Memphis Grizzlies: 6 Biggest Takeaways from the 1st Half of the Season
The Memphis Grizzlies find themselves in an unfamiliar position: holding second place in the Western Conference at 31-12. The Grizzlies have made a noticeable evolution in their first run as a true contender.
Most importantly, Memphis has struck a balance between scoring and its stellar defense. The Grizzlies' emergence as a team that can win with scoring has improved their ability to compete with the best of the West.
Another important development was Marc Gasol's growth as a scorer. His new shooting impulse presents hazards for defenders who must face a 7-footer driving to the basket.
Read along for analysis of the most intriguing aspects of the Grizzlies midway through the season.
Statistics are current through Jan. 25 games. Unless otherwise noted, advanced metrics come from Basketball-Reference.com.
A Complete Contender
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Memphis has grown beyond the past few seasons in which it loomed as the dark horse. Now, with a top-10 offense to complement an imposing defense, the Grizzlies are ready to run for their first NBA Finals appearance.
The Commercial Appeal's Chris Herrington said the Grizzlies "have a playoff-proven style and core that would be a tough out for anyone. This is a more talented, more dangerous team than the Conference finalist from two seasons ago."
Memphis has succeeded against Western playoff hopefuls, going 10-4 against the conference's top eight. In December, the Grizzlies won two of three against the San Antonio Spurs, which had swept the 2013-14 season series.
After the Grizzlies acquired Jeff Green, Grantland's Bill Simmons declared them the favorites in the West.
Indeed, his arrival bolstered the team's scoring depth with a supporting cast including marksman Courtney Lee, resurgent veteran Beno Udrih and sometimes effective Vince Carter. That could offset poor playoff performances by the core.
Scoring More While Sacrificing a Little Defense
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The Grizzlies have become a strong offensive team with a small cost to their formidable defense.
They jumped from 15th in offensive rating last year to 10th this season. Memphis is finding success at the free-throw line—ranking sixth at 77.7 percent—while placing 13th in attempts after getting the second-fewest a year ago.
The Grizzlies have three players averaging more than 16 points per game: Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph.
The acquisition of Jeff Green added not only another significant scorer but also a new wrinkle to Memphis' attack.
"It's more post-ups for the small forward, things Jeff are capable of doing. ... There are a lot of options for the (small forward) to be in pick-and-rolls. It gives us another way of attacking," Conley told The Commercial Appeal.
On the other end, the team has slackened a bit, standing 11th in defensive rating.
Mostly, this hasn't hurt the Grizzlies. They're 11-8 when allowing 99 or more points.
However, Memphis has found trouble with strong perimeter-shooting teams, ranking 24th in three-point field-goal percentage allowed. On Monday, the Dallas Mavericks menaced the Grizzlies by shooting 10-of-25 from long range in while beating them 103-95. On Jan. 7, Memphis couldn't stop Atlanta's barrage in a 96-86 loss, as the Hawks made 13 of 25 from downtown.
Still, the Grizzlies suffocate many opponents with the "grit 'n' grind" defense. On Wednesday, they held the No. 4-rated Raptors offense to a season-low 86 points and 5-of-28 from beyond the arc in a six-point win.
Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger praised his team for the recent improvement.
"We're getting better defensively in the last couple weeks. We'd kind of regressed a bit. But we're doing better with field goal percentage allowed and points in the paint. There's been some games where we've been nicked by the 3 ball, but I thought we did better with that against Toronto," he told The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery.
Playing Quicker
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The Grizzlies continue to speed up their half-court play. They're 27th in pace at 92 possessions per 48 minutes, but that's 2.1 more than last year, when they were last in the category.
This isn't as much a result of running the floor as it is crossing the line and starting sets sooner.
As Chris Herrington pointed out in an ESPN.com column, "For the Grizzlies, a quicker pace is less about pursuing early offense than avoiding late offense."
Grizzlies players make quick passes to set up shots before the shot clock drips away.
They've improved ball control and won games while playing faster. Memphis is sixth with a 12.2 percent turnover rate, 0.9 lower than last year. The team is 11-2 in games with 94 or more possessions per 48 minutes.
Marc Gasol Carries the Load
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Marc Gasol won his first All-Star Game starting spot by rounding out his game as the NBA's best all-around center.
After serving as a pass-first big man for years, Gasol discovered a new desire to shoot. He's leading the way for the Grizzlies with 19.1 points and 14 shots per game—4.5 and 1.9 more, respectively, than career highs set last year.
Fox Sports' Jimmy Spencer noted how Gasol challenges opposing defenders:
"Watching Marc Gasol float around the restricted area, drawing 4 defenders, and leaving Memphis shooters with plenty of space. So valuable.
— Jimmy Spencer (@JimmySpencerNBA) January 19, 2015"
Combining his scoring rise with his desire to create for others (he averages 3.7 assists per game) takes the Grizzlies offense to a new level.
"We're a long way from [the NBA Finals], but there's no doubt who makes things happen for the Grizzlies," NBA.com's Sekou Smith wrote.
Meanwhile, Gasol is a huge presence defensively.
He's eighth in the league with 2.5 defensive win shares. Gasol protects the paint and effectively covers pick-and-rolls. On Saturday, inexperienced Philadelphia 76ers players shied away from the lane as the 29-year-old used his length to block driving opportunities.
Zach Randolph Paces Himself
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Zach Randolph is seeing the value of pacing himself through his 14th season. His 32.5 minutes per game are his fewest as a full-time starter since 2007-08.
After suffering knee soreness, the 33-year-old sat for nine games.
The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery tweeted on Jan. 5 that Grizzlies owner Robert Pera told Randolph to take his time.
Randolph returned on his first rampage of the season, averaging 18.8 points and 13.9 rebounds per the past eight games while shooting 57.8 percent from the field.
He seems to be learning a lesson from the past two years of pounding away early, then losing effectiveness afterward.
Last season, he scored 16 per game in the first month before gnashing his teeth through two months of 43.1 percent shooting with a 27.8 percent usage rate. In 2012-13, he had 17 per game on 49.4 percent from the field through two months and 14.4 per game on 43.9 percent the rest of the way.
The Commercial Appeal's Peter Edmiston said, "A shrewd Randolph has made some modifications on offense," noting how he is concentrating his shots in the paint and getting more initial touches in the low post.
In this late stage of his career, Randolph seems to have ironed out his approach while increasing his urgency to win a title.
Dave Joerger Is Slow to Play Rookies
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Joerger is showing his tendencies 125 games into his NBA head coaching career, one of which is a reluctance to play rookies.
Aside from Nick Calathes last year, Joerger has seldom inserted first-year players. Jamaal Franklin made 21 appearances last year.
Jarnell Stokes and Jordan Adams are buried in the depth chart while receiving 5.6 minutes per 16 games and seven per 11 games, respectively.
Indeed, the Grizzlies don't have instant-impact rookies due to their draft placement. Still, a team that stands seventh in margin of victory can spare significant playing time for developmental players.
Stokes sits in a soft power-forward spot that should allow for more minutes with Jon Leuer working through shooting troubles and Randolph playing fewer minutes than recent seasons.
The Tennessee product told Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy he's learned from watching Randolph:
"I just pick up on certain things that he does. The way he scores the ball, it's just amazing. It's just small things like him getting away with a lot of contact, but you got to realize that he can do that. He plays with his legs a lot and people think, 'Oh man, he's being very physical,' but no he's using all butt and legs. I've picked up on things like that, which I had no idea about in college.
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As an underperforming Leuer struggled in Randolph's absence, Stokes received two starts. He had three points, four fouls and two turnovers in 16 minutes against the New York Knicks on Jan. 5 and sat after four silent minutes against the Hawks.
Working through such rough games is part of progressing through this stage.
As the Memphis Flyer's Kevin Lipe said after Adams and Stokes had their run against the Knicks, "They played like they are—rookies that don't play a lot. It was great. Stokes got to bang bodies with Quincy Acy, a really physical big, and get some experience getting pummeled under the basket, which is crucial for anyone who wants to play the 4 or 5 in the NBA."
Adams and Stokes have played eight and five games, respectively, for the D-League's Iowa Energy. Adams, who hardly stood a chance in a veteran Memphis backcourt, is flexing his playmaking ability, averaging 18.8 points per game. Stokes has 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
But tussling with the Grand Rapids Drive's Willie Reed, as Stokes did Saturday, isn't the same as the brief tastes of fighting Paul Millsap and Tiago Splitter.
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