My Team - The Grizzlies and the Upcoming Season

Next week, the NBA season starts. I look forward to it. After last year's success and subsequent change, the Grizzlies are a) a pretty good team, and b) a team with questions. How will new head coach Dave Joerger lead this team in a tough Western Conference?

On paper, it appears Oklahoma City, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio are all better than Memphis. When you have guys like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin or Tony Parker, your team is off to a good start. As always, each team needs good health as a key part of reaching their respective potential.

With that, I'd be ecstatic if Memphis achieved a strong four-seed come playoff time. I don't know the number of wins needed for that position, but a high-level follow-up to last season's playoff success would leave us Grizz fans pretty happy.

Let's look at the main rotation. As a fan, what would I want to see from the guys? What would help this team maximize its season? (As usual, these are my opinions.)

Zach Randolph - this is his 12th year in the league. The years & the battles in the low post are taking a toll. Perhaps him losing 5-10 pounds may help his quickness and getting his shot off. In the playoffs last year, especially against the Thunder, he did have some difficulty with quicker defenders. Eating well, getting the body maintenance to keep him going and getting plenty of rest will help him maintain a high level of play.

Marc Gasol - the reigning Defensive Player of the Year will have a target on him this season. Every night, guys will come at him to make a name for themselves. Two seasons ago, Gasol came in a bit lighter and was able to change ends quite well. Last season, he was a little bulkier (which helped him hold his position down low). Unfortunately, he too appeared to wear down in the playoffs.This year, he may be another guy who could stand to be slightly lighter.  The team needs him on the floor as much as possible.

Mike Conley, Jr. - After the Rudy Gay trade, Conley had room to be more assertive offensively. With him and Gasol, the first team had markedly improved ball movement. For this year, I'd like to see Conley consistently get 16 points and 7-9 assists each game. In addition, when he's on the floor with second team guys/other substitutes, I'd like to see him get those guys easier baskets. Keep the ball moving. Have teammates get rewarded for their moving without the ball. Conley's fast becoming one of the better point guards in the Association. Just keep growing.

Tony Allen - This man not only changed the culture in the locker room, he was a positive force actually changing how the city saw itself. Not many players can do that. He needs good health, to keep up his defensive intensity. On offense, if he can get 12 points or so a night, it makes the team so much stronger. Opponents sag off him to double Randolph (and to a lesser extent, Gasol). Allen either needs to be a consistent threat from the perimeter, or pick up easy buckets on run-outs. He'll be 32 in January - asking him to re-tool his jump shot this late in his career is probably unfair. But the team needs him to be some level of threat offensively.

Tayshaun Prince - when he showed up last year, he gave the team a dose of professionalism on the floor. None of his stats were eye-popping, but he was a nice fit on both ends. In the playoffs, he lost a bit of confidence in his shot. He needs to get that back, maybe by putting the ball on the floor more to get midrange shot opportunities.

Jerryd Bayless - I know I gave this guy grief last season, mostly for shot selection. When he's on, he can excite FexEd Forum like few others. When he's off, the team's offense gets so stagnant. I'd like him to see the difference between "being hot"/"keeping up his confidence on an off-night"/"knowing to pass more because it's not his night offensively". Once he gets a better feel for that, things should proceed smoother when he's on the floor.

Mike Miller - the former Memphis player is back, after a stint in Miami. He's got his rings. He's made a good living in the Association. He's got to bring a championship mindset and hit open threes. Some nights, he may play a lot. Depending on the match-up, on other nights he may not play as much. Keeping a calm demeanor, regardless of his workload, can be a great help to the rest of the team. His example off the floor is as important as his example on it.

Quincy Pondexter - a classic tweener, who has to play aggressive to be productive off the bench. He's a bit small to cover the better small forwards. He's not quite quick enough to cover the better shooting guards. But, he's game enough to be productive in either role in small doses. And, he is one of the few consistent 3-point shooting threats on the roster (along with Miller, Conley and at times Bayless). He has to bring energy every game. He has to be another grit-and-grind guy like Allen.

Kosta Koufos - I like his post game. He can go down low like a classic center, and occasionally go to the elbow and hit a shot. For him, meshing with Randolph and/or Gasol will be key. If he backs up Gasol, he will need to be a productive pass/shoot threat from 15 feet or so. Will be efficient as a passer and spot-up shooter?

Ed Davis - the lefty from North Carolina is a great athlete for his size. He had a few solid games off the bench after coming over from Toronto. For him, consistent physicality will be a help. Yeah, he's got good fundamentals. Can he play a grown-man, NBA-caliber, grinding post game - especially face up - on an opponent?

Jon Leuer - a darling of the advanced stats set, Leuer was another guy with some nice moments off the bench last year. He may be battling Davis for minutes off the bench. When he plays, those moments must be consistently productive. Rebound, on both ends. Hit an open shot. Make the simple pass to keep the ball moving. He demonstrated last year he can do that. Now, he has to repeat that production.

Jamaal Franklin, Nick Calathes, Willie Reed, et al - Franklin, the draft pick out of San Diego State, was seen by some as Tony Allen-Lite. That may do injustice to his own career. Between him. Calathes, Reed, Andre Barrett, Melvin Ely and Tony Gaffney, at best some of these guys will be around to learn the pro game. Some of these guys probably won't be with the team at the start of the regular season. They're all competent enough, but for some it may just come down to a numbers game.

Memphis had a great run last year. This, of course, is a brand new season. Can the Grizzlies live up to expectations? Here's a cliché I'll use to end - this team could be a better team than last year, but not go as deep in the playoffs. If other teams in the West keep their main guys healthy all year, the Grizzlies would struggle getting by a healthy Thunder team, a healthy Clippers team and a healthy Spurs team in succession - similar to last season.

Still, it promises to be an exciting time in FedEx Forum this year. We need home fans to come out in droves, and show the NBA Memphis is passionate about its' team.