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The Grizzlies not only went 18-11 with Tillman as the starting C last season, a huge percentage of those games were played without Ja Morant as well. Throughout most the second half of the season the Grizzlies started Tyus Jones and Xavier Tillman. They have experience in playing without Adams in the lineup.

I believe that Steven Adams is both a big loss for the Grizzlies yet a loss that has been overblown, and that's in part because Adams' effectiveness was unlikely to be at his usual standard with his knee injury. A PCL injury is difficult to play on because it affects your ability to bend and spring on your knee. This is the kind of injury that takes a long time to both heal from and really return to play at your best from and Adams is 30 now with a lot of miles on the tires.

Xavier Tillman is a much different player to Steven Adams. He's clearly much smaller. Not the enforcer Adams is and definitely not the rebounder. He's a solid passer but not the facilitator Adams is. What he does bring that Adams doesn't to the same degree is an ability to run the floor in transition and be a source of transition dunks. He runs hard in transition and is a pretty stout athlete. Nobody is Stevo as a screener but Tillman is a very good screen setter himself. He isn't a great perimeter shooter but he isn't incapable from the outside...and he is pretty good at ducking in to the basket from the perimeter and creating easy baskets that way.

Tillman slides his feet well on the perimeter and can hold his own against wings. He's legitimately switchy and he gives the Grizzlies a starting 5 along with new addition Marcus Smart and returning-to-health Ziaire Williams a starting 5 that will be able to switch 1-5. They'll be a pretty athletic starting 5, and they'll be a pretty versatile starting 5. Marcus Smart is a great post player and great post playmaker and that's something I think could be utilized well with Tillman's off ball activity and his strong finishing ability.

Tillman isn't a great paint defender because of his size...he gives up a pretty high % at the rim. But his perimeter switchiness does make up for that a fair bit and he grades out as a positive defender overall. He's physical and does it without fouling.

I don't think the Grizzlies of course are a better team without a 100% Steven Adams. They're not. Who knew one poor judgement to dive for a ball in de-facto garbage time would end up this way. There is a real likelihood we have seen the end of Steven Adams' prime. Xavier Tillman can't provide everything Adams did but he's a good player who will add his own wrinkles to the Grizzlies. This year they're bigger on the perimeter than they were last season without him which should aid their perimeter defense and their rebounding. Rebounding is absolutely the biggest concern for the Grizzlies but I think their starting 5 with Tillman is still poised to be elite defensively, gonna be a fast paced team that could drown many of their opponents, and I feel confident about they remaining a good team this year and in the first 25 without Ja.

Do you all feel the same way? Tell me what you think.