Opening night! I’ll be on hand for tonight’s opener, tweeting during the game and filing a post-game blog at some point after the action. Until then, here are a few thoughts in advance of tonight’s game:
If Gasol Can’t Go: When fully healthy, the Grizzlies (Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol) and Hawks (Josh Smith and Al Horford) boast two of the most productive frontcourt tandems in the NBA, but the contrast is stark. It’s match-up of power (Grizzlies) against speed (Hawks). And, last season, despite the Hawks winning both games against the Grizzlies by double-digits, the frontcourt match-up seemed to be pretty much a wash.
But what happens if Gasol, as expected, misses tonight’s opener due to his recently sprained ankle? Obviously, this hurts the Grizzlies, as Gasol was arguably the team’s most important player a year ago. But, more specifically, how does this impact the match-ups?
The obvious response would seem to be moving Hasheem Thabeet into the starting lineup. But, given how Thabeet is unlikely to be able to exploit his size advantage over Horford on the offensive end, it might be better for the Grizzlies to go small, shifting Randolph to center and starting Darrell Arthur — who is coming off a strong preseason — at forward opposite Smith, who is perhaps the most athletic power forward in the league. And it might make sense for the Grizzlies to go even smaller at times, with Arthur at center and/or Rudy Gay (or even DeMarre Carroll) checking Smith.
