Sure, and that's all Danny Green and Gary Neal were, yet they were damned impressive in that system when they started or came in. Lee, Pointdexter and Carter are all very good role players. Obviously Memphis's strength is in their front court with their star bigs surrounded by defensive minded spot up 3 point shooters and a star pg in the PnR. You disagree that they can go far in the playoffs with that, and that's cool. I have no stake in it.
The issue isn't whether or not Lee, Pointdexter and Carter can equal the output of Green, Belinelli, Joseph etc etc.
Spurs: Parker, Ginobili, Leonard - top 3 perimeter scorers who all are capable of creating their own shot
Grizzlies: Conley, Lee, Allen - top 3 perimeter scorers where only ONE can create their own shot
Where the Spurs have
stars in their main guard/wing roles - who can can create offense for themselves and the rest of the team - the Grizzlies have TWO role players that occupy those same roles. I don't doubt that Grizzlies could beat 80-90% of the teams in the West (in a series) on a good day, but the fact is, it isn't sustainable for an entire postseason run - where you have teams that have adequate front court production (in comparison to Memphis) but have 100000000x more offensive power in the backcourt/wings. The margin they have over teams with Z-Bo/Gasol simply isn't enough to make up for what they lack against offensive juggernauts who are more perimeter-orientated than they are.
Which is why I don't understand why you'd even suggest that their need for another
creator is overstated.
Well, I'd say Memphis's chances of playoff success are on Gasol Conley and Zbo coming through.
Which simply isn't enough. Conley isn't that type of dude.
Each team has there own reasons, some of them like OKC's arguably haven't been fixed.
I'd actually argue that they have been fixed. This is the strongest and deepest squad that KD/Westbrook have been apart of. The have the shooters, they have the defense (both inside and outside), they have a 6th man and sufficient frontcourt scoring and as much as it pains me to say - Brooks' coaching has improved.
Others, like GS may have been just due to injury or coaching philosophy.. we'll see. Also a lot of credit goes to the Spurs for coming through even when they weren't the most talented or youthful. And saying that its overstated (as if they still can't or haven't gone deep in the playoffs) isn't the same as saying having one wouldn't be nice.
Let's face it if Westbrook didn't get injured in 12/13, Memphis would have lost in the second round, which would have totaled - two first round exits and a second round exit in three seasons.
A healthy OKC team doesn't necessarily need a great back to the basket scorer or 3rd all star to beat GS or Mavs (like they had with Harden) but i'm sure it'd be nice if they did.
Of course they don't, but don't go thinking that Memphis situation is comparative to OKC's. Both Westbrook and Durant are unquestionably top 5 players - Z-Bo and Gasol aren't. That's the difference.
I'm pretty sure Conley and Gasol are near their primes. And Memphis has already shown they can compete with OKC. I think they have enough to go far in the playoffs or take a GS or Mavs to 7 games (in whatever round they meet). End of the day, i'm just lookin forward to watchin all the matchups in the west. And hopefully Houston, OKC and some of the other teams get their shyt together health and chemistry wise before it's all said and done.
Conley maybe near his prime but he isn't a STAR player, he's a 2nd-tier player.... and at the end of the day, it won't be enough.
and have the top half lookin a little 
