Emotional Joerger after Grizzlies' series loss: 'These guys fought'
Injuries in professional sports are inevitable. You play with the cards you're dealt and do your best to work around the circumstances.
In the case of Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger, his roster was particularly decimated heading into the team's opening-round series with the San Antonio Spurs, and the Grizzlies eventually fell in four games following a loss Sunday afternoon. With Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Brandan Wright, and Jarell Martin all sidelined, Joerger was left with few options to overcome the mighty Spurs, losing all four games by a combined 88 points.
As he sat in front of the media at the FedExForum without taking any questions, the third-year coach was visibly emotional as he discussed just how proud he was of his players.
"These guys fought," Joerger said. "They could have quit. They could have not made the playoffs. They fought."
Coach Joerger gets emotional talking about his team. "We could've quit. But every day, they fought like crazy. I'd do anything for them."
— Rob Fischer (@thefishnation) April 24, 2016
Joerger also made sure to single out two of his veteran players in Matt Barnes and Vince Carter, who played the last three minutes of the game and were the last Grizzlies to leave the floor.
"Matt and Vince, they wanted to finish the game," Joerger said. "That's what Grizzlies basketball is about. Those guys are pros. For what we've been through, I'd do anything for those guys. They embraced every guy who came in, no matter what their history was. They cared about them ... these guys fought.
"I can't tell you enough of how proud I am of every guy that's in that locker room and has come through that locker room. This season's been hard. It's been really hard."