The Grizzlies defeated the visiting Knicks last night, 98-93, and it was a close game between two teams that need to turn things around in the second half of the season if they’re going to have any chance of making the playoffs this year. The Grizzlies have answered the call to improve, recently, going 15-4 since Marc Gasol returned from a sprained MCL. The 2013 DPOY showed off more than just his defensive acumen against the Knicks, though.
Part of the problem with the Grizzlies, and the biggest reason they are never considered a legitimate title threat even after making the Western Conference Finals last season, has to do with their dearth of shooting. While this hurts them in the long-term, since three-point shooting spreads the floor to open up driving lanes and is a significant reason for a team’s success these days, the lack of it in Memphis has led to a lot of smart interior passing against defenses packed in the paint cramping Memphis. That passing is spearheaded by Gasol, probably one of the five smartest players in the league.
Early on against the Knicks, Tayshaun Prince finds Gasol rolling to the rim, but Gasol doesn’t try and force up a layup on Tyson Chandler. Instead, Marc flips a neat no-look wrap-around to Zach Randolph for the easy finish.
The Grizzlies had five more assists than the Knicks last night, and while the game was close, the Grizz did what it took to win. They’ll keep grinding away at teams with a full roster now, and we wouldn’t be surprised if they made some noise in the stacked Western Conference before the season is out.
What do you think
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