Memphis Grizzlies finish home-and-home with Spurs
By Dennis Dow
After a 2-11 November, the Grizzlies have to be ecstatic about ripping that page off of the calendar. Can they open December with a win? Can they get J.B. Bickerstaff his first win as head coach of the team?
The Memphis Grizzlies have now lost nine games in a row and are now 0-1 under interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. They head back to Memphis for a rematch with the team that beat them on Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs.
The Grizzlies had chances to win the game but were unable to take advantage of opportunities they were given by the Spurs. Will the Grizzlies make it 10 in a row? Or will they begin December with a much needed win?
What should we expect from this game?
What to Expect from Spurs
LaMarcus Aldridge absolutely dominated the Grizzlies going for 41 points, while making 17 of 24 shots. The Spurs will look to get him involved, and he’ll also crash the offensive boards. The Grizzlies will have to do a better job of rebounding and not allowing Aldridge to get his hands on loose balls in the paint, which gave him easy buckets. He also made use of the left side of the floor, where he has been lights out shooting almost 50 percent from the left elbow and left baseline this season. JaMychal Green and Jarell Martin did a decent job of defending him, but he has the size advantage and can shoot over them whenever he wants.
Tony Parker has returned for the Spurs, played some great minutes, and really hurt the Grizzlies with his penetration. He’ll likely not play more than 20 minutes, but it’s vital that the Grizzlies don’t allow him to get to the paint at will and pick them apart. In just 17 minutes on Wednesday night, Parker had 10 points to go along with five assists. The possible return of Mario Chalmers could be a big help in corralling Parker.
What Grizz need to do to win
The Spurs switched on the majority of Grizzlies’ pick-and-rolls, giving Marc Gasol huge advantages in the paint. However, the guards weren’t able to get him the ball to take advantage. With no way to get easy buckets, Gasol was limited to just 10 points on 4-of -11 shooting. Dillon Brooks and James Ennis have to be better passers to take advantage of these mismatches. This is where the Grizzlies really miss Chandler Parsons. Multiple possessions on Wednesday night, Gasol was defended in the paint by Spurs wings and couldn’t get the ball. If they hope to win, they have to find Gasol in the post.
Tyreke Evans played well in his first start of the season, and it’s likely that he may start again. Evans had opportunities to attack the Spurs and settled for mid-range jumpers. When he went to the paint, he had great results and was able to take advantage of his strength against some of the Spurs’ wings. The Grizzlies are going to need another 20-point game from Evans if they hope to win.
A loss at home to the Spurs would be a tough pill for this group to swallow. With the news that Mike Conley is going to be out another 2-3 weeks, the Grizzlies need a win. Will December start off with a win? Or will the struggles of November continue?
Next: Where should the blame fall?
Game Info
Who: San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies
When: 7:00 PM CST
Where: FedEx Forum – Memphis, TN
How to Watch: Fox Sports Southeast