2010-2011 Game Preview #71: Bulls vs Memphis Grizzlies

[Thanks to right_field_sucks (a.k.a. Zach of SBNation Chicago) for today's game preview. Gametime 7pm on CSNChicago -ed.]

One of the hardest parts about being a Chicago sports fan is that we are atrocious at dealing with success. Save for the unbridled glee of the MJ era, which had consequences of its own, when a Chicago team is doing well I cover my ears to avoid hearing the thunk of the other shoe.

I mention this only because the Bulls are coming off of their finest back-to-back victories in recent history, whooping the Hawks and Kings for a combined total of 73 points. Enter the Memphis Grizzlies, who are on a three-game winning streak and defeated the Boston Celtics (thanks!) in Boston on Wednesday night. Call me a pessimist if you must, but in the myopic view of a single game, the oh-crap-o-meter is rising.

The Grizzlies are too good to consider it as such, otherwise this game could easily labeled as the dreaded trap game. The Bulls are playing at home, where they are now 31-4, have won nine of ten games and have played two of their best games of the season in succession. With the Celtics' loss, they are now one game up in the loss column for first place in the East and have a relatively easy finishing schedule. When you add in this week's avalanche of media love (Kelly Dwyer's Rose-will-be-MVP piece, Henry Abbott calling the Bulls the team to beat in the East and TBJ's Thibs lives to coach post), it could be easy for Chicago to have a let-down against what is currently one of the league's hungriest teams. They are grizzlies after all.

The Griz are two games ahead of the Rockets for 8th place in the Western Conference and are playing arguably their best basketball of the season. Yes, Rudy Gay is out for the year, but with Tony Allen stepping into his starting role and Shane Battier filling in off the bench, Memphis is actually playing better without their max-contract player. Although to be fair, Gay's highlight of the year is also one of the best Youtube clips of the season (NSFW language):

Zach Randolph is the Grizzlies most valuable player, even if he does look like a ninja turtle. I'll let you decide which one, as I've already cast my 12-sided die of nerdiness. Hard to imagine, but Z-Bo is chronically underrated at this point in his career. He is averaging 12.5 rebounds per game, good for third in the NBA, and has 49 double-doubles this season. It never hurts to have an NBA player during a contract year.

Since acquiring Randolph, the Griz have been the only NBA team to average at least 50 points in the paint over the last two seasons. No other squad is within four points of that mark. The Grizzlies have outscored their opponents in the paint in 19 consecutive games, the longest streak since the turn of the century.

WIth Tony Allen and Mike Conley leading the way, the Grizz are also tops in the league in forced turnovers (16.7) and steals (9.42) while ranking second in points off turnovers (19.3). Derrick Rose is going to need to take care of the ball tonight.

Where the Griz are vulnerable is on the perimeter: They struggle shooting and defending the three-pointer (averaging 3.7 3PM versus 7.3 against). Any team that loses twice to the Knicks in the span of a week might not match up well outside of the paint.

Matchups To Watch

- Luol Deng vs. Tony Allen - Similar in terms of defense and glue guy-iness, Deng is certainly a superior player. But with Allen on a hot streak and Luol dealing with a thigh bruise (which will probably never heal while he is playing 48,000 minutes a night), this matchup is actually pretty even and could tilt the balance of this contest.

- Bench Mobs - Taj Gibson and C.J. Watson are both nursing foot injuries, which begs the question of why the hell were they playing late in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, but the Bulls second unit has as much to do with this team's success as anything. The Griz are one of the few teams that can match up well however, with O.J. Mayo, Darrell Arthur and Shane Battier leading one of the league's most watchable and effective second units.

And since I'm sure I've come off as a gloom-and-doomer, let's leave on a positive note:

The last time he faced the Grizzlies, Rose notched his first career triple-double with 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds and the Bulls ran away in the second half at the FedEx Center. In the same game, Kyle Korver broke out of his scoring slump to hit a contract-validating six three-pointers. Through the prism of a single game, yes, the Bulls have a chance for a let down, but just like you I watch every game with shrieks of childlike glee. This is too much fun not to enjoy every second of, and if you find yourself losing perspective, just close your eyes and say Eddie Robinson three times fast.