Don't look now, but the Memphis Grizzlies have quietly won 10 of their last 12 games and are currently a half game behind the Lakers for fourth place in the west. Fifth place in the west with no Z-Bo? The Grizzlies are also 11-0 this season when scoring 100 points or more. Why could this spell trouble for the Western Conference? Three reasons.
One...Memphis is one of the best defensive teams in the league for a second year in a row. The Grizzlies lead the nba in steals and turnovers. They play physical, and do not care about this player or that player getting their "touches". They show up night in and night out with one goal in mind....to outlast their opponent by wearing them down.
Two...scoring is at an all time low in the nba. In fact, some of the scores look like college scores with teams barely breaking 80 points some nights. That plays right into Grizzlies hands. If opponents are not making their shots and turning the ball over, they will have their hands full with the Grizzlies.
Third and most importantly....the loss of their best player was a blessing in disguise. Zach Randolph tore his mcl on New Years day and has not seen action since. This actually helped the Grizzlies, who in turn had to trade for Marreese Speights and give backup Dante Cunningham extended minutes. Both are playing well and will add quality front court depth once Z-Bo returns. Remember, Memphis lost their best big man off the bench in Darrell Arthur to a season ending injury.
Not to mention the fact that Z-bo, a career 20 point per game player himself, will only add to an offense that has found it's groove behind leading scorer Rudy Gay. With 29 games left in the regular season, it looks like the Grizzlies are hitting their stride. If Memphis continues to keep it 100, they can be a real problem come May. Could be another exciting spring in Tennessee. follow @plcolter.
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