With Jevon Carter’s impressive play with the Memphis Hustle and the struggles the Memphis Grizzlies are experiencing, is it time to try him out?
The beginning of the 2018-19 NBA season has proved to an impressive feat by the new Memphis Grizzlies crew, especially the recent performances by point guard duo Mike Conley and Shelvin Mack.
Conley is currently having the best scoring season of his career, averaging 21.1 points per game, and making a legitimate NBA All-Star run in the process.
Over the course of the past few weeks, Mack has started sharing the ball more, averaging 3.6 assists in 25 minutes per game. These two Grizzlies are working well together and even play on the court at the same time, in many cases, leaving Conley open to play off-the-ball in the shooting guard role.
3rd Quarter Point Guard
The Memphis Grizzlies’ recent struggles that came from the most recent games on the road was highlighted by the team’s inability to sustain the lead.
Jaren Jackson Jr. has be a Rookie of the Year-caliber player these past few games and both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley have been able to lead in scoring. However, only winning one of their last five games was a tough thing to swallow. The problems seem to start in the third quarter.
If you are familiar with the Grizzlies’ rotation, then you know that Conley starts and then usually is subbed out midway through the first quarter for Shelvin Mack. The same occurrence happens in the second quarter.
This rotation has proven to be effective, but there is still a problem. Starting the third quarter offensively has been the recent struggle. Memphis’ players are tired, plus Conley and Mack are worn down while trying to control the floor. This leads to more perimeter shots rather than drives or inside passes.
This issue could be solved with the Memphis Grizzlies’ rookie point guard, Jevon Carter. He is currently producing point totals in the low- to mid-20s with the Memphis Hustle and is a proving to be a reliable three-point shooter. He remains a high-class defensive player.
Carter can drive to though the paint as well as pass the ball. Having Jevon play throughout the third quarter could be the boost that the Memphis Grizzlies need to keep the scoring going while helping to make sure they stay in the lead, unlike the past few games.
This move allows Conley and Mack to rest more and be prepared for the fourth quarter to help secure the lead. This will also help to make sure the ball is moving and Memphis is getting high-percentage shots from the field or open looks in the paint, thus increasing their chances at victory.