20th January - New Orleans Pelicans @ Memphis Grizzlies - 16-27
We lost last game. It sucked, but it wasn't shocking: it was the Clippers, and they are a team which is good at basketball. These things happen when you play good teams, especially when you still have multiple guys missing from your team.
Tonight, we take on the Memphis Grizzlies, on a one-game road trip before returning home for the Spurs game on Wednesday. We all know why that Spurs game is exciting, I know that, but yes, we do have to do this one first. Here's our injury report:Redick is probable, 3 Pelicans are questionable for Monday's game at Memphis
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 19, 2020
Story: https://t.co/QtX7Zaf3X1
by @Jim_Eichenhofer
JJ is listed as probable, Jrue and Jah are listed as questionable, and yes: Zion Williamson's status has been upgraded from ''out'' to ''doubtful''. Yes, doubtful means he still almost certainly will not play, and Wednesday is still his projected debut, but seeing his name on the injury report listed as anything other than out is amazing and awesome.
But first, we have to get through this game, and this game is important. Only a few games ahead of us, the Memphis Grizzlies are one of the teams vying for that final playoff spot with us. Right now, they are 20-22, and are riding a 7 game winning streak coming into this game. While many of the teams they've beaten in that span suck (Cleveland, for example) they've also managed to hand Ls to the Clippers and Rockets, so this can't be taken for granted. They can win games against good teams. The Grizzlies don't suck.
Winning this game would be worth double in the playoff race because unlike beating, say, the Knicks (which hands us +1 in the Wins column) this game replicates that +1 but obviously also adds a -1 to a team that we're competing with. That's invaluable; we play the Grizz 3 more times after tonight, so this game also marks the start of our season series with them, which we should really try to win in case of ties.
What are the Grizz? 17th in ORtg and 22nd in DRtg, they're kind of like us except slightly better. We're 19th in ORtg and 25th in Drtg; they're just a bit more efficient on both sides. They play at the league's 3rd fastest pace, meaning just outrunning them like we do Denver isn't really an option. The Grizz are 7th in FG%, 12th in 3pt%, 9th in FT%, 1st in assists, 10th in steals, and 9th in blocks. Pencil in 15th in rebounding and they don't really suck at anything, they just aren't really top top top notch in anything either (aside from assists). The reasons their offense isn't rated higher are simple: they turn the ball over a lot, 8th most in the league, and they take the 3rd fewest FTAs in the NBA; they hit 'em, just don't get 'em. They also don't take many 3s. This drives down their efficiency somewhat, for obvious, TS% related reasons.
I'm not going to go through all the threats Memphis presents in detail. They have Ja Morant, this years ROTY given Zion's injury, who is adapting quickly to the NBA and is an exciting watch (Even if his landings scare the life from me). They have Jaren Jackson Jr, whose defense hasn't quite progressed the way many hoped but who has added onto his offensive game a lot. They have Brandon Clarke, who believes it is a moral failure to miss shots, and Jonas Valanciunas is a walking double-double at the minute. They've got weapons, they've got youth, they're fun, they're good. Even if we lose, this should be a fun game to watch.
But we should really try not to lose.
#WBD #OneMoreGame
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Originally Posted by msusousaphone
