Memphis Grizzlies: Biggest strengths and weaknesses for 2017-18

Strength No. 3: Defense

Memphis relied on its ability to stop opponents as its unifying theory last year, finishing the season seventh in points allowed per 100 possessions (per Basketball-Reference). That shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s been the team’s identity for all of its recent run of competence. Most of the Grizzlies’ primary rotation players will be returning again this year, so there is reason to believe that their effectiveness on the defensive end of the floor will hold.

Losing Tony Allen could hurt, should the team opt not to re-sign him. He was Memphis’ best defensive player last year, and has been one of the top perimeter defenders in all of basketball for quite some time.

The Grizzlies’ defensive deficiency only dropped by one-tenth of a point per 100 possessions when Allen was off the court though (per Basketball-Reference). That understates his impact significantly, but it also points to the reality that Memphis’ ability to defend has been heavily institutionalized.

In fact, among players that hit the 1,000-minute mark for the Grizzlies last year, the biggest defensive on/off differential, positive or negative, belonged to Andrew Harrison, whose presence on the court was accompanied by a 2.2 points per 100 possessions improvement in defensive efficiency.

All that is to say, last year the Grizzlies defended well regardless of who was playing. The evidence suggests that is likely to continue, even if they lose one of their key cogs in Allen.