Pre-Game Grizz

Well, I don't have too much to say except once again we're backed up against what I call Must-Win-Weekend...starting tonight.  

We are our record and must own our position.  The league gifts are being passed out like candy at Easter with CLE losing last night, losing a lot lately and making a whistling sound as they slide down the standings, and moving to within 1 game of BOS who is trying to move up.

I still have the bad taste of DET and IND in my mouth from losing two games we really should have won going away.  Taking out MEM (-2.5) tonight would go a long way to ridding me of that residual taste!  And temporarily shutting up the Ja Morant train!  Didn't we have a shot at him in addition to the 2 J's?!!  He probably wouldn't fit our mold anyway.  

After tonight, we will face a reloading BKN on Sunday.  Road game for BKN.  KD is back.  Kryrie should be there although it's getting way passed his time again to come up with an excuse for not working.  Give it a few minutes.  It's coming. KD just needs to make sure he doesn't go out and try to do too much and re-aggravate his injury.  Don't know how the Heat vs. BKN game will go tonight.  Going to imagine MIA will be pretty po'ed after last night's agonizing loss to MIL.  I'd go all-in on Heat no matter who shows up for BKN.

Can't move up if we're losing.  And if we are going to make any significant move up the standings, going 9-1 per ten games is a must.  We're still on track.  It's very precarious here in the 2nd round of going 9-1, but we're still on track.  We come up short tonight and roll into Sunday in desperation mode, things won't look so good.  

There's one way to shed this skin.  In the short term, just keep winning.  In the long term, don't put ourselves in this position next season by being #1 in the conference.  Very simple to do.  Now get on it!!

db

DB

Quote of the day.   Your words actually translated into both picture and sound of that happening.

"with CLE losing last night, losing a lot lately and making a whistling sound as they slide down the standings"

I have been trying to rack my brain to come up with a comparison between Ja Morant and some other former player.  Whenever I get to the athleticism part I am lost for words.

Not to worry.  We have Marcus Smart.  Smart is the key but when a guy plays downhill at warp speed it will take a full team defensive effort to keep him under control.

Memphis plays with pace.  They average around 93 FGA per game.  They are #1 in FB points.  Boston needs to play with pace but not make too many brain fart turnovers and they better get back on defense.

I like our Rob/Al matchup vs their 2-big guys Adams/Jackson.  Desmond Bain is their top 3 point shooter and he takes almost 7 per game (at 40%) Does it not bug the hell out of you when you consider the giveaway just to save a few Bucks?  Our perimeter defense will be crucial.

They are a well coach team.  In the end if you contain Ja, you win the game and that is exactly what I expect to happen.  I'm taking Boston to cover the -2.5 spread.

Question to the group.  Will Nesmith make a 3 point shot tonight?

Expect Ime to throw a few wrinkles at Ja to slow him down and get off the ball.

Not quite ready to comment on the Nets game.

Want to mention one more challenge for Boston.

Memphis is #1 in offensive rebounds and that is one of the reason why they put up 93 shots per game.

Big Al will need to bring his A game to this battle.  Adams is a horse on the glass averaging a whopping 4.6 offensive rebounds per game.  So here are the keys to a victory.

1.  Slow Ja down and force him to pass the ball.
2.  Rebound the ball on both boards
3.  Check Bane on the perimeter
4.  Value the ball and keep it moving.

dboss,

Let's hope that whistling sound from CLE has a lot more sound and length to it!  Good news is I see on Friday CLE plays @ PHI.  Now we really have to win tonight!!  We can't return any gifts to sender!  

Sounds like a great strategy!  I'm guessing you've already sent this to Coach Ime!!  Either that or he's ghosting this site anyway and has incorporated this into tonight's game plan!

db

P.S. think we will see a lot more of Theis tonight? Just curious.

Dboss, I predict that Hemiss will break out of the doldrums tonight and knock Down a few 3’s. Christmas in March!