Here's the next installment of our team-by-team season preview series on the Memphis Grizzlies.

2014-15 Record: 55-27

Notable Acquisitions: Brandon Wright (FA), Matt Barnes (Trade)

Notable Departures: Kosta Koufos, Nick Calathes

Temperature Check:

With a number of key contributors -- Mike Conley, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, etc -- set to enter free agency after this year, this could be be something of a last hurrah for the Grit-&-Grind Grizzlies. Outside of a few small additions, this Memphis team is largely the same as the one that bowed out against Golden State in the second round. The Grizzlies are hoping that this is the year their incredibly successful core can use this continuity to break through their playoff glass ceiling and into the Finals.

Inside the Playbook:

Though more and more of the offense has filtered through Mike Conley as this Grizzlies team has evolved, their signature offensive style has always been connection between Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph in the frontcourt. These two players have turned big-to-big passing into an artform.

Whether it’s connecting off a roll to the rim, an unexpected baseline cut or a quick duck-in against an unsuspecting defender, Gasol and Randolph have developed a sixth sense on the floor together. Nowhere is that connection more noticeable than in one of the oldest staples in any basketball playbook: the high-low.

The high-low pass is the solution to the defensive strategy of trying to ‘front’ a post player -- or basically deny him an easy entry pass to the low block on the wing. Obviously with Randolph, especially in his heyday, the idea of stopping him by simply fronting him seems like a no-lose situation. But with Gasol being incredibly sharp and a gifted passer, he can turn this strategy on its head.

Any time Gasol sees a defender doing this…

...to Randolph, it’s like a high-low Bat signal, triggering him to move into space and deliver a pass to his frontcourt mate.

No matter how many times other teams have seen it, there just simply isn’t a good way to stop this high-low pass. And this type of connection between their two big men is a big reason why Memphis has had such an extended run of success.

Lineup to Watch:

Brandan Wright-Jeff Green-Matt Barnes-Courtney Lee-Mike Conley

Given the section above, this lineup seems like a strange fit in Memphis’ “Lineup to Watch” category. But that’s precisely why it’s here.

This lineup is really the inverse of defending Gasol and Randolph. Instead of two, huge, ground-bound bullies in the frontcourt, the Grizzlies would have a more modern look. Wright is one of the league’s five best and most explosive pick-and-roll finishers while Green makes for a very solid, smallball 4. Throw in some shooting from Barnes and Lee and some heady playmaking from the annually underrated Conley, and this lineup has some real offensive potential.

It also might have increased value because it’s such a contrasting look to, well, pretty much every normal Grizzlies frontcourt lineup the past few seasons. During the regular season, and perhaps even the playoffs as well, having two distinct styles puts more stress on the opponent's preparation. Not only do they have to go over defending two different approaches, but they need to be on constant alert when it comes to having personal capable of defending both a smaller, sleeker group and a bruising duo.

The Wildcard:

Matt Barnes

Part of the reason Memphis has never quite been able to breakthrough to a Finals is because of a lack of shooting around Conley and their two bigs. Whether it’s been a lack of emphasis or poor personnel decisions (or both), Grizzlies wing men have always seemed to lack the outside threat they need to truly put this team over the top.

Barnes is the latest in a long line of players to be added to the Memphis wing rotation. The problem is, the fiery veteran hasn’t ever really proved to be reliable year-in and year-out from deep. Over the course of his career, Barnes has settled in at 33.6 percent from 3-point territory -- a number that includes five seasons where he was either a percentage point below or above league average. Sandwiched in between those seasons is a handful of years where Barnes shot 33 percent or worse.

For Memphis to finally breakthrough in a loaded West, they will need Barnes to either maintain or improve upon his performance from deep last season. If Barnes has a special year, where he sets a career high in 3-point percentage on a decent volume of attempts from beyond the arc, the Grizzlies will likely be right in the thick of things this postseason. But if Barnes sees a deep in his accuracy, it could mean yet another Memphis season undone by a lack of shooting around their star trio.

Coach’s Question:

Will Dave Joerger break up the Marc Gasol-Zach Randolph duo more than normal this season?

With the league trending smaller and Randolph getting older, it seems as though this year would be the one that Memphis finally tries to get away from the Gasol-Randolph pairing for the majority of the games. But there’s something to the idea Memphis trying zig while everyone else in the league is zagging.

For the Grizzlies to do that, however, Randolph (and Gasol too) needs to be really, really good on offense to make up for matchups that force him to guard players on the perimeter. If the veteran Memphis power forward can torment smaller opponents on the glass or in the post enough to make things a net positive, it could tempt Joerger into riding this duo for heavy minutes no matter who the other team trots out there.

But if the Gasol-Randolph duo fails to hold it’s own against smaller lineups, we could maybe see something of a wholesale shift from Memphis, where speed and mobility, not size and strength becomes the norm for their frontcourt.

Best Case Scenario:

50-32 If…

Gasol stays healthy and Randolph’s production doesn’t succumb to age. Barnes proves to be a capable outside threat, creating a nice, stable wing rotation with enough shooting to keep opponents honest. Conley continues to add to his game and finds himself getting mentioned in MVP discussions.

Worst Case Scenario:

45-37 If....

The Memphis frontcourt duo no longer can overpower opponents on a nightly basis. Barnes struggles with his shot, leaving the team with precious little shooting to open up the floor. Gasol misses extended time due to an injury and Brandan Wright is unable to shoulder a starter’s share of minutes.

Click here for a full list of NBA Season Previews from Brett Koremenos.