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Maybe I’m just biased as a result of spending several years with the Grit ‘N’ Grind Grizzlies, but my travel-heavy Tour de NBA the last few weeks has left me pondering a question: Is the league undervaluing grit? Are we, as a league, so focused on the upside plays, the possibility that dart throws on guys with length and athleticism “figuring it out” will hit the bull’s eye one day, that we’re missing the hustlers getting results right in front of our eyes?

Call them gamers or grinders or whatever term you want to use for hard-playing, unheralded guys with a little bit of extra edge to them, but they certainly seem to be having a

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