C’s tough defense gives Memphis some “blues”

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Just over five minutes into Q2 (6:53), Memphis wing Dillon Brooks smoothly drilled a deep trey to give his team a 42-35 edge in a game that had already seen four lead changes and half-a-dozen ties. It was the Grizzlies’ fifth consecutive converted possession … there would be but one more (right!) before halftime. (Memphis would not again convert back-to-back possessions until the 2:20 mark of Q3, by which point they were trailing by 30!)

Worthy of note, perhaps, is that at the first stoppage in play (6:09) after that Brooks’ Q2 three-pointer, Marcus Smart entered the game and would be replaced just over a minute before intermission. Memphis went scoreless during that five-minute stretch, a run of empty possessions that would reach 13.

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Stat of the Game: For Q2 & Q3 combined, the C’s more than doubled the “Grislies” in conversions, 33-16.



Boston 119

FG: C’s – 45-89, .506
3FG: C’s – 14-32, .438
FT: C’s – 15-20, .750 [9 conversions]
TS%: C’s – .608
OR: C’s – 9 + 1 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
DR: C’s – 35 + 4 (team) [minus 1 FT rebounds]
TO: C’s – 9 + 2 (team)
Poss: C’s – 99 {45 “Empty”}
PPP: C’s – 1.202
CV%: C’s – 54 / 99, .545
Stripes: C’s – 9 [4.5 conversions]
Adjusted CV%: C’s – 58.5 / 99, .591 {expected production, 117 points}


Memphis 95

FG: Mem – 36-85, .424
3FG: Mem – 11-32, .344
FT: Mem – 12-15, .800 [7 conversions]
TS%: Mem – .519
OR: Mem – 5 + 7 (team) [minus 1 FT rebound]
DR: Mem – 35 + 2 (team) [minus 3 FT rebounds]
TO: Mem – 16 + 3 (team)
Poss: Mem – 99 {56 “Empty”}
PPP: Mem – 0.960
CV%: Mem – 43 / 99, .434
Stripes: Mem – 8 [4 conversions]
Adjusted CV%: Mem – 47 / 99, .475 {expected production, 94 points}


Note re Calculation & Notation:

The number of “possessions” is an accurate count, not a formula-based estimated value. For purposes of clarity, the bracketed digit following the FT% is the exact count of “conversions” represented by those FTA’s.

“Possessions” calculation: FGA’s + FT conversions + TO’s – OR’s (including Team OR’s) – FT OR’s

“Conversions” calculation: FG’s + FT conversions

“Stripes” calculation: 3FG’s – missed FTA’s

TS% = True Shooting Percentage

PPP = Points per Possession

CV% = Conversion Percentage



Abacus Revelation for the Road

Oddibe Young Again, McDowell

Had to love the intermittent “Alphonse & Gaston” comedy routine regarding Coach Heinsohn’s eyeglasses provided by Tommy and Mike Gorman.

It started with TH’s support of a late Q1 shooting foul against young Memphis stud Jaren Jackson in which Gordon Hayward seemed to have initiated contact a bit unnaturally (shall we say) … Gorman kidded him by revealing a desire to – just once – see a ballgame through those spectacles.

Tommy learned his craft well, the early portions of that education occurring at the side of the legendary Johnny Most – certainly where he got those glasses, huh?