Grizzlies at Charlotte - 10.23.09 - Preseason

Written by Chip Crain

Friday, 23 October 2009 06:32

grizz Memphis is finishing up a frustrating pre-season campaign in Charlotte. With the record standing at 2-5, Allen Iverson missing the entire pre-season and Darrell Arthur missing most of it as well, the team hasn't been able to see what they really have heading into the regular season games. However the solidifying of the starting lineup has been a major positive. Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, O J Mayo, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol should be able to hold their own against most starting fives's in the league. The problem has been the bench and if Arthur and Iverson return for the regular season then it will go a long way toward improving that area. This is a game where Charlotte has more matchup wins but where the Grizzlies are favored they are favored in a big way.

Bobcats Charlotte has struggled as well this pre-season. After losing Raja Bell to season ending wrist surgery it doesn't look to get much better anytime soon either. The injury has forced the Bobcats into a dual point gaurd mode in the starting lineup and that could cause more problems for the Bobcats than the opponents. Factor in that longtime PF/C Emeka Okefor has been traded to New Orleans and replaced by oft injured, offensively challenged Tyson Chandler and this team could be good or bad depending on the health of Chandler. Rumors have been floating around that Boris Diaw was grossly out of shape heading into training camp. The Bobcats have an excellent coach in Larry Brown but even he needs someone to count on in crunch time. Right now the player seems to be elusive.

Conley
Point Guards: Mike Conley vs D J Augustin
D J started his rookie campaign on the bench, bcame the starter and then was injured and only played in 72 games as a result, starting 12. Still that was 22 more games than Mike Conley played as a rookie. These are two of the fastest young point guards in the league. Augustin is the more aggressive player offensively capable of scoring over 20 pts on any night. Conley is more of the floor general looking to pass before his looking for his own shot but will attack the rim if ignored. Defensively both players struggle against taller PG's but that isn't a problem in this game. With Raja Bell out look for Augustin to be the more aggressive player.
Advantage: Charlotte

Felton
Shooting Guards: O J Mayo vs Raymond Felton
For those Grizzlies fans who have wanted to know what Mayo would do against real NBA point guards, this is a must listen to game. Raymond Felton is a quick if not fast PG forced to move to the shooting guard role with Raja Bell out for the season. Felton llikes to shoot more than be a playmaker anyway but at 6-1 that isn't going to be easy from the two guard position. Mayo has not shot the ball particularly well during the pre-season but this is the type of matchup where he should have less trouble getting his shot off. The question will be how well can he control the ball against a ball hawking PG like Felton.
Advantage: Memphis

Wallace
Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Gerald Wallace
One of the more athletic matchups of the pre-season, Wallace and Gay are near polar opposites in the way they play the game but both bring incredible individual talent to the game. Rudy is the offensive threat. Capable of hitting three point shots as well as being one of the best finishers at the rim in the league today, Rudy is a nightmare matchup for any SF in the league. Wallace on the other hand has built a career as one of the toughest defenders in the league. Wallace averaged two steals and two blocks a game two years ago but suffered with concussions last season playing out of position at power forward. Back in his more traditional role at small forward Wallace will make you fight for every shot and has speed to get out and finish on breaks as well.
Advantage: Charlotte

Z-Bo Diaw
Power Forwards: Zach Randolph vs Boris Diaw
Boris Diaw has been in Larry Brown's doghouse for coming to camp out of shape but was in good enough shape to play 29 minutes in the last pre-season game. Diaw is not your typical PF which can be an advantage or disadvantage. Not a big scorer or rebounder Diaw's game forces opposing PF's away from the basket where he superior passing ability makes him particularly dangerous. Defensively Diaw is surprisingly good for a player who came into the league as combo guard. Randolph has already become one of the best rebounders for the Grizzlies since their move to Memphis. Rumored to be a poor passer, Randolph has shown the ability to move the ball out of double teams situations and set up teammates for easy looks. Randoph also has been getting offensive boards and eschewed the long range 3 pt attempts. His FG% plummeted after a poor shooting night in Miami however. How well he recovers may dictate the games' outcome.
Advantage: Memphis

Gasol Tyson
Centers: Marc Gasol vs Tyson Chandler
Marc Gasol was a pleasant surprise offensively last season as a rookie. This year he is at best the 4th option on offense and possibly the 5th. Still Gasol seems to have adjusted to his new role, has shed some unneeded body and still brings a bruising presence to the interior of Memphis' defense. Averaging just under 8 pts and 7 boards a game Gasol needs to be a defensive presence to hold off #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet as the starting center. Tyson Chandler is replacing Okafur who was the Bobcats first draft pick. Chandler has never discovered an offensive game outside of six inches from the rim but is a defensive and rebounding force when healthy. Lithe for a 7 fter Chandler gets his rebounds by being quicker on the floor and faster to the ball while Gasol prefers to put his body on opponents and use leverage and skill to get to the ball. The problem is that speed beats bullk in most matchups and Chandler has all the speed even after Gasol lost that weight.
Advantage: Charlotte

Thabeet Diop
Benches: Memphis vs Charlotte
Larry Brown likes experienced bench play and he has that with Charlotte even with Bell's injury. From Vladamir Radmonovic to DeSagna Diop to Ronald 'Flip' Murray to Nazr Mohammed, the Bobcats have experienced players who know the game coming off the bench. The problem is with Felton and Augustin both starting they are thin at the point in reserve. Former Tiger Antonio Anderson should get a final chance to earn a roster spot in this game as well. Memphis' bench is thin with the injuries to Iverson and Arthur but is still getting decent production from Marcus Williams, Sam Young, DeMarre Carroll and Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet is still frustrated by foul trouble and matching up against Diop and Chandler that trend will likely continue but Hamed Haddadi is ready to show what he can do as is Stephen Hunter.
Advantage: Charlotte