The Grizzlies go in and out of funks when turnovers come a lot easier for them than baskets.
They gave the ball away 14 times in Saturday's loss at Portland, not bad but not great, either. They've had some games when the turnovers came in bunches for one player, like center Marc Gasol's seven turnovers in a recent game at New Orleans. "It's about making the right play at the right time," Gasol said. "We don't see the floor like we should. We're not that good yet. We have to keep it basic. We'll figure it out. We know everybody can score. We have great scorers and shooters. We need to concentrate on making plays."
But that concentration wanes, especially late in a long season when a losing team is simply playing out the string.
"A lot of turnovers come from fatigue with guys not finishing plays and thinking them through," point guard Mike Conley said. "On some turnovers, it's just us not being careful with the ball. When you're getting stops and then you come down and turn it over, it's tough to keep a clear mind."
Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said taking care of the ball is pretty basic stuff.
"If I drive in the lane and a defender doesn't come, I've got to take the shot," Hollins said. "I can't pass to a guy who is half-open. And I can't go into a crowd with everybody slapping at the ball."
TRAIL BLAZERS 86, GRIZZLIES 66: A night after ending a string of 20 consecutive losses in Sacramento to the Kings, the Grizzlies returned to normal on Saturday in Portland. Not only did they score their lowest point total of the year, but it matched the second lowest in their mostly pathetic history. What did in Memphis was a season-low 11 points in the third quarter, with the Grizzlies typically losing focus, hindering ball movement and leading to too much individualism.
