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Memphis Grizzlies: The Pitfalls Of Starting Fast

By Tom Firme

May 15, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger looks on late in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Warriors defeated the Grizzlies 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
May 15, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger looks on late in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Warriors defeated the Grizzlies 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Memphis Grizzlies avoided the dubious status of being the only undefeated team in the exhibition by losing 86-76 to the Orlando Magic on Friday. Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger shouldn’t invest too much in rumbling through the early slate, although he’s eager to pounce on opponents from the very start of the regular season.

Two nights before the preseason finale, Joerger went full-bore in a game  The Commercial Appeal’s Ron Tillery called “a dress rehearsal.” Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph fought through 35 minutes each and Mike Conley played 31 as the Grizzlies rallied from a 24-7 first-quarter deficit to beat the Atlanta Hawks 82-81.

“Defensively, we were physical. We got after them,” Joerger said.

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Surely, Joerger knows that when he gets to heaven, no one asks him about his team’s physicality in games that don’t count.

No team deserves plaudits for rallying in an exhibition. For that matter, sending the core trio of Randolph, Gasol and Conley for 31 or more minutes is unnecessary. Joerger and anyone else who watches the team knows their prowess.

After all, SI.com’s Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney placed all three among the NBA’s top 50 players, with Gasol at No. 8.

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To Joerger’s credit, he kept them under 30 minutes in all other preseason games, and rested all starters for the finale.

But one can’t shake the feeling he didn’t give enough time to second-year players who need evaluation at this time. On Friday,  Jordan Adams scored nine points in 17 minutes in his only exhibition contest, five fewer minutes than Vince Carter, a 38-year-old who didn’t need extra time.

Jarnell Stokes played 15.4 minutes per game this preseason, although he received only five on Oct. 18 against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to quick foul trouble. Russ Smith‘s 21.7 minutes per game were plenty, and he scored 9.2 points per game despite shooting 34.2 percent.

At this time of year, the third-year head coach should bear in mind that winning in the playoffs matters most, and preserving his players is essential early in the season.

Joerger stated his desire for a strong start, telling The Commercial Appeal’s Ron Tillery:

"Now it’s a matter of you don’t want to go out in games and say ‘I don’t want to get hurt’ or ‘I don’t want our guys to get hurt.’ We want to be playing well coming into the season because our schedule is so difficult. Our first 31 games are very difficult. I think (it’s) the most difficult in the league as far as strength of schedule goes. So, we have to get off to a quick start and have to be tight on our stuff."

Mastering the schedule always poses a challenge. This year is no different, as the run to which Joerger refers includes eight games against squads that could be in the top half of the Western Conference and five against premier Eastern teams. Being in the most brutal division of the tough Western Conference, the Grizzlies naturally face a grueling schedule.

Last year, they had a reasonable start against playoff teams, going 13-8 against them in the first two months. Some of the losses wouldn’t have been if they had closed out poor opponents in previous games.

The Warriors put themselves in a better position for good health than the Grizzlies by blowing out teams, earning their starters rest. Then again, Golden State is much younger. Joerger did well managing minutes last year, keeping the core trio under 33.5 minutes per game, but could do better by improving at closing out games.

Going hard throughout the season is nice, but the Grizzlies must reach the playoffs in one piece.

They failed to do so last year. After galloping to a 39-14 record before the All-Star break and challenging the Golden State Warriors for the top spot in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies fell into a malaise as Courtney Lee sprained a knuckle in his right hand, Mike Conley suffered an array of injuries and Tony Allen had a sore left hamstring.

The Grizzlies finished 16-13 to place fifth in the West.

Before the playoffs started, CBSSports.com’s Matt Moore wrote, “Since February, it’s been nothing but misfortune for Memphis. They looked like a team in a typical veteran malaise in March.”

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    • The Grizzlies are tough and deep, but weaknesses could be exposed if a few players grind through serious injuries during the playoffs the way Allen, Conley and Beno Udrih (who suffered a bone chip in his right ankle in the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers) did this spring.

    Combining Udrih’s injury with Conley’s facial fracture challenged the offense’s flow the rest of the postseason. The defense wasn’t the same with Allen missed most of the last three games of the Western Conference semifinals against the Warriors with his hamstring bothering him.

    Joerger needs to be smart spreading out minutes, preserving Allen and other wings by splitting minutes among him, Adams, Carter and Matt Barnes. Also, Joerger should take care of his core, keeping them from playing through injuries too often.

    Trusting Smith and JaMychal Green to help win games in December is safer than hoping they can provide a boost with little preparation in the playoffs after Conley and Randolph go down.

    The Grizzlies are a win-now team with six rotation players aged 30 or older. Making the most of the Grind Era means ensuring health. While winning a ton of games and getting a high playoff seed would be great, Joerger must put his team in position to exploit matchups.

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