Memphis Grizzlies: The Forgotten About NBA Finals Favorites

Are the Memphis Grizzlies the forgotten about favorites? After upgrading their depth, are the grit-and-grind Grizzlies players for a title?

At the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee a moniker was born. Out of the depths of the blue-collar team arose a term that symbolized the true definition of effort. It was short but accurate; grit-and-grind.

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During last three seasons, the Memphis Grizzlies have silently become the team no one talks about…but also the team no one wants to play in the playoffs. This season appears to be no different.

With all of the talk centering around the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers or Golden State Warriors, the Grizzlies have flown under the radar yet again. Despite their stellar offseason, you don’t hear their name mentioned in the NBA Championship discussion. That is about to change.

What has led to their success?

The answer to that question is not as simple as one may think. It is a great combination of things that have accumulated into one of the more successful NBA franchises in the past few years.

Let’s start out with the heart of the Grizzlies; Marc Gasol. Few big men play such an integral part of their team’s offensive success. When healthy, his win shares are always in the top-15 in the league (10.2 in 2014-15; 11.5 in 2013-13).

He’s also second on the team in assists. As far as centers go, only one (Joakim Noah at 4.7 apg) averaged more than his 3.8 apg. Gasol and Zach Randolph’s ability to dominate the high low-post game is something that is truly great to watch.

That is just one example of the high-post efficiency the Grizzlies showcase on a nightly basis. They ranked second to the only the geometrically crazed New York Knicks (oh the triangle offense) in elbow touches per game with 26.3. The high-post also opens up numerous back-door cuts and easy lay-ups.

Speaking of easy baskets, let’s talk about how Memphis was second to only San Antonio in close touches per game. Close touches per game qualify as all touches that originate within 12 feet from the basket, excluding drives. What really boggles the mind is the Grizzlies were actually one of the best offensive teams last season.

Season	Offensive Rating (League Ranking)	Defensive Rating (League Ranking)	Net Rating (League Ranking)
2012-2013	101.7 (18^th)	97.4 (2^nd)	+4.2 (8^th)
2013-2014	103.3 (16^th)	102.1 (7^th)	+1.2 (15^th)
2014-2015	103.1 (13^th)	99.9 (4^th)	+3.1 (11^th)

Before the Jeff Green trade, they started out as a top-six offensive team. Think about that for a moment. Once widely considered an anemic offense, Memphis turned into one of the best in the NBA. They also managed to do this with the exact same core.

The key to the Memphis offense has always been pace. The past three seasons they have ranked in the bottom five in the league in possessions per 48 minutes (29th, 30th, and 25th). The grit-and-grind moniker that’s come to define Memphis’ preferred style of play focuses on flawless execution in the half court, which is imperative for a team who averages fewer possessions per game than their opponents.

That means that turnovers are a definite no-no. Luckily, the Grizzlies have been in the top-10 the last three seasons in turnovers per game (14.0, 13.7, 13.3). If they are able to maintain and keep the turnovers low, their system is dangerous. Coach Dave Joerger’s scheme is methodical and he implements the league’s most intricate combination of back-cuts; no stride is wasted and every movement is made with purpose. This has been what has led to the offensive rise the past three seasons.

What about the defense?

The offense is all well and great, but the defensive side of the ball has been their bread and butter. The past three seasons they have ranked in the top-10 in almost every major defensive statistical category.

Season	Opp. 2^nd Chance Points (League Ranking)	Opp. Points in the Paint (League Ranking)	Opp. Points Per Game (League Ranking)
2012-2013	11.9 ppg (1^st)	38.0 ppg (3^rd)	89.3 ppg (1^st)
2013-2014	11.5 ppg (1^st)	38.6 ppg (3^rd)	94.6 ppg (3^rd)
2014-2015	11.6 ppg (1^st)	39.0 ppg (5^th)	95.1 ppg (2^nd)

It no secret this team can defend. Tony Allen is one of the best individual defenders in all of the game and Marc Gasol offers a solid defensive anchor. The team scheme has been extremely successful and figures to remain one of the top defenses in all of the league.

What’s holding them back?

So if the Memphis Grizzlies have been so successful, what’s holding them back? This is a multi-pronged question that will take some time to answer. It could be that they play in a grueling Southwestern Division full of talented teams. It could be that they just always happen to run into the wrong team (example is the buzz-saw that was the Golden State Warriors last season).

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A big reason they have struggled to get over the hump is the lack of outside shooting on the roster. Last season, they shot the eighth worst 3-point percentage in the NBA (33.9 percent) – and that was only on 15.2 attempts per game (2nd worst in the NBA).

The inability of Allen, their starting small forward, to hit a perimeter shot has bogged down their offense considerably in the postseason. Teams continually play off Allen and double down in the post; daring him to shoot. He does; but often without much success.

And Memphis did not do all that much this summer to improve on this Achilles heal of the roster. Of course, there are guys who are capable of knocking down shots, but there are not that many. With the 3-point craze so prevalent in today’s NBA, the Grizzlies are far behind that trend. Right now, it appears they are not quite ready to change their philosophy either.

The Western Conference is a gauntlet of powerful teams that will battle to the death in order to make the NBA Finals. We could play the hypothetical game with “what if the Grizzlies were in the East?”- but let’s not. Their weaknesses have held them back just long enough to not reach the NBA Finals yet.

Why they are contenders?

Let’s start with their offseason. They may have had one of the best under-the-radar offseasons of any team. Knowing that Kosta Koufos would not be back, they went out and got the insanely high percentage shooting Brandan Wright.

Mar 15, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Brandan Wright (32) goes up for a dunk against the New York Knicks during the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Despite being on three different teams last season, he offers a unique versatility off the bench backing up both Gasol and Randolph. When he was with Dallas last season, his stats were fantastic as a reserve (8.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, and 1.6 bpg on 75% from the field!) and he figures to offer an athleticism that Memphis has lacked in the past.

Another great addition was the Matt Barnes acquisition. The scrappy (code word for dirty) wing will fit in perfectly with the grit-and-grind style that the Grizzlies have become accustomed to. His outside shooting will be welcome sight and his defense will give them yet another stellar wing defender.

Mike Conley has gone without mention this entire time, and that is wrong. His ability to create opportunities for teammates is an integral part of the success of the Grizzlies. He has grown under coach Joerger and under the tutelage of veterans Gasol and Randolph. Their “bully-ball” ways would not be possible without the orchestration of Conley. His toughness is undoubted (playing in the playoffs with a facial fracture last season) and his talent is now unquestioned.

The biggest reason the Memphis Grizzlies are a title contender is their style of play, even though it may not resemble what’s become normal in today’s NBA – it’s worked for them, though. They have won over fifty games during the past few years for goodness sake – three straight years to be exact, and won 55-plus on two occasions. Their refusal to conform makes Memphis’ race to the title honorable. Even with their core aging, this year could be the year that they finally take that next step.

There will be hurdles to jump and obstacles to climb, but if Marc Gasol is healthy this team is more than capable. In a copycat league, the Memphis Grizzlies find themselves striving for greatness with a fearless confidence that has become their calling card.

They will contend for a title, and they will always be the team other teams do not want to play come playoff time. Let them be the underdogs, their style is not about attention or flash. If the cards fall right, come June, do not be surprised to see the grit-and-grind Memphis Grizzlies standing at the podium with a trophy in hand.

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