Atlanta Hawks vs. Memphis Grizzlies: Matchup to Watch
The Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies meet on Thursday night in a battle of two playoff teams. What is the matchup to watch?
When the Hawks and the Grizzlies meet on Thursday night, there will be several good players on the floor that largely fly under the radar.
Mike Conley, Paul Millsap, Dennis Schroder, Tim Hardaway Jr.
Those are some names of some players that are more than capable of taking over basketball games and leading their team victory. But the matchup to watch in this game is one between two of the more recognized players on the floor.
A showdown between two top-ten centers, Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol, will be the key position battle in this game.
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Gasol has one of the more lethal offensive arsenals of any big man in the NBA. He leads the Grizzlies in scoring, averaging 20.1 points per contest and can score from the inside and out. Gasol’s ability to post up and step out to the three-point line, where he shoots 38%, makes him a major threat to the Hawks.
And in the high post, Gasol is very dangerous because of his passing ability (4.4 assists per game). The vision and decision making of “Big Spain” is top-notch and he is an elite playmaker for a center.
But the biggest hole in Gasol’s game is on the glass, where Howard is most valuable.
Gasol averages just 6.1 rebounds per game, which pales in comparison to Howard’s 12.9 per game. Howard’s ability to create extra possessions for the Hawks, and erase them from the opposition, has made a big impact on the Hawks. Last season, the Hawks were ranked 24th in the league in rebounds per game and are now No. 10.
Howard’s physicality and athleticism are also still among the best in the entire league for the position.
The big man is shooting 64% from the field in his first season with the Hawks, the best mark of his career. He has benefitted from receiving good, easy looks in the paint and has been a good pick-and-roll weapon for the Hawks.
But defensively, could Howard contain Gasol?
Gasol’s range of skills that stretch out to the perimeter could give Howard issues, as it would force him to leave the paint. That would also help the rest of Memphis’ offense. But Howard is not a great defender outside of the paint and Gasol may be the man to exploit that. In the paint, though, Howard has a huge advantage because of his strength.
This battle is a typical clash of styles between an ultra-skilled big man with a finesse skill set and a physical beast that can dominate the paint.
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But which style will win? It is hard to tell but whoever does could secure a victory for their respective team.