Memphis Grizzlies Power Rankings: Gauging the Full Roster After 6 Weeks
The Memphis Grizzlies' frontcourt combination of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph has taken necessary turns in the team's hot start.
Gasol is expanding his horizons offensively, scoring more while still funneling much of the attack with his passing.
Without receding into the background, Randolph is taking a backseat as a role player, focusing on rebounding while sensing the moment when he needs to step up as a scorer.
This power ranking sorts the roster among rotation and non-rotation players while comparing contributors' outputs on both ends of the floor. Some who are off on the wrong foot, such as Quincy Pondexter, may fall below a Grizzly who has played less but fares better.
Roles and productivity are delineating the trio of Gasol, Randolph and Mike Conley, whereas the top spot was more likely to change hands in prior seasons.
Outside the Top 10
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14. Jordan Adams
Adams has seen little action in his rookie year, collecting six points and four assists while shooting 1-of-6 in 41 minutes across four games. The UCLA product scored 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and committed three turnovers in his only game for the D-League's Iowa Energy on Nov. 29.
Adams needs additional time with the Energy in order to gain experience and develop his ball-handling skills before taking a place in the rotation behind the Grizzlies' four other guards.
13. Nick Calathes
Since returning from his suspension on Nov. 23, Calathes has only played one game, grabbing an offensive rebound and missing a three-pointer in eight minutes that day. The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery quoted head coach Dave Joerger via Twitter as saying, "It's best to bring him back slow."
12. Jarnell Stokes
Like Adams, Stokes has made only a few appearances. The second-round draftee has eight points on 3-of-3 shooting and seven rebounds in 20 minutes in five games.
Since Stokes received only eight minutes on Nov. 19 when No. 2 power forward Jon Leuer was out with the flu, one wouldn't expect to see him in the rotation soon.
11. Quincy Pondexter
Pondexter is recovering from a cold return after missing 67 games last season due to a stress fracture in his right foot. After shooting 22.8 percent from the field in the initial eight games, the fifth-year player has made 43.1 percent in his last seven contests.
He's now at 5.1 points in 19.1 minutes per game on 34.7 percent from the field, the second-lowest clip among rotation players.
Joerger has maintained trust in Pondexter despite his woes, giving him 20 or more minutes in eight of 14 games. Pondexter is seventh on the team with 19.1 minutes per game due to his potential as a shooter and defender, but he allows 107 points per 100 possessions.
10. Tayshaun Prince
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Last year, Tayshaun Prince began the season out of condition after missing the exhibition due to a stomach illness. That didn't bode well for a campaign that became his worst ever.
His 13th pro season hasn't started well. He's averaging 6.6 points per game on 39.7 percent from the field.
Prince has scored in double figures twice and hit just 28.9 percent in the other seven games.
Joerger is using the 34-year-old selectively, starting him in six of his nine appearances. Mainly, these are tied to matchups, as Joerger told The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery (subscription required).
However, Prince has performed reasonably defensively, allowing 105 points per 100 possessions.
9. Vince Carter
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Vince Carter's start with the Grizzlies hasn't been pretty. He's shooting worse than any other rotation player at 33.7 percent from the field. Carter has sometimes helped with his three-point shooting, hitting 30.8 percent and knocking down at least half his threes in six of 16 games.
The Grizzlies shouldn't fret about whether the 37-year-old's productive years are behind him. Last season, he started 37.3 percent from the field and 33 percent from long range for the Dallas Mavericks through 21 games. He bounced back to finish at 40.7 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from downtown.
On the other hand, he's perfectly slid into the Grizzlies' defensive system, allowing 101 points per 100 possessions. His defensive effort sets him apart from the other struggling small forwards, Pondexter and Prince, who aren't holding up on that end.
8. Jon Leuer
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Jon Leuer has tweaked his game this year, focusing more on inside play. He's taking 35.9 percent of his shots at the rim, 11.1 percent more than in 2013-14. Also, there's not much stretch in this stretch 4 this season, as he's attempted nine percent from downtown, compared with 19.9 percent last season.
Leuer took some time adjusting to his new interior approach. In the first seven games, he made 23.1 percent.
That led Joerger to deny that the fourth-year power forward was playing his way out of the lineup, telling Tillery, "We just have to get him going. We need him."
In his last nine games, Leuer discovered his spark, shooting 63.5 percent from the field.
By scoring 5.6 points in 13.9 minutes per game while hitting 50 percent, Leuer is cementing his place in the rotation. That's a big step after drifting in and out last season.
7. Kosta Koufos
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Kosta Koufos has nicely narrowed his role as a defense-minded backup center.
Koufos is allowing 96 points per 100 possessions and blocking 2.2 shots per 36 minutes. He has five games with multiple blocks. He's strong on the opposing boards, with a 24.1 percent defensive rebounding rate and 7.9 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes.
He's quiet yet effective offensively, averaging 3.9 points in 14.3 minutes per game while shooting 52 percent from the field. Meanwhile, he's only made multiple field goals in six of 16 games.
6. Beno Udrih
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Since Calathes' return, Joerger has continued with the Grizzlies bench's hottest hand, Beno Udrih.
The Memphis Flyer's Kevin Lipe noted a reason for Udrih remaining as the No. 2 point guard, saying, "Udrih has developed some chemistry on offense in the last couple of weeks."
The 32-year-old leads Memphis' reserves with 7.5 points per game and 2.9 assists in 17.7 minutes per game on 51 percent from the field.
He's only scored in double figures three times, but he has been consistently effective, making less than 40 percent from the field four times in 15 games.
5. Tony Allen
7 of 11Tony Allen is once again wreaking havoc for opponents defensively while doing the same for his own team with the ball in his hands.
After missing out on the All-Defensive team for the first time in the Grind Era, Allen is rallying to take his rightful place. He's No. 1 in steals rate at 3.8 percent and eighth with 96.8 points allowed per 100 possessions.
In an interview with Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Kobe Bryant described Tony Allen as a defender who does everything, saying:
"He's fundamentally sound defensively and he plays harder than everybody else defensively. He has a competitive desire to compete individually. That's very uncommon. Most defensive players I face want help all the time. I've never heard him ask for help. He likes taking the challenge.
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On the other end, Allen is middling. He's averaging 7.7 points per game on 47.5 percent from the field and 60 percent from the line. His erratic offensive performance is evident in his 50 percent shooting in eight of 15 games and five below 40 percent.
4. Courtney Lee
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Courtney Lee is helping lift the Grizzlies offense with remarkable shooting. He's averaging 13.3 points per game on 53.2 percent from the field. His 53.2 percent three-point mark places him fourth in the league. He made a three in each of his first 13 games of the season.
Joerger marveled about how Lee's outside shooting opens the Grizzlies offense, telling The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery (subscription required): "I don't know if he'll continue shooting this well but I hope he keeps shooting it. The threat of him shooting out there opens things up. He's gotten great looks out there because our guys have done a good job of making the extra pass."
Lee is succeeding defensively, allowing 103 points per 100 possessions. He's averaging 1.1 steals per game and has five games with multiple steals.
3. Mike Conley
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As Gasol has built his scoring profile, Conley boosts his as a passer. His 7.1 assists per 36 minutes and 32.1 percent assist rate are career highs.
"I know where he wants the ball and he knows where I want the ball, so we don't even have to speak on court. We kind of look at each other a certain way and it could mean a back cut or a give-and-go," Conley told Tillery (subscription required).
Conley is at roughly the same level as last year as a scorer. He's averaging 16.3 points per game, 0.9 fewer than in 2013-14, while shooting 43.8 percent from the field.
Conley is performing well defensively, allowing 103 points per 100 possessions. He's become more disciplined while sacrificing steals, averaging 1.1 per game, half as many as he did two years ago.
2. Zach Randolph
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Randolph is content to be a secondary scorer behind Gasol. He's averaging 16.2 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting. He has only four 20-point games, one fewer than Conley and five fewer than Gasol.
"He's still in his time, but sees that those other guys are in a time when they can step up and be seen for what they're doing," Joerger told The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery (subscription required).
Meanwhile, Randolph is reclaiming his place as an elite rebounder, standing fourth with 11.7 boards per game and fifth with a 20.9 percent total rebounding rate.
Randolph is putting forth an impressive defensive effort. His 97 points allowed per 100 possessions may be accounted to some degree to help from Gasol.
But he's chasing the ball more than usual, averaging 1.2 steals per game. In 13 previous seasons, he has only picked up a steal per game once. Whether he keeps this up is worth monitoring.
1. Marc Gasol
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Gasol is earning a spot in the MVP conversation.
NBA.com's Sekou Smith placed Gasol atop his MVP rankings, saying, "Gasol has evolved into the ideal two-way player, impacting games in ways only an elite few can."
After Gasol scored 10 of Memphis' last 18 in the last six minutes, 10 seconds to seal a 97-85 win against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 30, SB Nation's Tom Ziller tweeted, "Marc Gasol might mess around and win MVP."
The essence of Gasol's rise is his scoring jump. He's posting 20.1 points per game on 50.8 percent from the field and 84.9 percent from the line. He's taking 14.1 shots per game, two more than his previous career high set last year.
Gasol remains active as a facilitator, notching 3.6 assists per game.
Gasol's emergence as the leading scorer by a significant margin and secondary facilitator is a major reason why the Grizzlies are in the top 10 offensively.
Then, one considers his defense. He's allowing 97.3 points per 100 possessions and ranks second with 1.3 defensive win shares.
Statistics are current through Nov. 30 games. Unless otherwise noted, advanced metrics come from basketball-reference.com.
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