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Memphis Grizzlies to be Forced into ‘Small Ball?’

By Christian Dudley

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May 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11, left) talks to forward Zach Randolph (50, right) during the second quarter in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Grizzlies 101-86. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Could the Memphis Grizzlies soon make the transition into playing “small?”

The National Basketball Association is becoming faster than ever by the means of in-game speed and tempo.

Competition is perhaps at the highest level in the sport of basketball that the world has seen since Dr. James Naismith created the game in 1891. It is no question that point guards are now the dominating position and it is evolving professional basketball once again.

Think about today’s biggest stars that consistently headline the nightly news around the association. Russell Westbrook. Damian Lillard. Chris Paul. Jeff Teague. Stephen Curry. The list goes on and on with high-quality PGs.

The Memphis Grizzlies’ starting point guard–Mike Conley–has made his name worthy of mention with the best of these guys; however, he is not primarily known as being the main attraction on his team.

That title has repeatedly gone to Zach Randolph, or lately, NBA All-Star starting center Marc Gasol.

Z-Bo is a power forward while Big Spain has played his entire professional career as a center. The frontcourt tandem punishes all other 29 teams in the paint on a nightly basis. Whenever the two bullies have big nights, there is almost a 100% guarantee that the Memphis Grizzlies will prevail with a victory.

Dec 9, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) and center Marc Gasol (33) celebrate after a play against the Dallas Mavericks in the first quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

It is evident that the Grizzlies pride themselves on their stellar frontcourt cast by taking a look at their points-per-game statistics. In the 2014-15 regular season, Gasol led the team in scoring at 17.4 points per game while Randolph produced a solid 16.8 himself. Following the twin towers, of course, ranked Conley–15.8 PPG.

Memphis has quite the trio–or “Big Three,” whichever you prefer, but it is no surprise which players have taken precedence. Mike Conley has been holding down the third-place spot ever since ESPN finally began to take Grizzlies seriously.

Will there be a sudden halt of the competition at the point guard spot and the sole attention will reverse to favoring frontcourt players?

If history is any indication, this should happen eventually. The only problem is that we do not know when that will be. It could be a decade away. At this rate, it may even be two decades away.

Frontcourt positions–namely power forwards and centers–will take prominence once again, but most likely after Z-Bo and Big Spain call it a career(s).

One massive turning point witnessed by Grizz Nation might have very well been the 2015 NBA Playoffs. They saw a real-life version of “Iron Man” in the form of Mike Conley. After going down with a brutal injury, it looked as if Conley’s Grizzlies had no chance of making noise in the postseason. When he returned to action–shockingly ahead of time–it was clear whose team it was.

These are Conley’s Memphis Grizzlies.

May 15, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11) talks to Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr during the second quarter in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest difference-maker has been “Captain Clutch” himself. After taking down the Portland Trail Blazers, the Grizz clawed their way impressively against the eventual 2015 NBA World Champion Golden State Warriors. M-Town owned a 2-1 series lead at one point, mostly due to Conley’s sudden return.

Even against Golden State, the biggest warrior on the hardwood was clearly Michael Conley, Junior. Pure toughness was shown by the 6’1″ floor general.

The Warriors are known all across the NBA as having electric offense in the form of the league’s Most Valuable Player–Steph Curry–and his backcourt counterpart–Klay Thompson. The pair is labeled as the “Splash Brothers” for a reason.

Defense was a top priority of Golden State’s while offense nearly came naturally for them; nonetheless, if you take a look at their championship roster and a box score, you would see that the do not rely on their frontcourt for scoring production at all. Their forwards and centers are on the floor to only do the intangible things that do not make an appearance on paper. The bang comes directly from their backcourt–even in their reserve units.

This signifies change.

Dynasties such as the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers, as well as championship teams of the 2006 Miami Heat, 2008 Boston Celtics, and 2011 Dallas Mavericks, are all recent success stories in which the franchises were led–or had a major contributor(s)–at a frontcourt position.

Players that can command the ball on the low block and dominate in the painted area have been known to lead their teams to championship trophies. That era has come to an end in 2015.

Shooters and scorers at both guard positions are becoming dominant. Squads that have the most beastly backcourts are standing the best chance of earning trips to the NBA Finals, especially if they have solid team defense to back up a high-powered offense.

Expect this trend to continue. The Memphis Grizzlies need to make this recognition, too.

Will the Memphis Grizzlies be able to own a frontcourt advantage on nearly every team in the NBA and continue their winning ways? Most likely…at least throughout the entirety of Zach Randolph’s current contract. In a few years, the Grizz may really need to find some key replacements if they do not already have those on their roster.

Dec 7, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) and guard Mike Conley (11) celebrate after a play in the first quarter as Miami Heat guard Norris Cole (30) looks on at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Thankfully for the current time, Mike Conley has emerged for the Memphis Grizzlies as an elite point guard. “Clutch Conley” is a rare occurrence where he can pretty much do it all–score on penetrations, make plays to find open teammates for easy baskets, and play stifling defense in order to shut down top scoring threats at the point guard position (a la Damian Lillard).

Considering the current roster and team depth, Conley’s impact on the Grizzlies enables the club to be an automatic contender now and in the future. Marc Gasol’s signing of a new long-term contract with Memphis solidified just that. It is a reason Big Spain remained in the 901–to have a real chance at a championship ring.

This is yet another reminder for the Memphis Grizzlies that the time is NOW on winning a championship.

Not only are Gasol (30), Randolph (nearly 34), Vince Carter (38), and others climbing in age, but the NBA is becoming younger and faster. Teams that play multiple guards and “undersized” bigs will begin to have the upper hand when it comes to achieving contender status in the league. “True” centers are nearing extinction in today’s NBA, so it is no surprise why Gasol, for example, is labeled as a superstar-caliber player. MG does things on the court–at his size–that opponents simply cannot match.

Will the Grizzlies be forced to play “small ball” in order to finally win a championship? Can the Grizzlies pair another elite guard with Conley (in his prime) in the near future to achieve this? Or should Memphis continue to play big and find ways to edge mismatches into their favor?

Dave Joerger, this is yet another reason to play the young guys.

Jordan Adams, Russ Smith, Jarnell Stokes, etc…are you ready for meaningful minutes?

The time is NOW.

Go Grizz!

Next: How close is Nick Calathes to leaving the NBA for Greece?

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