It is no secret that the Grizzlies have been hampered by the injury bug this season and every single one of their core players: Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and Tony Allen, have missed significant time throughout the 2015-16 season.
Gasol will end up missing 30 games, Conley around 25, Z-Bo will end up missing 12-15 games, Tony Allen will end up missing double-digit games and in total their core will end up missing in the neighborhood of 80 to 100 games in total.
Because of this, along with the Grizzlies decision to be active at the trade deadline in moving some pieces such as Jeff Green and Courtney Lee and the resulting necessity of many 10-day contract guys needed to fill out the roster, the 2015-16 Grizzlies are now tied for the highest number of players to play for a team in one season.
The Grizzlies, along with the 1996-97 Mavericks, have had 27 different players suit up for them this season. Pretty crazy when you consider you can only have 15 players on your roster at one time.
Here is the list of every player who has appeared for them this season, courtesy of basketball reference:
According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Grizzlies are 2nd in the NBA in total games missed due to injury/illness with 245. The Pelicans are just above them at 250.
No team who has had at least 24 different players suit up for them in a season has ever made the postseason, but with the Grizzlies currently at 41-31 and 5th in the western conference with a 4.5 game lead on the 8th seed, they look like they will buck that trend.
According to the advanced net team rating system utilized by John Schuhmann of NBA.com, the Grizzlies have the net rating of a team that should be 31-41. If the phrase “Grit and Grind” was ever applicable to this Grizzlies team it would be now.
They have a very difficult final 10 games of the season, with eight of their final 10 being against teams over .500 and six of their final 10 against the Warriors, Spurs, Raptors and Clippers.
It won’t be an easy road for the Grizzlies down the stretch, but I have a feeling they’ll find a way.
