NBA Playoffs 2012: 5 Factors in the Coming Clippers-Grizzlies Games

Wednesday's win against the Clippers was huge for the Grizzlies, who redeemed themselves in front of their fans by playing hard a full four quarters.

It was an intense and grinding game where neither team had a very firm grasp on the lead. The physicality of the game was also a step up from before, with players like Chris Paul and O.J. Mayo jawing at each other.

This physicality and the win showed us a few things about both teams that will be important to note going into future games. The series is moving to L.A., so some of these may be even more important there. 

The Clippers Can Control Momentum

The Clippers kept a small lead until the second quarter when Memphis started to get the offense going and began to hit shots.

But L.A. would not let them get away that easily. The Grizzlies kept a solid lead of about six to eight points for three straight quarters, but there was never a sense that they were completely in control. For every basket the Grizzlies made, L.A. would come right back with one.

Every time Memphis would start to get the crowd really into the game, somebody from the Clippers would swish a three-pointer or drive in for a layup. This added to the intensity of the game.

If Memphis wants to go into L.A. and win, it will need to learn a little from its opponent. Memphis must get the crowd out of the game and deny any Clippers momentum. If it can do that, it could effectively win the game on even grounds.

Memphis Lives and Dies by the Rebounds

The Grizzlies hit the glass hard Wednesday (not in the Stoudemire way, the rebound way) and came up big winners down low. 

Simply put, the Clippers could not keep up with Memphis on the boards. The Grizzlies out-rebounded them 37-28 and had quadruple the amount of offensive rebounds (16) than the Clips (four). This equated to 18 second chance points for the Grizzlies and only six for L.A.

The great thing was, it wasn't only the big guys either. Guys like Tony Allen and Rudy Gay made a good effort and both managed five rebounds. That's the beauty of this Grizzlies team. Becuase they have one of the most balanced starting units in the NBA, the effort comes from all around.

In order to beat the Clippers in L.A., Memphis will have to keep up a dominant performance in the paint. Guys like Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are nothing to mess with, so it will be imperative that Memphis continues to battle it out below the basket.

Chris Paul Is a Very Effective Leader of the Clippers

And he's a dang good one at that. There was little doubt that Paul was a fantastic player coming into the series, but he has stepped up his game in a huge way in the playoffs. 

Paul was a huge reason the Clippers stayed in the game last night. Every time his team called on him, he showed up big. He scored 29 points and had five steals in Game 2, which really kept it close.

Nobody ever doubted Paul's ability to lead, but it is still catching teams off-guard to this day. Whether it's him sinking a three-pointer to silence the crowd or going in for a layup, he is always a scorer who leads his teammates.

If Paul is hot one night, it could spell trouble for the Grizzlies. Conley and Allen are having a hard time guarding him and contesting his shot, which is very dangerous if he begins to get on a roll. Look for him to be the deciding factor in some of the games.

The Grizzlies Backcourt Is Just as Important

For all the praise we give to the Memphis frontcourt (which is deserved), we tend to forget about the backcourt, which is a lot more essential than we give it credit. 

After all, was it not Mayo's three-pointers that got the crowd jumping? Was it not Tony Allen's hustle that kept the team pumped? How about Conley's ability to draw the fouls, giving Memphis much-needed easy points? 

Sorry, I went all poetic on you there, but I think it illustrates my point pretty well. If the team you're playing has guys like Chris Paul, you need to able to have a few prolific scorers of your own. Memphis has three of them. They run the game and make great decisions, which is all you can really ask for.

Your big guys can only carry the team so far. It is the point guards and shooting guards that control a game. For continued Grizzlies success, their backcourt will need to keep up its hustle. From what we've seen so far, that seems very likely.

Physicality Will Be the Key

One of the best parts of the game on Wednesday was the fighting. Nothing to the extent of Ron Artest, but there was pushing and shoving for rebounds and loose balls. Both teams wanted to win badly, and it showed.

It is safe to say that the Clippers were bullied last night. They were simply not tough enough to take on the Grizzlies, and were dominated mostly under the basket. Memphis won the scoring battle in the paint (46-38) and out-rebounded L.A., as previously mentioned. 

Zach Randolph on Blake Griffin was arguably the best matchup, which I also thoroughly enjoyed. Each wanted to exert his power over the other, which gave way to some pretty funny trash talk. Same goes for Marc Gasol and basically everybody he packed. 

This series is going to get scrappy. It is inevitable. Expect the physicality to amp up in L.A. and not stop until the series is over. Watching these two battle it out will be very intriguing and quite the spectacle.