After a scorching-hot 6-0 start, the Memphis Grizzlies have come back to reality.
Memphis is now 7-3, with losses coming anywhere from overtime thrillers to disappointing blowouts. Throughout these recent games, one issue has continued to surface: turnovers.
Overtime Thriller for the Grizzlies
Ty Jerome was the star of the show, even in a loss. He scored 40 points and went on a personal 9-0 run to send the game into overtime.
Despite Jerome’s performance, Memphis couldn’t come away with the win. The biggest problem was turnovers and the New Orleans Pelicans’ ability to capitalize on them. The Grizzlies turned the ball over 16 times, and New Orleans converted those mistakes into 21 points. The game was decided by just one point; one less turnover could have made the difference.
The biggest takeaway from this game besides the turnovers is that Ty Jerome should always be the go-to guy in clutch time; when the ball is in his hands, good things happen.
Fast Times
Against the Indiana Pacers, the Grizzlies actually outrebounded Indiana 48-43 but still came away with a loss. Indiana plays at one of the fastest paces in the league and took advantage of Memphis’ mistakes. The Pacers are another team that’s also been bitten by the injury bug, most notably Tyrese Haliburton.
The Grizzlies committed eight turnovers in the first quarter alone and had 12 by halftime. The Pacers turned those first-half mistakes into 16 points. Those extra possessions allowed Indiana to build momentum and put Memphis in a position where it had to spend the rest of the game trying to catch up.
Even when Memphis plays to its strengths by rebounding and being physical, those advantages can only go so far if the team continues to give away possessions.
Thunder and Lightning
This was the worst loss of the three. Memphis trailed 71-49 at halftime, and once again, turnovers were at the forefront of the game. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been dealt a bad hand with the injury bug, but even with a depleted team, they were still the more dominant team by far.
The Grizzlies gave the ball away 18 times, and Oklahoma City converted those mistakes into 30 points. Poor shooting made matters worse. Memphis shot just 22.2% from three-point range and 33% from the field overall.
The combination of turnovers and poor shooting made it extremely difficult for Memphis to stay competitive. Against one of the league’s toughest teams, mistakes like these are difficult to overcome. OKC took advantage and handed Memphis its third consecutive loss.
How Does Memphis Respond?
The scoring options are there. Ty Jerome has shown that he can be the go-to guy and the hub of the offense, while Cedric Coward has been lights-out from beyond the arc, shooting 46.8% from distance.
The Grizzlies are at their best when Boozer is aggressive and can knock down shots from the perimeter. When these three players are executing at a high level, getting downhill, drawing fouls, and spacing the floor, Memphis becomes a much tougher team to defend.
Through the first three games of the season, the Grizzlies had the third-best offensive rating in the league. The offensive potential is there, but Memphis needs to take better care of the ball to get back to playing winning basketball.
National Tressure
The losing skid came to an end up north against the Toronto Raptors. The win was a tale of two sides. On one hand, the Grizzlies were lights out, shooting a blazing 53% from the field and 47% from behind the arc. On the other hand, the turnovers were still an issue.
Memphis gave the ball away 17 times, but Toronto didn’t fully capitalize, scoring just 16 points off those turnovers. The all-around outstanding shooting night helped mask those mistakes, allowing them to come away with a double-digit win.
In order to start and sustain winning streaks, these things need to stay consistent. Ty Jerome needs to have the ball in his hands and be allowed to work his magic. When the three-ball isn’t falling for Boozer, he needs to attack downhill, use his size, and find other ways to score or draw fouls.
The Grizzlies are at their best when they win the rebounding battle and take care of the little things that don’t always show up in the box score.
Setting hard screens, diving for loose balls, and making the extra effort on every possession all matter. Intensity matters. That’s the kind of effort Memphis needs to bring every night if it wants to keep winning.
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