Live Blog - 10/9 Preseason Game

If I am able to stream the game over the net while at work, I will try to have a live blog going during the game. Check back here after 1pm.

12:55: I think I have this thing streaming right...right now is some NBA story narrated by Ahmad Rashad about Loul Deng....I have my fingers crossed....

Go Griz!

1:02.: Here we go! Starting lineups after this commercial. Streaming over the net rules.

1:05: Looks like the starters are Damon, Mike, Rudy, Pau and Stromile. Stro is the surprise starter.

1:10: Looks like the teams are exchanging gifts. ????

1:11: Navarro is addressing the crowd. I have no idea what he is saying.

1:15: Here comes the tip. Griz get the ball. Gasol gets a pick on the baseline, then misses a hook in the lane. Unicaja scores. Gasol answers. Unicaja misses oop. Great drive by Mike. Rudy from DEEP...brick.

1:17: Nobody can make a shot from deep. Damon gets the to the lane and gets fouled. But still when he drove, the shot clock was at 8 and that was the first threat to score in that possession. We have to be a threat to score earlier in the shot clock. Unicaja scores and then Damon answers with a quick drive (good!).

1:20: Great long outlet by Swift. Swift with the heady play, write that down. Griz up 9 to 6. Mike with a nice kick out 3, assist by Pau. 12 to 6. Horrible decision by Rudy on the fast break. Ugh!

1:25: Are we in Memphis? I just saw an Iverson jersey. Shot of Kenny Smith in the crowd. Hak and Darko are in. Darko misses his patented lefty baby hook. Conley is in too. What a pass by Darko for the Rudy Gay dunk. Wow!!!! Followed by a great steal by Rudy, leading to a Hak dunk. Love the defense.

1:28: In comes Navarro to a standing ovation. Conley just showed how he is able to get the ball down the court and into the offense very fast. Ended up with a Hak fadeway. Followed by a Conley to Rudy alley-oop. Our hands are very active on defense, leading to some great fastbreak opportunities.

1:35: Does Darko have any other move than go to the block and use that turnaround lefty baby hook? Jacobsen in, I'm assuming for Rudy. I love how fast Conley gets the ball down the court. Haislip just took Hak to the rack.

1:37: Haislip with a nifty steal and open court dunk. Whoever in bounded the ball messed up. Conley holds for the last shot, leading to a Hak airball. Griz looked good for a while, but sloppy play let Unicaja close the gap.

1:43: Damon, Pau, and Rudy back in. Goaltending by either Rudy or Pau. Tie game at 21. Strong drive by Rudy. That is what we need more of. Clear out for Rudy and he shoots a freaking jumper. Drive, Rudy, drive!!! I think Rudy is playing the PF right now. Pau just got school on the block. Then someone gets school on the give and go. I think it is time to put Lowry in.

1:46: Damon, Navarro, Mike, Rudy, and Pau are on the court right now. Navarro is making great entry passes to Pau. Lots of zip and right on the mark. Another deflection leads to another Rudy dunk!!!!! 29-28 Memphis. Phantom foul called on Navarro. The announcers are calling him "JC". Is that what we should be calling him?

1:51: The Meal Ticket with great position in the post and scores. Then Santiago takes it right back at Pau. Brick by Damon. JC with the brick. Another made shot by Santiago in the lane. Him and Haislip must have most of their points. JC out. Who's in? Looks like Damon, Mike, Casey, Rudy and Pau are on the court. Where is Kinsey and Lowry? Rudy with a stupid foul on a deep 3.

1:57: What a day to spend an afternoon at work. The NBA is back...finally. Conley back in. conley, Mike, Casey, Stro and Darko on the court. Conley with one of those crazy underhand flips on a drive. Darko just steamrolled someone. He looked like a fullback. Griz losing. By 8. check that. By 11. Conley with a dumb turnover, but Mike makes a great play in transistion. What is wrong with our defense? Looks like we are allowing penetration, then after we help, they make the outside shot.

2:00: I like the Unicaja player with the full beard. Or is there more than 1 with a full beard? Either way, more white guys need to sport the full beard. It immediately adds a layer of toughness. Griz down by 10. Darko showing he can guard Santiago better than Pau.

2:05: On the court, Conley, JC, Mike, Darko, and Swift. They just ran the play that I outlined in the Blue/White Scrimmage Recap. It led to a Conley jumper. Next possession, Conley shows off his fast first step. Rudy in for Swift (that was fast) then Rudy pushes off. WOW!!!!!! What a block by Rudy Gay!!!!!! Then Swift comes right back in for Rudy. Swift must have needed a quick lesson. Maybe they wrote the instructions on the back of his hand.

2:12: Spoke too soon. Santiago schools Darko too. Griz down. Pau back in for Darko. JC with his patented runner in the lane. NICE! Then he turns around and gets drove on and commits a foul. Why are the announcers talking about the Suns and Spurs? Great alley-oop from Conley to Stro!!!!!!!!!!!!! At halftime, Griz down by 5, 47 to 42. I think a little Kyle Lowry and TK7 combination is needed to get the lead back in the good guys favor.

2:27: Mike and Pau segment at halftime. Good stuff. Pau and Rudy lead the team with 8 points a piece. Miller coming thru with 6 boards and Conley has 3 assists. We are shooting 46%, Unicaja with 42%, both teams are shooting under 20% from beyond the arc.

2:34: 2nd half starters are Damon, Mike, Rudy, Pau and Swift. Pau just got muscled down low. Rudy's jumpers just don't look smooth. Another drive by Unicaja. I'm ready to see TK7 and Lowry come into the game. Stro forcing his way to the line. Gotta love that. The annoucners just said that Stro hasn't yet found what makes him good yet. I think that comment speaks for itself. Another great give and go by Unicaja, leading to an And-1. Griz are shown scratching their heads on the sideline. Then we have a stupid turnover and allow another offensive rebound. Who's the NBA team again? 12 point lead for Unicaja. UGH!!!!!!!! Take a timeout coach. Haislip just takes Stro to the rack and the other post player follows up with a emphatic dunk. Not looking good for the Griz. How about Lowry and TK7, coach?

2:40: Looks like Lowry is in!!!!!!!!!!! And the Griz might be in a zone. Miller strokes a 3. Back to man. Miller fouls trying to guard Haislip in the post. Miller then misses from wayyyyy deep. Unicaja banks in a 3. 15 point lead for Unicaja. Rudy bricks a 3. Iavaroni is not happy. Memphis fans are not happy. Rudy with the steal and takes a fall when getting fouled.

2:44: Lowry with full court pressure. Then Lowry (with some help from Rudy) makes a great play on breaking up an oop. On the court, Lowry, Mike, Casey, Hak, and Pau. Good pressure D forces a turnover. Lowry pushes the ball, but gets blocked. Hak gets scored on. 14 point lead for Unicaja.

2:48: Mike with another board after good post defense by Pau. Hak bricks a FT shot. Hello, Mark Price. JC in for Mike. Lowry, JC, Casey, Hak and Pau on the court. Unicaja with some great interior passing. Then Lowry comes down and penetrates allowing Hak to get to the foul line again. Our interior defense has been pathetic this game. Navarro just got backdoored. Lowry again forces his way to the rim immediately and goes to the line. Lowry is our best PG right now. Sorry, did I just say that out loud?

2:51: Lowry with a great full court pass to Hak. Iavaroni talking to Darko on the bench, hopefully prepping him on some interior defense.

2:55: Kyle forces jump ball. His defense is great. Then wins the tip. Pau gets lucky and doesn't get called for a charge. On the court: Lowry, JC, Casey, Pau and Hak. Now the announcers are talking about the Celtics Screw Boston.

3:00: Kyle drives again, but gets the charge. That is going to happen alot this year. Kyle with great defense again and forces a moving pick. Kyle again drives to the rim, but misses the layup. JC with a huge 3. Assist Lowry. The announcers are realizing that the key to the game is Kyle Lowry. Everytime he plays, we always say the same thing. He just turn games around in our favor. On court: Kyle, JC, Casey, Pau and Darko. Darko with a nice give and go with Casey. Announcers are speculating that we will trade Damon. Someon looks hurt...it is JC. Memphis within 4. Darko brings us to within 2. Nice deflection by JC. I prefer to type JC instead of Navarro. Kyle is waiting for the last shot. JC nails a 3. Memphis is now up by 1. All hail Kyle Lowry and JC Navarro.

3:02: There is this stupid commerical that keeps saying that "Nobody shoots the ball better than JJ Redick." Really? Nobody?

3:06: That 3rd quarter just showed why Kyle Lowry will force his way to the court when the game really matters. Darko misses another shot. Unicaja nails a 3 to take the lead. Pau got clobbered on a attempted oop by Darko. JC nails another 3!!!!!!!!!!! Pau blocks a 3 and then gets the open court dunk. Miller comes in for Casey. Where is TK7? A phantom call on Dako. Man, this game is flying by. In comes Hak for Pau.

3:08: Turnover, Griz ball. JC with another 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Memphis up by 5. Lowry catches a weird shot by Darko and finds Hak for dunk. Darko is out of control. I think he just whacked a Unicaja player. Hide the mothers and sisters, Darko is loose!!!!!!!!

3:13: On the court: Kyle, JC, Mike, Stro, and Hak. Unicaja in a zone. Miller misses 3. Hak misses the putback. Great double team by Lowry forces a turnover that leads to a Miller fast break layup. JC just missed Lowry for an easy layup and then Stromile gets called for a worthless moving screen. Unicaja with another 3. Hak got stuffed. Unicaja then nails another 3 and Hak fouls him setting up the potential 4 point play. Take Hak out, please.

3:16: JC misses a runner. Tied at 82. JC with a 3 after a great find by Lowry. Pau is at the scorers table. Santiago with another strong effort in the post. Can we sign that guy? Pau in for Hak. The crowd is chanting. Something. JC with another 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think Conley came in for Lowry. Rudy just had a spectacular dunk in the open court after a great pass by JC.

3:22: Navarro with a runner. Saying he is on fire is an understatement. Griz up 9. Unicaja brings it down to 7. Pau fouls Haislip on the drive and isn't happy about it. I think he has a point after the replay. Iavaroni does not look pleased with the Memphis hustle. I think that has something to do with our hustle man being on teh bench. JC finally misses. Off Rudy, Unicaja balls.

3:25: Rudy forces a bad shot. Griz up 4. 2 minutes to play. JC blocked. Unicaja with another 3. Time to take Conley out and put Lowry back in I think. Timeout. Game on the line. Let's go Griz!

3:30: Lowry back in (yes!). Pau with a clutch basket. Assist from Miller. Lowry forces an airball, but it turns into an accidental alley-oop. Memphis up 1. 1 minute left. Lowry got fouled. He doesn't like the foul. The announcers just said that NBA refs are consistent. What? JC with the ball. to Pau. Pau misses the layup. Memphis up 1. Unicaja takes the lead. Memphsi calls timeout. Uh-oh!!!!

3:32: Lowry misses layup. Pau looks hurt. Unicaja with a fast break point and up 3. Ok, Pau is alright. Memphis down 3, doesn't look good.

3:35: Will we go for 2 or 3? Looks like Lowry is in bounding the ball. I say get it to JC. Lowry, JC, Mike, Rudy, and Pau on the court. Miller gets fouled. Looks like we went for 2.

3:37: Miller misses both. Way to go Mark Price! Looks like game is essentially over. Hats off to Unicaja. Unicaja misses the first free throw. We need them to miss this one. They make it. 4 point game. Timeout Memphis.

3:39: JC with an offensive foul. That seals the game. Thanks for coming over and reading the Live Blog.

3:41: Ok, Mike just nailed a 3, but Memphis is still down by 3. Wow!!! We got a turnover. Unicaja will foul. Miller looks shaken up on the hard foul. Miller actually makes the first free throw. Miller makes the 2nd accidentally. Memphis down 1. Lowry with the foul. Only 1 or 2 seconds left. Officially 2.4 seconds left. Memphis now down 2. We need some Dallas Cowboys like magic. Memphis down 3. Miller misses a long 3 for the tie. We lose...ugh!!!

Game ball goes to Juan Carlos Navarro (with Kyle Lowry runner-up)

Update: David Friedman has some analysis and commentary on the game on 20 Second Timeout.

Update II: Dime Mag has some analysis and commentary on the game, titled "Go Hard or Go Home".

Update III: Chris Herrington also posted his take.