The Stuff That Rivalries Are Made Of: Grizzlies vs Pelicans Part 2 - Rollin' On The River

The Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans are two up and coming teams in the NBA Western Conference. They have two rookies that are at the forefront of the Rookie of the Year race in Ja Morant and Zion Williamson and perhaps their close geographical proximity may also play into why I think that the two teams have the stuff that rivalries are made of.

The Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans are two up and coming teams in the NBA Western Conference. They have two rookies that are at the forefront of the Rookie of the Year race in Ja Morant and Zion Williamson and perhaps their close geographical proximity may also play into why I think that the two teams have the stuff that rivalries are made of.

I took my first NBA road trip this year with my brother and a friend.  It was the Grizzlies lopsided loss to the Pelicans 139-111 loss with the Grizzlies being shorthanded due to injury and suspensions.  We rented a car and took the drive up 55 South, attended the game, spent one more day for fun, and headed back to Memphis.  

While at the game I ran into a ton of Grizzlies fans who made the trip.  Some drove and others took the train.  The trek from the Bluff City to the Bayou is a short one.  Just down the river.  The two smallest markets in the NBA in the heart of the south.  Two cities on the Mississippi River, which was once the main source of distribution in this country, now house two of the most exciting teams for the NBA's future.

The Grizzlies and their fans took a loss the last time that the two teams met with two games left to play in what is now a suspended season.  You probably won't see another regular-season game between them, but with the two teams being neighbors on the map you can probably expect some not-so-neighborly matchups in the near future.  

The Pelicans have some passionate fans on Twitter and Facebook that are as authentic as the city's cuisine.  I plan on catching up with a few of them in person when the NBA resumes and allows fans and media back into the stands but until then we will continue to talk trash to our new potential rivals down the river.

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- Anthony Sain - Memphis Grizzlies Beat Writer and Lead Editor For Sports Illustrated's All Grizzlies.com

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