<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MINNEAPOLIS -- Incident-free. Low on drama. Complete with 33 percent more professionalism and leadership. If this regular season amounted to Grizzlies Lite, then the fifth-seeded bunch heading into a first-round playoff series with the Dallas Mavericks will gladly accept the label. The Grizzlies will open that series Sunday at American Airlines Center, where the tip off on a third straight postseason berth is set for 8:30 p.m. There still was a matter of completing the regular season Wednesday night, and the Griz did so mostly by allowing little-used players to contribute during a 102-92 double-overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Target Center. The Griz won five straight to end the season and eight of their last nine. "The game was symbolic of the season," coach Mike Fratello said. "They hung around and found a way to win the game." They'll finish with the franchise's second-best overall win total (49) and victories at home (30). More importantly, the Griz completed their stated mission of finding a smoothly paved path toward the postseason. Anything but those bumpy trails they've traveled the past two Aprils; season-ending stumbles that eventually added up to two first-round sweeps and an 0-8 playoff record. "When we went in the last couple of years it showed. So you have to try something different," guard Mike Miller said. "Our goal was to go in on a high note, and hopefully you'll see the difference. "The game of basketball is hard to turn on and off." Consider the Grizzlies' switch "on" given the positive factors they'll carry into the playoffs. Something that Dallas can't count on is the Grizzlies' center position functioning as the weakest link on the court. Starters Jake Tsakalidis and backup Lorenzen Wright have found a groove that epitomizes just how the Griz have gathered steam over the regular season's final six weeks. "The way Jake and Lorenzen have played. ... It's been like a plus -- something we've needed along the way to win games," Fratello said. "Those two guys have found us a lot of big baskets. I'm happy for both of them because they've both worked hard." Also, take into consideration forward Pau Gasol's evolution as a star player. Those opinions that matter within the organization believe that Gasol's professional happiness (created with having respectful and encouraging teammates) has played a major factor. "We kept the core of good guys and we added quality veterans to make a pretty good team," Wright said. "That's made a big difference. "Even though we'll start on the road, to come in with a five seed and playing well means a lot." Guard Eddie Jones said he watched the Grizzlies' past two playoff appearances because of their sudden emergence and noticed a lack of leadership on the court. "My job is going to be to keep this team motivated," Jones said. "Some times when bad things happen on the floor you have to let it go out of you. Don't dwell on it. "In watching them over the last year, you could see that when teams went on a run they didn't kick it in gear. But we have to understand that whoever has the last run wins the game." To a man, the Grizzlies' locker room disregarded a comment made by Sam Cassell. The Los Angeles Clippers guard insisted that momentum is overrated and openly questioned whether teams entering the playoffs with a winning streak had a real advantage over those struggling to maintain a good rhythm. "If you don't feel good about yourself, you're not going to play good basketball. I don't care who you are," forward Shane Battier said. "We've accomplished what we wanted by playing solid basketball in April. At the end of the day, it's about what you do; if you execute." After all, this is a bunch trying to exorcise playoff demons. The Griz still own an NBA record by going winless in their first eight playoff games. "It's a personal thing," Gasol said. "But with the help of the guys we've added we've got a much better chance. There are a lot of expectations. We also had a lot of expectations the last two years and we got killed. This time, I don't think that's going to happen." </div> Source
