The consensus every year is that the Grizzlies won’t be able to keep competing. There’s too much talent in the West, they can’t space the floor, Marc Gasol is getting old, etc. We’ve heard this all before, and it never seems to matter. The Grizzlies keep finding ways to win games, and somehow make the playoffs in the hyper-competitive Western Conference. It’s too early to say for sure if that trend will continue this season, but things are certainly looking good as the Grizzlies hold a 3-0 record following recent wins over the Warriors and the Rockets.
Admittedly, you could put something of an asterisk over both of those wins. The Rockets were without Chris Paul, while the Warriors’ poor play in their loss to the Grizzlies could be chalked up to early season boredom. But the fact remains that the Grizzlies have gone toe-to-toe with two teams expected to do far better than them, and have come out on top. When examining what their ceiling might be this season, that certainly can’t be ignored.
So what’s been the secret to the Grizzlies flaming hot start? Well, as usual, a lot of can be attributed to Gasol, the most quietly brilliant big in the NBA. Gasol dominated against the Warriors, putting up 34 points and 14 rebounds, and going an impressive 16-for-17 from the free throw line. His ability to draw fouls has proven highly valuable — he’s currently averaging nine free throw attempts per game. That number is unlikely to hold throughout the season, but Gasol remains a crafty offensive player who is difficult to guard. His signature defense has also contributed to the Grizzlies’ early success.
Naturally, Mike Conley — the other remaining member of the Grizzlies’ core four now that Zach Randolph and Tony Allen are in Sacramento and New Orleans, respectively — has also found success early on. He’s only shooting 38.5 percent from the field, a number likely to improve quickly, but like Gasol, he’s excelled at drawing contact with 6.7 free throws a game so far. The loss of Allen and Randolph were devastating blows to a fan base that unabashedly loved both of them, but the Grizzlies still kept their two best players, which is a big part of why their expected fall from grace has yet to occur.
But a basketball team can’t thrive with just two quality players, and the Grizzlies have found help from unlikely sources. Second round draft pick Dillon Brooks has become their most essential bench player. He’s currently averaging 27.7 minutes per night while shooting 54.5 percent from the field. The Grizzlies have struggled to draft players for years now (their last truly great pick was probably Conley, and that was a decade ago), but if Brooks can continue to contribute on a consistent basis, he’d be a fine addition to the rotation.
James Ennis has also been a strong presence, shooting 75.0 percent from the field. This won’t hold up for obvious reasons, but he’s unheralded player who always found ways to get to the basket, and for a team that needs to replace Randolph’s production, he’s been exactly what the Grizzlies need so far.
Finally, the team is thriving due to the return of their strong defensive identity. The notoriously tough Grizzlies defense had stagnated a bit in the last two seasons, but right now, the Grizzlies are sixth in defensive rating (98.7). That intense defense is why the Grizzlies were able to finish off the Rockets on Monday despite trailing for most of the game. They held Houston to just 14 points in the fourth quarter, while keeping James Harden mostly at bay. He finished with 22 points on 8-for-20 shooting and turned the ball over seven times. Harden is better at drawing fouls than anyone in the league, and the Grizzlies’ refusal to let him take over the game is a big part of why they were able to win. If the Grizzlies defense can continue to make superstars like Harden look like mortals, their ceiling could prove to be much higher than we thought.
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Going into the season, it seemed entirely reasonable to wonder if the Grizzlies could find another way into the playoffs. The Timberwolves, Nuggets and maybe even the Pelicans (who the Grizzlies have also beaten) are all knocking on the playoff door, meaning someone is going to have to give up their spot. The Grizzlies were probably considered to be the most likely 2017 playoff team in the West to fall out of the top-eight, so could that still happen? Sure, it’s only a few games. But as usual, they have gone into the season looking as tough as ever, and reports of their demise as a relevant basketball team appear to have been greatly exaggerated.