How the Memphis Grizzlies Can Maximize Old-School Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph are losing the novelty they had in the past few years when the center position was dying. A new age of quality big men adds urgency in their quest to bring the Memphis Grizzlies their first championship.
In the following two years, the 30-year-old Gasol and the 33-year-old Randolph will compete with maturing big men, some of whom will make formidable frontcourt duos. These players could catch up to the Grizzlies pair before long.
"The NBA was becoming more skilled, not smaller. More teams that lacked good big men decided not to play the 7-foot plodders they did have. So-called "stretch" power forwards became in vogue, but they weren't smaller humans — they were mostly humans of power forward size who happened to be good shooters. The best teams need everything — the ability to go super-big against Memphis, and to inject more shooting and playmaking into one big-man slot when the opponent requires it. ... Size will matter as long as basketball involves people trying to throw a ball up and into a basket propped 10 feet above the ground.
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Who's next
Lowe listed among the new crop Steven Adams, Alex Len, Rudy Gobert and Gorgui Dieng. Gobert and Dieng aren't close to being part of threatening frontcourt cores, but Adams will grow in partnerships that cause concern for the Grizzlies.
Adams has want of finish offensively. As Lowe states, the New Zealander can finish on the pick-and-roll but is developing his post game. The second-year center is solid on the other end, allowing 102 points per 100 possessions and blocking 1.8 shots per 36 minutes.
With further offensive improvement, which may not come until next year due to his broken right hand, he and Serge Ibaka could become a better duo than Gasol and Randolph. Both defend well, and Ibaka's outside shooting complements Adams' inside action.
If the 7-footer grows to fruition, he and Ibaka would complicate Memphis' ability to grind down the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff series.
For this season, if Adams and the Thunder meet the Grizzlies in the first round, as is quite possible, the main question is whether Randolph can effectively use his physicality against him. The Grizzlies lost their two-time All-Star power forward for a game after he punched Adams in Game 6 last year.
Two strong frontcourt combinations with which Gasol and Randolph already contend are the Los Angeles Clippers' DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, and the Atlanta Hawks' Al Horford and Paul Millsap.
The Grizzlies' and Clippers' big men have squared off in two playoff series. While Randolph overpowered them with 23 or more points in their 2013 showdown, he would face Jordan in a stronger defensive form if they meet this year.
An NBA Finals appearance might pit Memphis against the Hawks, which would find Horford challenging Randolph on the boards. Horford only has 7.6 rebounds per game this year, but his thick 6'10", 245-pound frame could work against Randolph's positioning. Also, Millsap, who shoots 35.7 percent from long range, could draw Gasol to defend the perimeter.
Setting up Gasol and Randolph
Despite their burst after acquiring Jeff Green, the Grizzlies' pursuit of a title—which Gasol told USA Today's Sam Amick he badly wants—will pivot on what happens in the frontcourt.
The 2013 postseason saw the NBA's best frontcourt duo combine for 37.8 points and 19.8 rebounds per game against the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals before the San Antonio Spurs collapsed on them while ignoring the Grizzlies' inconsequential perimeter shooting.
Last year, Gasol and Randolph totaled 35.5 points per game in the series against the Thunder. In Game 7, Memphis failed to keep up with Randolph suspended.
While the Grizzlies showed a need in recent years for outside shooting to sustain a playoff run, that will largely function as floor spacing.
Courtney Lee—who hadn't acclimated to the Grizzlies by playoff time last year, when he shot 31.6 percent from long range—will be a credible threat as a top-five three-point shooter, drawing attention away from the paint. Randolph told The Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery that Green, who has 12 points on 10.2 shots per game as a No. 4 option, opens up the offense.
With that, Gasol and Randolph, as well as the slashing Mike Conley, can adequately work the inside.
Such spacing makes it easy for the 14-year veteran as he wears down opponents in the low post. He can establish position and maul them.
The Grizzlies should encourage the Spaniard to attack more. The Memphis Flyer's Kevin Lipe observed that Gasol's passive approach has led him to take bad shots while leading opposing defenders to lock in on Randolph.
The offense runs through Gasol, and he should feel the urge to barrel toward the basket.
Since he acts as the No. 2 facilitator, he hardly needs someone else to set him up, but rather a search for the impulse he felt early in the season reading for scoring opportunities.
Defensive concerns
The Grizzlies had tightened up defensively in recent weeks, but two losses last week showed their vulnerability caused by a failure to communicate. Against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, they fell back on that end due to a lack of communication.
In speaking with Tillery about the poor defense from Dec. 9 to Jan. 9, Gasol faulted that issue.
Gasol protects the rim and helps Randolph enough to ensure he doesn't get beat much, while also spying perimeter action. But the playoffs will increase Gasol's immense communication skills.
As Bleacher Report's Howard Beck said, "Watch the Grizzlies on defense, and you'll see Gasol barking out instructions, pointing, pushing teammates into their proper spaces."
This plays into the chemistry between Randolph and Gasol as they sense each other's position.
Conclusion
For the past couple years, Randolph and Gasol were mostly unchallenged as the league's top frontcourt combination.
That will change soon. Adams could turn into a threat on both ends, blending with Ibaka, an effective two-way player. Griffin and Jordan are in the prime of their careers and would bring a more interesting battle if they meet Memphis for a third playoff series. Also, Greg Monroe can form a strong pair with someone, depending on where he lands in free agency.
To make the most of this win-now season, the Grizzlies must follow Gasol's lead defensively, while hoping he regains his scoring aggression and Randolph can keep up his strong run.
Statistics are current through March 1 games. Unless otherwise noted, advanced metrics come from basketball-reference.com.
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