Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Dave Fizdale’s decision to bench All-Star center Marc Gasol for the entire fourth quarter in their loss to the Brooklyn Nets was a confusing one. It also turned out to be a costly one as it played a significant factor in Fizdale's firing.

Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley confessed to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal that he too was a little confused by his former coach’s move to bench the team’s star big man.

“I’m not going to lie. I was a little confused at the time. I thought about how important that game was to us. It was a very winnable game. All of those thoughts were going through my mind as I’m looking at the end of the bench and Marc was still there.”

Fizdale defended his decision to bench Gasol post-game, saying that the particular group without Gasol had been the best one during that game and he just wanted to see if it could complete the comeback. It didn't quite work out the way he wanted it to, though.

That move to stick with the lineup that works, even if it doesn't include a team's stars, is not new in the NBA. But obviously, Fizdale's gutsy call didn't come off, and given his already shaky relationship with Gasol, it cost him his job.