Some player-by-player notes from the Grizzlies first two games at the Las Vegas Summer League — a 89-85 win over the Atlanta Hawks and a 67-64 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
O.J. MAYO: While I think O.J. Mayo’s two-game (so far) point guard audition has been slightly better than his box scores indicate, there’s no doubt that it has not gone well so far. Through two games, Mayo has 6 assists to 15 turnovers and hasn’t looked comfortable in the role.
You can mitigate that abysmal assist/turnover differential somewhat via observation: Some of those turnovers, particularly in Game 2, have come from offensive foul calls by overeager Summer League officials; foul calls Mayo would be unlikely to get in the regular season, but that’s a relatively small factor given the extent of Mayo’s turnover problems in these two games.
There’s a more valid outside factor in the low assist numbers: Though the Grizzlies have more roster players on the court in summer league than any other NBA team, there’s not really much offensive talent out there. So Mayo’s spent a lot of time passing to perimeter players — like DeMarre Carroll — who can’t hit open shots and frontcourt players — hello, Hasheem Thabeet — who struggle to finish in the paint.
That said, Mayo has still been pretty bad at the point. His ball handling is the biggest problem. He simply has to get better at handling the ball against pressure if he’s going to see regular-season minutes at the one. As far as his bad-pass turnovers, I think a lot of that has to do with Mayo pressing — trying too hard in what he must feel is a do-or-die opportunity to expand if not change his role. Along the way, this particular point guard audition hasn’t showcased Mayo as the type of point guard he’ll need to be, and I thought Grizzlies assistant coach Dave Joerger had a very perceptive — if awkwardly worded — comment about this in the Commercial Appeal‘s Game 1 story:
“When he is O.J. at the one he’s better off than just trying to be a one. Don’t try to be a point guard. Be O.J., who is playing point guard. When he did that, he loosened up.”
If Mayo’s going to make it at the point, whether full-time or just part-time, it’s not going to be as a flashy, penetrating, pass-first point guard in the Steve Nash/Chris Paul/Deron Williams mold. He’s going to have to be more of a Chauncey Billups-style lead guard: Run the offense; make the simple, effective pass; use his shooting and scoring ability; use his size and physicality on both ends.
