Watching in Memphis: C's young bigs get chemistry lesson from Grizzlies

ESPNBoston.com

By Chris Forsberg


The Celtics had no answer to Marc Gasol on Friday night in Memphis.

The Boston Celtics have high hopes for the big-man tandem of Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk. And while coach Brad Stevens knows they'll never operate quite like the Memphis Grizzlies' pairing of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, Boston's young frontcourt got a hands-on lesson Friday in how to thrive behind skill and savvy.

Gasol matched a career high by scoring 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting, while Randolph posted 16 points and 16 rebounds over 27 minutes as the Western Conference-leading Grizzlies stomped the visiting Celtics 117-100 at FedEx Forum.

Sullinger and Olynyk are not going to be mistaken for the sort of block bullies that Gasol and Randolph typically are. But in maybe only the second game that Boston truly wasn't competitive in this season, Stevens will hope his young bigs walk away educated in how the Gasol/Randolph tandem thrives in large part due to continuity and playing to each other's strengths.

"I told our guys in [the locker room] that, I realize we’re all pros and we have all made it and we are all good players, but there are some guys out on the floor on that [Memphis] team that we can learn a lot from, especially our young bigs," said Stevens. "It's great to take notes of those guys. Those guys are not only really good basketball players, they’re really savvy basketball players and they really know how to play and they make each other better."

Olynyk has endured some growing pains in recent games and labored through a tough first half in which Gasol ate him up defensively (all while Olynyk struggled to finish around the basket at the other end). Boston's second-year center rebounded to score 14 of his game-high 18 points in the third quarter while showcasing his ability to stretch the floor.

One of the biggest keys for Sullinger and Olynyk in establishing themselves as a sustainable frontcourt tandem is learning to work together at both ends of the floor. That's a task in progress, though it's fair to say the offensive side is well ahead of the defensive end.

It's hard to fault the two undersized bigs for struggling to contain Gasol and Randolph, who are tough matchups for the league's top frontcourts. But after watching the Grizzlies generate 66 points in the paint and dominate on the glass, Stevens will hope Sullinger and Olynyk emerge with the goal of operating with the sort of synergy that Memphis has created through time and now thrives behind.

BIG PROBLEMS

Gasol and Randolph were far from Boston's only troubles on Friday. Jon Leuer, too sick to play on Wednesday night because of a stomach virus the Grizzlies are battling, came off the bench to score 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting with seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block over a mere 22 minutes.

"[The Memphis] front line, they smoked us -- 71 points and 32 rebounds between those 4s and 5s," said Stevens. "Hard to win when those guys go like that."

Boston's defense remains a major concern. The Grizzlies are not among the elite offenses in the league, but the Celtics made them look like one. Memphis shot 52.7 percent from the floor overall. Boston's guards continue to be indifferent in detouring opposing ball handlers from getting to where they want to go, and that's creating cracks in the Boston defense that a team like Memphis is going to exploit.

Again, we go back to effort. Playing inspired defense is a choice, and Boston seems ambivalent about the cause at the moment. Boston is now allowing 107.9 points per 100 possessions, the fifth-worst mark in the league.

BRIGHT SPOT: POWELL'S FIRST POINTS

Celtics rookie Dwight Powell scored his first NBA points off an alley-oop dunk after checking in late in the game.

After a series of quick handoffs on the right wing, Powell roamed free to the basket along the baseline when Gasol stepped up to help on a driving Phil Pressey, who lobbed the ball to Powell for the slam.

Stevens actually spotlighted the sequence in accentuating a positive moment after the game.

"The goal is to play well. It’s very frustrating in those stretches where you don’t," said Stevens. "And it’s very encouraging in those stretches when you do, no matter when those stretches are. Like the first play when [rookies] James [Young] and Dwight checked in with Phil. The ball was popping around, we executed quick, fast, got to the rim, dunk. We didn’t play like that the whole night. Even though the game was out of reach, that was really encouraging. It’s encouraging but still leaves a salty taste in your mouth anyways."

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