Memphis Grizzlies Tickets

Memphis Grizzlies 2011-12 Season Preview The Memphis Grizzlies came out of virtually nowhere last year to nearly get to the Western Conference Finals, and they managed to do all of that even without Rudy Gay for the stretch run and postseason.

It was a huge turning point for a franchise that has struggled to be relevant for anything other than losing seasons and an owner who wasn't willing to put a lot of money into the team.

Fans really rallied around the team and supported them throughout their playoff run, and suddenly the NBA is a cool thing in Memphis. It's great to see the game grow in a city where basketball was previously really an afterthought.

The Grizzlies get Gay back on the court this year, and that has to have the team excited about how far they might be able to go this season. They will still have to get past the usual suspects in the postseason, but the group gained a lot of confidence from their success last year.

The team was unanimously ripped for locking up point guard Mike Conley to a long-term deal only to see him finally start to flash his potential on a more consistent basis. The acquisition of Zach Randolph couldn't have worked out better, as the power forward has stayed out of trouble on and off the court and become a terrific low-post player.

Grizzlies players and fans alike have a lot to be excited about heading into the 2011-2012 season. Expectations may have gotten out of hand for a team that is still quite young and inexperienced, but there are still plenty of reasons to be excited in Memphis.