Grizzlies at Bulls: Time to Grind
Tonight the Memphis Grizzlies are in Chicago to battle for their 15th win of the season. After soundly defeating the Wizards on Sunday Memphis seems to be coming to terms with playing at a new pace. It has become obvious that the defense-based, half-court game grit-and-grind is not going to work for the Grizzlies anymore. This new line-up seems to have boosted the Grizzlies to a faster paced style of ball. As of now, we have too small of sample size to say that the new line up is the answer to the woes that have befallen our beloved Grizzlies. However, during Zach Randolph’s injury the faster paced Grizzlies had success and went 3-2. In their wins they are playing at a faster pace than their losses. When Randolph was re-inserted into the starting line-up, the slow down in the pace appeared to become costly for the Grizzlies. I still firmly stand on my opinion that Zach Randolph is not an issue or a problem that needs to be solved. I’m not even ready to say that our line-up needs blown up. Our line-up needs tweaked and that’s exactly what we are doing.
Change is never easy. Change is always hard. Right now, Memphis is changing. It takes time and effort to learn a new style of play. As much as I loved the old grit-and-grind it just isn’t going to work in today’s NBA. This NBA is full of guards and wing players that get hot at the drop of a bucket and run the score up on you. With that said, the Grizzlies defense has not been what it was in season’s past. This year’s defensive efficiency of 104.4 points allowed per game is a far cry from last season’s 99.9. Let’s face it though, when we have had some of the most detrimental losses in franchise history, that number isn’t all that surprising. I am looking forward to watching tonight’s game and seeing if we can keep our face-paced offense going. It sure won’t hurt to shoot 56% again from the field.
Chicago heads into tonight’s game on a SEGABABA, with their win over the 76ers putting them on a three game winning streak. The Bulls are sitting in the number two spot in the Eastern Conference and have been able to oust opponents with their defensive presence. This is not a team that is going to run the score up by making a ton of threes. They only average 7.6 threes in their wins. They make and take more threes in their losses. The Grizzlies will need to pack the paint on the Bulls and force them to take the outside shots they are not comfortable making. The Bulls still carry offensive weapons in their pocket like Jimmy Butler and one-time Grizzly Pau Gasol. Containing those two will put pressure on the remaining Bulls team to step up. I look forward to the Gasol brother face-off and expect tonight’s game to be an entertaining one.
What to watch tonight:
Gasol vs Gasol. You can always bet on a high performing game from both Gasols when they face one another. The brothers have played together in Spain and against one another in the US. They know each other well. Comparatively, Pau Gasol is having a slightly better season than his brother. Only one Gasol can have a stellar performace and I believe it will be that Gasol’s team that will walk away with the win tonight. Therefore, we must be given Beastmode Marc Gasol. There is no other option. It will be up to Marc Gasol to defend the paint and keep his brother from snagging rebounds.
Pau Gasol has been carrying his team, since the other big men have not been having the greatest season. Joakim Noah averages 8.9 rebounds per game but does not do much on the offensive side, scoring on 3.8 points. Marc Gasol should take advantage of the weaker Bulls front court.
Mike Conley. I have said it before and I will say it again. So much of this team depends on the performance that Conley can deliver. His consistency has been in question for much of this season. The point guard who could easily have been called the most underrated at his position last season, has been seemingly mediocre. I wrote about it in another preview, in our wins Conley is on point. In our losses, he struggles to score and move the ball. He shoots 48.3% in wins and 30.7% in losses. Derrick Rose has been presenting his own struggles and Conley must assert himself to take advantage of this. It’s time for him to put on the leadership mask and keep it on. Sorry Rose, our mask is better than yours.
Matt Barnes and CLee (Courtney Lee) FOR THREE!!!! Let’s face it, the Grizzlies don’t make a lot of threes. We only average 6.4 threes in our wins. Against the Wizards Barnes and Lee combined for 7/9 from three and 35 points. Having these two in the starting line-up has certainly done wonders for their shooting. Each man seems to be finding his rhythm earlier in the game. Moving the ball up the court faster has given more time for the open man to be found and the shots to fall. Taking advantage of the fact that the Bulls are not a great three-pointer team either could be a deciding factor in a Grizzlies win.
Win the Daggum Fourth Quarter. The Grizzlies have struggled in the final half of their recent games. They have struggled the most in the fourth quarter. This is time that the gritty Grizzlies would lock down on defense and exert their will on the court. The Grizzlies will have to find a new way to maintain their effectiveness on the court offensively in the fourth. Turning the ball over and going scoreless for long stretches will cost them this game. Chicago recently has also experienced some second half struggles but in their recent games have been able to make their second half click. Memphis will need to win the fourth quarter and do so in spirit breaking manner. The Bulls cannot be left with hope to rally around, because if we give them the chance they can and will run away with the game.
Tonight’s game tips off at 7pm from the United Center. Catch the Grizzlies on ESPN or local ESPN radio 92.9 ESPN.
*Shout out to NBA.com and ESPN.com for the stats*
A quick injury update on Brandan Wright. What exactly has been going on with his knee has long been an unanswered question on Grizzlies fans’ minds. This morning it was announced that Wright would undergo knee surgery. He will be out 6-8 weeks. This is the first definitive time table or information that has been released regarding the knee injury suffered in the beginning of November. Wright has not played a game since November 7. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope that this is finally an answer that we will eventually see the back up big man on the court.
** Update: according to the update released on Grizzlies.com there is no timetable currently set for his return.
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- Memphis at San Antonio: Grizzlies Did Not Layeth the Smacketh Down - March 25, 2017
