Memphis Grizzlies: 2013-14 NBA Team Preview
By Nathan Giese
2012-13 Vitals:
56-26 overall; 10-6 vs. Southwest
5th seed in Western Conference finals; Lost in Western Conference Finals to San Antonio Spurs (0-4)
93.4 points, 42.7 rebounds, 89.3 points (best in NBA) allowed per game
2013-14 Roster:
Tony Allen, SG
Jerryd Bayless, PG
Nick Calathes, SG
Mike Conley, PG
Ed Davis, PF
Keyon Dooling, PG
Jamaal Franklin, SG
Marc Gasol, C
Kosta Koufos, C
Jon Leuer, PF
Fab Melo, C
Mike Miller, SF
Quincy Pondexter, SF
Tayshaun Prince, SF
Zach Randolph, PF
Willie Reed, PF
Janis Timma, SF
Offseason Additions:
Mike Miller (FA from Miami), Kosta Koufos, (trade with Denver), Fab Melo (trade with Boston), Dave Joerger (head coach; promoted from lead assistant)
Offseason Subtractions:
Darrell Arthur (trade to Denver), Donte Cunningham (trade to Boston), Lionel Hollins (contract not renewed)
Projected Starting Five:
Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule
Point Guard: Mike Conley
Mike Conley Jr. is slowly brining his name into the discussion for top point guards in the NBA. He flourishes on penetration and isn’t afraid to let it fly from beyond the arc.
Throughout his career, Conley has been a consistent shooter, hitting between 42 and 44 percent of his shots since he joined the NBA in 2007. His three-point shooting could use some work, but blowing by defenders and finishing at the rim is his bread and butter. Since becoming a full-time starter, Conley has sustained a six assist per game average and become a more consistent scorer. The offense runs through Conley and makes the Grizzlies go as a whole.
Conley was also a second team All-Defense in the NBA last season, adding to the defensive presence for Memphis.
Shooting Guard: Tony Allen
Not much of an offensive threat, but Tony Allen is the heart and soul of the Grizzlies defense. He’s averaged over double-digit scoring numbers only once (while with the Boston Celtics) in his career but, like Conley, is a consistent 40 percent shooter .
Allen’s not going to wow anybody on offense. He doesn’t create a lot of steals (averages 1.3 steals per game throughout his career) and isn’t tall enough to block shots. No, what Allen does is rattle defenders. He sticks with his man and gets in the way of opposing offenses.
He’s not flashy by any means, but Tony Allen gets the job done.
Small Forward: Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Prince came over from Detroit in the trade of Rudy Gay last January. He didn’t score as much in Memphis as he’s accustomed to during his time with the Pistons, but the Grizzlies didn’t need him to be. He fits in well with what the Grizzlies have going right now.
Much like Allen and Conley, Prince has shot over 40 percent from the field his entire career. Prince uses his lanky arms to haul in about four or five rebounds per game and is a solid defender for his position. He’s the perfect fit for a team of unselfish, defensive oriented players.
Power Forward: Zach Randolph
A bowling ball of physicality, Zach Randolph brings it every single night. He missed all but 30 games in the 2011-12 season, but rebounded by having another great year in 2012-13. Randolph averaged 15.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 46 percent from the field.
Beyond just the solid averages, there isn’t a more physical power forward than Randolph. He’s hard to guard and hard to score against. He keeps a low center of gravity on the block and uses his 260-pound frame to act as a brick wall on defense. He forces opposing offenses to either fade away, spot up for shots or pass the ball.
When Randolph can stay healthy, he’s possibly the most valuable player for the Grizzlies. He’s a double-double machine and a great weapon to have for Memphis.
Center: Marc Gasol
The lesser known of the Gasol brothers, Marc is coming off of a season where he took home the Defensive Player of the Year honors and second team All-Defense.
His defense is what has made him a star over the past year or so, but his offensive game is refined and polished. Just like every other starter for the Grizzlies, Gasol averages over 40 percent from the field. Except Gasol average over 50 percent from the field and eight rebounds per game. The theme for the Grizzlies starters is consistency, of which Gasol is now the focal point of it all.
Gasol is a physical presence in the paint, both on offense and defense. He also has great touch when shooting jumpers (or Gasol’s definition of a jumper), opening up the floor for the rest of the team. He’s big and versatile; a complete deadly weapon for Memphis in a conference where strong big men are needed inside.
Season Outlook:
There are a number of teams that have NBA fans excited for the 2013-14 season. The Miami Heat are the two-time defending NBA Champions, the Houston Rockets added Dwight Howard to go along with James Harden, the Brooklyn Nets traded for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and the Oklahoma City Thunder still have Kevin Durant.
While all those teams have a reason to get fans excited, you’ll rarely hear those same people talk about the Memphis Grizzlies in the same light.
Memphis has had a solid foundation of winning since they decided to part ways with All-Star Pau Gasol. They’ve made the playoffs the past three years and have shown improvements every time, culminating in an appearance in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs before being swept last season.
The Grizzlies made the bold decision last summer to let O.J. Mayo head to Dallas in free agency, presumably to hand over the team to Rudy Gay. Or so we thought. Memphis then turned around and traded Gay in January to the Raptors, bringing in Tayshaun Prince.
The addition of Prince and subtractions of Gay and Mayo opened things up for Memphis. While they weren’t as exciting to watch without their two playmakers, they became a team fully focused on the defensive end while playing more team oriented basketball on offense.
NBA fans don’t usually talk about teams that focus on defense or ones that don’t make a lot of noise during the free agency period. Memphis is both of those things. The Grizzlies are not a “sexy” team in the NBA. They’re not the most exciting or the most popular. They don’t have a superstar fans flock to and don’t have an incredible legacy. What they do have is a mixture of experience (in the starting lineup) and youth (off the bench).
In what was a bit of a shocking turn of events, the Grizzlies parted ways with coach Lionel Hollins. Even though they were just coming off an appearance in the Western Conference Finals, the franchise felt it was time for a change in direction.
Enter David Joerger, a high profile NBA D-League head coach with five championships under his belt (most recent with the Dakota Wizards in 2007). Joerger has spent the past six seasons as an assistant, two of them as Hollins’ lead assistant.
It always helps a team to hire within the franchise and by hiring Joerger, the Grizzlies have a head coach that is not only familiar with the team, but has helped lead their top ranked defense in the NBA. It will be interesting to see where Joerger can lead Memphis, but he has a solid foundation to work with.
Best-Case Scenario:
Memphis has a solid team and knows how to win games. The conference as a whole may have strengthened over the course of the summer but the Grizzlies are still in great shape. They’ve been around the block a few times and have a shot at making a serious run towards the NBA Finals this season.
In the best-case scenario, Memphis not only wins consistently but takes the Southwest Division by storm, locking down a one or two-seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Their defense carries them to the NBA Finals and their offense becomes just as versatile as the best the rest of the NBA has to offer. Gasol takes home another Defensive Player of the Year award and Conley puts his name into Most Improved Player of the Year discussions by jumping his points per game average to 22 per game. Randolph stays healthy for the entire season and Franklin becomes a Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
Worst-Case Scenario:
It is going to be an especially tough year in the Southwest division. With the San Antonio Spurs always being a championship threat, the Houston Rockets, as mentioned earlier, have rebuilt their franchise completely with the addition of Dwight Howard and already having James Harden at their disposal. Even the New Orleans Pelicans seem like a potential threat for the playoffs this year (unlikely, but stranger things have happened).
The Western Conference as a whole has been strengthened this summer. Playoff teams from last season such as Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers headline the strengths, as well as the Rockets. Teams that didn’t make the playoffs, such as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers, are making strong pushes towards a potential playoff spot this season.
The Grizzlies maintain their ways as a team but can’t keep pace with the rest of the Western Conference. They make the playoffs, but as a seven or eight-seed because of all the elevated talent in the rest of the conference. Randolph gets traded at some point during the season to avoid paying him a max contract in the summer of 2014 and the team fails to work together to fill the holes Randolph left.
Predicted Finish:
57-25 overall record, second in Southwest Division, 4-seed in Western Conference Playoffs
It’s going to be a battle for the Memphis Grizzlies this season, but they are in a great position to not only make the playoffs, but generate some buzz for NBA fans around the world. They have the roster and the defense to get it done. They may not be flashy, but they’re gritty and tough, exactly what it takes to be successful in the NBA.
By season’s end, fans will begin talking about the Memphis Grizzlies.
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