Memphis Grizzlies Should Return to Sole Success from Last Season’s Starting Unit

Now that the Memphis Grizzlies have a healthy roster, it is time to return to their only success from the 2017-18 season.

The 2017-18 was definitely one worth forgetting, but the Memphis Grizzlies should certainly consider utilizing one of last season’s key cogs in their current starting lineup.

That important piece is swingman Dillon Brooks — the 2017 second round Draft pick that worked his way into the Grizzlies’ starting lineup last season and never gave it up from there.

Against all odds, Brooks started in 74 games while appearing in all of Memphis’ 82 regular season contests. The more he played, the better he became. It was no surprise to see him represent the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA’s annual rookie and sophomore game during NBA All-Star Weekend.

It has been a rough sophomore season for Dillon Brooks after having a busy offseason. From multiple youth basketball camps to training with Team Canada, he did not get a break.

His struggles in the very early portion of the 2018-19 season was not exhaustion, though, as Dillon told Beale Street Bears in October that “it’s part of the game — to miss shots — you miss some, you make some” and he just needs to “keep shooting.”

Then came an unfortunate injury that sidelined Dillon Brooks for approximately one month. His return was much needed as the team has struggled to produce points on the scoreboard.

Since achieving full health, Brooks has appeared more comfortable and his jump shot demonstrates full confidence. This was evident in the Memphis Grizzlies’ 112-103 home loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday, where he went four-of-five from three-point land, finishing with 19 points.

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In the 15 games Dillon Brooks has earned time in this season, he has yet to start. Given the Grizzlies’ struggles over the past month, boosting him to starter status is something the team should absolutely consider as their January 2019 schedule unfolds.

In 2017-18, though the team won just 22 games, Dillon Brooks shined in the starting unit. You could say that he was the sole bright spot in a miserable lottery-bound season on Beale Street.

For offensive output last season, Memphis’ top-12 five-man lineup combinations consisted of Dillon’s presence. The exact same result is found when considering the field goal percentage — including three-point accuracy individually — for those top-12 five-man groups.

Though a few of those players surrounding a rookie-year Dillon Brooks are no longer on the Grizzlies’ current roster, it is clear that he made a huge impact for that squad’s offensive production. He was third in field goal attempts per game (9.4) on that roster for players with at least 15 games played.

Inserting Dillon into the starting lineup as soon as possible should be welcomed. The team’s current starter — Garrett Temple — has been dwindling after a hot few weeks to begin 2018-19.

Brooks and Temple have two-way potential, but Dillon is the far greater offensive threat. In his rookie season alone, he generated seven games of 20+ points, yet Garrett Temple has notched the feat just four times in a 130-game span through the 2016-17 and 2017-18 NBA seasons.

Temple is your consummate role player. He may pop off for a 30-point night as he did versus the Atlanta Hawks in the Memphis Grizzlies’ first win of the 2018-19 season, but that is not who he is on a nightly basis.

Garrett’s large output was the result of being left open for a plethora of catch-and-shoot opportunities. Alternatively, Dillon can create his own shot, which evolves the offense. It gets things flowing and moving. Stagnant offense is what has led to Memphis blowing two 19-point leads in December games and coming away with a pair of losses.

There is little that is solid in Grizzlies Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff‘s lineups and rotations. Now is the time to further experiment by starting Dillon Brooks before a playoff spot gets too far away in the Western Conference standings. A change needs to happen, and this may be just enough to earn extra victories rather than blow big leads.

Even better is the schedule becoming a little bit easier for the Memphis Grizzlies in the coming weeks. They have already endured the worst stretch prior to 2018 coming to a close. Now is the time to strive for greater, and that can be achieved by placing Dillon Brooks into an expanded role.