Memphis Grizzlies: A Position-by-Position Breakdown (Shooting Guards)

Courtney Lee

Acquired in a midseason trade from the Boston Celtics, Courtney Lee was brought in to address a point of concern for the Grizzles – scoring. And he was an impact player straight away, starting 47 of the 49 games he played. He took the starting position from Tony Allen, and injected some much needed offensive firepower to the starting lineup.

Strengths: Scoring, Two-way Play

It’s no secret – the Grizzlies stink at scoring. At 96.1 points per game, the Grizzlies were the lowest scoring Western Conference playoff team, and the second worst scoring playoffs team in the NBA last season. They needed to put more points on the board, and desperately too.

And Courtney Lee was the answer.

He scored 11.0 points, on 47.6 percent shooting. Those numbers aren’t great, but it’s how he scored those points which make him an important part of the Grizzlies’ lineup. Lee shot 50.6 percent from midrange last season. This statistic is important, as this is where the Grizzlies’ generate most of their shots from.

Lee is a good fit to the offense due to how he generates his shots – from cuts away from the ball or by curling off screens. The Grizzlies’ focus on offense is to generate the shot with the best outcome possible, and they run a lot of plays through the post via Marc Gasol. Lee adds spacing as well, as he is a threat from the 3-point line, where he is a career 38.2 percent shooter.

Apart from contributions on the offensive end, Lee is also a defensive hound. He uses his good lateral quickness and his toughness to good use, chasing players, fighting through screens, and being an all-round pest. David Joerger, head coach of the Grizzlies, had to make sure that whoever replaced Tony Allen in the starting lineup would not be a minus defensively, and he definitely found that in Lee.

Weaknesses: Size, Quickness

At 6’5, Lee is slightly undersized at the shooting guard position. His slight frame allows opponents to bully him in the post, where larger sized guards can dominate. He competes hard in the post, but unfortunately, his body can betray him, as opponents continuously back him down. However, this is not that much of a problem, due to the defensive presence of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

While Lee may have good lateral quickness, he lacks explosiveness and general athleticism. Against quicker and much more explosive guards, he has had to rely more on his defensive instincts rather than his athleticism.

Role and Expectations:

Courtney Lee was brought in to address the Grizzlies’ scoring problems.  He provided floor-spacing and more efficient shooting to the team, and helped their clogged offense. On defense, he made sure that he was not a liability, ably replacing the toughness and grit that Tony Allen brings on defense.

Lee fits the Grizzlies’ system perfectly. His strengths complement the Grizzlies’ weaknesses, and his weaknesses (lack of athleticism, size) do not worry the Grizzlies. Hopefully, with half a season in Memphis under his belt, he will improve on his level of play, and perhaps we will all see him provide more offensive firepower for the Grizzlies.