If you build it, they will come.
The Voice, Field of Dreams

If I can't get people to come to the games I can't pay anybody. Am I upset? No. I've always said we have to make people want to come. With this team, if we can't make them want to come I don't know what I can do.
Michael Heisley, Commercial Appeal Interview

Ray Kinsella had far less of a fan base when he began plowing his cornfield under to build a baseball field. Of course he did risk losing his home and farm but in the end he built it and the people did come and he was saved.

Maybe Michael Heisley needs to watch that movie. People come after it is build not before. People didn't come to the Iowa fields to watch a few good ghosts throwing the ball around. They waited until the team was together and ready to play a real game. Then they came and they came in droves. Cars as far as a person could see drove to Iowa to see them play.

Hey, as of today the Grizzlies gained some ground on Portland in the last 5 days since the last playoff post.

Well, yea, only 1 game in win column and Portland will probably make that up when they play Sacramento tonight.  At the same time Memphis lost ground to the Spurs as we are now 3 wins and 6 losses down as compared to last week only 2 wins and 6 losses down.

The thin line of hope for the playoffs is growing ever so thin.

As of today the Grizzlies have the toughest schedule left based on the opponents winning percentage.

Below the divide see the remaining schedule and other schedule related info.

Even without the team's unquestionable season MVP, the Grizzlies were able to overcome an absolutely crapalicious third quarter performance to beat the terrible but talented Nets.

Zach Randolph sat out with low back stiffness (although Hollins did say in his postgame presser that he expected him back for the game at Boston Wednesday), OJ Mayo sleepwalked through most of the game, and Marc Gasol battled foul trouble for a lot of the second half.

Two major  things stood out to me about this game, one of which is just the shocker of the century...

To no one's surprise, the San Antonio Spurs are starting to wake up, and the Grizzlies ran into them at the wrong time. Any other time, I'm stoked to watch such a well-drilled team as the Spurs play their brand of defense and ball in general, but not when they play the Grizz.

The Spurs did what they do to win this game, and none of it was all that surprising...

Wow, 6 road wins in a row.  And the last two against +500 record teams.  Now the Grizzlies are in 9th place in the West with 20 games to go.

Do the Grizzlies have a shot at the playoffs????  Logic would say no!!  Our desires for the team say, yes or at least maybe.  But realistically how can we tell?

The Spurs are 4 games ahead of Memphis as is Portland.  But a more looming number is the difference in losses.  The Grizzlies have 6 more losses that San Antonio and only 3 more than Portland.

The Spurs still have the toughest schedule left because in their last 24 games they play 14 away and 18 clubs with a 500 record or better.  Also, all the teams they are yet to play have an average winning percentage of 0.538.  They play Memphis twice more.  Also, the Spurs have a 6-4 record over their last 10 games while the other three of the bottom 4 playoff teams are 7-3.

Portland is closer in the standings with only 18 more games to play.  12 of those team have 500 record or better and their remaining SOS is 0.508

The Grizzlies remaining SOS is 0.511 and they play 15 clubs with a 500 record or better.

As for me (how do you think?) I think the Grizzlies' playoff chances are small.  Portland is on track to win 47 games and the Spurs are heading to 48 wins.  So the Grizzlies would have to win 15 of their remaining games to reach 47 wins which is winning at a 750 percent rate.  The problem is since the All-Star break they are 6-5.  So they would have to turn up the heat and their play to reach this.

Below the divide see the remaining schedule and other schedule related info.

Oh, yes sir, they did it. And after a horrifically terrible first quarter, they still did it.

Must apologize for my tardiness with this little Grizzzly gush, as I was indisposed last evening. And by "indisposed", I mean "seeing Soundtribe Sector Nine in Oxford". Great music.

Now on to the game.