The Good, Bad and Ugly of the Memphis Grizzlies' Early Season

The Memphis Grizzlies have started the season with imperfect perfection thanks to a 5-0 record, the most wins they've ever had to start a season. Memphis is reminding NBA observers how tough they are when anchored by Marc Gasol's rim protection.

They won their first three games against tame competition and then routed the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns, both of whom are playoff hopefuls in the West. New Orleans' athletic big men, Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson, typically challenge Memphis.

Their stifling defense has allowed them to overcome shooting woes, particularly from the bench and behind the three-point line.

Good: Defense

The Grizzlies have punished opponents defensively. They've held foes to an NBA-low 86.2 points per game, 5.2 fewer than the next team. All of their rotation players are allowing fewer than 100 points per 100 possessions.

Gasol has led the way, collecting 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game while allowing 90 points per 100 possessions.

Sheridan Hoops' Maxwell Ogden took note of Gasol's defensive attack via Twitter during the Grizzlies' 93-81 win against the Pelicans on Monday:

On Saturday, the Charlotte Hornets squeezed out only 69 against them. 

The "grit 'n' grind" defense has rediscovered its turnover-forcing primacy. They're grabbing 8.8 steals per game and forcing opponents to cough up the ball 18.2 times per game. Memphis has forced 18 or more turnovers in four of five games.

Five Grizzlies are averaging at least 1.4 steals per game. Tony Allen leads the way with 2.4 per game.

As CBSSports.com's Matt Moore tweeted, Allen's also restricting opposing offenses by knocking balls away:

"

When deflections data becomes public (if it hasn't already and I just misssed it) Tony Allen's going to be so high up there.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) November 1, 2014"

Bad: Three-point shooting

The Grizzlies haven't had the development beyond the arc they had hoped for after the Vince Carter signing and return of Quincy Pondexter. They're shooting 35.5 percent from downtown, which is 0.2 percent higher than last year's clip and puts them in the middle of the pack. Also, Memphis remains near the bottom with 15.2 three-point field-goal attempts per game.

"At some point, somebody has to start hitting some outside shots," the Memphis Flyer's Kevin Lipe complained after four games, when Memphis was at 30.5 percent from downtown.

Mike Conley and Courtney Lee are the only players who have hit at least a third of their threes. Conley and Lee are shooting 35 and 70 percent, respectively.

Carter and Pondexter, who were projected to lead the way from long range, haven't started well. While Carter has had a couple good games from downtown, he's shooting 31.3 percent. Pondexter, who hasn't returned to his 2012-13 form when he hit 39.5 percent , is shooting 29.4 percent.

Wednesday was their first strong team performance from three-point range, as they shot 52.9 percent. Lee, Conley and Pondexter made at least 40 percent of their threes.

This may have been the result of Lee's return after missing two games with a concussion. Lee is a key floor-spacer who helps open passing lanes to set up outside shots.

Ugly: The bench

The Grizzlies haven't had much help from the bench offensively. Their bench players are shooting 33 percent from the field. Beno Udrih is the only reserve shooting 41 percent or better, connecting on 48.4 percent.

Udrih produces more than anyone else on the unit, with 6.4 points and 3.2 assists per game.

Carter, whom the Grizzlies signed to light a scoring fire off the bench, has just 5.8 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting.

Carter said in a postgame interview after shooting 1-of-7 in the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 29, "I'm just trying too hard."

Memphis' frontcourt reserves have been unsuccessful on the glass. Kosta Koufos currently has a 13.4 percent offensive rebounding rate, 20.1 percent defensive rebounding rate and a 16.7 percent total rebounding rate, significantly lower than his rates of 14.0, 22.7 and 18.4 percent from last year, respectively. Jon Leuer is pulling down a mere 7.1 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Indeed, it's early in the season. Reserves can easily increase their percentages after a poor start due to the impact of one hot game.

Stats are current through Nov. 5 games. Unless otherwise noted, advanced metrics come from Basketball-Reference.com.