2008 Memphis Grizzlies Predictions & Preview
This Memphis Grizzlies team may not be very good this season, but they are rebuilding and should be better than they have been. The past two years have been awful as they haven’t been able to compete with the other teams in their loaded Southwest Division. Last year’s 22-60 record netted Memphis OJ Mayo and paired with Rudy Gay means the team does have some young talent. You won’t find our NBA predictions for the Grizzlies this year showing any vast improvements, so don’t expect an appearance in the playoffs or anything like that, but they will win a few games that fans won’t see coming. Memphis is at 100-to-1 odds just to win the Southwest Division this year.
Rudy Gay was second in Most Improved Player voting a year ago and it was well deserved. He increased his scoring average from 10.8 points to 20.1 in his second season. He can do it all on offense from shooting behind the arc to finishing around the basket. However, there are still questions surrounding his intensity on the floor. The Grizzlies are at 200-to-1 odds to win the Western Conference this year.
At power forward is Darko Milicic, who is still young at 23 even though he’s played for four seasons. Last year he put up 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while spending most of the season at center. He should be able to move over to the power forward spot though with Marc Gasol joining the lineup. Gasol comes in at 7’0″ and 250 pounds with a big body who can pass the ball as well as hit the mid-range jump shot. A real long shot to win the NBA Finals, you can get Memphis at 250-to-1 odds.
Mayo will get the chance to start from day one at shooting guard. He has the ability to hit the outside shot plus he can drive to the basket. Mayo’s fearless and aggressive style has led to too many turnovers at times though. However, the team also likes how hard he plays on the defensive side of the floor as well. The over/under on wins for this team is currently set at 23.5.
Mike Conley will run the point guard spot. He’s coming off a rookie season that saw him earn more time as the year progressed and he finished with 9.4 points and 4.2 assists per game. He takes care of the ball, has great court vision and is quick enough to get to the rim any time he wants, now if he would only finish.
On draft day the Grizzlies added some depth to their bench when they got Antoine Walker and Marko Jaric from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jaric will eat up minutes in the backcourt while contributing mostly offensive stats. Walker will do the same for the frontcourt.
Final Analysis
The Grizzlies are young and will most likely struggle to get a feel for one another at the beginning of the season. The team has rookies in Mayo, Gasol and Darrell Arthur to go with other young players like Conley and Gay. That means that the future could be bright for Memphis if these guys develop together, but this season will be another one marked by a losing record.
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