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Hoovering around .500

Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 4:33 pm
by Sharkn20
The Memphis Grizzlies still above .500 despite all the neysayers and rough stages during the season.

SG Zach LaVine (20.6 ppg) still the heart and soul of this team offensively, when he is hot everything just flows, but when he is not in his good days or is tightly marked by the opposition, both Middleton (17.7 ppg), Ullis (15.1 ppg) and Biyombo (11.4 ppg) are able to step up and lead the starting lineup. From the bench PF / C Zeller (9.0 ppg) and SG Daniels (6.1 ppg) were good options when the Grizzlies needed scoring from the bench, both have been specially hot as of late with some depth charts made to highlight their best skills. The Bogdanovics (5.7 ppg both) have been also useful when required, leaning heavily in match-ups to both score and defend.

The battle of the boards have been ferocious in whichever games Memphis is involved, as we are not able to cause any turnovers, the key of our chances lies in the paint, C Biyombo (11.1 rpg) is the leader in this category by a massive difference as he is #3-t in the CSL right now, add 24 double doubles and you can see how Biyombo is key in what the Grizzlies want to do this year. PF Green (8.7 rpg) is another important piece of the puzzle as between them both the starting 5 accumulates 19.8 rpg between 2 players, so there is a good chance that every throw repelled by the rim falls in their hands. From the bench again PF / C Zeller (4.2 rpg) and C Kempton (5.6 rpg) make sure that when Biyombo or Green are resting, they step up and allow the team to have extra possessions or not allowing 2nd chances.

Defensively PG Larkin (91.8 stp%) and SF Bogdan Bogdanovic (80% stp%) are the responsibles to avoid penetrations at the rim, being usually lined-up against dangerous handlers prone to drive towards the rim. C Biyombo keeps post players in check allowing only 0.8 points per shot faced and from the bench C Zeller is a great defensive option too allowing again 0.8 points per shot faced.

Efficiency ways, both coveted FAs with bird rights, C Biyombo 18.9 and SG Zach LaVine 18.2 are the 2 most efficient players in the Roster, with PG Ullis 15.3, SF / PF Green 14.5 and SG / SF Middleton 13.8 in the second tier.

This is a well rounded team, without any real star, but with several solid options, is not surprise that we are hovering about .500 and with a strong chance to make the playoffs as a late seed as NO and SAC are 3.5 games ahead, we don't expect to be anything better than #7 or #8. Hopefully a solid piece added in the next Draft can take us one step further but at the moment, we will enjoy this season as it comes.

Re: Hoovering around .500

Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 7:18 pm
by andrei
Grizzlies will always hold a special place in my heart after so many years on Beale street. I really like your addition of Ulis - not sure what you traded for him but is great to run that high octane offense.

Re: Hoovering around .500

Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:09 pm
by hardenwithnod
This team has been playing pretty well, keep it up.

Re: Hoovering around .500

Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:39 pm
by Myles
We got our butts handed to us by you guys so yeah, you are legit. When your best player is a streaky scorer like Lavine, you can beat anyone in the playoffs, but you could also lose to anyone. Just depends on if he’s hot or not. Rest of the supporting cast is strong, but like you said, Lavine is the team’s heart and soul

Re: Hoovering around .500

Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2019 3:53 pm
by KW
Myles wrote: Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:39 pm We got our butts handed to us by you guys so yeah, you are legit. When your best player is a streaky scorer like Lavine, you can beat anyone in the playoffs, but you could also lose to anyone. Just depends on if he’s hot or not. Rest of the supporting cast is strong, but like you said, Lavine is the team’s heart and soul
This. LaVine is one of the few players who can do what Monk did for me in the 1st round of last year's playoffs. LaVine can get red hot at any time and singlehandedly win games. But as Myles said, he can easily shoot you out of the playoffs also. This is the kind of team that could definitely take a couple games and give a contender a legitimate scare. Middleton and Green have to step up though.

Re: Hoovering around .500

Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 12:57 pm
by Flaming Homer
Thats the reason I'm not a fan of Lavine as my #1 guy. It can always go any way.
As a secondary scorer or 6th man he would be great imo.
I really like Biyombo's play this year, I think it is overseen how important he is for this team.