After surrendering big games to young, athletic centers, the once-dominant interior defense of the Memphis Grizzlies looks broken.
These last two games for the Memphis Grizzlies have been rough, particularly for their big men. On Friday Night, Nerlens Noel went for 15 points and 17 rebounds. He was all over the place, hauling in rebounds and running rim-to-rim for jams and big-time blocks. On Saturday night, Clint Capella scored 24 points and 11 rebounds.
This can’t be happening. Clint Capella???
What will the Memphis Grizzlies do if they face DeAndre Jordan or Rudy Gobert in the first round of the playoffs? It’ll be disastrous to watch.
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Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph aren’t necessarily the fastest guys in the world, but something needs to change.
Should Fizdale cut Gasol’s minutes down from mid-30s to low-30s? Or, should he go small and give JaMychal Green some minutes at the 5? Does he need to pair Randolph with an athlete who could play strong help defense at the rim? Would giving a young,athletic center like Deyonta Davis maybe 10 minutes a game hurt the Grizzlies that much?
The best solution for the Grizzlies is to see if there’s any improvement once Brandan Wright (personal reasons) is back in the lineup. With his athleticism and versatility, he could fix the Grizzlies’ interior woes.
Looking at the Nets
The Brooklyn Nets may not have the most athletic or the youngest center in the game. However, Brook Lopez still has plenty of game.
He’s added the 3-point shot to his arsenal, shooting 33.9 percent on 5.1 attempts per game. In addition, starting point guard Jeremy Lin is back. If they expose the Grizzlies’ struggling pick-and-roll defense, it’ll certainly be a long night in Memphis.
The Grizzlies’ defense must be close to its top-3 level. If not, this winnable game would make the Memphis Grizzlies sweat a little harder.
Game Info
WHO: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Brooklyn Nets
WHEN: 7:00 PM CT
WHERE: Fedex Forum – Memphis, TN
HOW TO WATCH: Fox Sports Southeast (or any online stream)
HOW TO LISTEN: 92.9 ESPN – Memphis
BETTING ODDS: Memphis (-12); Over/Under (213.5)
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