What's up with the Grizzlies' 3-point defense?
The Memphis Grizzlies' defense is giving up 3's at a historic rate. What's the issue? How can it improve? Will it improve?
The Memphis Grizzlies’ 3-point defense has been a subject of criticism in this 2-9 start. If you run the data, it’s hard to bat against it at this stage.
Teams are shooting 42.1% from 3 and making 15.9 triples per game — both marks last in the league. Recently, the Los Angeles Lakers made 22 of their 35 3-pointers against the Grizzlies, as their 62.9% clip set the NBA record for best accuracy on 35+ attempts. Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Lakers were 29th in 3-point makes (8.8) and percentage (30.4%), while ranking last in attempts per game (28.9).
Not great!
The emphasis of the Grizzlies defense is to take away the shots in the paint and from the corner. To their credit, the Grizzlies rank in the bottom 5 in field goals, attempts, and percentage in the restricted area. On the corners, it’s a mixed bag, as teams are shooting 44.8% on corner 3’s (25th in the league) — with wild splits of 63% on left side and 37% on the right. Among the 12 teams that allow their opponents to shoot 40% or better on corner 3’s, the Grizzlies give up the 2nd-fewest attempts. As a result of their gameplan, Grizzlies opponents are shooting 41.3% on above-the-break 3’s.
Data dump out of the way, the Grizzlies’ 3-point defense hasn’t been great. Whether it’s by design or execution should be debated more — as blame is usually directed specifically at the gameplan.
Nonetheless, adjustments have to be made… or more time has to go on.
“Over-help” has been the biggest perception of the Grizzlies’ 3-point woes. As they aim to halt the drive or shot at the rim, their opponent finds a silver within the sea of the defense to hit an open shooter for 3.
In this 3 for Kelly Olynyk, the Grizzlies swarm to stop Colin Sexton’s drive and have 4 defenders committed to the action.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is at the on-ball on the drive. David Roddy commits at the nail to help off Keynote George. Desmond Bane is in help to charge, and Marcus Smart is shielding off the dump-off to John Collins. In the meantime, the Jazz have 2 shooters spotting up on the strong side. Alternatively, Bane could’ve cut off Collins, while Smart and Roddy are roaming between George and Olynyk — ultimately relying on the advantage of Jackson guarding a 6’2” Sexton.
There’s knowing personnel with shooters, but also drivers as well. Grant Williams is in the 1st percentile among “bigs” in shot frequency at the rim — 14%, per Cleaning the Glass — and in the 24th and 17th percentile in field goal percentage at the rim (64%) and in the floater zone (31%). At the same time, Jaren Jackson Jr., shot-blocking extraordinaire, is defending the drive.
Where did it go wrong?
Tillman is sliding over to help, which is fine because he also prevents a pass to the dunker’s spot with his positioning. Ziaire Williams shifts down to defend the big, leaving Josh Green open for a rhythm 3.
The Grizzlies also leave defenders out to dry with their help defense, as they’re on an island defending a 2v1 between the wing and the corner.
I get this — let LeBron James, a physical specimen at nearly 40 years old, get downhill with a head of steam, or leave D’Angelo Russell or Cam Reddish open from 3. However, poor Jacob Gilyard stranded on this sequence. Desmond Bane stunts to help on the drive, while Bismack Biyombo is in good “ball-to-man” positioning. Once LeBron kicks, all Russell has to do is wait for the rotation to hit Reddish for a triple.
John Konchar has to rotate to help with Gilyard at a height disadvantage, and now it’s Luke Kennard caught in a 2-on-1 situation. Once the kick is made to Sexton, Kennard helps for the contest to open up a swing and corner 3 for Simon Fontecchio.
The Grizzlies’ help is the most glaring at the nail. The reasoning for help is sound — cutting off the drive to prevent the ball-handler from getting two feet in the paint. When the help there is drastic, along with whatever the low men provide, the opposition can draw clean looks from 3.
Obviously, various instances of “over-helping” at the nail, so let’s dissect within the different clips.
1 - Granted, defending Luka Doncic and accounting for the different ways he could dissect the defense is a challenge of its own. Jackson is coming to help off the high post, while Roddy is at the nail. Is giving a playmaker of Luka’s caliber a soft triple-team necessary? Not totally sure. However, he capitalizes on Roddy’s help and finds Green a pass away from 3.
2 - This is simply a case of executing “knowing your personnel,” but it came back to bite. Desmond Bane had the right idea: guarding Grant Williams (a career 38.7% 3-point shooter) over Derrick Jones Jr. (a career 31% 3-point shooter) makes sense. It’s a point of emphasis for the Grizzlies’ gameplan to know and locate the shooters. Bane did that, but it was Jones’ night.
3 - Ah… is much nail help needed for a Dante Exum drive with Jaren Jackson Jr. roaming the paint? I wouldn’t think so. Aforementioned, Jones is a mediocre outside shooter, and Exum shouldn’t command that much attention downhill.
4 - Bismack Biyombo drew the switch on Jordan Clarkson. I get the reason to help to prevent Clarkson to turn a corner on the big man for the layup. Biyombo’s defense suggested he had him steered towards an unfavorable angle, and he could stick with him. Keyonte George notices Roddy (his man) rotating to help, so he relocates to a more optimal passing window for the 3.
5 - Clarkson’s drive draws plenty of help — Bane (his original man), Jackson (low man help), and Gilyard (close corner kick). Credit to Clarkson for the pass-fake to the dunker spot, as it confused the defense momentarily. Biyombo slides down too far and ball-watches a bit too much, especially considering Lauri Markkanen’s prowess as a shooter and scorer. Standing closer to the top of the key could’ve shut the water on Clarkson.
6 - Rui Hachimura initially drives and kicks to Reddish in the corner to trigger another drive-and-kick, which somehow gets all 5 defenders within 10 feet of the basket. Aldama is on the drive, while Roddy stays down to help — Lakers likely had the corner kick to a relocating Hachimura. Ziaire Williams is chilling in the paint. Tillman comes over to help even with 3 teammates near the driver to leave Austin Reaves wide-open at the top of the key. It would’ve been better to bet on Reddish creating something for himself among 3 defenders.
7 - Tillman comes over to tag the roller off the Reaves, Wood pick-and-roll — helping as Williams recovers. In the meantime, Davis kicks to Russell at the top of the key for 3.
The Grizzlies need to tighten their defense at the nail, whether it’s with design or communication correct. Doing so should reduce both the quantity and quality of looks from deep.
Teams are also taking advantage of Grizzlies’ pick-and-roll coverage, primarily with the screener.
Debate about the legality of some of these screens; it’s effectively stopping the defender from fighting over. As a result, shooters are getting clean looks because of the screen and the positioning of the screen defender. Not being higher towards the level of the screen allows shooters space to fire a 3.
While their coverage can be critiqued, you have to tip your cap towards some of these shots. The phrase, “made tough shots” has been used in Taylor Jenkins’ post-game pressers. Fans go crazy about his coaching when they see that, but you can’t deny the claim. Some of these shots are a case of “good defense, better offense.”
Then there was that time Luka Doncic hit 3 deep stepback 3’s on consecutive possessions
It’s the NBA, sometimes guys just hit tough shots within the face of a defense.
So to bring another question in this: how much of it is luck? Or in this case, bad luck?
To run back the data dump:
Grizzlies opponents are shooting 41.3% on above-the-break 3’s. That number has hit 38% just 3 times since the 2014-15 season. Grizzlies opponents were 34.3% last season and 34.1% the year before on these shots.
Grizzlies opponents are making 42.1% of their 3’s. Only 2 teams had their opponent shoot better than 39% overall since the 2014-15 season.
Regression to the mean will benefit this team — leading to its defense looking better, and (more importantly) wins.
The Grizzlies do have stuff to clean up defensively. Their shifts and rotations could be better. When it comes to over-helping, better defense at the point-of-attack could improve to prevent seismic help. In addition, they could start funneling drivers towards defensive stalwarts like Jaren Jackson Jr., Bismack Biyombo, and Xavier Tillman — and not rely on a ton of perimeter help.
At the same time, data has to normalize with a larger sample size. The coaching staff has formulated a top-10 defense the prior 3 years, and they deploy a collection of rock-solid defensive talent playing big roles. Certainly, there’s benefit of the doubt the tide will turn, given these factors.
Both critiques and benefits of the doubt are warranted. That reality can be true.
Regardless, the Grizzlies need regression to the mean and defensive adjustments rather quickly to rack up some wins and drag them out of this rut.
Stats found on NBA.com/stats, film found on Synergy Sports.
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