GG is Back, Nuke Kennard, and Unlimited Jaren 团队表现拿到六连胜
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Somebody down, somebody up. Depth is a significant role for a team that wants to succeed in playoffs. After Taylor Jenkins became the head coach, the Memphis Grizzlies became one of the best teams to get credit for depth. We are not a team like the New York Knicks or Sacramento Kings, only using 7-8 men to play. We used a 14-player rotation lineup in the early season while another 3 or 4 players sat on the bench every night. Some people criticized TJ’s rotation decision, some people kept standing with him. This kind of debate happens every day.
We are now the third seed in the West and still the only team with an offense and defense in the Top five in the NBA. I believe we are better than we were in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Most teams will try to play 100 pick-n-rolls a game, but we do not follow the traffic but use speed, flexible movement, and body advantage to beat every team. It is doing well so far.
It’s a perfect case that proves the importance of depth. We have four games in six days, and the period before the All-Star is usually the most exhausting for every team. Our two important role players, Jake LaRavia and Santi Aldama, were recently injured. Ja faced illness, Marcus and Vince are still wearing suits. For many teams, it will be a hard week.
Not for us. Des found himself after the 51-pts win against the Warriors. Luke “activated the inner beast in him” after the Jimmy “anywhere but Memphis” Butler trade talk. BC keeps cooking in rim finishing, and GG is getting better and better. The most underrated case is Jitty - not in rotation this season but is ready anytime.
GG is back
Not the meaning on paper, everybody can see that. Let me give you some quick notes below:
I have no shock at his performance so far. As one of the most loyal fans of GG in China, I spent a whole year observing him. Simple answer: He is our future in the forward position. All-Rookies, the second youngest player who got back-to-back 20 points, 75 points combination in the last two games, faced the Lakers and Nuggets, All-Summer League team… You know what kind of player he will be. A microwave scorer, a versatile forward who can play two positions, an elite shooter who can fire from 30 feet, has explosive drive on Iso and transition, etc…
I like to watch his game. He did not pass many, but he is comfortable in his role. We already have a couple of guys who can dribble and pass; we need a scorer who can stand up on the bench and get 15 every game. GG is the guy. I am happy to see his confidence in isolation. The Summer League experience (win and loss) taught him a lot.
Nuke Kennard can’t stop launching
I know he struggled tonight, but he was averaging 17.8 points per game in the last five games. 22-37 from three (62.9%). I watched the last three home games in the Forum; he could not miss any wide opens. Somebody might remember him in 2023, but we are better than that year. Now he plays with somebody who can play basketball instead of somebody who can only shoot three to the sideboard and turnover.
Jaren can pass
When I checked the box score after the game on Friday, I was freaked out. Jaren has seven assists, What the hell??? He can score and make floater on anybody, we know that; He can make three even like a shooter, we know that. But Jaren can find teammates cutting to the rim and pass to them from the three-point line? Stop it.
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Keep shooting everybody. We have to protect our home on next Thursday. That will be the most emotional game this season so far.