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The Official #8 Memphis Grizzlies vs #4 Oklahoma City Thunder playoff thread
May 2, 2011 at 8:31 AM
- lamontb
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- Posts: 30,015
What is making Memphis so good is that they have 2 big men that can SCORE. Besides the Lakers everybody else's big men can only defend and block shots. Ibaka and Perkins have no real offensive skill set in the post. Thus Memphis gets easy baskets and sets the tone for the young outside players to get open shots and play wiht confidence. OKC can only shot jump shots. never get any easy baskets. while Memphis is playing straight half court basketball and dictating the pace. Key for OKC is to get Memphis is a running up and down style. Denver was a good match up b/c they wanted to run. Memphis is a real problem for them.
May 2, 2011 at 8:38 AM
- LA9erFan
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- Posts: 66,021
Originally posted by lamontb:
What is making Memphis so good is that they have 2 big men that can SCORE. Besides the Lakers everybody else's big men can only defend and block shots. Ibaka and Perkins have no real offensive skill set in the post. Thus Memphis gets easy baskets and sets the tone for the young outside players to get open shots and play wiht confidence. OKC can only shot jump shots. never get any easy baskets. while Memphis is playing straight half court basketball and dictating the pace. Key for OKC is to get Memphis is a running up and down style. Denver was a good match up b/c they wanted to run. Memphis is a real problem for them.
Yeah, Memphis is an interestingly constructed team. They're really not that good in terms of interior defense...which is a rarity amongst teams that make it to this point...but their perimeter defense is superb and they force a lot of turnovers that lead to easy buckets. Then if they're in the half court, both Randolph and Gasol can score, just as you mentioned.
They've an offensive team on the interior and a defensive team on the perimeter. Just the opposite of what a lot of really good teams have been. Very interesting squad.
May 2, 2011 at 9:19 AM
- Arminini
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- Posts: 2,181
With so few back to the basket scoring threats around the league, much of interior "defense" is now about rebounding. Perk, Ibaka, Collins, or Mohammad can not exploit Memphis inside with post ups so the only responsibility they have is to show on pick and rolls and keep the glass clean. Memphis with its stockpiled elite perimeter defenders fights through screens really well which limits the need for their big guys to help and protect the basket with blockshots as well.
Another big surprise for me was how great Conely played. He did an amazing job yesterday with 0 TO's while handing the pressure and having the responsibility to generate offense with repeated running pick-n-rolls for most of the 4th.
Another big surprise for me was how great Conely played. He did an amazing job yesterday with 0 TO's while handing the pressure and having the responsibility to generate offense with repeated running pick-n-rolls for most of the 4th.
May 2, 2011 at 9:21 AM
- Joecool
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- Posts: 70,984
Originally posted by LA9erFan:Originally posted by lamontb:
What is making Memphis so good is that they have 2 big men that can SCORE. Besides the Lakers everybody else's big men can only defend and block shots. Ibaka and Perkins have no real offensive skill set in the post. Thus Memphis gets easy baskets and sets the tone for the young outside players to get open shots and play wiht confidence. OKC can only shot jump shots. never get any easy baskets. while Memphis is playing straight half court basketball and dictating the pace. Key for OKC is to get Memphis is a running up and down style. Denver was a good match up b/c they wanted to run. Memphis is a real problem for them.
Yeah, Memphis is an interestingly constructed team. They're really not that good in terms of interior defense...which is a rarity amongst teams that make it to this point...but their perimeter defense is superb and they force a lot of turnovers that lead to easy buckets. Then if they're in the half court, both Randolph and Gasol can score, just as you mentioned.
They've an offensive team on the interior and a defensive team on the perimeter. Just the opposite of what a lot of really good teams have been. Very interesting squad.
I didn't realize until Game 2 of the Spurs series that they have Tony Allen. That's when I was like...f**k! Tony Allen and Battier equal lock down on Manu for 48 minutes. Combine that with Randolph and Gasol and it was like f**k^3!!
If they beat OKC, they will have a s**tload of trouble against the Lakers because MEM relies heavily on their big men to produce points and the Lakers have the perfect combo, defensively, to stop that. The only thing Memphis probably can do is give Kobe issues for 48 minutes but the Lakers have already proven they can win against non-elite teams without full production from Kobe.
May 2, 2011 at 9:24 AM
- LA9erFan
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Originally posted by Arminini:
With so few back to the basket scoring threats around the league, much of interior "defense" is now about rebounding. Perk, Ibaka, Collins, or Mohammad can not exploit Memphis inside with post ups so the only responsibility they have is to show on pick and rolls and keep the glass clean. Memphis with its stockpiled elite perimeter defenders fights through screens really well which limits the need for their big guys to help and protect the basket with blockshots as well.
Another big surprise for me was how great Conely played. He did an amazing job yesterday with 0 TO's while handing the pressure and having the responsibility to generate offense with repeated running pick-n-rolls for most of the 4th.
IMO, it's also about limiting the wing players' opportunities around the hoop more than anything.
May 2, 2011 at 9:27 AM
- blizzuntz
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- Posts: 48,025
Originally posted by vrabbit:Originally posted by blizzuntz:
Vasquez has made that team legit
Maryland terp
Vazquez might be the best basketball player the world has ever saw
May 2, 2011 at 11:31 AM
- lamontb
- Veteran
- Posts: 30,015
Originally posted by LA9erFan:Originally posted by lamontb:
What is making Memphis so good is that they have 2 big men that can SCORE. Besides the Lakers everybody else's big men can only defend and block shots. Ibaka and Perkins have no real offensive skill set in the post. Thus Memphis gets easy baskets and sets the tone for the young outside players to get open shots and play wiht confidence. OKC can only shot jump shots. never get any easy baskets. while Memphis is playing straight half court basketball and dictating the pace. Key for OKC is to get Memphis is a running up and down style. Denver was a good match up b/c they wanted to run. Memphis is a real problem for them.
Yeah, Memphis is an interestingly constructed team. They're really not that good in terms of interior defense...which is a rarity amongst teams that make it to this point...but their perimeter defense is superb and they force a lot of turnovers that lead to easy buckets. Then if they're in the half court, both Randolph and Gasol can score, just as you mentioned.
They've an offensive team on the interior and a defensive team on the perimeter. Just the opposite of what a lot of really good teams have been. Very interesting squad.
Exactly. As Joecool just mentioned. Tony Allen and Battier are two good perimeter defenders. They like what the Spurs used to be minus the interior defense.
May 2, 2011 at 11:57 AM
- Joecool
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- Posts: 70,984
Originally posted by lamontb:Originally posted by LA9erFan:Originally posted by lamontb:
What is making Memphis so good is that they have 2 big men that can SCORE. Besides the Lakers everybody else's big men can only defend and block shots. Ibaka and Perkins have no real offensive skill set in the post. Thus Memphis gets easy baskets and sets the tone for the young outside players to get open shots and play wiht confidence. OKC can only shot jump shots. never get any easy baskets. while Memphis is playing straight half court basketball and dictating the pace. Key for OKC is to get Memphis is a running up and down style. Denver was a good match up b/c they wanted to run. Memphis is a real problem for them.
Yeah, Memphis is an interestingly constructed team. They're really not that good in terms of interior defense...which is a rarity amongst teams that make it to this point...but their perimeter defense is superb and they force a lot of turnovers that lead to easy buckets. Then if they're in the half court, both Randolph and Gasol can score, just as you mentioned.
They've an offensive team on the interior and a defensive team on the perimeter. Just the opposite of what a lot of really good teams have been. Very interesting squad.
Exactly. As Joecool just mentioned. Tony Allen and Battier are two good perimeter defenders. They like what the Spurs used to be minus the interior defense.
I think those two guys can rattle OKC, back court but I don't see them rattling Fisher or Kobe. They got Tony Parker completely rattled and he gave them back turnovers.
One thing I was very impressed with was their ability to read the passing lane. Spurs greatest strength was ball movement and Memphis, especially the back court were quickly on top of any pass if not getting the steal or deflection.
May 2, 2011 at 12:10 PM
- vrabbit
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Originally posted by blizzuntz:Originally posted by vrabbit:Originally posted by blizzuntz:
Vasquez has made that team legit
Maryland terp
Vazquez might be the best basketball player the world has ever saw
ok, no, stop it, not even me, just, why do you have to take it so far?
May 3, 2011 at 3:28 AM
- 4ML
- Veteran
- Posts: 51,502
OKC has more talent, and should still come out on top. I'm expecting a 7 game series.
May 3, 2011 at 5:54 AM
- blizzuntz
- Veteran
- Posts: 48,025
Originally posted by vrabbit:Originally posted by blizzuntz:Originally posted by vrabbit:Originally posted by blizzuntz:
Vasquez has made that team legit
Maryland terp
Vazquez might be the best basketball player the world has ever saw
ok, no, stop it, not even me, just, why do you have to take it so far?
Call it a pre-ejaculation
May 3, 2011 at 9:18 AM
- Joecool
- Veteran
- Posts: 70,984
Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
OKC has more talent, and should still come out on top. I'm expecting a 7 game series.
I don't know. All thy really have is Durant and Westbrook and MEM has Allen and Battier who can compete defensively with those guys.
MEM has Randolph and Gasol but OKC doesn't really have anyone who can do anything to them.
May 3, 2011 at 9:21 AM
- ritchie
- Veteran
- Posts: 20,225
Originally posted by Joecool:Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
OKC has more talent, and should still come out on top. I'm expecting a 7 game series.
I don't know. All thy really have is Durant and Westbrook and MEM has Allen and Battier who can compete defensively with those guys.
MEM has Randolph and Gasol but OKC doesn't really have anyone who can do anything to them.
You must have forgotten the awesomeness known as Nick Collison.
May 3, 2011 at 9:25 AM
- LA9erFan
- Veteran
- Posts: 66,021
Originally posted by Joecool:Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
OKC has more talent, and should still come out on top. I'm expecting a 7 game series.
I don't know. All thy really have is Durant and Westbrook and MEM has Allen and Battier who can compete defensively with those guys.
MEM has Randolph and Gasol but OKC doesn't really have anyone who can do anything to them.
OKC has Ibaka and Perkins, who are two of the better interior defenders in the game. If Allen/Battier can stick with Westbrook/Durant, there's no reason that Ibaka/Perkins can't stick with Randolph/Gasol.
Memphis played extremely well and their bigs won the battle in Game 1, but it's ultimately just one game.
May 3, 2011 at 9:41 AM
- bayarealuv
- Veteran
- Posts: 56,818
Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
OKC has more talent, and should still come out on top. I'm expecting a 7 game series.
co-signed