Do we match up with the Grizzlies?

[Calinks]

For weeks Dane Moore has been saying he thinks we match up well with Memphis. Last night it seemed like some of the players and Chris Finch feel that way as well. This is surprising to me as historically, I feel like the Grizzlies always run roughshod over us. That said, I'm starting to see where they are coming from.

This season we were 2-2 with them. When we did lose, we lost some big leads. Last night we got decimated on the glass and at the line, Anthony Edwards was a no-show on offense, KAT was in serious foul trouble, yet we pulled off a win we should have lost handily.

The Grizzles also seem like a much better alternative in a serious as opposed to the impeccable execution of Phoenix or the overwhelming firepower of Golden State with super Wiggins mode activated.

I also have to admit, it would be an incredible feeling if we somehow managed to take Memphis down in the first round. Can you imagine, beating the team that has smashed us so many times in recent memory? Can you imagine getting our only second first-round series win in franchise history? Imagine taking all the hype and excitement that Ja and the number 3 seed Grizzlies have built up this season and stealing it for ourselves?

The grizzlies have made a name for themselves this year with their dominant play and if we were take the first-round series from them, we would pretty much take all of their glory and respect. That would be the best, most realistic playoff outcome I can think of, it would be a dream accomplishment for this season that can actually happen.

[winforlose]

For weeks Dane Moore has been saying he thinks we match up well with Memphis. Last night it seemed like some of the players and Chris Finch feel that way as well. This is surprising to me as historically, I feel like the Grizzlies always run roughshod over us. That said, I'm starting to see where they are coming from.

This season we were 2-2 with them. When we did lose, we lost some big leads. Last night we got decimated on the glass and at the line, Anthony Edwards was a no-show on offense, KAT was in serious foul trouble, yet we pulled off a win we should have lost handily.

The Grizzles also seem like a much better alternative in a serious as opposed to the impeccable execution of Phoenix or the overwhelming firepower of Golden State with super Wiggins mode activated.

I also have to admit, it would be an incredible feeling if we somehow managed to take Memphis down in the first round. Can you imagine, beating the team that has smashed us so many times in recent memory? Can you imagine getting our only second first-round series win in franchise history? Imagine taking all the hype and excitement that Ja and the number 3 seed Grizzlies have built up this season and stealing it for ourselves?

The grizzlies have made a name for themselves this year with their dominant play and if we were take the first-round series from them, we would pretty much take all of their glory and respect. That would be the best, most realistic playoff outcome I can think of, it would be a dream accomplishment for this season that can actually happen.

Just some quick analysis based on things I heard last night.

1. Memphis is 23rd in 3PA and 23rd in 3P%. We tend to give up a lot of open 3s so that we can guard the paint more.

2. Both teams like to run. We do better in pace and they keep the pace up. We held them to only 3 points in transition in the 2nd half.

3. If I remember correctly we are the 2nd youngest team and Memphis is the youngest.

4. Our crushing them by 45 and blowing a 16 point lead in the fourth to lose a heartbreaker shows that we have the goods on them. Even on a night where they get 26 offensive boards they cannot put us away. We have the psychological edge this year and it could matter.

[Klomp]

I just think it'd be cool to guarantee that a small-market team would get through to the semifinals.

[shangrila]

On paper, sure. Kind of.

For Ja, we've got enough long, athletic guys to throw his way to slow him down. Which then helps with Bane, since the defence isn't collapsing as much. And JJJ has to deal with Vando or McDaniels, whose length helps to limit him.

For our side, they don't have a lot of great perimeter defenders (especially with Brooks out) so both DLo and Ant have an easier time of things. And as much as I love Adams, he's an incredibly poor matchup against KAT; unable to keep up on defence and not enough of an offensive threat to hurt Towns on the other end (as opposed to someone like Valanciunis).

But that doesn't mean we've got a good shot of beating them. Morant is still a hell of a player who you can really only slow down, not stop, and Brooks has been a Wolf Slayer for years so once he's back we're in trouble.