Lessons from the Grizzlies' Game 2 blowout
How did Memphis destroy the Timberwolves in Game 2?
The Minnesota Timberwolves came away with a competitive, high-scoring win in Game 1 of their series against the Memphis Grizzlies. Game 2 was a completely different story; led by a some important adjustments, the Grizzlies turned it around and won by 30.
How did they do this, and what does it mean as the series shifts to Minnesota?
The benching of Steven Adams
The most notable Grizzlies adjustment is that they decided to sit starting center Steven Adams. Adams started and played the first two minutes, but didn’t play the rest of the game as Taylor Jenkins instead used Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and Xavier Tillman as his centers.
Adams has played a lot of playoffs games throughout his career, and is perfectly comfortable in this environment. But he had a lot of trouble with the speed and quickness of Karl Anthony-Towns in Game 1. Having Adams guard someone else, like Jarred Vanderbilt or Jaden McDaniels, still compromised the team’s speed overall. So Jenkins made the bold, and correct, decision to keep him on the bench.
Memphis empowered Jackson, a Defensive Player of the Year contender, to guard Towns, and switched more pick and rolls all over the court. They wanted to be able to rotate and help aggressively while still being able to close out on shooters.
Towns, yet again finding himself in foul trouble, was way less aggressive, his drives snuffed out by Jackson and Tillman. All three of the bigs are capable of defending smaller players on switches. Kyle Anderson, a wing with length and smarts, replaced Adams in the starting lineup, providing solid perimeter defense and disruption in the lane.
Tillman was a great addition
For a big portion of the regular season, and in Game 1, Tillman wasn’t in the rotation when the team was fully healthy. But he was great in Game 2, and it’s clear that he deserves a role. He can deal with KAT one-on-one:
He plays good, strong pick-and-roll defense, and can rotate out to shooters with speed. His stout frame combined with his mobility makes him a useful playoff piece. He’s like a bowling ball, perfect as a roller on offense:
He’s athletic enough to leap from the paint and finish without taking a dribble.
Attacking switches on offense
In the NBA playoffs, teams make a habit of using their superstars to attack the opposing team’s weak defenders. The Grizzlies did a better job of that in Game 2. Ja Morant would draw Malik Beasley on switches and attack.
Good offense arose from it:
Morant beats Beasley off the dribble, draws help, and kicks it to Dillon Brooks.
The Timberwolves defensive strategy has centered on protecting the paint and forcing kickouts. Watch Anthony Edwards above. Defending Brooks in the corner, he joins Naz Reid in the paint to stop the drive, which means Patrick Beverley rotates to Brooks. It’s an approach that requires quick decision-making and disciplined rotations. Minnesota was too often sloppy in this regard, as John Hollinger pointed out this morning:
Morant also found more answers to Minnesota’s pick-and-roll blitzes. Watch him dribble around Towns after one of Clarke’s signature slip screens:
Towns has to contain every time. But there also needs to be more effective help in the paint — in the play above, that is Edwards’s job.
Edwards is a very good on-ball defender, capable of staying in front of players and chasing them. He should get more chances to defend Morant in this series. But as an off-ball defender, he has a lot of room to grow. Watch him lose Ziaire Williams for a dunk on a similar play:
He falls asleep, thinking that Williams is just standing in the corner. Morant makes a great read.
This is a good offensive adjustment for Memphis, too. When Timberwolves defenders lag off shooters to protect the paint, it makes sense for those shooters to cut and sometimes sneak into the dunker spot. The Grizzlies can give Morant passing reads and open chances for offensive rebounds. They also haven’t been able to get Clarke’s floater going yet; a player in the dunker spot might occupy a paint defender and give Clarke a little extra space.
Stray observations from Tuesday’s postseason games
I love De’Anthony Melton. He’s been a great impact player off the bench for the Grizzlies all season, and he just makes winning plays. He’s smart about jumping passing lanes for steals and deflections. He’s a knockdown shooter who knows how to create his own looks, often by cleverly relocating. There’s a case to be made that he should play more fourth quarter minutes with the starters.
Is there an NBA uniform that has ever been more enhanced by its accessories than this Grizzlies uniform?
Look at that beautiful, coordinated yellow on the sleeves and tights!
The Hawks hung around for a while against Miami in Game 2, but Jimmy Butler ultimately was too much for them. The Hawks have no wing defenders apart from DeAndre Hunter. (They could kinda use Cam Reddish right about now.)
Atlanta needs more from John Collins on offense. I know he’s coming off a finger injury, but the Hawks need secondary scoring, and Collins’ lack of ability to generate offense for himself or others (especially with the Heat switching everything) is hurting them. They need Bogdan Bogdanovic to play like this every game.
The Heat didn’t play Duncan Robinson at all in the second half after he struggled with Hunter’s physicality in the first half. Gabe Vincent’s ability to pick up full court on Trae Young and hit threes on offense was big. Vincent looks like he is going to be a factor all playoffs for the Heat.
All eyes are on Devin Booker’s hamstring in Phoenix. What a win for the Pelicans, though. They went shot for shot with Chris Paul’s fourth quarter Suns, which is quite the achievement.
The Suns have to become more comfortable throwing the occasional double team or blitz pick and roll at opposing stars. They like to trust their guys to play shutdown defense, and while we all know Mikal Bridges is capable of it, they let Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum get too many looks.
Larry Nance Jr. as small-ball five is the way to go for the Pelicans.