Memphis Grizzlies: Grayson Allen has been elite since NBA All-Star break
The Memphis Grizzlies may have found a shooting guard whisperer in Taylor Jenkins
Before the season began, what were your expectations for the shooting guard position? When looking at Grayson Allen, De’Anthony Melton, and Desmond Bane, this looked like a pretty weak position group.
Even with all of these players playing their best basketball, there isn’t a single guy who has shown that he can consistently be the guy for the Grizzlies. That said, all of these players are playing better than expected on Taylor Jenkins’ Grizzlies.
At some point, this isn’t a coincidence. Yes, the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr. has spread opportunities throughout this team, but every listed playing has drastically improved from the season prior.
Here are Grayson Allen and De’Anthony Melton’s 2021 stats compared to their numbers while they played for different teams:
Grayson Allen:
- Utah Jazz: 5.6 PPG, 0.2 SPG, 32.3% 3PT
- Memphis Grizzlies: 10.1 PPG, 1.0 SPG, 40.5% 3PT
De’Anthony Melton:
- Phoenix Suns: 5.0 PPG, 1.4 SPG, 39.1% 3PT
- Memphis Grizzlies: 10.1 PPG, 1.2 SPG, 45.3% 3PT
Despite being given a bigger role, Allen has become a significantly more efficient player. He saw a double in minutes played from team to team and double his scoring output. He has also increased his 3-point field goal percentage each year.
De’Anthony Melton, on the other hand, hasn’t been given many more minutes. The young shooting guard averages just over 10 seconds of extended court time compared to his time in Phoenix. Despite this, he has doubled his scoring output and shot well at a higher volume.
Most notably though, these players are producing nearly identical stat lines from beginning to end. To make a comparison to football, Taylor Jenkins may be creating a Bill Belichick-like system, where players can be plugged in and out with a minimal change in production.