May 6, 2015
Five thoughts on Donovan, Conley and more
As the second round of the playoffs heat up, TSN basketball analyst Jack Armstrong weighs in with five quick thoughts, focusing on broadcaster Ernie Johnson, the hiring of Billy Donovan, and the play of Mike Conley, Demarre Carroll, and the Grizzlies defence.
FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS
1. ERNIE JOHNSON: Beautiful moment when he presented his Emmy Award to the late Stuart Scott's daughters. Class guy. Not the least bit surprised by his gesture. A true pro who does an awesome job hosting for Turner Television.
2. BILLY DONOVAN (Thunder): I have no doubt that he'll do a terrific job for them. Known him a long time. He's a bright, progressive and dedicated coach who will make the transition to the pro game in smooth fashion. I look at the job Brad Stevens has done in Boston and I see a similarity in style and a willingness to keep growing as a coach. Obviously, he's got a loaded roster and that always helps but I have confidence that he'll be a nice addition to their organization.
3. MIKE CONLEY (Grizzlies): Loved how he played on Tuesday night vs. the Warriors. Nice to see him back. He's a really talented and smart player who has a great command of what he's supposed to do as a lead guard. To get 22 points and three assists while shooting 8-12 is impressive considering how banged up he is. What a difference when you have a true leader in charge. Very underrated player.
4. DEMARRE CARROLL (Hawks): The fifth wheel in their starting lineup and the one who gets the least amount of notoriety is a sound overall player. He competes defensively and has a nose for the ball on the glass while playing a smart and disciplined offensive style of play. In Game 2 vs. the Wizards, he was his usual consistent self producing 22 points, six rebounds and four assists while shooting an efficient 9-16 from the field. Every team needs that 'Glue Guy' that keeps it all together. He's it.
5. GRIZZLIES DEFENCE: As great as it was to have Conley back, another factor that really helped Memphis on the road in Game 2 was the fact that they built an early lead and controlled the pace and personality of the game effectively all evening. The defence was outstanding, holding the explosive Warriors to 90 points on 42 per cent shooting and holding them to 23 per cent from distance. In addition, they forced 20 turnovers. Wonderful road performance by a team that has to make you play ugly to win. They did it. Can they do it three more times? I doubt it. Warriors are deeper, more talented and are overall better at both sides of the ball.