3 Keys to the Memphis Grizzlies Ending the Season Victoriously Versus Golden State

Avoid the Turnover Trap

Without Mike Conley in the lineup in the past week’s worth of games, the Memphis Grizzlies have miraculously kept their turnover totals low. Conley ranks as the NBA’s 16th-best assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.5, but this also sheds light on how well Delon Wright has played in the Captain’s absence.

Wright, the proud owner of a 3.33 assist-to-turnover ratio (20th-best in the league), produced back-to-back triple-doubles over the weekend, albeit in two games versus the lottery-bound Dallas Mavericks. In the past fives games without Conley’s presence on the court, Delon has dropped 38 assists while sustaining just eight turnovers.

As a team, the Grizzlies have displayed turnover totals of 14, 13, 10, and seven, respectively, in their four consecutive games through Sunday. Talk about efficiency with the rock!

This is astounding for a ball club which is currently ranked 13th in turnovers (13.9) and 18th in assists (24.0) on the season. Whether it is Conley controlling the tempo or Wright righting the ship, Memphis has been in good hands as of late as far as handling and moving the ball is concerned. However, the positive trend came to an end on Tuesday on the road versus the Detroit Pistons.

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The Memphis Grizzlies had their feet on the Pistons’ necks and playoff hopes until faulty passes took place. Despite shooting lights-out from the field, especially from three-point range, Memphis’ turnovers cost themselves the game. Detroit forced 21 turnovers while allowing the Grizzlies to achieve just 19 assists on 33 made baskets.

Alternatively, Memphis was only able to force the Pistons into nine turnovers despite Detroit achieving only 16 assists on 35 made field goals. One reason for this statistic was the Grizzlies’ inability to stop Ish Smith from scoring at will in the fourth quarter. The Memphis Grizzlies blew a 22-point lead and it all began with errant passes. Second-half doom took place yet again for the Grizz.

Regardless of who suits up for the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, do not expect many turnovers from them. They are atop the Western Conference for many reasons, including their superb ballhandling and playmaking abilities across their roster.

Golden State ranks first in the NBA in assists per game at 29.4 in correlation with ranking 20th in turnovers at just 14.2 per meeting. To make matters more impressive, the Warriors are placed 13th in shot attempts per game while leading the league in overall shooting percentage at 49.1%. This shows that they make the most of their possessions and are very accurate with their passing.

If the Memphis Grizzlies are able to disrupt the Warriors’ passing lanes and apply supreme pressure to their offense, they will have a chance to win the matchup. However, it is a tall task and is much easier said than done. After all, Memphis has been defeated by double figures by Golden State in all of their previous three meetings.