Memphis regrouping after a month of injuries, lineup tweaks and puzzling losses
Updated: March 25,2015, 12:29PM,EDT
By
Michael Wallace | ESPN.com
Getty ImagesMike Conley, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are ready to lead the Grizzlies' playoff push.That's what made this particular moment so refreshing and relaxing.
"I slept really good that night," Joerger beamed.
That happened to be the night the Grizzlies got back to being the team their coach recognized -- the basketball beasts regarded as the most ruggedly efficient bullies on the block just in time for Wednesday's visit from LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the night Memphis cruised into Dallas on Friday, delivered a 112-101 thumping and restored righteousness to their world.
Point guard Mike Conley, back from a four-game absence with an ankle injury, played only 26 minutes. All-Star center Marc Gasol collected another double-double in just 25 minutes and got extended rest amid the team's quest to preserve, whenever possible, the franchise anchor for the postseason.
But the most rewarding and revealing development was the relative silence in the locker room that followed. It was a far cry from the scene three nights earlier after an embarrassing meltdown in Detroit, where forward Zach Randolph morphed into a burly and surly wrecking ball that bashed his team's collective toughness and pride after it squandered a 17-point lead in a 105-95 loss to the Pistons.
This is the epidemic at the root of many of those restless nights in Memphis.
In a matter of 72 hours, the same squad Randolph repeatedly referred to as "soft" early last week regrouped to become the sensation that allowed Joerger to sleep so well by week's end. With 11 games left in the regular season, the Grizzlies are trying to kick aside their enigmatic ways and roll into the postseason with a level of stability and consistency that has been missing the past month.
Several factors have contributed to the recent stumble, but complacency has been the biggest culprit. Four weeks ago, Memphis appeared to hit its stride after acquiring Jeff Green in a trade in January, having won 11 of their first 12 games. On Feb. 24, the Grizzlies were 41-14, just three games behind Golden State, and appearing as if they would challenge the Warriors for the No. 1 seed in the West.
But prosperity proved to be problematic for Memphis, which dropped six of its next 10. Before Friday's win in Dallas triggered a three-game win streak, the Grizzlies had squandered nearly all their cushion over third-place Houston in the conference standings.
"We're a team that's always played well with our backs against the wall -- however it may be, pretty or ugly," Joerger said. "For us, sitting in second place, maybe there are times we relaxed. We struggled playing with leads, and we kind of struggled playing with a lead in the standings. Hopefully, we got that rectified and we get back to doing it well, night in and night out, no matter who we're playing."
The most disturbing aspect of Memphis' struggles has been a tendency to play to the level of its competition. During a 9-7 stretch since they peaked last month, the Grizzlies have flexed their collective muscle in road victories against the Blazers, Clippers, Rockets and Bulls. But they've also faltered in mind-boggling fashion in losses to the Kings, Jazz, Celtics and Pistons. "We've got to get tough," Randolph said after the loss in Detroit. "We were soft, and we didn't stick to what we were doing. It's disappointing, especially with what we're talking about doing [winning a championship]. We've got to do something to fix this."
Along the way, the Grizzlies have endured an identity crisis and internal conflict. Two weeks ago, the team suspended veteran guard Tony Allen for one game, reportedly for his role in a heated dispute in practice with teammate Nick Calathes. With the All-NBA defensive team standout sidelined, and Randolph and guard Beno Udrih sitting out with illnesses, Memphis suffered a double-digit loss to Utah.
Conley's recurring ankle and wrist problems also left the Grizzlies shorthanded for a week, which directly contributed to the team's spike in turnovers this month. During a recent five-game stretch, Memphis averaged 19.4 turnovers, and its rate of miscues per game in March is highest of any month this season.
"We feel like we've been a different team ever since the All-Star break," Conley told reporters after a recent practice. "It's hard to always pinpoint one or two issues. I think we just have a lot of things, a lot of frustration from losing games we shouldn't have lost."
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Troy Taormina/USA TODAY SportsIs Jeff Green a better fit off the bench or starting for the Grizzlies?
Green told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that he went to Joerger last week to offer to return to the role of sixth man, a move that would place Allen back into the starting unit. Joerger said his discussions with Green were private and declined to say how the lineup change came about. But the change was made in Dallas and resulted in one of the most balanced performances of the season, with Green one of seven Memphis players to score in double figures.
A hand injury that sidelined starting shooting guard Courtney Lee in the last two games pushed Green back into the starting unit, and the Grizzlies followed with wins against Portland and New York. It may have indirectly led to Memphis stumbling into its most productive unit. With Conley, Allen, Green, Randolph and Gasol playing together, Memphis has an offensive rating of 115.5 and a defensive rating of 85.5.
"It's not so much about personality; it's about how you approach each game and about what mindset you bring," Gasol said. "If you are engaged, talking, finishing possessions with rebounds, moving the ball and playing the right way, chances of winning get a lot bigger. The feeling of winning gets a lot better."
Memphis has established a hard-earned reputation of wearing down opponents with physical play, relentless defense and mental toughness. But the rigors of an 82-game schedule began to grind on the Grizzlies. They joined Golden State and Atlanta as the third team this season to reach the 50-win mark and have clinched a playoff berth for a franchise-record fifth straight season.
With the No. 1 seed essentially out of reach and home-court advantage in the early rounds practically assured, the Grizzlies naturally slipped into a lethargic zone. But the looming stretch should provide a timely jolt for Memphis, which reached 50 wins faster than any season in franchise history.
The Cavaliers on Wednesday could be a potential opponent with a title at stake in June. The Warriors arrive on Friday in what could be a preview of the conference finals. And on Sunday, the Grizzlies visit the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, a team that swept Memphis in the 2013 conference finals and could be a first-round opponent when the playoffs open next month.
In other words, there stand to be plenty of restless nights ahead for Joerger.
So enjoy the rejuvenating ones while they last.
"We're still trying to get better, and you want to lay down some consistent performances," Joerger said. "That's been big for us. We've been up and down, play a good first half, struggle the second half; play a good game, struggle the [next] game; get up for a game, then play another game where you make the mistake of looking past your opponent. The finish line is in sight ... and we all know what's coming up."
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