In the last few seasons, the NBA has shifted the landscape toward a faster-paced offense around the league with teams fully adopting that approach.
However, Memphis Grizzlies big man Marc Gasol recently voiced to Ronald Tillery of USA TODAY Network that the team will speed up their offensive approach but doesn't envision it getting up too quick of a tempo.
“My definition of playing is the ball not being held or pounded on the ground for a really long time. It’s making decisions faster,” Gasol said. “I don’t think it’s just running and gunning and taking quick shots. You just want to get into your offense a little faster than we have in the past.
“We were so confident in the things we were doing on both ends that we knew if we got a stop we were pretty confident that we would score. And (if we didn't) score we were pretty confident we’d get a stop. Things have changed scheme-wise. There’s nothing left from those days. It’s a completely different game and style. It’s going to take a little time to adjust and be efficient at it.”
With Gasol in the frontcourt, the Grizzlies have been one of the few teams that haven't fully embraced the uptempo offensive scheme that almost entirely the rest of the NBA has taken up. In fact, the organization has built a strong reputation for being one of the top defensive-minded teams in the league that would favor slowing the game down.
Memphis has constructed a team that has had success with that game plan behind their star players of Gasol and Mike Conley leading the charge. However, what may have switched the approach a bit for them is that there was a notable step back the last two seasons seeing them narrowly make the playoffs as the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
Given that the Grizzlies will be fielding a roster that no longer has the presence of veterans Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, it could lead to much change offensively this upcoming season.
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