CBS: Spurs expose Grizzlies' lacking offensive acumen in Game 3

[Supreme_Being]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies had a chance to win this game and get back in this series, and given what's happening in the East -- given how vulnerable the Miami Heat suddenly appear to be -- that means the Grizzlies had a chance to remain a serious contender for an NBA championship.

But to do all of that they needed to dial up a great play on the final possession of regulation to win Game 3 of the Western Conference finals -- and there's a problem with that:

The Grizzlies don't have plays they can dial up. Not great plays. Not good plays. Not any plays. The Grizzles give the ball to their point guard -- either Mike Conley or Jerryd Bayless or even Keyon Dooling, if coach Lionel Hollins is in one of his moods -- and hope he can make something happen.


Read more... (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/22302932/spurs-expose-grizzlies-lacking-offensive-acumen-in-game-3)

[Manufan909]

Harsh article... loved every word. :tu

[Stabula]

Ha there was a thread linking this article on the Grizzlies board

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The play in question to end regulation wasn't even a typical pnr set. the ball was inbounded to Gasol. He starts dribbling towards the top of the key. On the weakside, he sets a double screen with Bayless and Zbo to get Kawhi off of Conley. Kawhi fights through those but Gasol is dribbling towards the scrum and picks him off on the handoff. Kawhi was wiped out of the play and the idea was to have Gasol's man going the wrong direction after the handoff and give a free lane. Splitter just made a phenomenal play to zone it up and seal off the lane.

If Gasol had rolled to the basket, he could have made a play but he just washed out.

The author seems like a real asshat.

[pikkiwoki]

Article contains neither objectivity nor analytical insight. Author just sounds like a bitter Grizz fan, tbh.

[joeSpurs]

Grizzlies were tied with the Thunders in the final 2 minutes of most of their playoff games and made plenty of plays to win, while Durant couldn't get anything done. And the Grizzlies scored consistently in those 2 minutes, while Durant couldn't.
The Spurs match up better with the Grizzlies because of their big guys, that eliminate Z-Bo efficiency.

[Old School 44]

"Hollins has two days to try to dial up some more offense, but don't count on much in the way of adjustments. Maybe he'll write the words "pick and roll" in another color. Maybe red. Maybe blue."

He's right about the Grizzlies offense, but OUCH! Also, he got a two for one in coaching slams on Brooks and Hollins.

[TrainOfThought5]

"Hollins has two days to try to dial up some more offense, but don't count on much in the way of adjustments. Maybe he'll write the words "pick and roll" in another color. Maybe red. Maybe blue."

He's right about the Grizzlies offense, but OUCH! Also, he got a two for one in coaching slams on Brooks and Hollins.

90% of everything he said was totally true. thats like a quadruple double in journalism these days.

[SenorSpur]

For a minute, I thought the writer was a Memphis beat writer.

[CubanMustGo]

Conley tried to win it with a running hunk of crap off the glass that didn't even hit the rim.

Popovich is in the other huddle grinning, or whatever passes for a grin with that sardonic SOB.

That's what passes for professional journalism these days. :lol

[Mal]

That final play was pretty good. Spurs were surprised that Conley didnt went simple hero ball. But main fuckup what Hollins did, was that screen was made by a guy who was guarded by Splitter. Splitter switched, stay on feet, contested this shot very well. If that was Duncan, Conley probably would finish at the rim, cause Duncan is much slower.

[100%duncan]

Oh shit that was so harsh that I felt bad for Hollins. :lol

[Strategic]

No perimeter finisher. No one on the Grizzley's team that can argued as a superstar. Conley isn't a great point guard, just one that is very capable of throwing the ball to a great finisher.

[The Reckoning]

what a shitty writing style. did anyone edit that?

[Obstructed_View]

I'm not sure how it's the coach's fault that the bigs that everyone and their brother thought would badly dominate the Spurs end up unable to set a decent screen or post anyone up even for a single play.

[Raven]

they lacked good ft shooting and an offensive option to take double teams off of zach, pretty much what Gay was giving them. And don't give me crap about him being an inefficient chucker, the .800 ft % compared to the .600 of Prince is a joke. Not to mention, they shot at pretty much the same % field goals since the trade.. Gay does indeed play out of control a lot of times, but that's mainly on Hollins if he can't make it work. To think they got in return Austin freaking Daye (also known as the eternal nightmare for fantasy owners), Ed Davis (decent but not even close to be ready to contribute) and a 33 years old Prince is just laughable.

[Baynes]

I liked it. Hahaha! This boxer writer is good. xD

[ffadicted]

so so harsh... I enjoyed it haha tough love

[EVAY]

Hope that author doesn't plan on getting an interview with anyone in the Memphis organization for the rest of this decade.

[boutons_deux]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies had a chance to win this game and get back in this series, and given what's happening in the East -- given how vulnerable the Miami Heat suddenly appear to be -- that means the Grizzlies had a chance to remain a serious contender for an NBA championship.

But to do all of that they needed to dial up a great play on the final possession of regulation to win Game 3 of the Western Conference finals -- and there's a problem with that:

The Grizzlies don't have plays they can dial up. Not great plays. Not good plays. Not any plays. The Grizzles give the ball to their point guard -- either Mike Conley or Jerryd Bayless or even Keyon Dooling, if coach Lionel Hollins is in one of his moods -- and hope he can make something happen.


Read more... (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/22302932/spurs-expose-grizzlies-lacking-offensive-acumen-in-game-3)

O U C H! :lol

[xellos88330]

Dude seems like a pissed off Grizz fan.

[m33p0]

sounds like a grizz fan pissed off at his coach.

[capek]

:lmao funny 'cause it's true :tu

[SA210]

:lol ouch. I wish an SA writer ripped Pop like that in regard to Bonner

[Das Texan]

Fucking hell.

Taking shots left and right. Pretty much right on also. Spurs last night should have been dead and buried after quarter 1. Grizzles lack of any real offensive ability allowed the Spurs to actually have a chance. Amazing.

[Seventyniner]

I would have expected this from Bill Simmons.

[Budkin]

Article contains neither objectivity nor analytical insight. Author just sounds like a bitter Grizz fan, tbh.

Or as someone in the comments said "a guy who lost a lot of money on the game."

[FuzzyLumpkins]

That final play was pretty good. Spurs were surprised that Conley didnt went simple hero ball. But main fuckup what Hollins did, was that screen was made by a guy who was guarded by Splitter. Splitter switched, stay on feet, contested this shot very well. If that was Duncan, Conley probably would finish at the rim, cause Duncan is much slower.

I was thinking about this but do you trust Zbo to dribble across court and execute the play? In order for the play to work, Gasol needed to be faster so Splitter has to be that much quicker to react to Conley who is heading in the opposite direction. Splitter just read it and snuffed it out.

[Brunodf]

That final play was pretty good. Spurs were surprised that Conley didnt went simple hero ball. But main fuckup what Hollins did, was that screen was made by a guy who was guarded by Splitter. Splitter switched, stay on feet, contested this shot very well. If that was Duncan, Conley probably would finish at the rim, cause Duncan is much slower.
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/015Z05I2sB4do/1600x.jpg
1-Splitter got a piece.
2- Duncan was fouled

[LoneStarState'sPride]

As rough as that shit was to read, it was even rougher on the Grizz, dayum........

[Spur Bank]

I'm in the small minority of people who think the Grizz shouldn't renew Hollins' contract, and completely agree with this article. Not being an X's and O's coach isn't a winning strategy in the NBA nowadays. I knew Hollins wasn't a good strategist, but I didn't realize it went to this depth.

I fear the Budenholzer to Memphis announcement, tbh. With an analytical coach who knows to do things that don't neccessarily pass the eye test -- for example, limiting Tony Allen's minutes in this series -- they'll be a good amount better.

[Drachen]

OUCH! Damn, it's like the author's mom was sodomized by hollins or he was refused service at a memphis restaurant.

Sheesh

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I just want to reiterate that the basis of the article, ie the last play in regulation in game 3, was completely unfounded. The author claims that they just gave the ball to Conley and have him run pnr. The author doesn't know what he was looking at. Gasol ran the play, there was a double screen on the weakside that successfully peeled Leonard off of Conley and if not for tremendous recognition and defense from Splitter its an easy layup.

In short, the author is a dumbass. It was a well designed set play to get their best driver a shot at the lane. We overplay the shit out of their bigs and you don't want the game decided on a Prince or Allen jumper. We just have smart bigs that close down the lane well and one of them made an excellent play. How about Splitter get some props over shitting on Hollins?

[therealtruth]

I just want to reiterate that the basis of the article, ie the last play in regulation in game 3, was completely unfounded. The author claims that they just gave the ball to Conley and have him run pnr. The author doesn't know what he was looking at. Gasol ran the play, there was a double screen on the weakside that successfully peeled Leonard off of Conley and if not for tremendous recognition and defense from Splitter its an easy layup.

In short, the author is a dumbass. It was a well designed set play to get their best driver a shot at the lane. We overplay the shit out of their bigs and you don't want the game decided on a Prince or Allen jumper. We just have smart bigs that close down the lane well and one of them made an excellent play. How about Splitter get some props over shitting on Hollins?

Hollins was relying on Conley making the right play in the pick and roll. Hollins felt he could have passed back to an open Gasol. Conley felt he had gotten to deep and had to shoot. Like you said Splitter played that play excellent. He baited Conley into that difficult shot and forced the miss while preventing an easy pass back to Gasol.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Hollins was relying on Conley making the right play in the pick and roll. Hollins felt he could have passed back to an open Gasol. Conley felt he had gotten to deep and had to shoot. Like you said Splitter played that play excellent. He baited Conley into that difficult shot and forced the miss while preventing an easy pass back to Gasol.

I don't think there was a play there for Gasol. Had Gasol went to the basket instantaneously after the handoff then yes but he wandered out onto the wing and never really looked to Conley. The play got a mismatch of a big onto a small. Splitter is just too quick for that with time running down.

[pikkiwoki]

I don't think there was a play there for Gasol. Had Gasol went to the basket instantaneously after the handoff then yes but he wandered out onto the wing and never really looked to Conley. The play got a mismatch of a big onto a small. Splitter is just too quick for that with time running down.

I don't think there was a play to Gasol either, not sure what Hollins is talking about. Kawhi switches on to Gasol and is right in the middle of the passing lane. Conley had no way to get the ball to Gasol. Would've been a Kawhi deflection or steal tbh.