Their biggest fan admitted Sunday he's even taken aback by the Grizzlies' recent play.
"They have surprised me a bit," Griz owner Michael Heisley said. "It's still early. But if we don't get hit with injuries, we have an outside chance of making the playoffs."
Memphis (16-16) owns a .500 record this late in the regular-season for the first time since 2005-06, when former coach Mike Fratello patrolled the sidelines. Under Lionel Hollins, who was Fratello's assistant back then, these Grizzlies are coming on strong.
Winners in 15 of the past 23 games, the Griz entered Sunday just 11/2 games out of the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.
Earning a postseason berth still remains a tall order. The Griz's pushing their record above .500 anytime soon seems daunting, too, given their immediate schedule. They'll face Portland in the Rose Garden on Tuesday night, and then play a home-and-home series with Utah to round out a difficult week.
That's on paper.
On the court, the Griz have made their stunning turnaround look easy at times.
Memphis is riding its fourth three-game winning streak this season following a dominating performance that resulted in a 128-103 victory last Saturday at Phoenix.
"That was a proud moment as a coach to see the whole group focus on our game plan, even guys who come off the bench," said Hollins, whose team led by as many as 36 points at Phoenix. "I don't know if we could prepare any better for a team and have it come to fruition the way it did."
Becoming respectable and relevant didn't seem possible when the Griz began the season with a 1-8 record and embroiled in controversy with guard Allen Iverson.
"The thing I like the most is they all like each other and they play well together," Heisley said. "If the city doesn't find this team exciting, I don't know what to do. This is a team you can build for the future on. Add a couple of pieces and you have really got something here. It's a little like where Portland was a couple of years ago. Between us, the (Oklahoma City) Thunder and Portland ... I think that's the future of the West."
The Chicago-based billionaire said he's encouraged by the team's player development and chemistry. He stopped short of saying "I told you so" with regard to Zach Randolph, whose offseason arrival via a trade at Heisley's behest was met with a great deal of cynicism.
The veteran power forward has become the heart and soul of the team with his leadership and eye-popping statistics.
"Everybody told me he was a black hole," Heisley said. "I think we understand he's not a black hole at all. He ought to be an All-Star. ... I'm very happy with all of my guys. Quite honestly, if we play .500 ball for the whole season I'll be very, very happy."
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