Grizzlies Summer League coach Erik Schmidt breaks down the identity behind Memphis's 111-74 win over the Thunder and Cameron Boozer's debut.
Grizzlies summer league head coach Erik Schmidt wasn't especially interested in dwelling on the final score after a 37-point win. The Memphis Grizzlies won 111-74 over Oklahoma City in the Salt Lake City Summer League on July 4, in a game that marked No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer's debut, with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 24 minutes. Schmidt cared more about their playing style than the result.
"The goal of Summer League for us is that, by the end of this, everyone is playing with our identity," Schmidt told Grind City Media. "We want to play fast, we want to have high-quality interactions, and we want to outwork the opponent. For us, this was about setting the tone for the next two weeks."
Memphis racked up 33 assists on 38 field goals in 40 minutes, including four from Boozer. Schmidt said the passing figures showed more than just a willingness to share the ball.
"It's a combination of guys being in the right place, guys having the vision to make the right play, and then you've got to knock shots down, too," Schmidt said. "You have to be connected and move as a unit to create those good looks, and our guys did a really good job of that."
Much of that structure is due to the Grizzlies' returning young players, a group Schmidt noted had set the standard prior to the rookies' arrival. Olivier-Maxence Prosper added 17 points, while Taylor Hendricks scored 15.
"They've been in Memphis for over the last month working, and they've already established the standard," Schmidt said. "When our rookies and the new guys came in, those veterans showed them how we want to play. They understand our style, and they started the game by setting the tone with our defensive pressure, our pace, and the way we shared the ball."
During his debut, Boozer showed flashes of brilliance, even playing through contact against 7-foot-3 Thunder center Aday Mara, then scored from midrange and beyond the arc. Schmidt's main worry after the victory was that this aspect of his identity diminished as the game progressed.
"As some of our rotations got longer and guys spent extended time on the floor, fatigue started to show," Schmidt said. "We weren't applying as much pressure defensively, we weren't arriving to the ball the way we want to, and some of our pick-and-roll coverages slipped."
Memphis aims to improve on film before facing the Utah Jazz on Monday, July 6, at 8 p.m. CT. Karim López (mild left hamstring strain) and Walter Clayton Jr. (mild right knee sprain) sat out Saturday's opener and are day-to-day. Boozer will face No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson.
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