NBA Playoffs 2012 Predictions: Grizzlies Still on Track to Knock out Clippers

The Memphis Grizzlies are down, but they aren’t dead just yet.

Sure, coming back from a late 10-point deficit to force overtime in Game 4 only to ultimately lose hurts, but that doesn’t mean this series is over. It’s a reminder that the team can hang with L.A. without having to play their best ball.

The Clippers' half-court offense is horrible. Like four guys stand around and watch Chris Paul bad. Somehow it worked at the end of Monday night’s win, but the Grizz are going to adjust. They will double CP3 and force guys like Mo Williams and Reggie Evans to hit open shots.

That’s exactly what Memphis wants.

They were able to almost steal a game in L.A. with star forward Marc Gasol making exactly one field goal. Zach Randolph has continued to improve throughout the series and Mike Conley is becoming a star before our eyes.

With Rudy Gay having the ability to score at will in any sort of one-on-one situation and Tony Allen playing incredible defense, this team is much more complete than the Clippers. O.J. Mayo is just icing on the cake.

Blake Griffin is still wildly inconsistent. Ditto for Nick Young. Caron Butler is playing with a broken hand and DeAndre Jordan has seemingly disappeared. This 3-1 advantage has not been a team effort.

If the Grizzlies win Game 5 at home, a contest in which they will be favored, why can’t they win Game 6? Two bad bounces cost them two games…not to mention the collapse of epic proportions in Game 1. This series could easily be 3-1 in the Grizzlies' favor.

The free-throw disparity is incredible. The Clippers are shooting 64 percent (17-27) from the foul line, while the Grizzlies are connecting at a 75 percent clip (23-30). Memphis is outrebounding Los Angeles 41-to-36, aren’t turning the ball over as much (14 vs. 17) and have actually on average outscored the Clippers 96.5-96.3 in the series.

The only stat where the Clippers are winning is in shooting percentage (49 vs. 44). Forcing the ball out of Paul’s hands should change that in a hurry.  I know it’s easier said than done, but making a concerted effort to double him before Paul hits the lane will completely alter the Clippers' offense.

The Grizzlies are the better team and as long as they don’t let the elimination aspect of the next three games break them, they will end up winning this series in what is without a doubt the best one of the first round. 

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