Memphis Grizzlies: 4 takeaways from their last 4 games

1. They are very bad without Conley or Gasol on the floor

Game in question: Jan. 19 vs. Toronto Raptors

Memphis cornerstones Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are the lifeblood of the team. Even with Gasol’s decline in offensive output, he still plays a big role for the team as he’s an intelligent player who can help move the ball around.

It should surprise no one that Gasol and Conley are the minutes leaders on the team, averaging 33.8 and 33.4 per game, respectively. Both have missed just one game each this season, with Gasol’s coming against the Raptors. While Conley did play in this game, he had a season-low 22 minutes as the Grizzlies were trounced, 119-90, suffering their worst loss since opening night.

This game did come on the second night of a back-to-back, where the Grizzlies have been abhorrent this year, going just 1-5. But it still shows how much the team relies on its two stars.

Conley played a season-low 22 minutes, suiting up for just five minutes in the second half. Conley was the only player to land in the positive in the first half, finishing with +2. The wheels came off in the second half, again, and Conley ended up sitting.

Gasol and Conley have the best two-man lineup on the Grizzlies. The duo has played over 1,120 minutes together and posts an offensive rating of 105.5, best on the team by a full two points. Things can get ugly when they sit. Have a look at their offensive ratings for on and off the court.

• Conley — On: 104.3; Off: 95.9 (+8.4)
• Gasol — On: 104.8; Off: 97.6 (+7.2)

For a team with a ho-hum offense already, it’s imperative these two stay on the court so the team has some chance to put the ball in the basket.

Gasol looks like he’s going to be back in action soon, and it will be interesting to monitor his progress going forward. He’s already had ankle issues, hand issues and now this back issue.

The Memphis Grizzlies have a lot to fix and not a lot of time to do it. Their schedule lightens up for a few weeks, but it may not be enough for them to turn things around.