The Grizzlies Rise: Grizzlies(0-0) @ Clippers(0-0)

[dark-child]

To lose a very winnable series would be tough to swallow. We can not accept the Clippers strengths
as excuses not to perform. I know we needed Bayless's scoring but Tony Allen needs to be in the floor
as much as possible. We have played a smaller lineup with TA at the three and it was effective.

Get it together Grizz

[darkangle901]

I think we have to get Austin Daye and Jon Leuer out there. And Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince need to see the court less, in my opinion.

Part of the reason we gave up so many rebounds is effort, but largely it is scheme. The clippers did not respect our three point shooting at all, and so all 5 guys were playing in the paint on defense, which is why we only came up with 4 offensive rebounds. I think we average 13.

More Q, Daye, Bayless, and Dooling is the solution to that problem I believe. Jon Leuer can help also, as he can stretch the floor like Arthur and rebound like Ed Davis, and has looked decent on defense when I've seen him.

As for the defensive glass, we just have to make them want to get back in transition and stop crashing the boards so much. To me, the answer is to put faster lineups out there and run. We'll get a few easy ones, and when they get back we just set up our offense and play Grizzlies basketball. But it will definitely help keep them off the offensive boards.

To get more speed out there, I'd break up the Gasol/Randolph tandem a bit (not play them together as much). I'd also sit Prince down a little more in favor of Pondexter (who is a better fit in this situation against Butler).

I'd like to see Prince check Jamal Crawford some, and Pondexter check CP3. Paul kills us with his little floaters and stepbacks. Pondexter maybe can negate some of that with his length and footspeed. As for Crawford, he had kind of an off-night, but we can't expect that to hold. Prince matches up really well with him because of his length and because Crawford doesn't have a great first step and doesn't use a lot of screens.

But first things first: the effort has to be better or none of this scheme stuff matters.