‘Frustrated’ Grizzlies team meeting reportedly turns physical

Frustration may have gotten the best of the Grizzlies after the team fell Tuesday to the Pistons, 101-94, Memphis' eighth loss in 10 games.

Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff led the team in a meeting, calling it "a conversation that needed to be had," according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. But the meeting turned physical between Garrett Temple and Omri Casspi, The Athletic reported.

The Memphis Grizzlies' emotional team meeting after loss to Detroit tonight turned physical in an altercation between veterans Garrett Temple and Omri Casspi in locker room, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 3, 2019

"I think addressing larger issues was the conversation that we needed to have," Bickerstaff said. "Right now, it's not X's and O's that need to be resolved. I think we resolved some of those issues tonight."

The Commercial Appeal notes the locker room was nearly empty when reporters entered. Veterans Mike Conley and Marc Gasol were the only players left 45 minutes after the game ended.

Conley described the team conversation as "productive" and indicated that if the Grizzlies had won, they likely wouldn't have needed a team meeting.

"Losing causes a lot of frustration at the end of the day. If we had won tonight, nobody is talking," Conley said.

Gasol explained that the conversation was necessary, and he plans to work on becoming a stronger leader for the franchise.

“We were openly sharing our thoughts and trying to fix the situation and getting back into being a really good basketball team together and doing the things we need to do consistently to win games," Gasol said.

“I think it’s needed, and guys expect that," he added. "I’ve worked on not being that critical with my teammates, because in the past it creates some problems. But now it’s going to change a little bit.”