Enjoy, America: The Grizzlies' Only National TV Game at Oklahoma City

2014/15 NBA Season
	vs
2014/15: 5-0 (3-0 road)		2014/15: 1-4 (1-0 home)
November 7, 2014
Chesapeake Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
7:00 PM CDT
ESPN / 92.9 FM ESPN
Starters
Mike Conley	PG	Reggie Jackson
Courtney Lee	SG	Sebastian Telfair (I guess?)
Tony Allen	SF	Lance Thomas
Zach Randolph	PF	Serge Ibaka
Marc Gasol	C	Steven Adams
2014/15 Advanced Stats
92.6 (18th)	Pace	92.3 (19th)
101.1 (22nd)	OEff	98.4 (26th)
93.1 (2nd)	DEff	109.6 (24th)

The Big Story

As much as I'd like to complain about how this is the only time the Grizzlies will be appearing on national television this season (not counting NBA TV or possible flex spots we should get closer to the playoffs), the real story here is the apocalyptic train wreck that is the 2014-2015 Oklahoma City Thunder. Rule No. 3, Sec. 2 of the official NBA rulebook states: "At least ten minutes before the game is scheduled to begin, the scorers shall be supplied with the name and number of each player who may participate in the game." With all due respect to the dumpster fires in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, the roster provided to the scorers' table by Coach Scottie Brooks on Friday very well may be remembered as the worst all season. As of 4PM CST, the only other players outside of the starting lineup who we are sure will suit up are Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison, and Ish Smith (recently signed using the NBA's "Hardship Provision"). The combined payroll of the team in uniform will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $31 million, which actually overstates the talent on the floor because almost a third of that is attributable to Kendrick Perkins. So yea, these are rough times for The Team Formerly Known as the Thunder.*

* They've changed their name to this unpronounceable symbol until Kevin Durant returns from injury:

The Not-As-Big-But-Still-Pretty-Damn-Big-Story

We're still mother%^@#ing UNDEFEATED!!! Sure, the wins haven't come against the best teams in the league, but it's as impressive of a start as you could possibly ask for. There are causes for concern, but this isn't college and the team doesn't have any computers or committees it needs to impress. Every time they notch a W now counts just the same as it would in April, so if you feel the need to fret about bench production or defensive rebounding, save it. Tell em, Crash (audio NSFW)...

Blah Blah Blah No National TV Games

Yes, it's getting silly. And people need to stop saying it's because we don't have a star. Those people clearly haven't watched Marc Gasol this year. But you know what? It might actually be good because the more we win, the more often Z-Bo's going to have to answer questions from national reporters about it and get pissed. Which reminds me of a joke: What's the only thing the Grizzlies have less of than games on national TV? Losses.

Boom.

Prediction

Grizzlies 96, Thunder 75