Last month, Zach Links of Hoops Rumors reviewed the Grizzlies’ offseason. While they didn’t make many flashy moves, their strategy has paid off early in the season. Memphis owns the best record in the league at 15-2 and has the best defense in league allowing only 92.4 points per game.
Here’s more from Memphis:
- Shorter contracts under the current collective bargaining movement have accelerated player movement, but aside from the Rudy Gay trade two years ago, the Grizzlies have built their success on roster continuity, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders examines. Mike Conley is a believer in the team’s core and explains his on the court relationship with Marc Gasol. “We’ve known each other for a long time and know how each other plays and he so unselfish, it’s fun to play with him,” Conley said. “I know where he wants the ball and he knows where I want the ball and we don’t even have to speak, we just look at each other a certain way and that means a back cut or a give and go or whatever it is. It’s a fun relationship.”
- Still, the Gay trade and gradual changes to the supporting cast have represented a sea change for the team, which is more offensively potent this year than in any recent season, writes Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal in a subscription-only piece. The Grizzlies are averaging 100.4 points per game on offense this year, up from 96.1 PPG, which was fourth worst in the league last season.
- Jarnell Stokes has been reassigned to the Iowa Energy, the Grizzlies’ D-League Affiliate, according to the team’s website. The power forward has played in six games for Memphis this season and logged only 21 minutes of action.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post