Entering tonight’s NBA Cup (BECAUSE IT’S THE CUP, BROTHER!) game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis is sitting at the proverbial big kid’s table among NBA elites. It isn’t just because of their current standing in the Western Conference - although a half game out of 3rd place is pretty good. Especially when you consider the Eastern Conference is not particular strong beyond the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and maybe Orlando Magic.
The current 7 seed in the east (Indiana, who the Grizzlies play Sunday afternoon) would be tied for 11th in the west.
It’s actually because they are among the league’s best still in offensive (5th) and defensive (6th) ratings, per Cleaning the Glass. And while some may see that run as a fluke, there are reasons to buy what Memphis is doing being sustainable as the season grinds forth.
For starters, a current starter is currently playing below his lofty standards. No, this is not a space where advocating for making Desmond Bane a 6th Man is allowed. It is fair, though, to acknowledge that Bane is currently off to a start that would put this season among the worst of his NBA career offensively.
No one is more aware of that than Bane himself. So why think that he will snap out of it? First, his defensive (73rd percentile in block percentage) and rebounding (100th percentile among wings per Cleaning the Glass) numbers suggest it’s not for a lack of effort. Though his shooting numbers are paltry - his current 48.7% effective shooting mark would make for his worst of his career by ALMOST SEVEN POINTS - what do you believe more. The current 12 game sample size? Or the roughly 200 before it that had him among the most efficient perimeter players in the entire NBA?
I’ll take the latter, personally. That will only add to the depth of production that Memphis currently enjoys...and that depth is indeed impressive. 13 players have logged over 100 minutes so far for the Grizzlies this season, per Basketball Reference. 11 have played 240 or more, and #12 on the list (Marcus Smart) figures to break the 200 minute plateau tonight (he’s played 180 minutes so far).
Considering how Memphis is 2nd in Pace, those minutes being distributed the way they have been may be necessary. And unfortunately (maybe not unfortunately) that may mean a very quiet trading period for the Grizzlies. Eventually Zach Edey, Vince Williams Jr., and GG Jackson will join the Memphis party.
A 15-man rotation seems...unlikely. But a 12-man one featuring those three names replacing the likes of Jay Huff, Jake LaRavia, and a Luke Kennard perhaps? That is a team that just upgraded their already deep roster, plus maintains lineup flexibility and knows if injuries occur (AND BOY DO THEY OCCUR) there are capable NBA rotation players waiting in the wings to contribute.
Spacing out minutes (Jaren Jackson Jr. leads the team in minutes per game at 28.4) and keeping defensive tenacity while maintaining a pace that leads to more scoring chances - all while getting Desmond Bane cooking again?
I’ll buy in to that.
