The Grizzlies were able to hold serve in their first round series with the Spurs on Thursday night, winning Game 3 in Memphis 105-94. That closed the Spurs lead in the series down to 2-1 as Memphis appears ready to make San Antonio earn the series win rather than roll over.
The Grizzlies took advantage of their home court edge at the FedEx Forum in Game 3, where their fans are among the league’s most passionate. It’s not just the Grit N’ Grind of the Grizzlies that gets the people in Memphis on their feet and rowdy during games, though. Memphis’ game ops are extremely creative, especially with their mascot Grizz, and they like to pay homage to the city’s deep ties to the wrestling community by having Grizz regularly wrestle other mascots.
Because it’s the playoffs, Grizz stepped his game up as well, putting on a TLC match with another generic bear mascot (a black bear in a white t-shirt is very close to Spurs colors), and Grizz eventually won by climbing a ladder alongside the other bear (also on a ladder) and slamming him from a good 10 feet up through a table.
Bears wrestling pic.twitter.com/T1rIsXMfe9
— Eli Savoie (@Eli560) April 21, 2017
There’s no word on whether the Hardy Boyz are the ones in those costumes, but this is some of the best mascot work you’ll see across any sport. All mascots take some risks and physical humor is a big part of the mascot life, but Grizz is on a whole other level when it comes to putting his body on the line in the reoccurring wrestling skits they have him as a part of. This is a hell of a table spot, and all it’s missing is some Good Ol’ JR yelling about how the other bear may be broken in half.
