Giannotto
season.
Does Madden fantasy league make Grizzlies better?
Each person in the Madden fantasy league controls one of the NFL’s franchises, and Conley said there’s a threeday window in which players must coordinate when to play their games. The league holds a Super Bowl every three months or so.
Conley claims to have won back-toback championships, a distinction MarShon Brooks confirmed. Brooks’ Detroit Lions beat Conley’s Seattle Seahawks in the regular season but then lost in the NFC championship game.
At the moment, MarShon Brooks said, the league is in the midst of free agency and a seven-round draft of college players will be held next week.
“We’re just trying to sign a few guys, maybe some offensive linemen, so next year I’ll win,” he added.
So why is this important to whether Memphis can turn its 4-2 start into something more meaningful this year? Let the players involved explain. “I’m going to wait my turn and practice and when they do let me in the league, I’ll wreak havoc,” Anderson said. “They’re back-and-forth about it all the time, and it leads to on the court, that bonding and having something to hang out and talk about. It leads to camaraderie on the court.”
“You start caring about the person more as a natural human thing and with all of us being in the same fantasy league, talking about the fantasy league, it always ends up turning into basketball talk and how’s your life going and how’s your family doing,” Dillon Brooks said. “It means a lot to the next person and that’s when guys play harder for each other and stuff clicks more. It’s just a little thing, but it all adds up.”
“You don’t want to always be thinking and talking basketball with the guys you’re around all the time,” Conley said. “Instead, half the time, there’s 60 minutes left on the clock (before games) and there’s somebody making a trade for fantasy football and it’s just keeping things light, keeping things energetic, and giving us more reason to just hang out and be around each other.”
In essence, this is about developing chemistry and cohesion, a distinction that was further highlighted when the Grizzlies played the disjointed Wizards Tuesday night.
While Washington is arguing about who’s getting shots, Memphis is playing video games with each other.
It’s why J.B. Bickerstaff can deploy role players like Wayne Selden, MarShon Brooks, Ivan Rabb and Omri Casspi in an irregular manner and still receive meaningful contributions when they do play. It’s why the Grizzlies have bought into Bickerstaff’s defense-first philosophy. It’s why this team could end up being better than it appears to be on paper.
“Chemistry is invaluable. You can have as much talent as you want, but talent without chemistry equals frustration,” Bickerstaff said Tuesday night. “It gives you an opportunity to do things and overachieve in areas where other people might think you can’t.”
“We all like each other, and I’ve been in a lot of NBA locker rooms where that’s not always the case,” MarShon Brooks added. “When everybody is on the same page, and everybody can take criticism, and move on from that without arguing, and just be men about the job, it’s always easy.”
Grizzlies play fantasy football, too
That does not mean, however, there aren’t arguments in this locker room. Especially when it comes to the team’s fantasy football league.
Yes, in addition to Conley’s Madden fantasy league, there is the more standard fantasy football league as well.
Dillon Brooks said he’s currently 6-1 and in first place. His only loss is to Marc Gasol, who Brooks claims has the worst team this year. Garrett Temple and Conley also have teams, and Brooks spent part of his Tuesday night poking fun at Conley about a recent trade.
Conley traded James Conner, LeSean McCoy and Michael Crabtree for DeAndre Hopkins, Sony Michel and Dalvin Cook. Brooks thought it was a terrible deal for Conley.
“That was like the Pau Gasol-Marc trade,” Brooks cracked.
Conley smiled as a new debate began, well aware his fantasy teams might end up helping his basketball team.