Hustle is becoming more important for Griz
Memphis reaping benefit of increased G-League quality
Short weeks are often tough for football teams because it means one less day of recovery before a game. Yet Memphis has found ways to thrive on non-Saturday games.
Since coach Mike Norvell took over in 2016, Memphis is 4-0 on games played on Thursday or Friday immediately following a Saturday game. Three of those wins have come following a Saturday loss.
The Tigers have averaged 45 points in those games, including last year when they scored 70 points at UConn.
Memphis also had one of its most memorable wins in school history last year on short rest. The Tigers beat Houston 42-38 in a Thursday night game after a scoreless first half and a 17-point deficit in the third quarter.
This year, Memphis has three Friday games after Saturday game. Yet With training camp fast approaching, the Grizzlies have filled out their roster for the camp and preseason with an intriguing crop of young players. Players like Brandon Goodwin, Doral Moore and Memphian Markel Crawford all want to make a strong impression on the coaching staff. The NBA allows teams to sign up to 20 players until the beginning of the regular season. Once the season begins, the roster must be trimmed to 15 (with two additional two-way slots).
Those additional roster spots used for training camp and preseason can give lessheralded players an opportunity to show teams what they can do. Prior to the proliferation of the NBA's G-League, those players who ended up not making the final roster typically had to go overseas to play. Many still do, especially those who can sign lucrative deals in high-profile international leagues. But those are not easy to come by, and many players now increasingly find playing in the U.S. — even at times for less money — a more attractive option.
The G-League has increased in quality over time, and teams use it more and more to cultivate potential talent. Over half of players on regular-season rosters at the end of last season had played in the NBA's Developmental League. The Grizzlies have had their fair share of those players. Wayne Selden, Ivan Rabb, Andrew Harrison and others have all played for the Hustle (or the Hustle's precursor, the Iowa Energy).
Since acquiring their own G-League affiliate, based in Southaven, the Grizzlies have taken full advantage of the close proximity. Hustle players practice at Grizzlies facilities, play a short drive away from FedExForum, and have significant face time with their
have taken full advantage of the close
Norvell had little worries about his team’s recovery heading into the Tigers’ game against Georgia State on Friday after giving his the team Sunday off.
“It’s really a testament to (strength and conditioning) Coach (Josh) Storms and the work he’s put in this summer with his staff because our guys, their bodies bounce back really well,” Norvell said.
Storms said that there’s a balance between keeping players healthy but also making sure they continue to get enough work in. That's where the benefit of offseason conditioning comes in handy to establish a base to build from.
“Those guys by this point of the year have such a high accumulation of work under their belt that it doesn’t go away overnight,” Storms said. “They still have the ability to recover from the high workloads and the ability to keep doing the work to get better, not just survive,”
Storms added that on short weeks, he and the coaching staff work together to make slight alterations to how the players train while making sure they get as much treatment and recovery as needed. That includes spending more time in the cold tub and monitoring how guys look and feel.
To the players’ credit, they don’t feel any change in how they prepare whether it’s a weekday game or on Saturday. Practice on both Monday and Tuesday this week was still physical and even on a short schedule, the Tigers just wanted to get back on the field after their first loss of the season.
“The majority of it is still the same as a normal week,” running back/wide receiver Tony Pollard said. “You just cut down a few reps so there’s not as much banging but everything else is pretty much the same.