Atlantic Division Previews

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Comparing to the Celtics (or Ridiculousness to Pass the Time)

Two seasons ago, the Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics "fought" to the wire for the title of "worst team in the NBA" in order to garner the best shot at the two "no doubt future superstars" in the draft in the form of Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. Alas, their "efforts" were all for naught, as both finished outside of the top 3 positions in the draft, slated #4 and #5 respectively. As we all know, the Celtics didn't sit idly by, but were very active, as they traded away their younger assets for the services of two veterans -- Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Those moves helped them to surround longtime Celtic Paul Pierce with enough talent to not only make the postseason, but to do so with the best record in the NBA and go on to win the NBA Championship this year. However, there was also another key acquisition that spurred the Celtics on to title aspirations. That was the hiring of a new assistant coach.

Enter Tom Thibodeau. In his 18 seasons of being an assistant coach in the NBA, his team has finished in the Top 10 in overall defense 14 times. He is a defensive specialist -- that is what he does. Of course, at the time of his hiring, many wondered if he was simply the "coach in waiting" for Doc Rivers, who was perceived to be a lame duck by many. Any of this sound familiar yet? It sure does to me, in light of the way that many people received the news that Kevin O'Neill was being hired for the purpose of bolstering the Grizzlies' defense. There was rampant talk of the move "undermining Coach Marc Iavaroni" and that O'Neill was just in place to be "the next head coach" once Ivy was let go. Unfortunately for all those people -- some of whom just love to stir up trouble -- the fact is that O'Neill was brought in with Iavaroni's full endorsement. We've gone over that issue before, but it bears repeating as we gear up for the season. Marc Iavaroni wants Kevin O'Neill on his staff. Period. End of discussion.


With that out of the way, I wondered if there were any parallels to the champs that we could draw, besides the coaching labels: Doc Rivers = Marc Iavaroni in the "Supposed Lame Duck" category (vastly overstated IMO); Tom Thibodeau = Kevin O'Neill in the "Hard-nosed Defensive Specialist/Coach-in-waiting" category. Since the first two examples were in the coaching staff, I decided to look at it from the perspective of leadership/attitude. So the next few comparisons are based upon that idea, not position, game type or skillset.

Kevin Garnett = O.J. Mayo

KG (or Mr. Intensity) is the unquestioned emotional leader of the Celtics. He is the guy that gets everyone else fired up and has no issue with getting in someone's face and screaming like a banshee if they aren't as into the game as he wants them to be. Rudy Gay is not that guy. Mike Conley hasn't shown that he will be that guy. I believe that Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo just might be that guy though. He has that certain presence that defies categorization beyond the label of "born leader". If anyone on this young team is going to take that initial step towards being the unquestioned emotional leader, I think that Mayo is the most likely choice.

Paul Pierce = Mike Conley

The Truth leads by example. He's not big on displays of emotion, preferring to let his actions speak for themselves. While KG is raw emotional intensity, Pierce possesses a quiet fury that bubbles just below the surface. In that same manner, Conley isn't a guy that gets into his teammates faces (not yet, anyways), but he carries himself like someone who knows what needs to be done and then goes out and does it. He could prove to be the on-the-court leader that the Grizzlies need as they mature over the season. Only time will tell.

Ray Allen = Rudy Gay

Jesus Shuttlesworth is one of the best 2nd fiddles in the league. The fact that he is a 3rd option for Boston makes him one of the best #3 men in the history of the NBA. While he's not a leader in terms of emotion or an "on-the-floor coach", he is an absolute assassin when the need arises. He puts up big numbers when the team needs a lift and has no issue with the ball being in his hands as the clock winds down to 0.0 with the game on the line. Rudy Gay is a lot like that to this point in his career. Whether it is scoring in bunches throughout the game or hitting deep 3's late in the 4th quarter to bring his team back from the brink of defeat, he has shown himself to be a clutch performer so far in his young career. Like Ray Allen, he is best suited to be the sidekick due to his approach to the game, but what a talent to have as the #2 option.

I could go on and on, making further comparisons like Kendrick Perkins = Marc Gasol/Darko Milicic, but I think we've covered the important parts. This is not to say that the Grizzlies are going to even come close to making the playoffs next season, much less contend for a title, but the makeup in terms of personality and attitude is there for them to show some improvement. If their talent level can reach even 75% of the players I have compared them to, they might just reach Tsunami Status a lot sooner than anyone expects. Wouldn't that be a nice surprise?

Memphis vs Boston - 3.8.08

Memphis enters this game with a small winning streak. Well most people don't call one win a winning streak but fans in Memphis take what they can get. Memphis hasn't won two games in a row since sweeping Washington and New Jersey back in November. The interesting thought is that Memphis did beat New Jersey on Wednesday. Could there be a trend here? Mike Miller's return makes Memphis a much more efficient and dangerous offensive team. His long range shooting combined with Rudy Gay opens up defenses that allow Hakim Warrick and Darko Milicic to work inside. Memphis' point guards have been hot and cold lately with Lowry providing the heat. The first time these two teams met, Memphis gave Boston everything they could handle before finally falling 100-96.

Boston comes to Memphis after destroying the Chicago Bulls last night with the best record in the NBA, on a 7-game winning streak (you know, one of those "real" winning streaks) and the first team to have secured a postseason berth after defeating the team everyone expects them to meet in the Eastern Conference Finals, when they beat the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. They also acquired a player that many expect to help put them over the top in the playoffs when they signed the recently waived Sam Cassell. Cassell has yet to actually suit up for Boston, but his addition could propel the Celtics all the way to a championship. The Big Three of Garnett, Pierce and Allen have lived up to expectations this year and are poised to make the citizens of Beantown forget the disappointment of last season.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Rajon Rondo
Rookie Mike Conley comes into this game having struggled mightily the past 4 games, as noted by Graham Kendrick on his blog. While both Conley and Rondo lead their respective teams in assists per game, neither is looking to challenge Nash, Paul and Kidd for the league leaders with both averaging around 5 assists per game. There are a lot of similarities in these young point guards as they are both lightning quick playmakers with questionable outside shots. The key difference is that Rondo is in his 2nd year while Conley is hitting the dreaded "rookie wall".
Advantage: Boston

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Ray Allen
Mike Miller's return spurred the Grizzlies to a victory over the New Jersey Nets Wednesday night, leading The Blowtorch to proclaim him the MVP....of the entire league. While I make a mental note to party with those guys more often, I think they have hit on something that Grizzlies fans have known all season. As Mike Miller goes, so go the Grizzlies. After all, they are still winless when he scores less than 17 points in a game. Ray Allen has provided the calm, steady hand to balance out the fiery emotion of KG all season. He has missed a few games due to injury, but has appeared rejuvenated after the last few up-and-down seasons spent in Seattle. And just in case anyone has forgotten, Jesus Shuttlesworth can still light it up with the best of them when called upon.
Advantage: Boston

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Paul Pierce
Rudy Gay, the future of the franchise, has been playing like a dying star, rather than a rising star as he prepares to become the first player not named Pau Gasol to lead the Grizzlies in scoring for the season. After scoring a career high 36 points against Phoenix, Rudy has put up totals of 11, 20, 21 and 13 on .363 FG% and .292 3PT% in the last four games. Perhaps the combination of the grind of the NBA's regular season and the pressure of being "The Man" is affecting him as he has played 42+ minutes in 4 of the last 5 games. Paul Pierce, on the other hand, is used to the grind, the pressure and carrying an exceptional load. He has maintained all his numbers across the board from last season's disaster except for his scoring, now that he has some actual help on that end.
Advantage: Boston

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Kevin Garnett
You could say that Hakim Warrick has enjoyed his newfound role in the starting lineup since the Gasol trade. After all, he's averaged 18 ppg and 9 rpg in the last 11 games as a starter. He has even been contributing in other areas, having tallied 9 assists, 9 steals and 5 blocks over that same span. That's good news for fans who have thought of Hak as nothing more than a poor man's Zach Randolph or Eddy Curry over the past few seasons. Unfortunately for him, he's facing Kevin Garnett, who has made a career out of the 20/10/5 line nearly every night out. His numbers are down slightly from that this season as he has deferred to his teammates now that he is surrounded by talent, but the Big Ticket is still as dangerous as they come.
Advantage: Boston

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Kendrick Perkins
After struggling through the month of February, Darko appears to be back on track once again. In his last 5 games (including a 2 point performance against the Rockets), he is averaging 13 ppg and 8.8 rpg on .604 FG%. He still struggles with foul problems occasionally, but has managed to play 30+ mpg in the last 3 outings. Kendrick Perkins is proving the doubters wrong, as he is not a weak link for the Celtics to this point. He has played extremely well in his last 4 games, averaging 13.5 ppg, 13 rpg and 3.5 bpg on .645 FG%. In their first meeting, these two players battled to a virtual draw. It should be interesting to see if anything has changed since then.
Advantage: Memphis

Benches: Memphis vs Boston
The Grizzlies actually have a bench now, with the return of Mike Miller into the starting lineup. Kyle Lowry has been playing out of his mind recently, gaining more and more playing time as Conley continues to struggle. Juan Carlos Navarro continues to battle with refs on a nightly basis as he impresses fans and foes alike with the variety of his offensive game. Javaris Crittenton has shown flashes of the potential that made him a 1st round selection. Jason Collins continues to provide tough defense as he sets some of the most devastating picks in the league. Of course, some of the guys on the Celtics bench might start for the Grizzlies, with Eddie House, James Posey and Tony Allen logging most of the minutes off the pine for Boston. The Celtics did suffer one setback, as they found out that center Scot Pollard will likely be lost for the remainder of the season due to a partially torn tendon in his left ankle.
Advantage: Boston

Enemy Blogs:
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Celtics 17
Red's Army
Loy's Place
The Shamrock Headband
Celtics 24/7

Boston Can't Lose This Game

Boston has three players destined for the NBA Hall of Fame in Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Memphis has no one that looks to attain these lofty honors. There is no way that Boston can lose.

Boston has the best record in the NBA this season. Memphis has the 3rd worst record in the NBA and seem intent on catching the two teams behind them. There doesn't seem to be any way that Boston can lose.

Boston is 10th in the league in scoring but known for their defense which is allowing the 2nd fewest points per game in the league this season. Memphis is the 12th best scoring team abd the 2nd worst defensive team giving up over 105 ppg. Boston can't lose this game.

Boston holds teams to an NBA low 42.2% shooting percentage and is 4th best in the league hitting 47.4% of their own shots. Memphis is the worst team in the league allowing teams to shoot 47.9% from the field while only 16th in the league in FG percentage at 45.4% on the season. In case you missed that if Boston just has an average game shooting the ball it will improve our defensive FG% rating! There is no way Boston can lose.

Boston drafted a player known as 'Big Baby' in Glen Davis this summer. Memphis traded for a player known as the 'Big Disappointment' in Kwame Brown. There is no way Boston can lose this game.

Boston is 6th in the league in rebounding differential grabbing 1.95 more boards a game than their opponents. Memphis is 26th in the league giving up 2.85 more rebounds to their opponents than Memphis grabs. There is no way Boston can lose this game.

Boston is 6th in the league in winning percentage when they score 100+ points. Memphis is 28th in the same statistic. Speaking of statistics, PowerGrizz, the resident statologist of the Memphis Grizzlies message board, has Boston with a predicted to win the game 0.638821 to 0.361179. There is no way Boston can lose this game.

Memphis just won their first game since February 10th. That was a string of 8 straight losses. Boston hasn't lost since February 22nd and have lost only 12 games all season. Boston is currently on a 6 game winning streak. Memphis hasn't won back to back games since November 27th. There is no way Boston can lose this game.

The Boston Celtics were able to recruit dancers from all over the country and had a TV special on NBA-TV about the selection of their dance team. Not just one episode either. A series on the selection of dancers was aired on NBA-TV. Even the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition doesn't get a series on the girls. Memphis just lost one of their dancers so she could move to Pennsylvania. What's worse is that she isn't even from Pennsylvania! Apparently the option to be banished to a gulag in Siberia was already taken by a former press agent for the Grizzlies. She's not the first dancer to leave the squad this year either. The roster included 18 girls after tryouts, had 16 girls in November and rarely are there more than 12 on any given night these days. I guess it is just as hard to dance for the Grizzlies as cheer for them this season.

I know this is getting redundant but there is now way Boston can lose this game. I mean no way on Saturday, no way in March, no way this season and no way in any one's imagination! There is no way Memphis can win this game.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have been to a combined 19 all-star games. 19 is also how old Javaris Crittenton is. No one on the Grizzlies roster has been to a single all-star game. Well Juan Carlos Navarro did announce the all-star game for a Spanish Network but that isn't the same thing. There is no way that Boston can lose this game.

Which is why I think the Grizzlies can't lose this game. There is absolutely no reason the Grizzlies should even be competitive and every reason to believe the Celtics should win easily. When the stars are that much in alignment bet against the obvious. Strange things happen when teams with no chance play teams that can't lose. Remember the Super Bowl this year? Take the points (there should be a lot to take) and watch the kids beat the all-stars on Saturday night in front of a packed house at FedEx Forum.

And If that isn't reason enough I will be out of town and won't be able to see the game. That is the most consistent indicator of a Grizzlies victory I know!

Postgame Thoughts: Memphis at Boston 1.4.08

Well, it wasn't a win, but it was a lot more interesting than just about anyone could have predicted. Rather than the expected blowout, it was a closely contested game that captivated the attention of both fanbases, as well as some interested third-party observers, I'm sure.

Tonight I came away impressed with what Pau and Darko were able to do on defense in the low post. I know you're saying "WHAT?!?! We got creamed by Points in the Paint!" That is true, but I'm talking about the two of them being matched up on KG, Perkins and Big Baby within 10 feet of the basket. They held their position well and either blocked or altered quite a few shots, especially in the 1st half.

How about the toughness of Rudy Gay? He had his tooth chipped by James Posey in the 3rd quarter and managed to make it back into the game in the 4th quarter and hit a few big time shots along the way. For those of you who don't know how much a chipped tooth hurts, all I can say is that you're lucky. I cannot imagine trying to run and jump while enduring that. While it certainly sucks for him, it might actually help him relate to the Memphis locals a little bit better.

Michael Conley didn't lead us to a win, but for the 2nd straight game he created for his teammates and made the offense look better, even if the conversion rate wasn't what we wanted to see with a paltry .429 FG% and .333 3PT% on the night. He was also the only Grizzlies' starter with a positive +/- for the night and one of only 3 Grizzlies period to achieve that. He doesn't make flashy plays, but he always seems to make the right play -- the smart play.

Where are the body snatchers that took over Ray Allen tonight? He was 0-9 from the field and his only points came off 2 free throws in the last minute of the game. Very strange to witness after coming to expect great scoring nights from him his entire career. Everybody has an off night, but this was an anomaly of epic proportions.

The team needs to work on scoring in the paint more, both from the low post and from slashing to the basket, while looking to draw contact. Missing too many 3 pointers (8/24) and missing some key free throws (16/21) made this a win for the Celtics, rather than a toss-up for either team in the last minute of the game. I'll definitely take this result over a blowout loss though, as the Grizzlies are beginning to look like they are working together, establishing chemistry and putting Marc Iavaroni's teachings into practice finally. Definitely a positive night for Grizzlies fans looking for something to give them hope for the remainder of the season.

ChipC3's Perspective:
Who was that masked man off the Boston bench? Tony Allen went for a season high instead of Ray Allen (who probably had the worst game of his career) but once again a backcourt player had his best game of the season and led to Memphis' downfall. The team really needs a defensive stopper on the perimeter more than the reputed scorer from the NBDL.

Gasol had an off night shooting but still contributed 8 boards, 5 assists and 3 blocks but where was the blockout on that last put back by Garnett. I realize it was Rudy's man at the time but Gasol should have been looking to block out someone instead of sitting under the basket like he expected it to fall in.

Rudy Gay showed the most intestinal fortitude in a Grizzlies uniform since James Posey took down Peja Stojakovic in Sacramento. Interesting that it took Posey's forearm to show that toughness as Posey's elbow jarred loose one of Rudy's teeth. How can that not be a foul by the way? Rudy overcame a tough start shooting the ball and Posey's accidental shot to lead the team in scoring and make some big shots down the stretch.

Mike Conley has learned how to swim in the pool. He didn't fill up the stat sheet like he did in In Indiana but he made good decisions and forced Rhondo to take jump shots instead of lay ups. Speaking of lay ups Boston killed Memphis in the paint (44-26) but more from Boston not allowing Memphis to score more than defensive breakdowns on the Grizzlies. Still the breakdowns were at particularly bad times.

Mike Miller has to learn to find his shot in the 2nd half and especially in the 4th quarter. With Rudy and Gasol drawing defensive attention Mike has to take more shots. His drop off from 11 pts in the first 14 minutes to 5 pts the rest of the way really hurt. Don't worry if you miss Mike just find a way to take some shots. That will force teams to play more straight up defense and Gasol and Gay can beat straight up defenses.

Tough loss for the team but not many teams can go to Boston and only lose by four points. The team should hold their heads up and come back home ready to give 100% effort against the Heat.

Other Views
A Boston fan's recap of the game.

Memphis at Boston - 1.4.08

Memphis had been reeling of late with successive blowout losses to Houston, New Orleans and San Antonio until the Indiana game. Frankly the Grizzlies were playing some of the worst basketball in the league at the end of the year and things could only improve and did in the Indiana game. Memphis big three of Gay, Gasol and Miller had not been able to put together consistent efforts by even two of the players much less all three on any given night until the Indiana game. More time together under Iavaroni's system can only improve things as the Indiana game showed. The time off gave Conley and Darko further time to heal and they both looked better in the Indiana game especially Conley who started his first game. Not that any of these things should matter in this game. This will be the Grizzlies 3rd consecutive road game and we are talking about Boston in the Garden, I mean Fleet Center, or whatever they call their new digs.

Boston has opened the season with the NBA's best record and arguably the best big three in league history. The 'Boston Three Party' as ESPN dubbed them have pulled an otherwise inexperienced and ineffective team to the top of the standings by playing team ball with none of the three seemingly unhappy sharing the work load. So far KG and Paul Pierce have both won Players of the Week honors with Pierce receiving the honor for the last week of 2007. Kevin Garnett still leads all players in All-Star votes which is amazing considering how many Chinese routinely vote for Yao Ming. Rajon Rhondo has made strides to be a top flight point guard which has helped the team reach this level of play quickly. Throw on top the fact that the Celtics haven't left Boston since Dec 30th and this has the makings of an ugly game.

Point Guards: Michael Conley vs Rajon Rhondo
It will be speed on speed in this match up of ultra fast point guards. Conley took over the starters role in Indiana and produced. His 7 pts, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and three steals help the Grizz control the ball and push the tempo. Rhondo won't be impressed as easily with Conley's speed. The 2nd yr player from Kentucky is averaging 1.9 spg in only 31 minutes. Those quick hands will probably give any Grizz point guard fits. Rhondo's major weakness is a poor shooting touch but that is well hidden with the big guns in Boston. The key will be if his defensive pressure can combine with the ghosts of the Garden to unnerve the cool looking Conley. It is a big test in seeing how ready Conley really is.
Advantage: Boston

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Ray Allen
Ray Allen is 2nd on the Celtics in scoring at 19.1 ppg but his season high is 33. The reason I bring up his season high is that often that number gets set against the Grizzlies. Ray Allen has always been a thorn in the Grizzlies side as well. Who can forget the 25 second shot clock he got with Seattle where he nailed a three pointed after the buzzer to beat the Grizzlies? The NBA actually wrote a letter of apology to the Grizzlies after that game. Mike Miller has had some success scoring on Allen as well but if Ray gets hot Mike will struggle to stay up.
Advantage: Boston

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Paul Pierce
Rudy Gay is an up and coming star who has all the moves but seems to lack the mental toughness that comes from experience but he is only 21 yrs old after all. Paul Pierce is a veteran who had carried teams on his back single-handed as well as functioned well in a team oriented environment. Basically Pierce is willing to do whatever it takes to win. His scoring and rebounding are down this season but he will gladly trade that to win more games and you don't win a lot more than the Celtics this season. Not having to carry all of the scoring load this season has allowed Pierce to increase his shooting percentages making his a more effective scorer.
Advantage: Boston

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Kevin Garnett
How can Boston support their highest paid player if he is only the #3 scorer on the team? Memphis has turned their back on Gasol because he is the highest paid player and is only 2nd on the team in scoring. Sure Garnett leads his team in rebounds but so does Gasol so that is a push. Okay if you count some arbitrary statistic like Wins and Losses it could make a difference but those statistics are meaningless when comparing individual players right? Garnett is leading the Celtics emotionally and with him the team is scared to lose. Not scared like the refs were after Darko's tirade but scared just the same.
Advantage: Boston

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins is finally learning to play after being drafted in 2003 straight out of high school by the Grizzlies who immediately traded him to Boston for trash. Wait a minute, who else was drafted that season? Why Darko Milicic with the 2nd pick in the draft by Detroit. Who would have thought that 4 years later both of these players would still be struggling to establish themselves in the league and that Perkins would have the upper hand? Neither player is very good yet but Perkins is benefiting from superior players around him to build up his confidence. Darko's confidence is reportedly lower than ever. Maybe he is finally realizing that he isn't as good as he thought he was...
Advantage: Boston

Benches: Memphis vs Boston
Finally! Memphis may have an edge somewhere. Boston traded away their entire bench to get Garnett, a good trade by the way, but Boston has survived by relying on their starting 3 anyways. Still Tony Allen, James Posey and Eddie House provide some experience off the bench and Glen 'Big Daddy' Davis will be difficult to contain for Memphis' lighter interior players. Memphis' bench has not been that effective of late. Navarro continues to score above 10 ppg on average but Lowry seems to be hitting the rookie wall and Stro is only good for 10 minutes of action during the 18 minutes he is on the court.
Advantage: Boston

Other Blog Commentaries:
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