Game 2: MEM vs ATL

[Jamaaliver]

Helluva matchup between these guys. I look forward to a budding rivalry between our squads over the next decade.

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[VCfor3]

Helluva matchup between these guys. I look forward to a budding rivalry between our squads over the next decade.

I think we will definitely have a nice rivalry over the rest of the decade. Our teams match up so similarly that every position is kind of a battle in and of itself which is extra cool. Ja vs Trae as the superstar PGs, JJJ vs Collins as star PFs with range, Capela vs JV as bigs in the paint doing the dirty work, and with your new signings we may have high end bench vs bench play if Clarke and Tyus can remember how to play like their old selves again.

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

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[SD2042]

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It's hard not to get frustrated with the lack of calls. When you're a young team on the rise, the refs don't grant them calls like that. You essentially have to earn your stripes to get those calls. I'm not saying it's right because it's not. These refs should do better by the game itself and assess the right calls when its deemed necessary.

[Whole Truth]

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It's hard not to get frustrated with the lack of calls. When you're a young team on the rise, the refs don't grant them calls like that. You essentially have to earn your stripes to get those calls. I'm not saying it's right because it's not. These refs should do better by the game itself and assess the right calls when its deemed necessary.

That's unless you're Zion, with the sports stations hyping you for ratings. Have you seen his FT rate ?. I posted about it last year. He gets to the FT line 3x more than Ja, who for the Grizz, aggressively attacks the paint on almost every possession. I mean Grizz as a whole were the #1 team in the paint but nearly bottom of the league in FT's. Maybe if they flopped on 3pt attempts instead of being aggressive at the rim, they'd get to the line more, lol.

Earned respect ?. You mean like Jonas, who is an 8 yr vet that gets none. Atlanta were playing undersized with Collins & wing player at PF, yet it was Jonas in foul trouble. To make up for Atlanta's lack of size, refs allow them to play defense by fouling, it's why he was fumbling rebounds & missing bunnies he normally doesn't. On one post move, he spins in the paint & Collins flops off his back with little to no contact for an offensive foul. That's the only way an undersized front court can contain Jonas, a loose whistle for them & tight whistle Jonas.

Now for Jam or any Hawk fan reading my post, I don't think Memphis played well enough to deserve the win. I need you all to know I'm not ranting about the loss, it helps the Grizz soft tank. What I'm ranting about is the fairness & integrity of true competition not just for this team or game but league wide. None of this rookie vs superstar respect subjective BS, it's a ratings tool, as proven by Zion not having to earn his because he's a media favorite.

[E S V L]

Am I the only one who noticed some lack of chemistry?

[VCfor3]

Am I the only one who noticed some lack of chemistry?

We definitely seemed off and some of the guys are playing in lineups with others they usually don't but I didn't think we looked totally out of sorts in regards to chemistry. A little though yes. I felt like it was certain individuals being really off (Tyus and Clarke) and that it kinda leaked out to others sharing the floor with them. Usually those two, Tyus in particular, are the ones bringing everyone together and making others around them better. Dieng also looks a little rusty/older these past two games.

[E S V L]

Am I the only one who noticed some lack of chemistry?

We definitely seemed off and some of the guys are playing in lineups with others they usually don't but I didn't think we looked totally out of sorts in regards to chemistry. A little though yes. I felt like it was certain individuals being really off (Tyus and Clarke) and that it kinda leaked out to others sharing the floor with them. Usually those two, Tyus in particular, are the ones bringing everyone together and making others around them better. Dieng also looks a little rusty/older these past two games.

1. Grayson doesn’t belong to the starting line, and it hurts this line’s performance.

2. Tyus doesn’t have his own squad anymore. The rotation is chaotic.

3. Clarke looks like intentionally been kicked out of the paint.

4. Are we wrapping up Grayson and Dieng for a trade? They’ve been involved too much.

5. Finally, we have stopped playing PNR as our most effective weapon. Why?

[VCfor3]

Am I the only one who noticed some lack of chemistry?

We definitely seemed off and some of the guys are playing in lineups with others they usually don't but I didn't think we looked totally out of sorts in regards to chemistry. A little though yes. I felt like it was certain individuals being really off (Tyus and Clarke) and that it kinda leaked out to others sharing the floor with them. Usually those two, Tyus in particular, are the ones bringing everyone together and making others around them better. Dieng also looks a little rusty/older these past two games.

1. Grayson doesn’t belong to the starting line, and it hurts this line’s performance.

2. Tyus doesn’t have his own squad anymore. The rotation is chaotic.

3. Clarke looks like intentionally been kicked out of the paint.

4. Are we wrapping up Grayson and Dieng for a trade? They’ve been involved too much.

5. Finally, we have stopped playing PNR as our most effective weapon. Why?

1. Melton would have started if available but that isn't an option. Bane is still rough outside of his 3pt shot so though you can make an argument for him to start instead the team seems to prefer to lean on Allen. Konchar plays hard but is not at all a starter. Basically he is a placeholder while Melton, JJJ, and Winslow are out.

2. Again a chunk of that is due to injuries forcing us to mix things up. Still you'd think Tyus, Clarke, and Dieng would have more flow than they do since they are together quite a bit and played with each other last year.

3. He worked on redoing his shot and wanted to focus on taking more 3's. I think that is why is is spotting up more than usual. He still has time in the paint but it feels like a lot less since he isn't doing as much with it. I would think that he'd have more paint opportunities if JJJ was around and he got to play with him since JJJ would be the one regularly stretching out the defense and Clarke would move in and out of the paint to create open shots for himself or draw out defenders from the paint for Ja drives.

4. Again we don't really have a lot of options. Already went over Grayson. With JJJ, Tillman, Porter, and Tillie out Dieng is our only backup C and Clarke our only backup PF. Dieng is also a vet who you would hope would stabilize the 2nd unit more than he has. When Tillman is healthy I would think he'd take a couple of Dieng's minutes each game. When JJJ is healthy he will take a sizeable chunk of Dieng's minutes. Heck even when Winslow is healthy (and has been back for a bit) they may try playing small some with him or Clarke at the 5 as JJJ continues to recover.

5. No idea

[Whole Truth]

Am I the only one who noticed some lack of chemistry?

We definitely seemed off and some of the guys are playing in lineups with others they usually don't but I didn't think we looked totally out of sorts in regards to chemistry. A little though yes. I felt like it was certain individuals being really off (Tyus and Clarke) and that it kinda leaked out to others sharing the floor with them. Usually those two, Tyus in particular, are the ones bringing everyone together and making others around them better. Dieng also looks a little rusty/older these past two games.

1. Grayson doesn’t belong to the starting line, and it hurts this line’s performance.

2. Tyus doesn’t have his own squad anymore. The rotation is chaotic.

3. Clarke looks like intentionally been kicked out of the paint.

4. Are we wrapping up Grayson and Dieng for a trade? They’ve been involved too much.

5. Finally, we have stopped playing PNR as our most effective weapon. Why?

I'd say 2,3 & 5 with 3J's injury stretched for the first quarter, is how you'd tank a team that otherwise wouldn't be lotto. When 3J returns, the team will most likely already be out of the running & the talking point will be how much they really missed him off a very slow start. In preseason, the team showed it was still capable without 3J, so maybe wrinkles were added, like poor rotations/chemistry, not playing players to their strengths & going away from the teams offensive B&B, can't see no other reason to do so. It exposes the teams weaknesses & needs, for a better evaluation moving forward.

When this season is done, there will be few to no questions remaining. Memphis fans might stop penciling Clarke in as the starting 4/5. Could be part reason for moving away from the Jonas pnr action. To see how the offense would function without the soon to be expiring 28yo.