Memphis vs Cleveland on 02/02 by Mike_Jones

Memphis misses key rim protector Steven Adams. Cleveland has the guard play with Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, both of whom enjoy driving to the basket, to exploit Adams' absence. But Cleveland's rim protection is intact. The Cavs are spearheaded in their interior defense by top-ranking rim-protecting duo Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. They will take away the threat that Memphis' rim-attacking poses, while the Grizzlies lack the efficient three-point shooting personnel necessary to hurt Cleveland's occasionally vulnerable perimeter defense. On the other side, Garland and Mitchell are also efficient three-point shooters. Their versatility will make them tougher to guard, whereas Cavalier defenders can easily sag off Ja Morant and rely on Allen and Mobley for additional support.