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The Memphis Grizzlies are in an unenviable position right now. Not only are they taking one loss after another and missing their star point guard to an injury, the Grizzlies are also trying to weather a media storm in the wake of their firing of David Fizdale as the team’s head coach on Monday.
This isn’t an ideal environment for the Grizzlies, who are trying to right their ship and stop an eight-game losing skid. It’s going to be easier said than done, especially with Mike Conley out indefinitely with an Achilles injury. It could even get tougher if the Grizzlies decide to not use their center Marc Gasol, just like what Fizdale did in Sunday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets when the now ex-Grizzlies coach Fizdale put Gasol in the doghouse for the entire fourth quarter.
When asked about his take on what’s happening in his brother’s team, San Antonio Spurs big man Pau Gasol said that he understood Marc’s and the team’s frustration, but also expressed he didn’t wish for anyone on the Grizzlies to get fired, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN.
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“He was upset about the game last night. Marc is a competitor and he wants to play. Now with Mike [Conley] out, he's the guy without question. For him not to go back in that fourth quarter, was not OK. Obviously, you read the comments after the game that I also read on ESPN.com. It's weird the timing of it. I don't think Marc had anything to do with the decision. After last night, after the loss and the way it happened, you can understand there is frustration after losing eight straight and the way they were playing. It was something going on that was not positive. It didn't seem they were giving themselves a chance every night. You couldn't see things turning around. You don't want to see that, you don't want people to get fired. At the end of the day this is a business and you've got to make decisions not just for the present but also going forward. You hope everything works out for the Memphis Grizzlies, especially because my brother is there, and I want him to do well.”
Marc and Pau are scheduled to see each other on the basketball court this Wednesday when the Grizzlies make a trip to San Antonio for Memphis’ first game with Fizdale out of the picture. Instead, the team will be guided by interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Marc, of course, isn’t the only connection Pau has in Memphis. It could be remembered that the elder Gasol’s first team in the NBA was Memphis where he played for over seven seasons.
