Memphis Grizzlies Playoff Run Depends On This Star

• When the NBA season resumes, center Jonas Valanciunas will be critical to the Memphis Grizzlies securing a playoff spot and make a surprising run.

• Valanciunas is an old-school center who has flown under the radar this season, despite averaging a double-double.

• Compared to the other members of the Memphis frontcourt, Valanciunas brings something different to the table. He has skills that complement what forwards Jaren Jackson and Brandon Clarke can do.

• Despite being an interior player, Valanciunas is just enough of a shooting threat from the perimeter to force teams to respect his ability, which helps create opportunities for other players.

• The Grizzlies are -143 to hold onto the 8-seed in the Western Conference, per DraftKings.

A Traditional Big Man

There aren’t many centers in the NBA nowadays that possess the same kind of skillset as Jonas Valanciunas. While other big men float more toward the perimeter, Valanciunas is typically going to hang around the paint. He’s a fierce rebounder and a consistent scorer, averaging 14.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per game this season. There are only a handful of centers in the league that can claim to average comparable numbers. Memphis has one of them, giving them a leg up over a lot of their competitors when it comes to winning the rebounding battle and scoring garbage points inside.

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Making Life Easier On Teammates

To overcome not having as much talent as the elite teams in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies need to have versatile and unique players. Valanciunas is a great example of that. Forwards like Jaren Jackson and Brandon Clarke are a little quicker and more suited to play on the perimeter. However, Valanciunas is one of the few big men who feels most comfortable in the paint. He gives Memphis a dimension that they don’t get from any other player. More importantly, it’s a dimension that not every team will be able to match in the NBA playoffs.

A Minor Threat

More than ever before, Valanciunas has made a concerted effort this season to become a threat from three-point range. When the season shut down, he was just one made three-pointer away from tying his career-high and was shooting 36.7 percent from deep. While it’s not the biggest strength of his game, it makes his inside scoring and rebounding talents all the more valuable for the Grizzlies. It’s also a great example of how Valanciunas’ skillset is more versatile and well-rounded than most other NBA big men. He has quietly become a critical part of the Grizzlies success and will be a major key to them reaching the postseason.

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