Looking at the Game 1 box score, the Grizzlies did some good things. A 22/7 assist/turnover ratio is pretty good. The team shot 46.5% from the floor, 41.7% from 3, and 80% from the foul line. Marc Gasol had 7 assists without a single turnover. They were down to L.A. 75-69 at the end of the 3rd quarter. They scored 91 for the game, which is slightly more than their season average.
Even with all the good, some bad stuff was evident as well. The Clippers shot 55% from the floor. They also had 14 offensive rebounds (to only 4 by Memphis). The Clippers had seven guys in double figures, led by Chris Paul's 23. This was a grind-it-out playoff game, and L.A. scored 112. Uh-oh.
This may sound defeatist, but it's not the end of the world if Memphis loses Game 2 in Staples Center. As a Grizzlies' fan, I'd like to see the following areas of improvement:
a) Memphis gave up 25 second-chance points to L.A. The Grizzlies have to lessen that by half or more.
b) Randolph, Gasol and Prince combined for 10 rebounds. They've got to double that production, at least.
c) Allen's early foul trouble limited him to 16.5 minutes. The team needs 30+ minutes of a productive Allen on the floor.
d) some combination of Conley, Allen, Dooling and Bayless have to hold Paul to 15 or so. Maybe they don't completely shut down Paul, but make him work even more for his points. And, oh-by-the-way, don't go under the pick when Paul runs pick-and-roll. He had a field day stopping for the long set-shot 3-pointer.
My guess for Monday night: Los Angeles 105, Memphis 96. I hate the phrase "moral victory" ('cause it's still a loss). But, if Memphis keeps building on increasingly improved play, they can win Games 3 & 4 at home. Once you get to a best-of-three in a series, the stress can open opportunities for the underdog.
As always, my guessing isn't for gaming purposes. It's to keep me busy while the snow falls.
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