Now that All-Star Weekend has come and gone, it’s time for the Grizzlies to get back to basketball.
There are 21 games remaining in the regular season, and the Grizzlies are positioned to make a respectable playoff run.
If the playoffs started today, the Grizzlies would meet the Denver Nuggets in the first round. Memphis currently holds the third seed in the Western Conference, and there is potential for them to move up to the second seed.
Potential first-round matchups with either Dallas or Minnesota are also not outside the realm of possibility if either the former slips down a position or the latter moves up. Both of those scenarios are still in play, but avoiding Dallas in the first round if possible is in Memphis’ best interest.
Here are some ways the Grizzlies can maximize their chances for success down the stretch and into the postseason.
Stay the course — There are a lot of things that this team does really well. They are first in the league in rebounds per game, in offensive rebounds per game, steals per game, blocks per game, and third in assists per game. In this regard, the Grizzlies just need to keep doing what they’ve been doing for the rest of the season.
Do not throw away your shot — Right now, the Grizzlies are also first in the league in field goal attempts and tied for first in points per game. They are also an incredible 33-0 when they have a higher field goal percentage than their opponents. Purposeful and intentional shot selection needs to be a focus. There is one area in particular that needs to be addressed — free throw shooting, which brings us to our next and possibly most important point.
YGTMYFT — I feel like a broken record at this point, but this matters a lot when the point differential between wins and losses falls within the range of the number of free throws missed in a game.
The Grizzlies are second in the league in free throw attempts, getting to the line an average of 23 times per game. Unfortunately, they have struggled throughout the season to capitalize on this, and it has been to their detriment. Ranking 28th in free throw shooting, there is much room for improvement.
The worst offenders are Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams, shooting 67 percent and 55 percent respectively.
But Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant get to the free-throw line more than any other players on the team, so while they are shooting 80 percent and 75 percent from the charity stripe respectively, any improvement from the two of them would have the biggest impact.
Uncertain factors — The return of Dillon Brooks is a wildcard at this point. If he is cleared to play, obviously, he should get some minutes, but how exactly is that accomplished when the team is doing so well without him? The Grizzlies need what Brooks can give them on both ends of the court, and it remains to be seen if they will be able to reintegrate him into the lineup and continue playing as well as they have.
In closing:
The ultimate goal for any NBA team is to win a championship and for Memphis, that window is opening now.
This means it’s time for the Grizzlies to lock in and buckle down, and for fans to enjoy the ride.
Welcome to the Dark.
All statistics from basketball-reference.com.
