by Nicholas Filipas
The Memphis Grizzlies start their 2014 NBA Playoff campaign on the road as the 7 seed for Games 1 and 2 against Kevin Durant and the 2 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
The Grizzlies finished the 2013-14 NBA season with a 50-32 (.610) record and set a franchise-record fourth straight postseason appearance. This also marked a great start for first-year head coach Dave Joerger who dealt a less than stellar start ad well as losing All-Star center Marc Gasol for an extensive period of time. As hope faded quickly in October/November for success, Gasol healed, came back and Memphis got back to work, punishing NBA teams with their choking defense and big contributions inside the paint from Gasol and Zach Randolph.
Photo: bleacherreport.com
Memphis has seen postseason success in recent years, going as far as the Western Conference Finals last year before being swept in four-games by the San Antonio Spurs. The Grizzlies met the Thunder in last year’s conference semifinals in a classic 8-1 seed upset. This year, the Thunder will look for a do-over.
The biggest storyline in this series is whether or not Memphis can contain Kevin Durant, the very-likely MVP winner. He’s been at the same level if not higher than LeBron James, and at times has looked immortal. Meanwhile Russell Westbrook missed half of the season to injury but hasn’t lost much of his explosive motor. With the combo-punch of Durant-Westbrook finally healthy, can Memphis survive the scoring onslaught?
Coach Joerger’s number one concern should be stopping Durant at all costs. It will be difficult since his shooting range is practically anywhere he pleases. The Grizzlies will have to rely heavily on what has got them into contention: defense. Another important key will be forcing the Thunder to have someone else other than Durant or Westbrook do much of the scoring. OKC’s bench is decent but not as offensively gifted as the starters. Stopping the three-point attack and getting OKC to score inside without fouling will be a welcoming sign. The Grizzlies will want each game to stay in the 90s in order to win.
Memphis’ blue-collar, “Grit ‘n’ Grind” defense was good enough for third-best in the league but their overall offense is lackluster, only averaging 96.1 points per game, while the Thunder average a staggering 106.2, thanks to scoring-champion Durant. Memphis cleans up the offensive glass nicely which in turn leads to plenty of second-chance points. The Grizzlies also do not commit a lot of turnovers, and play at the slowest pace in the entire league, OKC will want to run n’ gun and beat Memphis on fast break points and force them to make silly turnovers.
The Grizzlies’ blueprint to another first-round upset will rely heavily on feeding the big men; Gasol and Randolph constantly in the post, while guard Mike Conley makes smart plays and uses weapons Courtney Lee, Tayshaun Prince and Mike Miller to their full potential.
These Grizzlies have tasted life past the first-round and they have beaten this Thunder squad before. Durant will be out for blood and revenge for an early exit last year, and although OKC is favored in this matchup, better believe that the Thunder aren’t thrilled about facing Memphis again. The Grizzlies are good enough that no one in the West wanted to play against them. Don’t expect anyone to go down quietly as this series can go to seven games easily. The Grizzlies don’t fear anyone, and they’ve proven before they can beat Durant and advance.
Fans looking for tickets can buy seats at the FedEx Forum through Ticketmaster, visiting the FedEx Forum box office, online at nba.com/grizzlies or calling 1-800-4-NBA-TIX (622-849)
Regular season series: Thunder won 3-1 (All times are CT)
Game 1 – Saturday, April 19 @ Oklahoma City (8:30pm) ESPN
Game 2 – Monday, April 21 @ Oklahoma City (7:00pm) TNT
Game 3 – Thursday, April 24 @ Memphis (7:00pm) TNT
Game 4 – Saturday, April 26 @ Memphis (8:30pm) ESPN
Game 5* – Tuesday, April 29 @ Oklahoma City (TBA)
Game 6* – Thursday, May 1 @ Memphis (TBA)
Game 7* – Saturday, May 3 @ Oklahoma City (TBA)
*If necessary
