| ESPN TrueHoop Network 2009-10 Season Preview: Memphis Grizzlies |
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| Written by Chip Crain |
| Monday, 26 October 2009 07:25 |
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Crystal Ball: The Consensus prediction of the TrueHoop Bloggerss...and the best hopes of 3 Shades of Blue. For those interested in the other 29 NBA teams go to ESPN's TrueHoop page.
Last Year: 24-58 The Crowd says: 20-62 3 Shades of Blue says: 35-47
If there has ever been a more misunderstood team than the Memphis Grizzlies it must have been a long time ago. The 2009-10 version of the Grizzlies have put together a starting five where every player scored 30 points or more in a game last year. The oldest starter is only 28 years old (Zach Randolph) and the youngest won’t turn 22 until after the start of the season (O. J. Mayo). They are young, talented and hungry for success. So why do most people focus on the two players not on a rookie contract this season?
Memphis might have been too young last season with the oldest starter only 24 years old (Marc Gasol). The team also struggled with an ineffective head coach who coached away from the strengths of his players. With Lionel Hollins at the helm, the team has an experienced NBA veteran with the temperament to mold this young group into a well functioning NBA team.
The Grizzlies’s major weakness last season was at power forward, a deficiency addressed this summer with the acquisition of Zach Randolph. Randolph brings consistent production not seen in Memphis since the early days of Pau Gasol. A 20 point and 10 rebound a night performer when healthy, Randolph improves the teams he plays on contrary to a reputation of being a cancer. With only two years remaining on his contract, Randolph should be well-motivated to improve that reputation after seeing what’s happened to other productive but self-serving NBA stars this summer.
The team also returns four starters from last season’s team. Rudy Gay (23) and O. J. Mayo (21) lead the team with Mike Conley (22) and Marc Gasol (24) rounding out the roster. Former starter Darrell Arthur (21) is joined by draft picks Hasheem Thabeet (22), DeMarre Carroll (23), Sam Young (24) and former first round pick Marcus Williams (23) to give the Grizzlies a fast, defensive-minded second team.
Memphis signed Allen Iverson just after Labor Day and now has its first Alpha Male leader in franchise history. Iverson’s presence should relieve minutes from Mayo’s heavy load and put pressure on Conley as the starting point guard on the team. How well Iverson adapts to the new surroundings will likely go a long way in determining the success or failure of the season. The Grizzlies may still be a year away from prime time, but they should improve from last year’s performance when the starters were too inexperienced, the holes were too large to cover and the bench was too ineffective. This team has the potential to surprise and should see a noticeable improvement over last season’s 24 wins.
NO YOU WON’T: Choose life. Choose a team. Choose run-and-gun, 7 seconds or less. Choose a superstar, a dynamic duo, a big three. Choose a 10-man rotation, role players, spot-up shooters, energy rebounders off the bench, or a 7-man death march. Choose walking the ball up, calling the play from the sidelines, working the flex. Choose the pinch post, swinging the triangle from side to side. Choose spreading the floor, driving and kicking, shooters at the corners. Choose rebuilding, sitting back in your owner’s box and watching the maturation of the spoiled, miserable brats you have drafted to replace your current team. The Grizzlies have chosen not to choose a team. Why choose a team when you can have Zach Randolph? (John Krolik, Cavs, the Blog)
All-A-Twitter: "Hello World... How ya Doin? i'm Back Home in Memphis, Bored!!!" -- Hasheem Thabeet, embracing his new hometown.
ON THE RECORD:
The 2008-09 Almanac: Some key stats from last season. Offense: 28th Team Factor Strengths: Turnovers Allowed (8th), Free Throws (9th) Shooting (23rd
THE PLAY: Last season people expected Memphis to go to Rudy Gay with the game on the line and he was capable of producing when the opportunity arose. This season O. J. Mayo should take over that role as his superior ball-handling and passing skills make him an ideal player to go one-on-one or dish to the open man at the end of the game. Either way, with less than 10 seconds to go, the Grizzlies will want the ball in Mayo’s hands. Now that the Grizzlies have signed Allen Iverson Mayo will have a perfect instructor on how to end games with the ball in his hands as well. Assuming AI doesn't break with the plan and try to do it all himself of course.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: The most productive player on the team last season according to Dave Berri of The Wages of Wins, Hamed Haddadi is reportedly unhappy that the Grizzlies selected Hasheem Thabeet in the draft. Haddadi is a better rebounder and shot blocker than most people realize -- as well as a decent passer for a big man -- but is stuck behind Marc Gasol and Thabeet for playing time.
IF YOU’RE WATCHING THE BOTTOM LINE, YOU’RE WATCHING THIS: Turnovers. With a team that has only two contributing players not on rookie contracts and neither of those players were on the team last season, how well the team learns to play together as a group will go a long way toward determining how this group performs on the court. The best proxy for chemistry in this situation in turnovers. Memphis led the NBA in turnovers during pre-season but they continued to improve each game in that regard. With an extremely difficult opening schedule and players known to be more interested in their own numbers than the team's wins assists would be the second most important stat to follow. |
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