Official Game #51 Thread

Statistical Breakdown:
When: Saturday 7p.m. CST
Where: Target Center
MEM road record: 8-16
MIN home record: 8-17
MEM record v. Western Conf: 17-16
MIN record v. Western conf: 5-26
MEM PPG: 103.1 (6th)
MIN PPG: 97.6 (23rd)
MEM opponents PPG: 103.3 (24th)
MIN opponents PPG: 106.7 (28th)
MEM RPG: 43.6 (4th)
MIN RPG: 43.2 (8th)
MEM RPG Diff: 4.5 (1st)
MIN RPG Diff: 1.0 (11th)
MEM AST/TO: 19.2/14.5
MIN AST/TO: 19.4/15.6
MEM FG%: 47.3% (7th)
MIN FG%: 44.3% (25th)
MEM opponents FG%: 47.9% (28th)
MIN opponents FG%: 47.3% (26th)
MEM 3PT%: 33.2% (25th)
MIN 3PT%: 31.8 (27th)
MEM FT%: 74.0% (24th)
MIN FT%: 74.5% (20th)
Last meeting: MEM 135-110
My prediction: MIN 109-107
NBA 2K10 Simulation: MIN 96-74

Preview: The Wolves are clearly stronger on the road. The Grizzlies are clearly weaker on the road as well. Thankfully the grizz are bad on the road because home court advantage is always the great equalizer. Both teams shoot poorly behind the arc. Both rebound fairly well. Here is the key there though; the Grizz out rebound their opponents by 4.5 rebounds per game (which is tops in the NBA). The T-Wolves struggle on the wing whereas Memphis has two playmakers (Mayo and Gay) on the wing. Zach Randolph is having a fantastic year. On paper you’d have to say the Grizzlies have the stronger frontcourt. In reality it might be closer than you think. Ever since Kevin Love has started to come off the bench, Big Al has looked like a new man and Ryan Hollins has been thieving. Both teams struggle to move the ball without turning it over. Both shoot poorly from the foul line and play poor defense. If nothing else this game will be exciting to watch……..remember that kiddies, bad defense = excitement! Like always the Wolves need to pound the ball down low and play from inside out. On defense Minnesota has to play Gay and Mayo tight, force them into bad shots, and deny them the ball deep in the post (especially Gay). If they can take one of those two out of the game they drastically increase their odds of winning. My biggest concern going into this game is how do they stop Zach and Rudy? Both of those players are matching up against poor defenders. Taking all of this into consideration my brain says Memphis will win but my gut says Minnesota.

Key matchups: Big Al v. Randolph, Mayo v. Brewer, and Wolves D v. Grizz D.

Projected starting lineups:

Memphis Grizzlies
PG Mike Conley 10.3 pts, 5.0/2.1 ast/TO
SG OJ Mayo 17.9 pts, 3.9 reb
SF Rudy Gay 19.9 pts, 5.9 reb
PF Zach Randolph 20.8 pts, 11.6 reb
C Marc Gasol 15.0 pts, 9.6 reb

Minnesota Timberwolves
PG Jonny Flynn 14.0 Pts, 4.3/2.8 Ast/TO
SG Corey Brewer 13.3 Pts, 3.9 Reb
SF Ryan Gomes 10.5 Pts, 4.5 Reb
PF Al Jefferson 17.8 Pts, 9.9 Reb
C Ryan Hollins 6.1 Pts, 2.9 reb (9.6 Pts, 4.0 Reb as starting C)
Go Wolves!!!