Can Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph lead the Memphis Grizzlies to glory?

Grizzlies’ chances this year

Al right, now we have covered what makes the Gasol-Randolph pair so special. Now, how much do the Grizzlies depend on this pair? Most of their offensive production comes from these guys.Randolph is their biggest offensive presence trailed closely by Conley and Gasol. Last season, Randolph averaged 15.4 PPG, Conley scored 14.6 PPG while Gasol’s contribution was 14.1 PPG. Together, they produced 44.1 PPG last season.

Ironically, their Shooting Guard, Tony Allen is very hesitant to shoot. He scored 8.8 PPG last game, same as Tayshaun Prince. With not much support from anybody else, the onus to produce offensively fell on the trio of Gasol, Randolph and Conley. They could produce only so much, and overall their offence was one of the worst last year.

This season, they have secured a valuable albeit slightly risky player in Mike Miller. While we all know how good a shooter Miller is, we are equally aware of his problems with injuries. If Miller can stay healthy, he can provide the much needed perimeter shooting which would allow Gasol and Randolph to focus more on their own games.

Defence

Their defence is their forté. The Griz allowed the opponents to score just 89 PPG last season. Gasol, still approaching his prime, would definitely perform better this season. Randolph is past his peak, so we can expect a drop in performance from him which might nullify Gasol’s improvement.

Michael Conley’s defensive intelligence is improving. Tony Allen, who used to gamble on steals, is now very accurate. Overall, their defence would have improved from last season and this in itself will guarantee them a playoff spot.

Bench Depth

Their acquisition of Kosta Koufos, an up and coming rebounder, while definitely take some load off the shoulders of Gasol and Randolph. Koufos averaged 11.1 rebounds per 36 minutes, compared to Gasol’s 8.8 per 36 minutes.

Koufos can also serve as a good backup for both Gasol and Randolph which would mean more rest and better performance for the duo.

Jeryyd Bayless, is returning from injury. He can sub in for both Conley and Allen. This means Conley also has a suitable, albeit not good enough, replacement.

New coach

Their former assistant coach Dave Joerger has now been promoted to Head Coach. Joerger was one of the assistant coaches who helped the Griz formulate their famous “Grit n’ Grind” defensive strategy. While this is a big asset, more defence is not exactly what they need right now. Whether Joerger can adapt his mentality and coax his players to perform better offensively remains to be seen.

Overall, the Grizzlies team has definitely improved. Improvements in offence, defence and rebounding are immediately noticeable. These will lift the pressure of Gasol and Randolph. If Miller stays healthy, their offence will also pick up. If things go according to plan, don’t be surprised if the Grizzlies make a deep playoff run, possibly even to the NBA finals, with Gasol and Randolph leading them from the front.