Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley get first look at Lonzo Ball
For the first time this season, the Memphis Grizzlies get their first look at hyped rookie Lonzo Ball. Will Mike Conley dominate this matchup?
It doesn’t matter what your views are about Lonzo Ball. You could think that he’s indeed the next big thing at the point guard position. His dad’s insane antics could drive you completely nuts, which makes you not a big fan of his sons. In your opinion, the Big Baller Brand could be the dumbest business move of all time. You might think he has the ugliest jumper for a perimeter player since Shawn Marion. You may not think he’s worth the hype.
Throughout the hype, there’s one thing Lonzo Ball has shown: he’s a normal rookie point guard. Players undergo growing pains at the point guard position. At times, we see the potential. Other times, you hear the voice of the SpongeBob character saying, “Oh brother, this guy stinks!” Nothing’s been different with the NBA’s resident Big Baller.
There’s been times where he’s displayed his scoring (Phoenix) and playmaking (Wizards, Pistons). However, it’s easy to look at his troubles against Patrick Beverley and his scoreless outing against Portland.
Tonight, we’ll see which Lonzo Ball we see as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies.
In a Michael Wallace’s (from Grind City Media) feature, Mike Conley gave this thoughts on Ball’s hype and how the two guards relate:
"“Between us two, I think if you read between the lines of being young guys coming into the league to run teams, and having dads in the spotlight – it’s as close as it gets,” Conley said. “I know my situation is a little different. I wasn’t as highly touted as Lonzo. But I can definitely look at him and see it, look at his situation, how good he is now, how much room he has to grow and how much better he’s going to be.”"
He then talked about how the young guard handles his criticism:
"“He’s a guy that just seems like he only cares about playing ball,” Conley said. “I was the same way. I don’t care about what’s going on off the court and what people might say about me. I’m sure he gets a lot of hate and negative things thrown at him all the time. And you can tell just by the way he plays that it doesn’t affect him. He just goes right back to hooping and doing what he does.”"
Relatable?
Mike Conley and Lonzo Ball have similar storylines. Both were highly-touted prospects as they were on dominate high school teams. Their dads are quite well-known — as Conley’s dad was an Olympic gold medalist and we know all about Lavar Ball’s antics. In addition, Mike and Lonzo both received early criticism for their jumper.
It takes time to be a good point guard — Conley is a prime example of this case. We’ve seen Conley’s growth over the years, and early-season struggles (EIGHT GAMES, PEOPLE!!!) shouldn’t determine how good Ball will become.
For Conley to dominate this matchup, the Memphis Grizzlies can’t be the team that plays down to their competition. We’ve seen it too many times. Despite this, Conley should school Lonzo. He has the quickness to explode past him to the basket. On defense, he has the chops to stop anyone, but there may not be any stopping to do if the Big Baller’s shot isn’t falling.
Closing Remarks
WHO: Memphis Grizzlies (6-3) @ Los Angeles Lakers (4-5)
WHERE: Staples Center — Los Angeles, CA
WHEN: 8:30 PM – ct
HOW TO WATCH: Fox Sports Southeast
HOW TO LISTEN: 92.9 ESPN – Memphis