7:30 PM EST, TNT – Line: Grizzlies -2, Over/Under: 236.5
The Playoffs continue as the youngest first-round matchup in NBA history moves north with the series squared away at one game apiece, as the Memphis Grizzlies battle the Minnesota Timberwolves in just their third postseason home game in nearly two decades, from Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After taking a MAJOR leap this season, the true test for the Grizzlies (56-26, 2nd in Western Conference) was always going to come in these playoffs, and through two games it is clear that they are indeed being tested in this matchup. As impressive as improving by EIGHTEEN games is, there was always a bit of skepticism surrounding this young team, with many pundits openly wondering how their collective inexperience and style of play would translate to a grander stage. After all, Memphis has managed to go from being a play-in side that was ousted in short order last summer, to the SECOND SEED in the West virtually overnight. So, what in the name of Shane Battier has gotten into these bears, you ask? Well, first and foremost, it’s impossible not to notice the massive amount of internal growth that this group has enjoyed under the watch of (Head Coach) Taylor Jenkins, who has cultivated what has become very much a collegiate atmosphere in the heart of Graceland. Gone are the days of the beloved Grindhouse Era, for this unit plays fast and furious, operating at the third-greatest pace in the league, averaging 100.3 possessions per 48 minutes of play. Then again, you can do that with a roster that has an average age of just 23.1 years old, with nary a single member of the rotation over the age of twenty-eight. Of course, it also helps to have a talent such as (emerging Guard) Ja Morant (27.4 PTS, 49.3% FG, 34.4% 3FG, 76.1% FT, 5.7 REB, 6.7 AST, 1.2 STL, 24.4 PER) pulling the strings, with the first-time All-Star and Most Improved Player finalist embodying the Grizzlies’ seismic leap. The explosive floor general has absolutely leveled up in this, his third year in the Association, posting career-highs in a slew of categories including points (27.4), field goal percentage (49.3%), three-point percentage (34.4%), two-point percentage (53.4%), rebounds (5.7), steals (1.2), and PER (24.4). One of the very best finishers in the game today, Morant has the electrifying quick step to routinely blow by defenders and the attitude and fearlessness to finish at the rim, evidenced by the fact that he became the first Guard in NBA history to lead the league in points in the paint. However, Memphis has been far from a one-man band, for the supporting cast has grown exponentially too; (versatile Forward) Jaren Jackson Jr. (16.3 PTS, 41.5% FG, 31.9% 3FG, 82.3% FT, 5.8 REB, 1.1 AST, 0.9 STL, 2.3 BLK, 17.0 PER) has finally begun to deliver on his enormous two-way potential, while (sharpshooting Guard) Desmond Bane (18.2 PTS, 46.1% FG, 43.6% 3FG, 90.3% FT, 4.4 REB, 2.7 AST, 1.2 STL, 17.6 PER) has offered crucial spacing from the perimeter, with the bullish Dillon Brooks (18.4 PTS, 43.2% FG, 30.9% 3FG, 84.9% FT, 3.2 REB, 2.8 AST, 1.1 STL, 15.5 PER) bringing a tenacious attitude to the defensive end, while (veteran Center) Steven Adams (6.9 PTS, 54.7% FG, 54.3% FT, 10.0 REB, 3.4 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.8 BLK, 17.6 PER) has proven to be an excellent fit in the frontcourt as the elder statesman at 28-years of age. Need further proof as to how good this group has been apart from Morant? Lokk no further than the fact the Grizzlies went a ridiculous 20-5 in games in which the All-Star missed. Another major reason for their success this season has been their relentless nature in creating easy opportunities for themselves be it in transition or of the second-chance variety. No team in the league has rebounded better than the Grizz (49.2, +6.2), particularly on the offensive end where they’ve secured 14.1 boards per game (1st Overall), parlaying to an outrageous percentage of 30.0% (1st Overall). Of course, offensive rebounds oftentimes lead to second-chance shots in the paint, which further plays into their NBA-best 61.7 two-point field goal attempts per contest. And then there are the defensive plays that kickstart their fast break; Jenkins’ troops also led the league in both steals (9.8) and blocks (6.5), with a turnover percentage of 13.3% (4th Overall) allowing them to push the tempo, which again, factors into their success in the paint. However, this style of play has ultimately led to concerns in the playoffs, where the game inevitably slows down and individual matchups dictate how any given series plays out. Case in point: Memphis was STUNNED in Game One, a 130-117 track meet against a team that is just as much at home operating at a frenetic pace as the hosts. The Wolves manhandled the Grizzlies on the glass (46-35), particularly on the offensive end, where they could generate just eight boards. Sure, the triumvirate of Morant, Brooks, and Bane combined for seventy-three points on 44.6% shooting, but the only reasons that this outing was even that close was the home side netting a whopping 32-of-43 free-throws. Granted, they still bested them in the paint (60-50) and in transition (18-9), but they couldn’t get anywhere close to enough stops as the visitors shot a torrid 50.0% from the field and 16-of-41 from beyond the arc (39.0%), outscoring the bears by a decisive TWENTY-SEVEN points. Thankfully, the Southwest Champions would respond in kind in Game Two, tying the series with a convincing 124-96 blowout victory. After leading 33-32 at the end of the first quarter, Morant & Co put their foot on the gas and outscored Minnesota 91-64 the rest of the way, clamping down on the defensive end where they yielded a scant 39.5% shooting, including 11-of- 38 from downtown (28.9%), while taking command on the glass with a 48-40 edge in rebounding, and FOURTEEN offensive boards, which played a sizable role in amassing sixteen more field goal attempts. Seven different players scored in double-figures for the Grizzlies, led by Morant narrowly missing a triple-double with twenty-three points, nine rebounds, and ten assists. Moving forward, Memphis must continue to play their brand of basketball, taking advantage of the Wolves’ carelessness (37 turnovers in two games) leading to a growing disparity in points via turnovers (53-26), while being content with getting to the line. Simply put, there opponent is VERY prone to fouling on defense, which has been evident in the Grizz attempting a ridiculous SEVENTY-FIVE free-throws thus far, netting fifty-seven of them, which is two more than their opponent has ATTEMPTED altogether.
Meanwhile, in the playoffs for just the second time since 2004, the Timberwolves (46-36, 7th in Western Conference) find themselves at an early postseason crossroads: after splitting in Memphis, do they flex that muscle from Game One in front of their home crowd, or are they simply happy to be here? After years of being one of the NBA’s more dysfunctional franchises, something clicked in Minnesota around the new year; (Head Coach) Chris Finch’s charges were a mediocre 16-20 on January 2nd, but finished the regular season on a 29-16 run, including a 15-8 stretch post All-Star Break. So, what in the name of Flip Saunders happened to the Wolves, you ask? Well, for all intents and purposes, their wealth of talent finally came together. To the surprise of many, this team was the league’s most prolific on the offensive end this season, averaging a robust 115.9 points per game (1st Overall), making (14.8) and attempting (41.3) more three-pointers than any team in the Association, all the while playing at a breakneck pace of 100.9 possessions per 48 minutes of action (1st Overall). Furthermore, while they generally left a lot to be desired defensively, they proved adept at forcing an NBA-best 16.3 turnovers, which as we detailed with their opponent, is the easiest way of pushing the tempo. Though his hiring midway through the previous season drew its share of critics, the franchise should be lauded for appointing Finch as their Head Coach, for his work with this group is certainly proving its worth. (All-Star Center) Karl-Anthony Towns (24.6 PTS, 54.9% FG, 41.0% 3FG, 82.2% FT, 9.8 REB, 3.6 AST, 1.0 STL, 1.1 BLK, 24.1 PER) has long been one of the better big men in the game, though you always felt that there was something missing from the 26-year-old that ultimately kept him from becoming a dominant force; under Finch’s guidance his defense has improved, while proving to be one of the greatest shooters at his size in NBA history (41.0% 3FG). Perhaps all he needed was the right running mate, which the Timberwolves believe that they have found in the form of (2020 No. One Overall Pick) Anthony Edwards (21.3 PTS, 44.1% FG, 35.7% 3FG, 78.6% FT, 4.8 REB, 3.8 AST, 1.5 STL, 0.6 BLK, 16.5 PER), who has really turned up in 2021-2022; in his second season with the franchise, the explosive Guard has logged career-highs in a slew of categories including points (21.3), field goal percentage (44.1%), three-point percentage (35.7%), rebounds (4.8), assists (3.8), and steals (1.5). His emergence has also allowed (streaky Guard) D’Angelo Russell (18.1 PTS, 41.1% FG, 34.0% 3FG, 82.5% FT, 3.3 REB, 7.1 AST, 1.0 STL, 16.3 PER) to settle in as a solid third option, while (veteran stopper) Patrick Beverley (9.2 PTS, 40.6% FG, 34.3% 3FG, 72.2% FT, 4.1 REB, 4.6 AST, 1.2 STL, 14.8 PER) arrived in the offseason to infuse his young teammates with that innate toughness and attitude that has made the 33-year-old one of the league’s premier pests over the last decade. Add it all up, and Minnesota finally looks like a real team with a real pecking order rather than simply a collection of ill-fitting talent. After edging the Clippers in the play-in (109-104), which featured Beverley crying in joy after defeating his former employers, the Wolves turned around and prepared themselves for this current matchup with the Grizzlies, whom they split four meetings with during the regular season. Indeed, that confidence was apparent in Game One, as the visitors were the aggressor from the opening tip, running Memphis out of FedEx Forum in that aforementioned 130-117 blowout, which was the second time this year in which Finch’s troops hung 130 points or more on the bears. This one was all about Towns and Edwards, who utterly eviscerated the hosts last weekend, combining for SIXTY-FIVE points on 56.0% shooting from the field, including 6-of-16 from beyond the arc (37.5%), and 13-of-13 from the stripe (100.0%), with the former pulling down thirteen rebounds, and the latter dishing our six assists. Russell and Beverley added ten points apiece with a combined fifteen assists, while Malik Beasley (12.1 PTS, 39.1% FG, 37.7% 3FG, 81.7% FT, 2.9 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.5 STL, 11.9 PER) had himself a night coming off the bench with twenty-three points on 8-of-14 shooting (57.1%). As we stated earlier, Towns & Co did a helluva job beasting the Grizzlies at their own game on the glass (+11), though the biggest difference between the two sides was from downtown, where the visitors rained down a cavalcade of threes (16-of-41). With that said, Game Two proved to be a decidedly different affair altogether, with Memphis turning the tables in that 124-96 rout on Tuesday night. In hindsight, it really seems like Minnesota was indeed content with simply earning a split at FedEx Forum, for they really didn’t seem all that enthusiastic once the hosts got rolling in the second quarter; that shooting touch from Saturday betrayed them in this one, as they netted just 39.5% of their attempts from the field, including only 11-of- 38 from three (28.9%). Towns finished with just fifteen points with nearly half of that total coming from the free-throw line (7-of-8), while Edwards added twenty points on 7-of-16 shooting (43.8%) but committed nearly as many turnovers (5) as assists (6). And in the end, that is proving to be the most troublesome thing for the Wolves through the first two games of this series, for they have committed NINETEEN and EIGHTEEN turnovers thus far, with the Grizz all-so happy to make them pay for their mistakes. Granted, this is a natural biproduct of playing at such a torrid pace and it very well may not be something that they can control, but in the end, it’s simply not smart basketball to gift an opponent who thrives off extra possessions exactly that. This notion also applies to their penchant for fouling. The Timberwolves committed the second-most personal fouls in the NBA this season (21.8), with their opponents attempting (25.4) and making (19.8) more free-throws against them than any other team. Again, this is a biproduct of leading the league in takeaways, so we highly doubt that this is something that is going change midway through this series. What they can do though, is force Memphis to play smaller, and this is where Towns becomes the most important player for either side. The seven-footer is a nightmare matchup for the aforementioned Adams, and by pulling the New Zealand international away from the rim, they’re not only taking away their most effective rebounder, but they’re also negating one of their opponent’s avenues of starting their fast break. Furthermore, if Towns is killing them from the perimeter, then the Grizzlies will be forced to play a smaller option at Center, which will further diminish their rebounding production on both ends of the hardwood, while also opening them up to Towns & Co to operate in the paint.