Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies Have Brought Life to Memphis

Last season's playoff run was legendary for the Memphis Grizzlies. Twelve straight postseason losses. No wins at home. No postseason wins period. The Grizzlies were nothing more than a joke in Memphis.

Nobody expected the Grizzlies to beat the top-seeded Spurs. The Grizzlies had gotten to the playoffs, but were thought of as just another road block on somebody's way to the NBA Finals.

Then it happened.

The Grizzlies grinded down the Spurs to Game 6, where they finished them off. The Fed-Ex Forum was electric. No longer were the Grizzlies the joke of the NBA. The Grizzlies were advancing to the second round after their first home (and postseason) wins.

Sadly, the Grizzlies would fall to the Thunder, but not before pushing the Thunder all the way to Game 7.

Durant and Westbrook were clearly tired after every game. They were trying to figure out a way to beat this scrappy team called the Grizzlies. They eventually figured it out, but not before realizing that Memphis was the real deal.

Ever since that historic win, I've seen more people wearing Grizzlies gear. Before then, only a few people displayed their Grizzlies pride and even fewer did it willingly. Now, it's different.

People on the street talk about the Grizzlies, their favorite players, their predictions for next year. My God, even the city graffiti has the Grizzlies logo and motifs on them. 

This is the loudest I have ever heard the Fed-Ex forum. People are actually showing up to the games! If they don't go to the games, then they head to the nearest bar or Beale Street. The city is bursting with new life, all because our basketball team exploded onto the NBA scene.

My thoughts are perfectly summed up in a billboard, seen in Memphis: "Building up cities by grinding down teams."