Grizzlies Shockingly Fire Head Coach David Fizdale After Just 101 Games

UPDATE (Monday, Nov. 28 at 4:54 p.m.): The Memphis Grizzlies have made David Fizdale’s firing official.

“After a thorough evaluation, I decided a change in course was necessary to move forward and provide the team and organization its best chance at success this season and beyond,” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said in a statement. “Coach Fizdale represented the Grizzlies and City of Memphis proudly, and we wish him well as he continues his career.”

The Grizzlies are the second NBA team to make an in-season coaching change.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Grizz fired head coach David Fizdale on Monday, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He’ll be replaced by JB Bickerstaff.

Memphis has fired coach David Fizdale, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 27, 2017

Associate head coach JB Bickerstaff will be promoted to Memphis' interim head coach, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 27, 2017

The Grizzlies are 7-12 and have lost eight straight games. They did, however, beat the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets on back-to-back nights in October.

The team hasn’t been playing well of late, but there’s still enough talent on this roster to make the playoffs in the Western Conference, and Fizdale is regarded by many people as a good coach.

Fizdale wasn’t given much of a chance to show his talent, either, as he only coached for 101 games. He compiled a 50-51 record in that span and helped lead the Grizzlies to the playoffs, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in six games.

Fizdale benched Grizzlies center Marc Gasol on Sunday, and apparently, they didn’t have the best relationship.

Word out of Memphis this past summer already was Marc Gasol and Coach Fizdale were on very poor terms after some confrontations in practice. Seemed inevitable they'd have to pick between one or the other eventually. This isn't some recent thing.

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 27, 2017

Fizdale was an assistant coach for the Miami Heat during LeBron James’ four-year tenure in South Beach, and the current Cleveland Cavaliers star seems puzzled by the firing.