Memphis Grizzlies: 3 takeaways from 2017-18 season opener

2. Chandler Parsons, positive contributor

Chandler Parsons was greeted unpleasantly by portions of the Grizzlies’ fanbase. I won’t dive into the crowd’s reaction much, but suffice is to say, booing a player who has been struggling with serious injuries doesn’t seem like the kindest thing to do. For an analysis with greater levity and thought behind it, feel free to consult David Fizdale.

We’ll focus on his game, which was good but not great. Parsons was oddly incompetent from the free throw line, where he made just one of his five attempts for the night, but otherwise had an encouraging offensive performance. He didn’t miss a single shot from the field (2-for-2), and kept the ball moving as a decision-maker. The Grizzlies’ offense looked its best when Parsons was on the court.

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That comes down to the simple fact that he knows what he’s doing on that end of the floor. Parsons represents something of an offensive adult in the room. He doesn’t have the athleticism he once possessed, which makes taking advantage of his knowledge a challenge, but it doesn’t mean he can’t be a positive contributor. He proved that last night.

Defensively, things were a bit shakier. Parsons didn’t make any incredible mishaps, but once the Pelicans realized that he was defending Anthony Davis (which took longer than you might expect), they gladly exploited the matchup. Davis is a tough cover, and even at his athletic prime, Parsons would’ve had trouble defending him. He tried hard, but it was ultimately an exercise in futility.

New Orleans picked on Parsons enough that the Grizzlies eventually had to pull him off the court in favor of Jarell Martin. It won’t be the last time that happens this year. Parsons has never been a good defender, and he has diminished physical tools to work with now. The hope is that he plays well enough on the offensive end to justify any mismatches.

He succeeded in that regard last night, and he did so against a team with two of the better interior players in the league. It may not seem like much, but any progress towards positive contributions from Parsons is huge for the Grizzlies, who were +6 with him on the court.