After David Fizdale's failed attempt to modernize the Memphis Grizzlies, J.B. Bickerstaff is bringing the team back to its roots — grit and grind. The Grizzlies have long been known for their methodical, half-court pace and their penchant for turning games into grinders for opposing teams.

Despite the new trend towards pace and space in the NBA, Bickerstaff and the Grizzlies are leaning into an older, slower style of basketball.

“We want to bring people to the mud and see how comfortable they are in that type of fight,” Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Tim MacMahon of ESPN after Monday's practice. “There's not a ton of practice time anymore, so the games are coming and everybody's playing one way, and then all of a sudden you play us and it's a completely different game. How do you handle that?”

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It's hard to argue with this idea because Memphis is winning. The Grizzlies are 12-7 and in the early-season hunt for the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference.

That being said, this strategy has the potential to backfire. In fact, it backfired in their most recent game against the New York Knicks. The Grizzlies employed their typical grit and grind, but the Knicks made more plays down the stretch to steal a win. The Knicks came into the game as one of the worst teams in the league with a 6-14 record.

Of course, even the best teams in the league lose to bad teams, but time will tell if Memphis' strategy will work.