The Grizzlies' Box Score Was a Surgical Exhibition

The Grizzlies needed an emphatic win over the Timberwolves last night. They're facing a brutal remaining January schedule, rife with playoff teams, including tonight's "second game of a back to back" or SEGABABA (HT: PtR) with the Spurs, who lost to the Bobcats last night and will likely be scowly. They needed to take care of business at home against a bad team, and keep their momentum going into a tough stretch. The odds are already stacked against the Grizzlies to make the playoffs, they can't afford to lose games they should win. They needed to take care of business.

And, oh, man, did they take care of business.

Let's start with ball movement and limiting mistakes, how about? Memphis' starters had a 7-1 Assist to turnover ratio combined (28-4 totals). They shot 66% from the field. To put the icing on that cake? The Grizzlies' starters had more assists than turnovers and missed shots... combined (28-19). Their two big men, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, combined for 32 points, 22 rebounds, eight assists (!), 2 blocks, and three turnovers. O.J. Mayo had the most impressive line, posting 20 points on only 11 shots, shooting 73% from the field and 2-3 from the arc. He added 7 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals and.... zero turnovers, all in 27 minutes.

Let's go a little bit deeper though, how about?

HoopData.com provides a little more detailed box score for us to look at. For instance, Rudy Gay led all scorers with 21 points, and all of his 8 makes were assisted. The Grizzlies had 16 assists leading to shots at the rim to only 7 from everywhere else, a clinic in efficiency. Mike Conley finished with a 90% TrueShooting percentage (factoring for free throws and three point shooting). Of course, it wasn't all good news. The horrific bench play continued for the Grizzlies. Let's use plus/minus for this one. The Grizzlies starters were +147, the bench a -22. Wow. And of course, they also gave up 110 to the Timberwolves.

But let's return to Mayo for a moment. Since he was drafted, I've maintained that any attempt to install Mayo as a point guard would be a terrible decision. He was turnover prone, ran the offense too little, and showed little capacity to manage the team as a point guard for a young team needs to. But he's shown considerable improvement. His turnover ratio isn't down lightyears and he'd still be near the absolute bottom with a true move to point. But the progression is there, and Mayo is becoming a playmaker, something the Grizzlies desperately need with Rudy, Gasol, and Z-Bo as cornerstones. Mike Conley would make a decent backup, but until the Grizzlies find their way into a starter-worthy point guard, they might consider longer stretches with Mayo at point, featuring a one-guard, three-forward, one-center lineup that would speak to their strengths, namely, speed, athleticism, and high energy at a constant level. Most of all they need confidence at the point, which Conley horrifically lacks, and OJAM has in droves.