The Memphis Grizzlies are streaking to one of the best records in the league at 21-6. In the last four years the Grizzlies best seed in the playoffs has been fourth, but this year they look primed for home court advantage and a deep playoff run.
Old-School Basketball Style
If you look at the raw statistics you would be surprised at the great degree of the Grizzlies success; the Grizzlies are the fifteenth best offensive team at 101.0 PPG, and best defensive team at 94.0 PPG. On the surface they seem like the same ‘ol Grizzlies: really good defensive team and very average on the offensive end. Only after you dig a little deeper do you get a clear picture. The Grizzlies play at the fourth slowest pace in the league averaging only 94.1 possessions per game. Once you take that into account you see that in actuality the Grizzlies offensive rating is fifth in the league at 107.4, and defensive rating is sixth at 99.9. Those are numbers closer to what you would expect from an elite team in the league. The most surprising statistic is the %FGA-3PT. NBA teams are attempting more three pointers than ever, and it seems to be working for teams like the Rockets, Trailblazers, Mavericks, and Warriors. The Grizzlies however are bucking that trend, only 18.4% of the shots they take are three pointers, which is second lowest in the league.
Personnel
For a team that has made such a drastic improvement in the win column they made very few roster changes, none of them major moves. Jarryd Bayless, James Johnson, and Mike Miller have all departed, and Vince Carter was signed in the offseason. The greatest change from last year for the Grizzlies has been health. Marc Gasol missed 23 games with a knee injury, Mike Conley lost time to his ankle, and Tony Allen broke his hand. This year the Grizzlies are healthy and it’s showing! Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph anchor the paint averaging 35.7 points and 19.3 rebounds combined. Conley runs the point and has career highs in scoring and assists at 17.8 points and 6.2 assists per game. A very large improvement in Conley’s game this year has been his three point shooting. He jumped 30 percentage points this year to .404 from the three point arc. His shooting is vital in providing space for the post game down low and makes him a more versatile pick and roll ball handler. Having a healthy starting five and the continued improvement of Mike Conley has the Grizzlies off to a hot start.
In the Grizzlies’ last four games they have beat the Warriors, Spurs, and Bulls and lost to the Cavaliers. These wins against top tier teams are a good indication that they are not just an average team taking advantage of a weak schedule, but will be a formidable team in the playoffs should they continue this high level of play.
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Main Photo by Rocky Widner via Getty Images
