul runs the show, and will give Fisher all that he can handle, but the depth of the Lakers, along with the experience and ‘it’ factor of Kobe Bryant, will place this team in position to go much deeper than the first round. They will most likely represent the West once again this season.

No. 3 Mavericks vs. No. 6 Trailblazers: The Mavericks have had a solid year this season, and have a little different look to their team. Dirk Nowitzki leads the team, but a solid supporting cast with future Hall-of-Famer Jason Kidd, and shooter Peja Stojakovic, the Mavs are a bit more complete, balancing experience with youth and athleticism. Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, and Shawn Marion round out a great bench, and help to add a different dynamic to the floor with their presence. The Trailblazers have had an up-and-down season, and star guard Brandon Roy’s numbers were down as he struggled to stay healthy. Marcus Camby and Andre Miller bring some experience, and Gerald Wallace provides a nice compliment to LaMarcus Aldridge at the forward position. The Mavericks just have too much offense for the Blazers though, and should slide past Portland, although the series should be tough and could go six or seven games.

No. 4 Thunder vs. No. 5 Nuggets: These teams will face off twice before the regular season concludes, April 5, and 8, and will be very familiar with each other’s tendencies. The Nuggets look so different with the gaping hole left by Carmelo Anthony’s departure, but they have continued to play good basketball. The team has good guards and forwards, and Ty Lawson adds a burst off the bench. If Kenyon Martin can step his game up, and Danilo Gallinari continues to have a good year, the Nuggets could pose a threat to an overly talented young Thunder squad. The addition of Kendrick Perkins was huge for the Thunder, adding size and playoff experience to a young, hungry team who gave the Lakers all they could handle in the first round last year. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are the two stars that everybody talks about. Without Carmelo, the Nuggets will have trouble keeping up with Thunder, and Perkins will pose serious problems for Denver down low. This will be a battle, as the 4 vs. 5 matchup usually is, but the young stars of the Thunder will carry them on, becoming a nightmare for a top seed in the next round.

This should be a year of great matchups in the West, as every team brings a winning record to the playoff table. The Western Conference boasts the defending champion Lakers, and the best record in the NBA, the Spurs. The team that makes it out of the conference will pose a serious threat to the East, and most likely be the favorite to win it all in the end.

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