Grizzlies change starters, are in for a serious identity change
The Grizzlies didn't just change the names in their starting lineup Sunday. They changed the entire identity of it.
When coach Dave Joerger removed Tony Allen and Zach Randolph from the first unit for Sunday's game against the Heat, he also took away much of the Grit 'n' Grind that Memphis has prided itself on for the past half-decade. You can certainly argue that was the right move, though, for a team that's struggled to shoot from long range as much as any this year.
The Grizzlies played Miami with a starting small-ball lineup of Mike Conley, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Matt Barnes and Marc Gasol. Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post writes that the Grizzlies' quest for a new identity isn't going away:
Memphis ended up falling in that Miami game after letting yet another double-digit lead slip through its fingers. At least it was able to build up the lead at this point.
Besides, it's silly to judge a one-game sample for cultural changes like this. The Grizzlies realize that, and if they stick with this long term, maybe they'll be able to turn around some of their ill fortunes which are making this season look like it could be their worst in years.
The truth is, though, that this might be the sad but inevitable reality in Memphis. Allen, 33, has been arguably the best defensive player in the league the past several years. But in a league where shooting is becoming more and more essential, the fact he’s completely ignored by opposing defenses is a constant problem. In a similar vein, Randolph, 34, has been one of the best and most consistent interior players in the league, and has formed a terrific partnership with Marc Gasol. But, again, because of the pace-and-space nature of today’s NBA, Randolph is going to have more and more trouble chasing around smaller players on the perimeter.
The lineup Memphis went with Sunday night – featuring Mike Conley, Courtney Lee (in for Allen), Jeff Green, Matt Barnes (in for Randolph) and Gasol – is one that is more in line with what the rest of the league is going with these days: Rangy, flexible players that can defend multiple spots on the perimeter, and provide at least a credible shooting threat from three-point range besides center (though Green and Barnes have both struggled from there this year).
