- LARRY KUZNIEWSKI
- O.J. Mayo seems more settled into his sixth-man role this season, but his production has been about the same.
With no suspension, no fight, and no aborted trade, this has been a far less tumultuous season for O.J. Mayo. But out on the court, the differences have been much smaller.
Though he seems more comfortable in his sixth-man role and seems to be approaching the game with a clearer head and more confidence, Mayo’s minutes, scoring, and shooting percentages are essentially the same as they were a year ago.
There’s reason to hope that Mayo’s current 37% three-point shooting — a good mark in general, but not for a team’s designated sniper — will trend up in the second half. Mayo shot 43% from long-range in January and was 3-5, 3-6, and 3-6 in three of four games before the break (the other was an 0-6). If Mayo can avoid longish shooting slumps like the one he had in early-to-mid-February, he can be a 40% three-point shooter, which the Grizzlies really need him to be given his role with the team and defensive limitations.
More evident of Mayo’s renewed focus and energy level is that he’s finishing better in the lane (29% last season, 39% this season) and, in the absence of Zach Randolph, helping out on the defensive boards more, with a sharp uptick in his defensive rebound rate. He also seems to be getting more chances to finish out games without Randolph.
