The Memphis Grizzlies are back after the All-Star break to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Beale Street.
It’s uncharted territory for the Memphis Grizzlies as they face the Minnesota Timberwolves without two of their top-five scorers on the season.
Marc Gasol is out due to a broken foot and the Grizzlies traded Jeff Green to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday for Lance Stephenson and a protected 2019 first-round pick. Memphis also dealt three-point threat Courtney Lee to the Charlotte Hornets in a three-way move with the Miami Heat for P.J. Hairston and four second-round picks.
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It’s a different Grizzlies team heading on the floor agains the Timberwolves, but they still employ two former All-Stars and a few key role players to make a little noise in the second half of the season.
Mike Conley and Zach Randolph need to step up in order for Memphis to pick up a few wins including against Minnesota. Stephenson isn’t expected to make his debut until Sunday against the Toronto Raptors according to Fox Sports and Hairston has struggled producing at a starter’s level for the Hornets all season.
It’s the Grizzlies’ younger players such as Mario Chalmers and JaMychal Green that need to step up and contribute through all the uncertainty with the current roster. Both have contributed off the bench and are solid members of coach Dave Joerger’s rotation.
Against a young athletic group like the Timberwolves Memphis should look to slow the game down and drive the ball inside to Randolph. Karl-Anthony Towns has been a monster for Minnesota inside but he’s only a rookie and Randolph has a lot of girth and experience on the first-year center.
Tony Allen still knows how to play quality defense, and it will be up to him along with Conley and Chalmers to force key turnovers on the perimeter and take advantage of their experience playing the professional game against up-and-comers Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine.
This wasn’t a bad draw for the Grizzlies coming off the All-Star break. Facing a less-experienced squad like Minnesota is reason enough to think that Memphis can use this opportunity to figure out which remaining pieces on the roster can fit where. Think of this game as an experimental period for Joerger and his staff.
Either way this has close game written all over it as long as the Grizzlies stick to their tried and true playing style of bully ball. Hopefully Memphis can muster up enough defensive tenacity to get a crucial win at home to start the second half of the year.