Live Blog - 10/11 Preseason Game

Game Day!!

As long as I can get the internet streaming to work again, I will host another live blog. I thought the live blog from the first preseason game was well received.

For all of you 8-5 workers out there that can't watch the game live or fans without NBATV, open up Shades of Blue and follow my live blog. I'll do my best to keep you informed of what is happening in the game.

Today the Grizzlies play MMT Estudiantes, who I think beat Unicaja recently. There is still around 3 hours before tipoff. In the mean time, go read Chip's excellent game preview. If you still are looking to kill time before the game, go read Spartacus's NBA positional rankings (PF, SF, SG, PG). And then leave your rankings in the comments. You can also participate in discussion during the game over at the Grizzlies Messageboard game thread.

Hope to see everyone back here at 11:30 am.

10:08 am Update: UGH!!!! Some idiot construction worker cut the phone and internet at work. I walked over to the library on campus where I am now using the wireless connection to get to the internet. In addition, I'm not sure the site I streamed the game on last time will work for today's game. But I have my fingers crossed that it will. If I can't stream the game, obviously there will not be a Live Blog. Come back here at 11:30 and we will see what happens.

11:15 am Update: Sorry everybody, doesn't look like I will get to stream the game over the net. I have 15 minutes to try to track the game stream down...

11:27 Update: We have a Winner!!! Big thanks to bgassassin...Go here to stream...on the left side click on sports, then NBATV...http://freetube.110mb.com/

11:32 Update: Scratch that.....still no streaming available...ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11:36 Update: OK, Monkey Boy came through in the clutch...Go here...Use IE....http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-fox-2.html

Game getting ready to start...here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Remember to keep refreshing this page (F5) to get my new updates...

11:41: Here is the tip...same starting lineup as before....Damon, Mike, Rudy, Stro, and Pau. Pau just talked to the crowd. I have no idea what he said.

11:47: Griz win the tip...Rudy with a 3...miss. Estudiantes brings it down and then some type of offensive foul on Estudiantes. Quick drive by Damon. NICE!!! that is what I want to see from Damon. Memphis 2, Estudiantes 2 after a long 2 by Estudiantes. Damon again penetrates early in the shot clock. NICE!!!! I love it. Miller with a rebound but the outlet pass goes out of bounds. Rudy just got scored on in the post. Damon pushing the ball more than last game. Stro then hammers one and shows the stro sign!!! Miller drains a 3 in transition!!!!!!!! David Stern is in the crowd. Another fast break and Miller gets an easy layup. This game has started really good.

11:55: So far this game has been super easy with the Griz attacking the basket. Miller at the line for the And-1 attempt. After last games 57% from the stripe, I cringe when we are at the line. But Miller sinks it. Memphis 12, Estudiantes 4. Rudy with a great drive and sinks the mid range floater. Damon got picked and his man drives but Stro helped and stiffed the drive. Another Estudiantes miss. Damon with a great pass to Stro. Damon looks 100% better this game than last game. After a Estudiantes basket, Damon pushes the ball (yes!) and then finds Pau on the block for bucket and harm. Griz up 12. Miller takes the charge.

12:00: Miller then drains a 3!!! I must say that so far this game lacks the excitement of the last. Maybe it is b/c this team is worse. Or maybe b/c there isn't very many fans in the crowd. Kyle Lowry checks in!!!! And he quickly finds Darko (who came in for Pau) off a pick and roll. Announcers are now showing their love to our offseason. Gay with another errant outside shot. Lowry pushes off a miss, pulls it back then gives it to Rudy, but he misses a layup. Estudiantes can't hit anything from the outside. Man, the refs have quick whistles today.

12:02: BC comes in!!!! And then clanks a 3. But another quick whistle on something. Navarro comes in. On the court: Lowry, JC, Rudy, BC, and Darko. Rudy bricks another 3. Estudiantes was in a zone. Lowry with a bad pass leads to a fastbreak attempt, but then Lowry goes and blocks the layup with a great make up play after the turnover. What a play...

12:04: Griz allow an offensive rebound (allowed 15 last game) for a layup, but then JC takes it to the hole for a great transition layup. Rudy is then called for a travel on another transition attempt.

12:08: Estudiantes can't buy a bucket from the outside leading to many Griz fast break opportunities. Lowry and BC running the pick and roll up top leading to a reaching foul. Griz already in the bonus. Lowry sinks both. Pressure defense by the Griz. Shot clock in single digits before they can think of shooting. On the other end, Darko sinks a 12 footer.

12:11: TK7 enters the game. Then misses an awkward tansition layup after another long brick by Estudiantes. On the court, Lowry, JC, TK7, BC, and Darko. Griz hold for last shot in the 1st quarter. Darko then gets an offensive foul and then taunts the crowd!!!!!! Hide your mothers and sisters, Darko is on the loose!!!!!!! Griz dominating the 1st quarter, 32-11. Looks like this is the game to get the end of the bench lots of burn.

12:20: Phantom foul on Lowry to start the 2nd quarter. Estudiantes with an offensive rebound but we force a steal. On the court: Lowry, JC, TK7, BC, and Pau. Block called on Kinsey. BC then takes a charge. NICE!!! Pau with a nice flick for a bucket in the lane. Estudiantes finally makes an outside shot. Kinsey helps out on Pau's man and his man makes a layup. Nice back dorr cut by TK7 for a bucket. I think Damon is back in. Damon then pushes after a miss and we get another easy bucket. Estudiantes is far worse than the last Spanish team. Estudiantes bigs are far worse.

12:27: Announcers are now talking about Dwight Howard for some reason. On the court: Damon, JC, TK7, Andre Brown, and Pau. Looks like David Stern is sleeping. NBA: feel the excitement!!!! Lots of whistles this game. Estudiantes makes a long shot. Griz with a turnover. Then another whistle and it is again Griz ball. Iavaroni looks alot calmer this game. Griz up 40 to 20. JC misses 3, then TK7 gets an offensive rebound and Damon misses a 3.

12:33: Conley hasn't played yet. I expect he'll play in the 2nd half. I'd like to see Pau, Mike and Rudy sit the 2nd half of this game to reduce the risk of injury. On the court: Damon, Mike, Rudy, Andre Brown, and Darko. Miller misses 3, but Damon gets the long rebound and sinks the 3. Scratch that, long 2. Darko on the left block and guess what? He goes to his patented lefty baby hook for a score. The intensity of this game is not even close to the first game. We were all spoiled during that game. Lowry back in. Darko with the turnover. Estudiantes strokes a 3. Darko over the back off a Miller missed 3.

12:39: 1st half is coming to a close. Wait, the commercial that says that "nobody has mastered the shot like JJ Reddick" is playing again. Everytime I hear that I chuckle. Memphis up 46 to 29. Griz have played really good. Damon and Lowry are running the point great. Conley hasn't played yet. Estudiantes doesn't have the size or offensive skill to hang with us. Officials are quick on the whistles. Estudiantes is now putting on some full court pressure. Miller is now ice cold from deep. Darko gets fouled going for the loose ball after the miss. The lefty sinks one of the FT's, but Rudy got the rebound. On the court: Lowry, Mike, Rudy, Stro, and Darko.

12:44: Rudy bricks a 3 after great ball movement. Anther ticky-tack calls gives the ball back to Memphis. Lowry finds Darko in the lane for a thunder dunk!!!!! Rudy then shoots another jumper (from the top of the key) and again he bricks it. Miller bricks a 3. Estudiantes has scored more 2nd quarter points than the Griz. Halftime. Memphis 52, Estudiantes 33. I hope the refs swallow their whistles in the 2nd half.

12:59: 2nd half is getting ready to start. I couldn't find the box score on nba.com to give some 1st half stats. We had an awesome 1st quarter but got outscored in the 2nd quarter. Estudiantes couldn't buy a bucket for a while. We forced lots of turnovers and had a lot of fast break opportunities. Damon looks WAY better than the first preseason game. He is pushing the ball and being a threat to score early in the shot clock. Miller and Rudy are cold from the outside. Conley hasn't played yet. TK7, BC, and Andre Brown all got burn in the 1st half. My favorite play of the half started with a Lowry errant pass, but then he recovered and blocked the fast break layup. Miller with 11 points (on a ton of shots). Darko with 10. Stro (yes stro!!!) with 9. 32-18 rebounding advantage. Nice. Estudiantes is shooting 27%. I don't think all of that is due to our defensive pressure.

1:02: 2nd half starters: Conley, Rudy, Mike, Pau and Hak. Hak and Conley with their first appearance of the game.

1:07: Pau with a great look to Hak. I love the prospect of Pau and Hak (or darko/stro) using the high low game due to Pau's court vision. After a Rudy board, a quick outlet pass to Conley leads to a layup. You can tell Iavaroni is stressing the quick (and long) outlet passes. The refs are still calling it tight. Looks like TK7 checks in for Miller. Estudiantes with a long offensive rebound. Pau then with the deflection, but Estudiantes returns the favor on the other end. Rudy fouls going for the steal (did I mention he had 5 steals in the first preseason game). Conley pushes, but nothing. Pau then misses a runner in the lane. Estudiantes is still cold from the outside. Rudy got away with a push off and makes the 15 footer.

1:09: WTF? The shot clock buzzer was super annoying. Rudy makes a 3 after a kick out by Conley. Finally. Estudiantes bricks another 3. Both teams shooting horrible from beyond the arc as both are 3-16.

1:15: Memphis 61, Estudiantes 35. Rudy almost with a nice steal. TK7 then with great defense and forces the turnover. Pau makes a 15 footer. Pau then makes another 15 footer and gets the And-1 this time. I think it is safe to take out the Meal Ticket now. JC checks in to a loud ovation.

1:19: On the court: Conley, JC, Casey, BC, and Pau. Pau with an offensive rebound and Casey makes a 3. 69-42 Memphis after Estudiantes makes a 3. Announcers are again talking about the Celtics and how Danny Ainge is the best executive in the NBA....hahahahahaha...whatever. Now they are talking about Damon being traded to Boston. Lowry checks in for Conley. Pau also comes out (and don't come back in!). BC with a nifty scoop shot. 71-42.

1:21: JC and Lowry are showing some great chemistry in the backcourt together. 73-45 memphis. BC makes a great pass to Darko, but the big guy can't finish. Estudiantes makes a 3. Now a 25 point game.

1:27: Casey makes an outside shot. Lowry gets to line after one of his patented drives. BC with a big block from behind. BC is playing good today (tonight?). Memphis up 80 to 52. Holding for the last shot of the quarter and Lowry is called for an offensive foul. Again, Griz fans be ready to see Lowry get a lot of charges called on him this season.

1:35: I'm slowing down and might have to call it quits before the game is over. The 4th quarter just started. On the court: Lowry, JC, Casey, Brown and Darko. Lowry not playing nearly as well this game. Though I think Lowry has played the most minutes at the point. Iavaroni looks subdued on the bench. Looking to get the ball to Darko in the post. Results first in a foul on Estudiantes then a jump ball. The arena is playing "Jump" during the jumpball, how witty!!! I was 4 when that song was released.

1:37: Memphis 80, Estudiantes 54. Darko almost got dunked on. I think Conley should finish out the game. We are just informed that it is not Mike Conley Jr. He wants to be called Micheal Conley. Estudiantes in a zone, Casey then drains a 3.

1:41: Looking at the stats, the Grizzlies are shooting 88% from the stripe, a nice improvement from the 57% last game. We are killing them on the boards, but mostly b/c Estudiantes was cold as North Dakota most of the game. The bad stat is we have more turnovers than them. Looks like Jefferson just checked in, playing SF (wasn't he a PG in college). JC drains a shot.

1:45: Micheal Conley checks in. JC misses his patented floater in the lane.

1:50: Conley with a 3 on 1 fast break layup off a JC steal. JC comes out to large cheer. Only 6 points this game for JC. Conley with a nice pick/roll pass to Brown for a dunk. Then Conley penetrates and scores.

Alright everyone, I'm done. Griz win big. Pretty easy game from start to finish. I don't even know who to give the game ball too. Damon and Lowry both played good at the point. Mike and Rudy were cold from the outside. Pau, Darko and Stro all played well downlow.

Open practice on Saturday. Minnesota on Monday at home in Memphis. Go Griz!!