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The Grizzlies were swept on Sunday by the San Antonio Spurs, losing 4-0 in their best-of-7 series. It capped a disappointing and frustrating season for the Grizzlies that saw their two best players in Marc Gasol and Mike Conley go down with season-ending injuries on top of Mario Chalmers and Brandan Wright, and a host of other maladies along the way. In the end, they simply did not have enough firepower to give the Spurs any challenge. 

After the game, coach Dave Joerger, not exactly the most emotional or sensitive coach in the league, got really emotional. 

That's a professional coach, and one who openly commented on the team being old at the beginning of the season. The Grizzlies went through a lot of emotional moments with the injuries derailing what was a tough season from the start.

There had been persistent rumors all year that Joerger might wind up in Minnesota given rumors of discontent from ownership for years and a longstanding relationship with the Wolves. But with Minnesota hiring Tom Thibodeau as its coach and president this week, and given what the team went through this year, it's easy to see Joerger and the Grizzlies working through things once more. 

Joerger kept this team together despite it being held with duct tape, having to start players whose photos weren't even available in the NBA's database. Their starting point guard was in Israel four months ago. And yet he kept them in the playoffs and came within a few games of the five seed. 

Seeing how much he cares for his players makes you think Memphis would do well to keep him around for the long haul. For more on the Grizzlies, read our look at what happens next in Memphis. 

Dave Joerger loved how hard his guys played. (USATSI)
Dave Joerger loved how hard his guys played. (USATSI)