It’s time to rise ‘n grind!

Your Atlanta Hawks travel to the Bluff City to grapple with the Memphis Grizzlies (6:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSportSouth in Memphis area).

The Hawks (20-17) haven’t had the greatest of fortune away from the Highlight Factory this year. They’ve gone just 6-12 on the road, worst of any NBA team sporting a winning record. The FedEx Forum has been their comfy confines lately, however. Atlanta is aiming for a victory in this arena for the fourth consecutive time.

There’s no bellyaching around these parts allowed over integral NBA All-Star-caliber centers getting injured. Marc Gasol went down in November with a sprained MCL, just as his Blue Bears were beginning to gain some traction in the wild Western Conference standings. They have tried to make-do with summer free agent pickup Kosta Koufos (14.3 total rebounding percentage, 4^th in NBA), who has been hit-or-miss (44.6 FG%, 8.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG) in Gasol’s place. Ed Davis and Jon Leuer have had to play outside of the PF position to help fill in Gasol’s gap.

To make matters worse, they later suffered a one-two punch of setbacks, with Quincy Pondexter (foot) shuttered for the season in December, followed by defensive heart-and-soul Tony Allen kicking off the New Year with a ligament injury in his non-shooting hand. Rookie Head Coach Dave Joerger rejiggered his starting lineup by upgrading two accomplished veterans, Mike Miller and Tayshaun Prince.

The recent trade of Jerryd Bayless to acquire Courtney Lee from Boston leaves the depth behind peripheral All-Star candidate Mike Conley (career-high 18.0 PPG; 30.5 PPG and 6.0 APG this past week, versus the Spurs and Suns) very shallow. Wayfaring rookie guard Nick Calathes is suddenly under high pressure to perform as a passer (team-leading 7.1 assists per 36 minutes), with few other options for Joerger to turn to. His 6-foot-6 height creates a natural size advantage against virtually everyone aside from Shaun Livingston, but his inability to make shots (37.3 FG%) or defend has resulted in a short leash to this point.

Along with Joerger usurping longtime coach Lionel Hollins, Calathes was integral to Grizzlies management plans to shift this team into one capable of playing at a higher pace, less dependent on rebounding opponents into submission, more dependent on high-wire passing and scoring at expanded range. But that heightened tempo didn’t sit well with Zach Randolph, Conley, and the other Grizzled vets, and it showed in the standings as the 2013 Western Conference Finalists started out an underwhelming 3-5.

Slowing the game down allowed the Grizzlies (16-19) to rattle off four straight victories before Gasol got hurt, and they’re sticking with that plan (90.0 possessions per 48 minutes, lowest pace in NBA) so long as their other mainstays are on this roster.

To get restabilized after going 3-10 with Gasol out, Memphis improved their depth at the forward spots with Hawks preseason castoff James Johnson (8.3 PPG through 12 appearances, 15 points against the Spurs on Tuesday). Johnson has been able to spread the floor for interior players, and his butt-kicking energy has been so infectious that the Commercial Appeal was reportedly advised Johnson “would have to show up to work with a crack pipe” to avoid having his contract renewed for the rest of the season.

Now freed from his perpetual doghouse in Boston, Lee’s addition is hoped to diversify the Grizzlies offense. Even with the shoe-shedding Miller (43.6 3FG%, 8^th in NBA) in tow, Memphis has ranked dead-last in three-pointers taken and made. Unless Miller, Conley and Lee are heating up on the outside, Memphis can help their own cause by banging inside with Z-Bo (17.2 PPG, 10.3 RPG, and 2.7 APG, all highest in 3 seasons) and Davis (17 rebounds vs. Phoenix on Friday), getting more threes the old-fashioned way. Their 20.9 free throw attempts per 48 minutes are only slightly more than the Hawks’ 20.8, and ranks 23^rd in the league.

Conley (2.0 TO/game) is a ball-control artist and made All-Defensive Second Team in 2013, both of which spell trouble for Jeff Teague, who is striving to break out of an extended shooting funk (2-for-12 and 7 points against Houston) and needing to create turnovers to get his team going in transition. Teague produced 10+ assists in six of his first nine games, something he has produced just four times since and in none of the eight games since the Hawks lost Al Horford. Shelvin Mack and Lou Williams may have better luck against Memphis' limited array of backcourt reserves.

The injury to Allen has made defense tough sledding for the Grit ‘n Grind gang, who gave up 98 and 99 points in regulation of their past two games. There should be options along the perimeter for Kyle Korver (18.5 PPG and 63.2 FG% versus Indiana and Houston) and limited help coming for Z-Bo to fend off a hopefully resurgent Paul Millsap. Elton Brand and Mike Scott will be needed to help with the offensive rebounding against the imposing Randolph and Koufos, helping to avoid the one-and-done opposing offensive play the Grizzlies are accustomed to.

Go Hawks!

~lw3