24-year old shooting guard O.J. Mayo is a flat out better basketball player than Tony Allen is and he should be starting.  Mayo has played in 18 games (0 starts) for the Grizzlies so far this year and he is averaging 25.1 minutes, 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.  Mayo is also shooting 42.2% from three point range (27 of 64), as he is bringing big time firepower off the bench.  They have tried to trade him a few times, but they would be better off just playing him more as he is a darn good basketball player.

30-year old SG/SF Tony Allen is doing a decent job for the Grizzlies so far this year.  Allen has played in 9 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies so far this year and he is averaging 21.9 minutes, 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game.  The Grizzlies need Allen to keep up the good work as they are off to a very slow start to the 2011-12 season.

The Grizzlies need 26-year old center Marc Gasol to step up due to the injury to Zach Randolph, and he has been doing exactly that.  Gasol has played in 6 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies so far this year and he is averaging 34.8 minutes, 12.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocked shots per game.  He is shooting 54.9% from the floor with most of his shots coming in close to the basket.  They are going to need Gasol to keep providing a lot of muscle in the paint until Zach Randolph returns to action and he’s more than capable of doing exactly that.

29-year old power forward Zach Randolph was outstanding for the Grizzlies last year.  He played in 75 games (74 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 36.3 minutes, 20.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game as he shot 50.3% from the floor.  Randolph is already 8th in Grizzlies’ history witih 1,864 rebounds despite last year being only his second with the team.  Randolph has now played in 662 games (534 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 31.7 minutes, 17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.  Randolph seems to be getting better with age and the Grizzlies are going to continue to benefit from that.

57-year old head coach Lionel Hollins did a great job last year for the Grizzlies.  He led them to a 46-36 (56.1%) record during the regular season and a 7-6 (53.8%) record during the playoffs.  He led the Grizzlies to their first ever series win when they defeated the Spurs, which was very impressive.  Hollins is now 117-150 (42.8%) during the regular season in his first five years as the Grizzlies’ head coach.  He is also 7-6 (53.8%) in the post-season.  The Grizzlies are a team on the rise and Hollins appears to be the right guy for the job in leading them to where they want to go.

Mike Conley has really been a big key in the playoffs for the Grizzlies.  He has really stepped up defensively in the second round of the playoffs as Russell Westbrook is only shooting 38.5% from the floor for the Thunder in the second round.  Conley has played in 3 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies against the Thunder and he is averaging 42.3 minutes, 19.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.  He is shooting 53.5% from the floor (23 for 43) so far in this series as he is outplaying Westbrook.  Conley has now played in 9 games (all starts) in the playoffs so far and he is averaging 39.7 minutes, 15.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

29-year old SG/SF Tony Allen is on fire right now for the Grizzlies.  In his last five games, Allen is averaging 32.4 minutes, 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  He is also shooting 63.3% from the floor in those games which has given the Grizzlies’ offense a nice boost.  Allen has now played in 69 games (28 starts) for the Grizzlies so far this year and he is averaging 20.3 minutes, 9.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  The Grizzlies wouldn’t be where they are right now without Allen, who has really stepped up for them this year.

22-year old forward Darrell Arthur had a nice February for the Grizzlies.  He played in 12 games in February and he averaged 20.1 minutes, 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game while shooting 51.9% from the floor.  Arthur has now played in 58 games (7 starts) for the Grizzlies so far this year and he is averaging 18.6 minutes, 8.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  Arthur has played so good this season that the Grizzlies now have confidence that he will be starting for them some time down the road.

29-year old power forward Zach Randolph has been outstanding in January for the Memphis Grizzlies.  He has played in 14 games so far this month and he is averaging 37.5 minutes, 23.1 points, 14.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  Randolph has now played in 42 games (41 starts) so far this year and he is averaging 36.7 minutes, 20.0 points, 13.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists  per game.  Whispers are starting to swirl around Memphis that Zach Randolph has his eyes on playing in a big market in the near future.  The Grizzlies might look to trade Randolph next month but count me in as a person saying that would be a big mistake.  I think the Grizzlies have a legit shot at making the playoffs with the team they currently have.  If anything, the Grizzlies should be looking to add instead of subtract.

28-year old Tony Allen is the latest Grizzlies’ player to get a shot to start at shooting guard over O.J. Mayo.  In Allen’s last five games, he is averaging 26.6 minutes, 11.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 3.2 steals and 1.o blocked shot per game.  Allen has now played in 33 games (6 starts) for the Grizzlies this year and he is averaging 14.6 minutes, 5.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.5 steals per game.  I think the Grizzlies are making a big mistake by not starting O.J. Mayo, but, Tony Allen is a much better choice to do so than rookie Xavier Henry.