The 2010–11 Memphis Grizzlies season was the 16th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the tenth for the franchise in Memphis. The 2010–11 Memphis Grizzlies season marked their first playoff appearance since 2006. This season also marked their first playoff win in a series in franchise history by defeating the first seeded San Antonio Spurs in six games in an upset, becoming the fourth eighth seed in league history to win a playoffs series against a number one seed, following the Denver Nuggets in 1994, the New York Knicks in 1999, and the Golden State Warriors in 2007.
However, the Grizzlies' season ended with a seven-game loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Semifinals.
Key dates June 24, 2010 – The 2010 NBA draft was held in New York City. July 1, 2010 – The free agency period began. February 8, 2011 – Tony Allen was inserted into the starting lineup in a game against Oklahoma City, in place of an injured Rudy Gay and suspended O. J. Mayo. Allen produced 27 points, five steals and three blocks while spending most of the contest guarding Kevin Durant and in a postgame interview, coined the phrase "Grit. Grind." that became part of Memphis' team identity going forward."Grizzlies Make Up for Lack of Flash With Grit." Cacciola, Scott. The New York Times. 2013 May 18. February 24, 2011 – The Grizzlies trade Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and a future first-round draft pick to the Houston Rockets for Shane Battier and Ishmael Smith. An attempted trade of O. J. Mayo to the Indiana Pacers for Josh McRoberts and a 2011 first-round draft pick did not make the trade deadline. April 8, 2011 – The Grizzlies clinch a playoff berth after a victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School 1 12 Guard Kansas (Fr.) 1 25 Guard USF (Jr.) 1 28 Guard Maryland (Sr.)
Roster
Pre-season
Game log
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | October 6 | Indiana | | Rudy Gay (12) | Marc Gasol (9) | Mike Conley Jr. (7) | FedExForum8,618 | 1–0 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | October 7 | @ Atlanta | | Acie Law (19) | Zach Randolph (8) | Acie Law (5) | Philips Arena7,132 | 2–0 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | October 9 | @ New Orleans | | Zach Randolph (21) | Marc Gasol (10) | Mike Conley Jr. (4) | New Orleans Arena11,461 | 3–0 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | October 12 | @ Oklahoma City | | Marc Gasol (19) | Marc Gasol (8) | Acie Law (6) | BOK Center11,297 | 4–0 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | October 14 | Caja Laboral | | Mike Conley Jr. (27) | Darrell Arthur (9) | Acie Law (5) | FedExForum7,940 | 5–0 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | October 16 | Milwaukee | | Rudy Gay (17) | Rudy Gay (9) | Acie Law (5) | FedExForum9,767 | 6–0 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | October 18 | New Orleans | | Mike Conley Jr. (19) | Darrell Arthur,Hasheem Thabeet (7) | Mike Conley Jr.,Marc Gasol,O. J. Mayo (4) | FedExForum8,268 | 7–0 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | October 22 | @ Detroit | | Marc Gasol,Sam Young (16) | DeMarre CarrollHamed Haddadi (7) | Mike Conley Jr. | The Palace of Auburn Hills18,528 | 8–0
Regular season
Standings
Game log
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | October 27 | Atlanta | | Mike Conley Jr. (23) | Rudy Gay (10) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | FedExForum17,519 | 0–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | October 29 | @ Dallas | | Rudy Gay (21) | Marc Gasol (15) | Mike Conley Jr. (6) | American Airlines Center20,060 | 1–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | October 30 | Minnesota | | O. J. Mayo (29) | Marc Gasol (8) | Mike Conley Jr. (11) | FedExForum12,753 | 2–1
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 2 | @ LA Lakers | | Rudy Gay (30) | Marc Gasol (8) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | Staples Center18,997 | 2–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 3 | @ Golden State | | Rudy Gay (35) | Marc Gasol (8) | Mike Conley Jr. (13) | Oracle Arena16,607 | 2–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 5 | @ Phoenix | | Rudy Gay,Marc Gasol (26) | Zach Randolph (14) | Mike Conley Jr. (7) | US Airways Center16,470 | 2–4 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 6 | @ Sacramento | | Rudy Gay (32) | Zach Randolph (11) | Mike Conley Jr. (5) | ARCO Arena14,085 | 3–4 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 8 | Phoenix | | Zach Randolph (23) | Zach Randolph (20) | Mike Conley Jr. (6) | FedExForum10,786 | 4–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 10 | Dallas | | Zach Randolph (23) | Rudy Gay,Zach Randolph (9) | Mike Conley Jr. (5) | FedExForum10,767 | 4–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 13 | Boston | | Rudy Gay (22) | Zach Randolph (11) | Marc Gasol (5) | FedExForum18,119 | 4–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 15 | @ Orlando | | Marc Gasol (14) | Zach Randolph,Rudy Gay (9) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | Amway Center18,846 | 4–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 16 | Portland | | Rudy Gay (20) | Zach Randolph (14) | Mike Conley Jr. (6) | FedExForum10,827 | 4–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 19 | @ Washington | | Zach Randolph (19) | Zach Randolph (12) | Mike Conley Jr. (6) | Verizon Center13,504 | 4–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 | November 20 | Miami | | Zach Randolph (21) | Zach Randolph (13) | Mike Conley Jr. (6) | FedExForum18,119 | 5–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | November 24 | Detroit | | Zach Randolph (21) | Zach Randolph (14) | Mike Conley Jr. (7) | FedExForum11,283 | 6–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | November 26 | Golden State | | Rudy Gay (25) | Zach Randolph (7) | Mike Conley Jr. (5) | FedExForum14,753 | 7–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | November 27 | @ Cleveland | | Rudy Gay (17) | Zach Randolph (11) | Rudy Gay (6) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 7–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | November 30 | LA Lakers | | Mike Conley Jr. (28) | Marc Gasol,Zach Randolph (9) | Zach Randolph (4) | FedExForum17,638 | 8–10
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 1 | @ Atlanta | | Rudy Gay (23) | Zach Randolph (19) | Mike Conley Jr. (9) | Philips Arena11,513 | 8–11
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 3 | Houston | | Rudy Gay (29) | Zach Randolph (8) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | FedExForum14,577 | 8–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 5 | @ Denver | | Rudy Gay (24) | Zach Randolph (12) | Mike Conley Jr. (9) | Pepsi Center15,017 | 8–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 6 | @ Utah | | Mike Conley Jr. (19) | Zach Randolph (14) | Mike Conley Jr.,Marc Gasol (5) | EnergySolutions Arena19,131 | 8–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 8 | @ Phoenix | | Zach Randolph (34) | Zach Randolph (17) | Mike Conley Jr. (14) | US Airways Center16,288 | 9–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 11 | @ LA Clippers | | Zach Randolph (18) | Zach Randolph (13) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | Staples Center14,970 | 10–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 13 | Portland | | Zach Randolph (25) | Zach Randolph (20) | Mike Conley Jr. (3) | FedExForum10,467 | 11–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 | December 15 | Charlotte | | O. J. Mayo (24) | Marc Gasol (10) | Mike Conley Jr. (9) | FedExForum12,219 | 12–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 17 | @ Houston | | Rudy Gay,Sam Young (19) | Zach Randolph (9) | Mike Conley Jr.,Rudy Gay,O. J. Mayo (3) | Toyota Center14,534 | 12–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | December 18 | @ San Antonio | | O. J. Mayo (27) | Zach Randolph (21) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | AT&T Center18,581 | 12–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | December 21 | New Jersey | | Marc Gasol (19) | Zach Randolph (14) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | FedExForum14,112 | 12–17 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | December 26 | @ Indiana | | Rudy Gay (30) | Zach Randolph (16) | Mike Conley Jr. (10) | Conseco Fieldhouse12,630 | 13–17 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | December 27 | Toronto | | Zach Randolph (21) | Tony Allen,Zach Randolph (8) | Mike Conley Jr.,Rudy Gay (6) | FedExForum14,971 | 14–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | December 29 | @ Sacramento | | Zach Randolph (35) | Zach Randolph (17) | Mike Conley Jr. (7) | ARCO Arena12,636 | 14–18
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | January 1 | @ Utah | | Zach Randolph (27) | Zach Randolph (16) | Mike Conley Jr. (7) | EnergySolutions Arena19,732 | 14–19 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 2 | @ LA Lakers | | Rudy Gay (27) | Marc Gasol (10) | Mike Conley Jr.,Marc Gasol (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 15–19 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 4 | Oklahoma City | | Zach Randolph (31) | Zach Randolph (16) | Mike Conley Jr. (9) | FedExForum12,765 | 16–19 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 | January 7 | Utah | | Rudy Gay (28) | Zach Randolph (11) | Greivis Vásquez (7) | FedExForum14,781 | 17–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 8 | @ Oklahoma City | | Zach Randolph (27) | Zach Randolph (16) | Greivis Vásquez (6) | Oklahoma City Arena18,203 | 17–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 10 | @ Charlotte | | Zach Randolph (15) | Zach Randolph (15) | Mike Conley Jr. (7) | Time Warner Cable Arena10,188 | 17–21 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 12 | @ Detroit | | Zach Randolph (34) | Zach Randolph (17) | Mike Conley Jr. (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills13,068 | 18–21 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 15 | Dallas | | Zach Randolph (23) | Zach Randolph (20) | Mike Conley Jr. (6) | FedExForum15,812 | 19–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 17 | Chicago | | Zach Randolph (21) | Zach Randolph (13) | Mike Conley Jr. (6) | FedExForum18,119 | 19–22 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 | January 19 | @ New Orleans | | Mike Conley Jr.,Rudy Gay (22) | Marc Gasol,Zach Randolph (10) | Mike Conley Jr.,Marc Gasol,Rudy Gay (5) | New Orleans Arena15,951 | 19–23 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | January 21 | Houston | | Zach Randolph (29) | Zach Randolph (19) | Mike Conley Jr.,Rudy Gay (5) | FedExForum13,458 | 20–23 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | January 22 | @ Milwaukee | | Marc Gasol (24) | Marc Gasol (16) | Greivis Vásquez (4) | Bradley Center16,157 | 21–23 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | January 24 | @ Toronto | | Rudy Gay (21) | Zach Randolph (12) | Mike Conley Jr.,Marc Gasol (4) | Air Canada Centre14,127 | 22–23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | January 26 | @ New Jersey | | Rudy Gay (22) | Zach Randolph (16) | Mike Conley Jr.,Marc Gasol (5) | Prudential Center8,866 | 22–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | January 28 | @ Philadelphia | | Zach Randolph (22) | Zach Randolph (12) | Marc Gasol (5) | Wells Fargo Center14,289 | 23–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | January 29 | Washington | | Zach Randolph (24) | Zach Randolph (20) | Mike Conley Jr. (12) | FedExForum14,722 | 24–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 49 | January 31 | Orlando | | Mike Conley Jr. (26) | Zach Randolph (9) | Mike Conley Jr. (11) | FedExForum13,513 | 25–24
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 | February 2 | @ Minnesota | | Zach Randolph (23) | Zach Randolph (13) | Mike Conley Jr. (9) | Target Center12,662 | 26–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 | February 4 | Cleveland | | Zach Randolph (29) | Zach Randolph (13) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | FedExForum11,932 | 27–24 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 5 | @ Houston | | Zach Randolph (22) | Zach Randolph (17) | Mike Conley Jr. (5) | Toyota Center18,195 | 27–25 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 | February 7 | LA Lakers | | Sam Young (22) | Marc Gasol,Zach Randolph (12) | Mike Conley Jr.,Zach Randolph (4) | FedExForum18,119 | 27–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 54 | February 8 | @ Oklahoma City | | Zach Randolph (31) | Zach Randolph (14) | Mike Conley Jr.,Zach Randolph (4) | Oklahoma City Arena17,868 | 28–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | February 11 | Milwaukee | | Mike Conley Jr. (23) | Rudy Gay (10) | Mike Conley Jr. (8) | FedExForum14,749 | 29–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 56 | February 13 | Denver | | Darrell Arthur (24) | Zach Randolph (16) | Mike Conley Jr. (5) | FedExForum15,398 | 30–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | February 15 | Philadelphia | | Mike Conley Jr. (22) | Zach Randolph (10) | Zach Randolph (7) | FedExForum11,197 | 31–26 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 | February 22 | @ Denver | | Tony Allen (26) | Tony Allen,Zach Randolph (8) | Jason Williams (9) | Pepsi Center14,638 | 31–27 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 | February 23 | @ Minnesota | | Zach Randolph (24) | Zach Randolph (10) | Mike Conley Jr. (9) | Target Center11,497 | 32–27 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc"