I am proud of what they've accomplished this year, but it's embarrassing to see them playing like this. They're getting outhustled, they're missing easy shots, and they're turning the ball over. It's so over-the-top frustrating because I believe they are the more complete team. They're playing like ****. Hollins needs to tear up the locker room at halftime. If Tony Allen takes another shot I'm going to have a stroke.
The Grizzlies have gone full retard
- Thread starter Frances Drebin
- Start date
...because I had a feeling they'd play with the intelligence of a junior high team. They did it last game.
I tinker ZBO and Gasol just look gassed. Of course it would alsonbe nice if ZBO would ditch the damn fade away for a little bit
Even Z-Bo can't finish inside tonight. I wouldn't blame it all on being tired, because they played the same way most of the night in Game 4. It's like they're playing scared when it comes to attacking the basket.
And why is Z-Bo using his right hand so much? His first three shots tonight were right-handed.
And why is Z-Bo using his right hand so much? His first three shots tonight were right-handed.
It is that simple.
That's why they're losing so many 50/50 balls that they normally get, and it is why they're front rimming so many open jumpers and why they've missed at least 10 lay ups.
That's a lot of points to give away. Despite the score I haven't seen very good defense from OKC. The looks have been there.
If they get home and get rested they will win Game 6 and OKC will have to fight like hell to win a Game 7.
Think of it this way. The Thunder slept in their beds Monday night and probably slept in and watched film yesterday. The Grizzlies probably didn't get home until 2 am after Game 4, had to get up and fly on Thursday. It shows in the energy of these two teams. This game tells me little about either team because they're both clearly in different places tonight. Still expect this series to go 7 and I expect Game 7 to be a battle. OKC got a freebie tonight.
That's why they're losing so many 50/50 balls that they normally get, and it is why they're front rimming so many open jumpers and why they've missed at least 10 lay ups.
That's a lot of points to give away. Despite the score I haven't seen very good defense from OKC. The looks have been there.
If they get home and get rested they will win Game 6 and OKC will have to fight like hell to win a Game 7.
Think of it this way. The Thunder slept in their beds Monday night and probably slept in and watched film yesterday. The Grizzlies probably didn't get home until 2 am after Game 4, had to get up and fly on Thursday. It shows in the energy of these two teams. This game tells me little about either team because they're both clearly in different places tonight. Still expect this series to go 7 and I expect Game 7 to be a battle. OKC got a freebie tonight.
I don't think it was our best defensive effort, but it wasn't a bad one. We were helped by the Grizz just not showing up offensively. I must say though I was disappointed by how the Grizz ended up playing. I was actually expecting this game to go in our favor but a little bit more competitive, but I'm not complaining either way. Having Durant and Westbrook playing 31 and 25 minutes respectively is probably the biggest thing outside of taking the win to me. Having them practically rest for the whole 4th quarter will probably go a bit longer considering they both played over 100 minutes combined 2 nights ago. We'll need them as fresh as we can for us to go to Memphis. I think we can take it in 6, but I'm not confident that we will though.
OKC has given up a number of straight drives to the basket, including last night. Open jumpers and open layups were there for the Grizz and they blew them. Before last night, Memphis broke 100 in every other playoff game with OKC. Your team does a good job of blocking shots around the rim, and the overly physical play of Collison and Perkins have helped down low, but if the Grizz are hitting their shots, it's a different story.
Watching the game, I felt like the Grizzlies, even when it was still in doubt, were getting the shots and the looks they wanted on most every possession.
A few shots were blocked and a few times they either took bad shots or were forced into bad shots, but more often than not they were getting looks at the basket that they normally make or getting the open jump shots that they normally make. Conley, for instance, got a lot of his normal looks and was clanging them off the front iron. Marc did the same a few times on shots he normally hits. The Grizzlies missed double digit lay ups (10-15 at least), and I'm not just talking about lay ups where the shot was altered significantly by a shot blocker. I'm talking 2 and 3 footers they normally hit. That's at least 20 points of offense they left on the floor simply missing easy buckets, many of which led to OKC breaks.
They shot 60% from the line, when they normally shoot 80%. They weren't getting any of the 50/50s, because they looked a step slow the whole night. So no, I didn't feel like OKC did anything special defensively. In fact I was more impressed with OKC's defensive effort in Game 2 than Game 5.
They looked like a team that was tired. Hopefully they'll be rested up for Game 6, and if they are I expect OKC to have to battle to be able to close out this series. If I'm Hollins, I flew the team home last night, and I've got my charter for OKC ready to go Friday night immediately following the game. I think OKC getting home and getting to sleep in with nothing to do on Tuesday was a huge advantage in last night's game.
It all depends on how rested the Grizzlies are and what type of energy they bring, but I expect them to win Game 6 as long as they show up ready to play.
A few shots were blocked and a few times they either took bad shots or were forced into bad shots, but more often than not they were getting looks at the basket that they normally make or getting the open jump shots that they normally make. Conley, for instance, got a lot of his normal looks and was clanging them off the front iron. Marc did the same a few times on shots he normally hits. The Grizzlies missed double digit lay ups (10-15 at least), and I'm not just talking about lay ups where the shot was altered significantly by a shot blocker. I'm talking 2 and 3 footers they normally hit. That's at least 20 points of offense they left on the floor simply missing easy buckets, many of which led to OKC breaks.
They shot 60% from the line, when they normally shoot 80%. They weren't getting any of the 50/50s, because they looked a step slow the whole night. So no, I didn't feel like OKC did anything special defensively. In fact I was more impressed with OKC's defensive effort in Game 2 than Game 5.
They looked like a team that was tired. Hopefully they'll be rested up for Game 6, and if they are I expect OKC to have to battle to be able to close out this series. If I'm Hollins, I flew the team home last night, and I've got my charter for OKC ready to go Friday night immediately following the game. I think OKC getting home and getting to sleep in with nothing to do on Tuesday was a huge advantage in last night's game.
It all depends on how rested the Grizzlies are and what type of energy they bring, but I expect them to win Game 6 as long as they show up ready to play.
...which is NOT to say bad. It was no better than it has been all series. Same Griz looks as usual. I think they were just plain gassed andsimply couldn't hit their shots.That's been mentioned here but what hasn't isthat's part of being a good team. OKC was on a different level, two or three levels better thant he Griz, as far as energy.They did it. Griz didn't.
That's part of being a better team.
That's part of being a better team.
And I even said that we were more so helped from the lack of offense from you guys, but capitalizing on those missed opportunities also translates to good defense. It wasn't the best defensive effort, but I still can't agree that it was a bad one. I expect a good game tomorrow, and to be honest I'm not so sure which way to lean. Although it doesn't really matter, we didn't just sit and watch film the day before. Even though Brooks canceled practice all of the players showed up to practice for the game anyway. I don't know how long it lasted, but they didn't just sit back and twiddle their thumbs in anticipation.
Not only would we miss a lay up or a chippy jump shot on one end, but the rebound would turn into a fast break the other way too often.
It was the most un-Grizzly like game that I've seen in a while.
These two teams are very evenly matched when both playing at their normal level. It's rare to see a game where an entire team is off, but that happened. Usually you can work your rotations and find a mix to work, but it didn't matter who Hollins tried, no one had anything going. You have to like your position if you're OKC, but I expect they're going to have to battle to advance. I don't expect another cakewalk for them in either Game 6 or 7.
It was the most un-Grizzly like game that I've seen in a while.
These two teams are very evenly matched when both playing at their normal level. It's rare to see a game where an entire team is off, but that happened. Usually you can work your rotations and find a mix to work, but it didn't matter who Hollins tried, no one had anything going. You have to like your position if you're OKC, but I expect they're going to have to battle to advance. I don't expect another cakewalk for them in either Game 6 or 7.
I just don't see the Grizz not stepping their game up. I'll be surprised if we pull it out in 6. Even though I see we can, I just have a hard time seeing us do it. Matchup wise, Grizzlies are the worst possible for us this season. I was honestly afraid at one point when it looked we may be playing them instead of Denver in the first round, but going through Denver and then Memphis is nothing to be scoffed at to me. I've been real impressed with how well these guys have answered every situation thrown at them.<div>
</div><div>I can see that Memphis has something special going on for them though. If they're not top 4 in the West next year then somethings wrong.</div>
</div><div>I can see that Memphis has something special going on for them though. If they're not top 4 in the West next year then somethings wrong.</div>
Incognegro said:
They should be. With Gay back, packing it in the paint to stop Zach and Marc will not be an option. The key is going to be what they do this off-season. I'm assuming Mayo will be packaged for something. If they can get another bench shooter/scorer type in return for Mayo, then they'll be in really good shape.
The bad part is that I think they're going to have to let Battier go. For one, he'd have to take a significant minutes cut with Gay coming back, and also I don't know that they'll have room to pay him. Defensively, it's been big this playoff season for them to have Battier off the bench as a second great defensive stopper along with Allen.
I expect OKC to be at the top again next year. LA will probably package some players to get more athletic and be in the mix. They still have Kobe. Dallas will be hanging around too. The question is what San Antonio and Portland do. San Antonio definitely looked old, but they may be able to stay in the mix another year. Portland is another young up and coming team. The West will be tough as usual, but the Grizzlies will have as good a chance as anyone to win it next year if they can't pull the miracle and do it this year.