Memphis Grizzlies: What We Forgot About Them Is What Makes Them Contenders

How 'bout them Griz, huh?

Apparently Memphis needed no time getting their playoff legs, and their surprising second-round status gives them this year's Glass Slipper Award.

But is this postseason's Cinderella capable of taking the crown as well?

Ask the Spurs, the Dallas-like upset victim despite boasting far greater credentials. Ask the Thunder, whose Game 1 loss put a screeching halt on their young and enthusiastic march to heavyweight status. Those two teams aren't jokes or seriously flawed pretenders, and Sunday showed the Grizzlies are no fluke, either.

So why didn't anyone see this coming? Because we forgot what Memphis was made of; until the limelight made it impossible to miss.

The Grizzlies, so desperate last year they employed the Answer for a few weeks (only to release him), suddenly have an answer for anything and everything opponents throw at them.

You want to go big? Meet Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph (the best postseason post duo until Paul Gasol or Carlos Boozer return to normal).

You wanna go small? Mike Conley, Shane Battier and Darrell Arthur are willing and waiting to run.

Have an alpha dog scorer? Battier, Gasol and Tony Allen form a team of collars to lock any scorer down.

Offensively, Memphis has flourished despite losing high-flyer Rudy Gay. Randolph is suddenly the best low-post scorer in the game (name a better one right now. You can't). Mike Conley is shaky from the outside, but deadly on the drive and in the paint. Battier, Allen, Arther, Sam Young and Fran Vasquez can all hit the  open J.

When their initial attack is fruitless, Memphis pounds teams relentlessly for second-chance and garbage points. Gasol, Randolph, Battier and Arthur make teams pay (a lot) for not keeping a body on them.

And when things get tight and the Griz need to close shop, they go to Randolph. The Thunder (and future teams if Memphis advances) have to double-team him. Have to. Otherwise he'll make them realize/remember what we never would have thought before now:

That he (and his team) are the real deal.

Just think if Gay were healthy...