Indiana vs Memphis - 10/13/08

Memphis finally secured their first victory of the pre-season with a big win against the Charlotte Bobcats but now face a more veteran team in the Pacers. The biggest surprise of the pre-season has been the production from PF Hakim Warrick. The 4th year player is averaging 15 ppg (2nd on the team) and 9 boards a night. Team defense has been greatly improved holding teams to a mere 41.9% from the field and only 88 points per game. Rudy Gay is leading the team in scoring at 17 ppg and rookie O J Mayo is third despite shooting only 34.1% from the field.

Indiana enters the game with a little momentum led by T J Ford at the point. The veteran acquired from Toronto over the summer for Jermaine O'Neal is averaging 16.5 ppg and has the speed to stay in front of either point guard the Grizzlies have on the court. Former Tiger Shawne Williams was traded last week and is now in Dallas despite the 3rd yr player averaging 9 ppg and 5 rpg. This leaves Indiana thin at the PF position. with only Jeff Foster, Austin Croshere and Josh McRoberts as legitimate PF's on the team. Newly acquired Jarrett Jack has also proved a spark combining with TJ Ford for a speedy small guard backcourt.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs T J Ford-
Mike Conley has taken a stranglehold on the starting PG position this pre-season with some solid play. He is averaging over 10 ppg, 4 apg and 6.7 rpg while shooting over 50% from the field and an amazing 62% from the arc while only getting 27 mpg. T J Ford is attempting to do the same thing in Indiana with 16.5 ppg, 3.5 apg and 4.0 rpg in only 23.5 mpg. Both players are fast and yet both players are lithe and susceptible to injury. Conley has beefed up somewhat in the off-season to try and contain the injury bug that bothered him last season. Ford hasn't done the same but when healthy he can get past almost anyone. Conley will need to use his speed to keep Ford out of the lane because T J never has developed an outside shot.
Advantage: Indiana

Shooting Guards: O J Mayo vs Marquis Daniels -
Neither player is a pure SG but Daniels has size which Mayo may struggle against. Marquis had better improve his play however since rookie Brandon Rush is breathing down his neck to get into the starting lineup. Daniels was an up and coming star in Dallas before running into trouble and has never fully reached the potential people saw early in his career. Mayo is struggling with his shot like most rookies do but he isn't getting intimidated and still looking to make his mark on the game. That mental toughness should pay rewards as he gets more comfortable with the pace of the NBA game. FT shooting has been a problem so far but he hasn't had trouble in that regard in the past. If he continues to get to the line that should help all aspects of his game.
Advantage: Indiana

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Danny Granger -
This matchup is worth the price of admission all by itself. Granger and Gay are two of the most exciting young SF's in the league and should have great battles for years to come. Neither player is in peak form yet however. Rudy has struggled a bit with his shot (39.1 FG% and 23.1 3 pt%) and hasn't been able to make much of an impact on the boards or in the passing game. He also has more turnovers than blocks or steals. That is great when compared to Granger who is shooting a measley 11.8% from the field so far! Granger is too talented to stay cold for long and adjusting to a new coach and a new system is obviously throwing him off right now but this is only pre-season and both players will catch on soon. This could be the game in fact.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Austin Croshere -
Yes. I know Darko started over Hakim in the last game but I think that was more an attempt to get Darko some playing time than a permanent switch. Hakim has earned the starting role so far and besides, Croshere is a perimeter big man and Hak matches up better defensively against him than Darko. The fact that Croshere is starting should tell you all you need to know about Indiana's weakness at PF. Croshere is a hustle guy ala Brian Cardinal with an even larger contract but he isn't someone a coach feels good about starting. If Hakim can prove he can stay with Croshere on the perimeter he could lock down his starting role for the season.
Advantage: Memphis

Center: Darko Milicic vs Rasho Nesterovic -
Marc Gasol will probably get the becnh seat this time to allow Darko more time to condition himself. Darko is going to have to be in tip top shape this season to earn his large paycheck so there is no reason to not start him at Center against Nesterovic. Darko had a nice game on the boards against Charlotte grabbing 7 in just 31 minutes. Memphis needs more efforts like that from the center position. Rasho came over with T J Ford in the Jermaine O'Neal trade but isn't considered anything more than a caretaker for the Center position as Roy Hibbert gets experience. Hibbert has actually been more impressive than Rasho in the box scores so he may get a surprise start in this game.
Advantage: Memphis

Benches: Indiana vs Memphis
BOth teams are rebuilding this season but Indiana is doing it with a lot of older players than the Grizzlies. Who knows which strategy will be the best in the long run. Right now with Marc Gasol, Quinton Ross, Antoine Walker, Marco Jaric (who could be back for this game) and Kyle Lowry coming off the bench Memphis is a deep and talented team. Indiana has Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack, Greg Foster, Josh McRoberts, Maceo Baston, Roy Hibbert and Stephen Graham which makes for a disjointed group of has beens or never will be types. Larry Bird is definately facing a rebuilding job. The question is how long will it take?
Advantage: Memphis

Memphis at Miami - 4.11.08

Memphis is winning at a clip their fans haven't seen since this time last season. The big difference is that at this point last season Memphis had already sewn up the worst record in the league. This year they are in the middle of the pack for a legitimate chance in the lottery. Not exactly the best time for a team to start winning if strategy is their prime concern. Which leads one to only one conclusion. They are trying to win because they believe that is what they are supposed to do. What a novel attitude for a team in their position.

Miami has taken a more strategic view of this season. Shelving Dwayne Wade to rehab his injuries for next season, allowing Shawn Marion to rest the remainder of the season after an apparently painful slip in the shower and allowing their coach to scout college players at the NCAA tournament instead of actually coaching games is not what you would call a competitive attitude toward winning games. Throw in injuries to former Grizzlies Alexander Johnson and Jason Williams plus Udonis Haslem has made Miami's starting lineup a better trivia question than an NBA team. Seriously, can anyone name thier starting 5?

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Chris Quinn
Mike Conley has played three really nice games in the last six. That is what happens with rookies and especially with rookie PGs. One night he is able to use his speed to get to the rim and really put defenses on their heals opening up jumpers for his teammates. The next night he appears to be sluggish and unsure of what to do with the ball. Chris Quinn has struggled coming off the bench but the 2nd yr guard out of Notre Dame has been much more effective as a starter. Quinn is a better shooter but will be pressed defensively with Conley's speed. With no true shot blocker behind him Quinn won't be able to get a lot of support either.
Advantage: Memphis

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Daequan Cook
Mike Miller was struggling before erupting at Minnesota for a season high 34 points with 8 three pointers. Unfortunately his cold slump returned against Phoenix making it 9 games out of 10 with Miller not reaching 20 pts and 4 out of 6 games that he failed to reach double figures. Something is obviously not right with Mike right now. DeQuan Cook, a teammate of Mike Conley at Ohio St, is not afraid to shoot the ball despite his low shooting percentage (37.1% from the field and 32.1% from the arc). Rookie gunners routinely struggle with their shot in the NBA but against Miller he may have better looks than he is used to getting. It shouldn't help that much however.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Ricky Davis
If their is a bigger nemisis for the Grizzlies than Ricky Davis I don't know who he is. Ricky Davis has made a career of beating the Grizzlies with last second shots including a streak of three straight game winning shots at one point. It may not be a coincidence that this streak ended when Rudy Gay came to town. Since Rudy's arrival Davis has not been nearly as effective. Rudy, who is having a break out season and is in competition for the Most Improved Player award, has been red hot of late and especially effective during the 4th quarter. That is a trait the Grizzlies have been notoriously missing since their arrival in Memphis.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Earl Barron
Hakim has started to struggle of late after an impressive run after the trade of Pau Gasol. In his last 10 games Warrick is averaging 16.4 ppg but only 4.5 rpg. That isn't good enough. Warrick has a big advantage against Barron being able to draw him away from the basket offensively but will struggle with Barron's size on the glass. The former Tiger center is starting simply because Miami has no one else to play right now. The 3rd yr pro is playing only 19 mpg and scoring only 6.4 ppg and grabbing 4.2 rpg, but is playing far better since being inserted into the starting lineup.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Mark Blount
Darko has been an enigma wrapped in a quandry this season. Averaging only 24 mpg this season despite starting 63 games Milicic has excelled against bigger, slower centers but struggled mightily against Centers capable of operating away from the basket. Blount is capable of scoring away from the basket. When motivated Blount is a very capable center but he is rarely motivated which works to Darko's advantage. Not enough however to win the individual battle.
Advantage: Miami

Benches: Memphis vs MiamiIf I thought figuring out who was starting for Miami you can imagine the difficulty in discovering who is really contributing off of their bench. Marcus Banks, the former Grizzlies draft pick, is on his 4th team in his 5th NBA season. Judging from performance (9.5 ppg on 51.2% shooting and 3.0 apg in only 21.6 mpg) you might believe he has finally found a home. The rumors that Coach Riley is most interested in Derick Rose in the draft may mean that is a bit too optomistic. Kasib Powell, Stephane Lasme and Joel Anthony contribute but JWill's return may be the best news for the Heat. Memphis has probably lost Javaris Crittenton for the rest of the year with his sprained wrist but Kyle Lowry, Juan Carlos Navarro and Jason Collins are still contributing and offering some hope for next year.
Advantage: Memphis

Relevant blogs:
Crazy from the Heat
Ira Winderman

Other previews:
Grizzlies.com
USA Today
Hoopsworld
The Sports Network
Commercial Appeal
Grizzlies Message Boards

Memphis vs Phoenix - 4.8.08

Memphis recovered from an off night against Golden St to get their 2nd win of the season at Minnesota on Sunday evening. Led by the resurgent Mike Miller who broke threw the 20 pt barrier for the first time in 9 games, the longest such drought of the season, Memphis pulled away in the 4th quarter to continue their .500 play over the last 12 games of the season. Rudy Gay continues his strong play that has him among the leading candidates for Most Improved Player in the league averaging over 20 ppg for the season. If he continues this pace he will be the 3rd player in Grizzlies history to pass that barrier.

Phoenix lost a tough game to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday to fall 2 games behind the Lakers for the Pacific Division lead. The Suns also dropped to 6th in the Western Conference race despite clinching a playoff birth. Shaquille O'Neal has regained some of the moxie that at one time made him the most feared player in the league averaging 12.6 ppg and 10.6 rpg as a Sun. Grant Hill has returned from injury to give Phoenix another experienced scorer to pair with 2 time MVP Steve Nash. Phoenix still has to take every game seriously despite clinching a playoff spot to prevent a 1st rd match up against one of the elite teams in the West.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Steve Nash
Phoenix has wanted to get 34 yr old Steve Nash more rest during the regular season for a long time. Once again they failed this year as he is averaging 34.6 mpg this season, less than one minute off his career high. Still Nash is a bit more rested this season as the Suns aren't running as hard as they used to do. Hash is still averaging 17.4 ppg and 11.2 apg but that is still below the pace he set the last few years. Mike Conley is young enough to play a lot more minutes but he isn't experienced enough and he has more than just a fill in behind him in Kyle Lowry. Still two heads aren't better than one in this instance.
Advantage: Phoenix

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Raja Bell
Mike busted out of a mini-eight game slump to explode for 34 points against Minnesota. Throw in 10 rebounds and 6 assists and Miller had one of his best games of the year. Raja Bell isn't likely to allow a repeat. The 31 yr old veteran is known as a defensive specialist with a long range shot of his own (39.8%). The difference is Bell has almost no shot inside the arc (41.9%). Miller's shooting is more well-rounded but can he get his shot off against the defensive minded Bell?
Advantage: Phoenix

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Grant Hill
Rudy Gay is having a breakout sophomore season. The 21 yr old has improved in almost every statistical category this year and has been getting better at the end of the year. Grant Hill has been healthy now for two straight seasons after battling numerous injuries previously. Hill is coming back from a slight injury however and isn't 100% right now. Hill hasn't been the force he was earlier in his career but is still a solid veteran who knows how to help his team win. He just doesn't have the skills capable of containing Rudy for a full game anymore to stay with a player like Rudy.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Amare Stoudamire
Stoudamire toiled for his first few years out of position in Phoenix. Finally Phoenix acquired a true center allowing Stoudamire to move to his more natural power forward position. If the last 10 games are any indication he likes the move as he is averaging over 30 ppg during that span. Warrick got his opportunity to play with the trade of Pau Gasol and has made the most of the chance by averaging 16.6 ppg and 7.0 rpg as the starter. Not quite Gasol numbers but not the drop off many expected either. Warrick is very thin for a PG however and Stoudamire might be the most physically intimidating PF in the league.
Advantage: Phoenix

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Shaquille O'Neal
Shaq is no longer the most feared center in the league but he isn't the overweight old man he was in Miami earlier this season either. Shaq has adapted to his diminished role offensively by focusing on rebounding raising his season average almost 3 boards a game since the trade. Darko has been inconsistent all season but his best games have come against the bigger slower centers. Shaq fits that description to a tee. Darko needs to step up again in this game but his play of late doesn't suggest he will.
Advantage: Phoenix

Benches: Memphis vs Phoenix
Phoenix' bench is led by the Brazilian lightning bolt, Leandro Barbosa. Barbosa is 3rd on the team in scoring averaging over 15 ppg and when he is on the court Phoenix can outrun anyone in the league. The Suns have never been big on using bench players, preferring to run their starters longer minutes but age has taken its toll. Boris Diaw, Gordon Giricek and even Brian Skinner have averaged serious minutes this season. Memphis' bench is spearheaded by 3 rookies and a big man. Kyle Lowry is the main spark off the bench but Javaris Crittenton and Juan Carlos Navarro are capable of putting on fireworks shows at any time as well. Unsung here Jason Collins allows the rookies to play more aggressively on the perimeter with his physical interior defense but offers little in the way of offense.
Advantage: Phoenix

INJURY UPDATE: Shaquille O'Neal is out for tonight's game with a bruised leg.

Javaris Crittenton, sprained right thumb, is expected to play tonight.

Relevant Blogs/Commentary:
Born and Raised
Brigth Side of the Sun
The Rising Suns

Memphis vs Golden St - 4.4.08

Memphis just completed their second season sweep of the year and now try to prevent Golden St from sweeping them for the 1st time since the team's inaugural season in Vancouver. The Grizzlies righted their ship too late to make the playoffs and too early to remain at the bottom of the lottery list. Basically the worst of both possible outcomes but with the lottery you never know what will happen so does losing actually accomplish anything but a negative attitude? The Grizzlies are playing .500 ball over the last 10 games with wins over the Lakers, New York twice, Sacramento and Charlotte. Not exactly the cream of the crop outside of LA but still something the team can use to build on.

Golden State has dropped out of the playoffs with back to back losses at San Antonio (116-92) and at Dallas (111-86) and will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days. There may be an emotional drop after being the first team with a record above .500 to lose to Dallas since the Jason Kidd trade. After this game the Warriors head to Conference leading New Orleans so this game has to be considered a must win for the the Warriors if they want to make the playoffs.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Baron Davis
Mike Conley has been having better games lately but still hasn't shown a capability to string them together. In his last four games Conley scored 6, 17, 2 and 18 points. Tonight would be an excellent time to reverse that trend. Baron Davis brings the total package into this game and has been healthy for the entire season. Averaging 22.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 7.6 apg, Baron Davis has become one of the elite PG's in the league. While his shooting can be suspect at times (43.2% from the field, 33.1% from the arc) he is still the player that Golden St turns to for big baskets.
Advantage: Golden St

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Monta Ellis
Mike Miller has been struggling lately scoring the ball with a total of 37 pts combined in the last four games and has failed to break 20 pts in a game since scoring 34 pts at Madison Square Gardens against the Knicks on March 21. That span of 7 games is the longest that Mike has failed to score at least 20 pts since going 7 straight from Dec 21-Jan 4. Monta Ellis is a free agent this summer and playing like he wants a big contract this summer. The Mississippi native is averaging just under 20 ppg (19.9) on 52.9% shooting from the field. Not a great perimeter shooter (25%) Ellis relies on speed and a quick release to get his shot off over taller SGs.
Advantage: Golden St

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Stephen Jackson
Rudy Gay is back on top of his game after struggling with the lead role a bit after the Gasol trade. Rudy has emerged as a candidate for Most Improved Player in the league this year. Rudy is among the top 40 in the league in both 3 pt shots made and dunks. The only other player on both lists is Kobe Bryant. Stephen Jackson has to be one of the stranger team captains in the league. Formerly considered a malcontent in San Antonio, Atlanta and Indiana, Jackson usually guards the toughest opponent and that has had an effect on the notoriously streaky shooters accuracy this season. Barely shooting over 40% from the field (40.7%) he makes it up with clutch long range accuracy (37.6%) and a tough mental attitude. It is strength against strength in this game but Jackson has not been playing well on this road trip.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Al Harrington
It is not for certain that Harrington will start this game but that is the norm for Don Nelson coached teams. Harrington has been a disappointment this season after his strong play last year after the trade with Indiana. Across the board his numbers are down this season. Hakim Warrick has been a major surprise for the Grizzlies since the Gasol trade, nearly replicating Gasol's offensive numbers while spreading team's defenses to cover his better range. His defense has improved mostly by the Grizzlies option to play zone defense more to cover for Hak.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Andris Biedrens
Darko injured his shoulder against the Knicks but is said to be playing tonight against the Warriors. That is important because Biedrins is the Warriors secret weapon. He is quick to loose balls and offensive boards and has enough speed to be a threat on breaks for the lightning fast Warriors. Darko was playing some of the most consistent ball of the season prior to the injury so everyone is hoping it wasn't anything serious.
Advantage: Golden St

Benches: Memphis vs Golden St
Memphis has a 1-2-3 punch off the bench with Lowry, Navarro and Crittenton combining to add pace and athleticism to the bench. When they are shooting well they cause a lot of teams matchup problems. The Warriors counter with size off the bench from the likes of Michael Pietrus, Kelanna Azubuike and Matt Barnes. The retirement of Chris Webber has no effect on the Warriors. Brandon Wright has yet to show the ability to play the NBA game and may be joining Patrick O'Bryant who is a bust as a lottery pick from 3 years ago.
Advantage: Golden St

Relevant Blogs/Commentary:
Golden State Of Mind
The City
Warriors World

Memphis vs New York Knicks - 4.2.08

Memphis slipped back against the Hawks after starting to take some positive steps forward in the preceeding games. Fatigue appeared to be part of the problem although I can't blame that solely for the weak showing against the Hawks. The Grizzlies youth will not make a smooth rise to success but the effort exhibited in the 4th quarter showed the young guns haven't quit on the team, the coach or the city yet. Right now Iavaroni and the Grizzlies are looking for something positive to build on for the future.

New York is taking a different approach to the end of the season. Instead of searching for something positive to build on, the Knicks are clearly looking to lose games to increase their chances of getting something positive in the draft. The Grizzlies took this approach last season when there were clearly two players that could make a big difference on a team. It isn't so clear this season that such a player exists in this draft, at least not along the lines of an Oden or Durant. Only time will tell if David Stern's favorite team has better success in the lottery than the Grizzlies did last season.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Nate Robinson
There aren't many PG's in the league that Conley can look down at but Nate Robinson is one. That isn't to say that Robinson is going to be physically pushed around by Conley. If Kyle Lowry is a middle linebacker among PG's then Nate Robinson is a strong safety. Not as big as a linebacker but still capable of laying out a player not paying attention to him. Robinson struggled against the speed and power of the Grizzlies point guards last time and will probably struggle again since he isn't a good set up PG. If hot Robinson can outshoot either Grizz PG but both Grizz PG's are better at getting the team involved.
Advantage: Memphis

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Jamal Crawford
Miller had one of those games at MSG earlier this season. 12-16 from the floor, 7-11 from the arc, 34 pts, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and Crawford looking like he didn't know what hit him. It may be too much to expect a similiar performance from Mike especially after the lackluster effort exhibited against the Hawks. That has always been Miller's MO, when he is hot he is deadly but when he's not he's invisible. Crawford can be deadly when hot but when he's not then he is terrible which is worse than invisible. It is one thing to realize you are having a bad game and defer to others. It is quite another to not realize you are having a bad game.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Wilson Chandler
Rudy Gay put on a show in the 4th quarter against the Hawks but it was against the Hawks backups predominantly. Then again this entire game will have Rudy up against the Knicks backups and they aren't as good as the Hawks backups. Wilson Chandler has never looked good for New York but he did have a career high the last time these two teams met scoring 17 pts. The last two games Chandler has scored a total of 12 points.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Jared Jeffries
Why is Chandler starting for New York? Oh yeah, the Knicks want more ping pong balls. Hakim hasn't looked as sharp lately under the strain of increased minutes but he should be well rested for this game. Jeffries was supposed to be the missing piece for Isiah when he signed him to a big contract from the Washington Wizards. So far that money hasn't been as poorly spent as Jerome James' contract but it is close. 53 starts over two seasons isn't exactly what Knick fans expected. 3.3 ppg and 3.1 rpg aren't either.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs David Lee
David Lee is the type of player every great team needs. He's a modern day Kurt Rambis. The guy who is there to make everyone else look good and in the process actually puts up great numbers himself. He is all about winning and playing to win. So what is he doing in NYC? Darko has been up and down but mostly up lately. If he can catch a pass and be aggressive to the rim he is very good but Lee isn't a big banging type of center. In fact he isn't a center at all and Darko may struggle with his quickness and range. Defensively Darko doesn't like to fight for position and Lee refuses to allow people to set up the way they want.
Advantage: New York

Benches: Memphis vs New York
Quentin Richardson has been starting some games for New York but as bad as he is been playing it makes no sense to put him on the court at all. Which is why Isiah just might start him anyway. Randolph Morris, Renaldo Balkman, Malik Rose and Fred Jones all make appearances off the bench but like everything with the Knicks the pieces don't fit together well. Memphis' bench has been really playing well together with the three guard offense of Lowry, Navarro and JCritt causing teams fits to control. Jason Collins provides the muscle and occassional inside scoring for the bench.
Advantage: Memphis

Relevant Blogs/Commentary:
Knicks Nation
Father Knickerbocker
KnickerBlogger
Posting and Toasting

Memphis vs Atlanta - 3.31.08

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT
Once again the Grizzlies honor foreign players, both Memphis' and the opponents, with special ticket prices. If you are a citizen of China or Spain you can really get great discounts with a valid passport. Tonight honors Zaza Pachulia of the Hawks. The strange thing is Zaza is from Georgia. Isn't everyone on the Hawks team from Georgia???

Memphis had a near perfect road trip going 1-2 with the only win against the LA Lakers who's pick the Grizzlies own this season. The road trip ended with a loss to the LA Clippers putting the Clippers three games behind the Grizzlies in the lottery race. You can't ask for better than that. The young guns are starting to play the uptempo style that Iavaroni prefers and the team is playing on both sides of the court. Memphis held the Lakers and Kings to under 40% shooting for the game as well as hitting shots above their season average from the field.

Atlanta has finally put some distance between themselves and the pretenders for the 8th and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. No one is sure if that is a good thing or not as the Hawks first round opponent will be the Boston Celtics while the Nets will be 11th in the lottery and could fall lower. Not a great reward for making the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Atlanta is led by Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. Joe Johnson was originally drafted by then Boston GM Chris Wallace and Josh Smith is rumored to be a player that Wallace is interested in this summer in free agency.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Mike Bibby
Mike Conley seems to have gotten over the rookie wall, even if he swears he never hit it, in the last 10 games highlighted by a 17 pt game (and highest scoring game of his career) against the Clippers. Mike Bibby has hurt his thumb again but is still averaging 14.2 ppg and 6.6 apg as a Hawk. Bibby is a far better shooter from the outside than Conley but Mike has the jets Bibby never had and he is getting older. Still Bibby has the reputation with the refs so expect him to get away with murder compared to Conley.
Advantage: Atlanta

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Joe Johnson
Mike Miller must wonder why he ever recovered from his bad back. In the last few games Mike has been matched up against Kevin Martin, Cuttino Mobley, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant and now Joe Johnson. Johnson is possibly them most complete of these players as well averaging 21.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 5.7 apg. Johnson has a sweet long range shot but can drive the ball equally well and when trapped knows how to find the open man. Miller has not been exactly on top of his game lately but against competition like this it is difficult to know if Mike isn't playing well or he is just focusing on other aspects of his game.
Advantage: Atlanta

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Josh Smith
Rudy Gay is one of the most athletic big men in the game, capable of shooting over anyone, hitting the long ball and making exciting in game dunks. Josh Smith might be better than Rudy in all of these areas except long range shooting and Josh is far better defensively than Rudy. Josh, a former slam dunk champion, is averaging 16.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.5 spg and 2.9 bpg. He is a fantasy god in other words hitting every statistical catagory. If there is one draw back it is his 3 pt shooting which he loves to take but can't hit. This match up is worth the price of admission as Rudy averages 19.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.4 spg and 0.9 bpg.
Advantage: Atlanta

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Marvin Williams
Marvin Williams was the undisputed #2 pick in the 2005 draft who many people thought should be drafted ahead of Marvin Bogut. Atlanta needed a point guard but they went with the smart pick so they passed on Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Oops. Hakim Warrick was in that draft as well but fell hard during draft night from a top 10 pick all the way down to 19 and Memphis. As a starter Hak is averaging 17.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg and hitting 54% of his shots. Marvin is averaging 15.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg and shooting 45.8% from the field. Of course Marvin is still 4 yrs younger than Hakim but the parallels of their careers are still interesting to look at.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Al Horford
An interesting match between two of the more intriguing big men in the league. Once again Atltanta passed on their need for a PG in the draft and took Memphis' #1 want in Al Horford. That pick has looked a lot smarter than the Marvin Williams pick. Horford isn't a great NBA scoring big but as a rookie he nearly averages a double-double at 9..9 ppg and 9.7 rpg. Darko, a year older than Horford, has struggled since entering the NBA but has shown a lot of promise at the end of the season averaging 10.0 ppg and 8.8 rpg in March. Horford has a lot more speed than Darko and that has been Milicic's defensive Achilles heal.
Advantage: Atlanta

Benches: Memphis vs Atlanta
Memphis' bench has been the spark plug driving the engine lately. With Kyle Lowry, Javaris Crittenton and Juan Carlos Navarro spearheading the offense and Jason Collins the defense, Memphis' bench has been ramping up the tempo and making it difficult for teams' starters to catch their breaths for long. Atlanta's bench has a 6th man of the year candidate in Josh Childress but little else. Salim Stoudamire is playing better of late but he only averages 5.3 ppg for the season. Former Grizz 10 day contract pickup Jeremy Richardson (he replaced Tarence Kinsey) is trying to stay in the league with his third team this season (Memphis and San Antonio being the others), but so far has not really shown a lot.
Advantage: Memphis

Relevant Blogs/Commentary:
Atlanta Hawks Pre-Game Report
Impending Firestorm
Sekou Smith - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Hawks BasketBlog

Memphis at LA Clippers - 3.29.08

Memphis has their 2nd consecutive game in Los Angeles tonight and have to worry about over-confidence. That sound's strange to say about a team that is 2-19 in their last 21 road game and has won only 3 road games in 2008. That doesn't mean it isn't true however. Memphis got an emotional win against the LA Lakers (sans Pau Gasol) Friday night despite surrendering 53 pts to Kobe Bryant. The Grizzlies were led by Rudy Gay and got a surprisingly strong game from Darko Milicic with 20 pts, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 assists. Of course Chris Kaman is a different player than Ronnie Turiaf and DJ Mbenga.

Los Angeles took it on the chin last night in Utah losing 121-101 to the Jazz. The Clippers have been experimenting with some odd lineups and the results haven't been too impressive, although many people believe the Clippers are achieving just what they are trying to accomplish i.e. losing games to improve their chances in the lottery. This game could have a big impact on who ends up with the most ping pong balls in the hopper. Clippers rookie Al Thornton has had an impressive 2nd half of the season and is now being mentioned as a possible all-rookie team player.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Brevin Knight
Mike Conley has seen his minutes dwindle to an even split with Kyle Lowry over the past month as he has struggled with his consistency. His assist to turnover ratio is a healthy 2.47/1, but his FG% has fluctuated recently, often leaving his defender free to play off of him and concede open looks from the perimeter. Brevin Knight is the consumate coach's player as he always makes smart plays and rarely turns the ball over. His assist to turnover ratio for this season is a phenomenal 4.63/1 and he has 31 more steals than turnovers for the year. His offense is nearly non-existent however, which means that Conley will need to concentrate on shutting down the passing lanes more than preventing Knight from scoring. Knight is a wily veteran, so expect him to confound Conley using every trick in the book.
Advantage: Clippers

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Cuttino Mobley
Mike Miller had been torching opponents through the month of March before slowing down somewhat over the last week. He has compensated for that by picking up more rebounds than usual, grabbing double-digit boards in 5 of the last 8 games. Cat Mobley has struggled with his shot in the midst of the Clippers 10 game losing streak, posting a FG% of .415 while only hitting 4/20 3-pointers in that span. Like Miller, he has contributed in other areas, such as rebounds and steals, but Mobley is first and foremost a scorer. Whichever player gets hot from the perimeter will give his team a decided advantage in this game.
Advantage: Grizzlies

Small Fowards: Rudy Gay vs Corey Maggette
The marquee matchup of the night features each team's top scoring threat. Rudy Gay has been playing at a high level all season as he fights through the transition of being a second-year player to "The Man" for this Grizzlies franchise. He would be better served to put his head down and drive to the basket more as his perimeter shot has been shaky this month (.219 3PT%). He needs more games where his FT attempts outnumber his 3PT attempts -- something that Corey Maggette knows all about as he is currently 4th in the league in FT attempts per game. You cannot blame Maggette for the team's losing streak, as he has posted 24.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.7 apg on .467 FG% during that time. Maggette's relentless aggressiveness will probably be the deciding factor in this matchup unless Rudy can regain his outside shooting form.
Advantage: Clippers

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Josh Powell
Hak continues to put up points in bunches on an array of mid-range jumpers and low-post spin moves. He'll need to concentrate on rebounding and defense in this matchup though, as Powell has proven to be quite effective on the boards as a starter this month, in addition to being a capable scorer. Also, it wouldn't kill Warrick to find an open shooter on occasion, as it has been 6 games since his last assist was recorded.
Advantage: Grizzlies

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Chris Kaman
After a big game by Kaman in the first matchup of the season, Darko did a good job neutralizing the former Central Michigan standout in their second meeting. This will be Kaman's third game back from injury and his second in as many nights, so it will be interesting to see how he handles that. Darko had a great game against the Lakers' depleted frontcourt and he'll need to play at a similar level if Memphis intends to win this one.
Advantage: Clippers

Benches: Memphis vs Los Angeles
The Clippers continue to get solid production from rookie Al Thornton, but veteran Tim Thomas has fallen off considerably in recent games, most likely due to the stomach virus he has been battling. Recent signee Smush Parker has done little of note since joining the Clip Joint. The Grizzlies counter with the dynamic backcourt duo of Kyle Lowry and Juan Carlos Navarro, each of whom have had big games this month and provide great energy off the bench. Jason Collins has also been a great defensive presence in the paint, which has been very important when Darko's shot isn't falling or gets into early foul trouble.
Advantage: Grizzlies

Relevant blogs:
ClipperBlog
Clips Nation

Post Game Thoughts - Lakers

One man can not defeat a team in the NBA.

Apparently he can get damn close however.

Especially if he has 'diplomatic immunity' (thanks to Sean Tuohy for that classic comment about how the referees were protecting Kobe last night).

Kobe Bryant scored the first 12 points of the game for the Lakers. Kobe scored 23 of the Lakers 30 points in the 1st quarter. Kobe had 32 of the Lakers 53 points in the first half. No one else had more than 6 pts at halftime. To put that in perspective Rudy Gay, Mike Miller and Hakim Warrick had a combined 28 pts in the first half.

Then the Grizzlies got serious about defending him, 'holding' Kobe to 21 pts in the 2nd half. Yes Kobe scored 53 points in the game.

But the Grizzlies won the game.

The Grizzlies won a close game!

The Grizzlies won a close game on the road!!!

This game was huge for the Grizzlies draft position...both good and bad. The bad news is that the Grizzlies have now won more games than the Minnesota Timberwolves and are only 1 game ahead of the New York Knicks and two games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers, the Grizzlies opponent tonight.

The good news is that the Lakers loss, remember we have their #1 pick too, moves them behind San Antonio and Houston in the Western Conference and drops the Lakers into 6th place in the league. If the season ends in that manner the Grizzlies will pick 25th in the first round. It also dropped the Lakers to only 1/2 game ahead of the surging Suns for the 24 th pick in the draft. The Lakers are only 1 win ahead of Orlando who is playing in the Eastern Conference.

So Memphis' first pick dropped one place with the win, but it is a lottery after all, and their 2nd pick moved up 2 spots in the draft and that number isn't subject to the lottery.

Of course for those that think the Lakers pick doesn't matter and would rather have a higher first pick then thank Michael Heisley for talking (or at least being rumored to be talking) to Larry Brown.

Darko doesn't want to play for Larry Brown again.

Darko was a fingertip away from a career high in scoring, grabbed 12 rebounds, blocked 4 shots (including one where he was isolated near the three point line against Kobe Bryant) and hit 6-7 free throws. I know that doesn't sound possible but Darko was 6-7 from the free throw line. Heck, he could have been 7-7 if Pete Pranica didn't hex him! (Sorry Pete but it had to be said and you knew it when you said it). Darko also had 3 assists in the game.

Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies in scoring with 28 pts. That includes a questionable no tip from Darko. Did he or didn't he? Only his manicurist knows for sure! That also included a fast break lob pass from Mike Conley where Hak and Rudy had a leaping contest to see who could get it (Rudy beat him by a hair for those keeping track of these things).

The game was won however by defense. For the 2nd night in a row Memphis held an opponent to below 40% from the floor for the game. They held the Lakers to 41-104 shots despite Kobe's 18-37 shooting. What was truly scary was the Lakers 45 three point attempts. Memphis only took 81 shots the whole game and the Lakers took 45 threes! They nearly quadrupled the Grizzlies 3 pt attempts (12). Memphis also blocked 7 shots in the game, had 4 steals and played great defense the entire game. That complete dedication to defense made the difference especially on the Laker starters not named Kobe.

Maybe the Grizzlies should release a rumor that Memphis is talking to Mike Fratello about returning to coach the team. That should motivate Hakim and Rudy!

Grizzlies at Lakers - 3.28.07

Memphis lost at Sacramento to start the road trip. The Overtime loss was encouraging however as the team held tight despite sub-par performances from Mike Miller and Rudy Gay. Unfortunately it seems with every ray of sunshine there comes two more clouds as MitchLawrence reported in the New York Daily News that Marc Iavaroni is set to be replaced as the Grizzlies head coach by none other than Larry Brown, most recently the former coach of the New York Knicks. While no one was attributed to these comments Lawrence did say that it came from several NBA sources. That should be very bad news for Darko Milicic who was buried on the bench in Detroit while Larry Brown was coach. Memphis could do themselves a favor by beating LA since they own LA's pick this year but then again continuing to lose should improve their chances in the lottery.

Los Angeles has somehow managed to remain in the midst of the Western Confernce title race despite losing former Grizz star Pau Gasol to injury since March 14th. Adding insult to injury Coach Phil Jackson admitted in the press yesterday that Andrew Bynum will probably not return from his injury until the playoffs. On top of that Kobe Bryant has an injured pinky finger that will require surgery at some point. Still the Lakers continue to win and with the easiest schedule remaining should win the regular season crown in the Western Conference. The Lakers play 8 of their last 10 games at the Staples Center and the road games are all in California against non-playoff teams.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Derek Fisher
When Derek Fisher came to Memphis he schooled Mike Conley about as bad as a man can be schooled hitting his first 10 shots and finishing with 26 pts. In the rematch Conley has some redemption as Fisher only scored 9 points with 3 assists while Conley had 10 pts and 7 assists. Fisher, a 12 yr NBA veteran, still has some tricks up his sleeve but Conley is a quick student. Conley's shot has caused the greatest concerns. He is still only shooting 41% from the field and below 30% from the arc. This allows smart PG's to lay off Conley, cutting off easy access to the lane while being available to double team others. Fisher is a very smart point guard.
Advantage: Los Angeles

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Kobe Bryant
Mike Miller had a very poor game by his standards against Kevin Martin and now he has to face the elbows of Kobe Bryant again. This matchup got very heated last season when Mike accidently scratched Kobe's face to which Kobe responded by 'accidently' elbowing Mike in the throat. There probably won't be as mucj excitement this time unless you get excited by Kobe scoring a lot of points.
Advantage: Los Angeles

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Lamar Odom
Rudy has been hot and cold lately, as you would expect most 21 yr old players to be when thrust into the lead scoring role on a bad team. Perhaps the weight of carrying the team this season is getting to Rudy's legs as his long range shooting percentage has dropped significantly in the last 10 games (19.6%). He has started to hit some lately however so maybe that had more to do with a sore hamstring than anything more sinister. Lamar Odom has been hot and cold his entire career. The good news is that he was hot in his last game so he is due to be cold again.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Vladimir Radmanovic
Tough match up for both players. Radmanovic prefers to play along the perimeter and use his height to shoot over smaller players. Hakim prefers to play outside the paint but inside the arc and get his shot from outlasting the defender via numerous ball fakes. When Hak is on his game he can sink any shot he attempts. When he isn't you better not throw him the ball because you most likely won't get it back. Vlad has been hot from outside the arc but his lack of movement to create shots allows him to be shut down pretty easily if the defender stays with him.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Ronnie Turiaf
Ronnie Turiaf is a tough forward thrust into the middle with the loss of Gasol, Mihm and Bynum. He is undersized so Darko can shoot over him but he won't give an inch to Darko so Milicic needs to patient looking for his shot. As a starter Turiaf has avereaged double figures but his rebounding is worse than Darko's. Darko has the advantage in this match but you have to wonder what the psycholical effect of the Larry Brown rumors will be on Darko.
Advantage: Los Angeles

Benches: Memphis vs Los Angeles
LA's bench has been shortened the last few weeks. Not from a lack of confidence from their coach but from injuries to the starters. Former bench players Radmanovic and Turiaf leave Jackson with only DJ MBenga coming off the bench as an interior player. The backcourt players are among the best in the league however. Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic have had break out seasons. Fan favorite Luke Walton can be counted on to make smart decisions with the ball and to work hard every night. Memphis' bench has begun to be very effective. Kyle Lowry, former Laker Javaris Crittenton and Juan Carlos Navarro each have picked up scoring slacks at different times and the three players have made th Grizzlies running offense really move. Jason Collins has been the only regular contributor on the frontline as Rudy, Miller and Warrick usually rotate around to fill the backup PF role. Kwame Brown may see some action in this game since he knows the Lakers players so well.
Advantage: Lakers

Relevant Blogs/Commentary:
Forum Blue and Gold
LA Ball Talk
Lakers.com Basketblog

Memphis vs Sacramento - 3.22.08

Memphis got another monkey off it's back Friday night in NYC when Mike Miller, Rudy Gay and Juan Carlos Navarro combined for 75 points and the Grizzlies rolled to a 120-106 victory. Memphis now faces their 4th consecutive lottery bound team having won 2of the previous three games. The only drawback to the win was that it dropped the Grizzlies back into a tie with Minnesota for the 3rd worst record in the league and puts Memphis only 2 games ahead of the Knicks for 5th place.

Sacramento comes to town with revenge on their minds and a .500 record within thier reach. Memphis's defeat of the Kings on February 12th preceeded the Kings trading Mike Bibby to Atlanta and started what is likely to become a house cleaning of their own this summer. Reggie Theus, the Kings rookie head coach, has done an incredible job holding the team together despite numerous injuries and roster moves. To put things in perspective the Kings would be a playoff team in the East instead of 10 games out of the playoffs like they are right now. Sacramento is playing back to back road games after losing in San Antonio last night which may give them dead legs in this game.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Anthony Johnson
Anthony Johnson had solidified the starting PG role in Atlanta until just before the trade deadline. Suddenly he is Sacramento haveing to adjust to a new team and new coaching philosophy. The trade hasn't helped his game yet. His numbers are down across the board and they weren't that impressive to begin with. Beano Udrih's injury has forced AJ back into a starting role and he is playing better from that position. Mike Conley has struggled as well of late which is to be expected from a rookie PG. Teams have adjusted to his game and he has to adjust to those adjustments, probably for the first time in his career. One thing is clear, Mike is understanding he needs to take more outside shots and he has been hitting them of late as well.
Advantage: Memphis

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Kevin Martin
Mike Miller has been playing like a man on fire lately. Apparently Miller is over the mourning period of his good friend Pau Gasol being traded (and Miller not being as well). Against the Knicks Miller scored 24 pts in the 1st half on his way to a season high 34 points. Kevin Martin has been struggling with his outside shot and like most great scorers he has started taking the ball to the hoop to compensate. His 17 FT attempts against the Spurs. What is scary is that those 17 attempts were only his 5th highest attempts in a game this season for Martin. Earlier this month Martin had 24 attempts against Minnesota.
Advantage: Sacramento

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Ron Artest
A classic confrontation of defense vs offense. Ron Artest is one of the best defensive small forwards in the league, and he doesn't have to kick people in the fact either. After a disappointing December, Artest has steadily been improving his offensive play as well averaging over 23 ppg in March. Rudy Gay has struggled with two things lately. First, he has been thrust into the lead scorers role without much in the way of support. Second, he has been trying to overcome a tender hamstring which has limited his explosiveness. With Miller return and the hammy healing Rudy is again showing flashes of the star potential people have suggested he has.
Advantage: Sacramento

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Mikki Moore
Mikki Moore is old, untalented but hard working. Hakim is young, talented and hard working. Unfortunately Hakim is also a lot smaller than Mikki Moore and if Moore decides to use his strength and size down low Warrick will struggle to stop him from doing whatever he wants. Hak's advantage is speed and range, being able to hit shots from up to 20 ft with consistency. Moore isn't an accomplished offensive player and struggles when put in that role.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Brad Miller
Darko once again saw his minutes severely restricted in NYC with the Knicks going small and Darko's left writst still hurting. Darko's up and down minutes have made it somewhat difficult for him to be consistent as have the injuries but Darko has been consistently above average against the better centers in the league. Brad Miller is certainly considered that. Miller's numbers are only slightly off his all star years in Chicago and Sacramento. Miller stretches defensse with his outside shot and sets terrifying picks on small guards. Darko will need to play smart, let people know of picks being set and most importantly, put a body on Miller to keep him off the boards. A tall order for anyone.
Advantage: Sacramento

Benches: Memphis vs Sacramento
Sacramento is going to want to rely on their bench a lot in this game. However, with Beano Udrih questionable, that may not be possible. John Salmons was playing well earlier in the season but his play has dropped off considerably. Quincy Douby, Francisco Garcia and Stephen Hawes are young but have a lot of potential. Memphis' bench is backcourt heavy with Navarro, Lowry and Crittenton providing the fire power and Collins giving his best defensively.
Advantage: Sacramento

Relevant Blogs:
Sactown Royalty - The end-all, be-all of Kings' commentary and analysis.

Memphis at New York - 3.21.08

Memphis let another big lead slip away on the road in Minnesota. That is good news however as once again the Grizzlies are playing the ping pong game instead of preparing for the playoffs. Memphis is experimenting with different lineups, dealing with injuries and basically hoping to somehow avoid being in this position next year by finding the right spot to be in the lottery. The Grizzlies are young

New York hasn't won a playoff game since the Grizzlies were in Vancouver and haven't been in the playoffs since the 2003-04 season. During that time Isiah Thomas has been the team's coach, GM and leading sexual predator yet he was surprised to hear a rumor that James Doolan is thinking about replacing him. Only in New York could someone do as bad a job as Isiah and still have a job. People may accuse the Grizzlies of tanking but looking at the starting lineup in NYC, this won't be one of those times.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson has been one of Isiah's best draft picks since taking over the Knicks. That in itself says a lot more about Isiah's tenure than Nate Robinson who has overcome height difficulties to actually become a decent PG in his 3rd NBA season. In just 26 mpg Nate is averaging 12.7 ppg and 3.0 apg. Conley, more of a passer than a scorer, is averaging 8.6 ppg and 4.2 apg in 25.8 mpg as a rookie. Neither player is exactly turning the league on its ear this season but both are young and should improve. Conley has the greater upside but that won't matter tonight.
Advantage: New York

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Jamal Crawford
Mike Miller continues to put up solid numbers both scoring and rebounding despite the lack of support around him. That's a lot to put on his back and it is doubtful that his back will hold up much longer under the strain. Jamal Crawford is a converted scoring PG who has finally come to realize he is more of a SG and is playing much better. Crawford's not sure what the difference between is between a good shot and a bad but he isn't afraid to shoot himself out of a slump, no matter how long that takes.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Wilson Chandler
Wilson Chandler is a rookie from DePaul and has replaced Quentin Richardson in the starting lineup. That could be from a legitimate injury or from the fact that Q is shooting 35% from the floor and doesn't play defense. Not that Chandler is a great improvement. Rudy has been struggling being the main man on the team as should be expected from a 21 yr old 2nd yr player. Something tells me Rudy is going to enjoy the bright lights of NYC.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs David Lee
Hakim has been a nice surprise since the trade of Gasol but has been struggling to remain in the starting lineup despite his strong play. David Lee has been struggling to get into the starting lineup but will probably stay now that he is there. Lee is an old school player. He has decent range but he is a bruising enforcer more than a finesse player. A superior rebounder Lee's main drawback is a lack of quickness that Hakim may be able to exploit at times but don't think that means Lee is slow because he will often beat his man down to court for powerful dunks.
Advantage: New York

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Zack Randolph
Assuming Darko is healthy enough to play with his left hand/wrist problems, Randolph should have difficulty keeping Darko off the glass and away from the rim. However Randolph brings different problems for Darko. Randolph can play further from the basket than most centers, has the ability to use his wide frame to create space inside and seems to love playing the Grizzlies.
Advantage: New York

Benches: Memphis vs New York
New York has Eddie Curry, Stephon Marbury and Quentin Richardson shelved. That is a lot of talent to not have available. Throw in Jarrett Jeffries, Malik Rose and Jerome James who have not performed as advertised since being acquired and NY is struggling off the bench. Renaldo Balkman, last season's surprise rookie, has not improved his game this season and is looking more and more like a bust with long hair. Memphis' bench has strong play in the back court with Navarro, Crittenton and Lowry but little from the front court. This may mean Navarro is again starting with Warrick coming off the bench, especially with New York not having a lot of size up front.
Advantage: Memphis

Update: Zack Randolph will apparently not be playing tonight against the Grizzlies as Isiah Thomas admits the Knicks are "playing for the future" and looking to see what value Randolph Morris and Winston Chandler have for the future. This is perhaps the earliest season ever where the multiple teams have given up on the year.

Relevant Blogs/Websites:
Father Knickerbocker
Posting and Toasting
KnickerBlogger
Frank Isola- NY Daily News

Memphis at Minnesota - 3.19.08

Memphis is on the road again. Not that the road has been that friendly this season to the Grizz. This game will put a true face on who is tanking games and who is trying to win them. Memphis is currently half a game behind Seattle and tied with Minnesota for the 2nd worst record in the NBA. And people think it is tight at the top of the Western Conference!

Minnesota is actually winning games of late. 4-6 in their last 10 games, the TPups are seemingly starting to grow up but more likely are just getting healthy. The last two years have seen Randy Foye and Rashad McCants battle numerous injuries. Now healthy they are taking advantage of the attention that Al Jefferson draws down low to punish teams from the perimeter.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Randy Foye
This is an interesting match up. Randy Foye is more of a scoring guard than a true point guard like Conley but he is very good scoring the ball against weaker defenders and when he is hot he is close to unstoppable. His 41.6 FG% should tell you that he isn't hot nearly as often as he believes himself to be. Foye tied his career high of 28 points on March 8th however so he is playing well right now. Conley is a set up man who looks to others first. That isn't bad on a team that looks for their own shots first as well. Mike is not as good shooting the ball especially from long range.
Advantage: Minnesota

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Marco Jaric
Mike Miller is still in Memphis but it is anyone's guess if he is happy about this or not. He's having the 2nd best year of his career but without Pau Gasol around the shots have been more difficult of late. His scoring and shooting percentages are both at low marks for the season right now. Jaric is a transplanted PG who can punish teams if they leave him alone but isn't looking to shoot first. His size should help him against Miller but his defense isn't good enough if Mike is feeling like playing hard.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Kirk Snyder
Kirk Snyder was a back up shooting guard in Houston and is now the starting small forward in Minnesota. He should feel good about getting into the lineup but seeing his old team run off 22 straight wins can't feel good. Snyder is undersized to play Rudy and will struggle to get his shot off as well. Rudy is struggling right now but should look at this game as a chance to shine a little.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Ryan Gomes
Both of these PF's are undersized at their position but only Hakim plays like he realizes this. Gomes (a 2nd rd pick of Chris Wallace's) has been working hard to justify his starting role but teams are learning how to play against him. Gomes has struggled to get his shot off inside and doesn't appear to have the range to hit from the outside. This makes it difficult for him to score and his rebounding is sub-par. Hakim has flourished in his starting role and is averaging nearly 17 ppg and over 8 rpg as a starter. The problem with Hakim is the team's defense suffers when he is in the game. He will have to focus on his job.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Al Jefferson
Al Jefferson was a relative unknown a little over a year ago. He is unknown no longer. The second Wallace draft pick traded from the Celtics to the TWolves for Kevin Garnett to start, Jefferson is making Kevin McHale look a lot smarter than some people gave him credit for when he traded KG. Jefferson is averaging over 21 ppg and 11 rpg while being the only threat on the TWolves roster. Jefferson does a lot of damage on the offensive glass as well (2nd in the NBA in offensive rebounds). Darko has been up and down according to the opponent. Darko has done far better against the higher rated big men. It will take a big effort on Darko's part to contain Jefferson. The good news is that Darko seems to also have big games when playing against fellow Serbs and Jaric is from Serbia.
Advantage: Minnesota

Benches: Memphis vs Minnesota
Two teams building for the future through the draft and with young players. Memphis has 5 players 22 or younger who contribute on the team. Minnesota has Corey Brewer and Sebastian Telfair as the only players that young on their team. So why does Minnesota seem to be the younger team? Maybe because the Twolves have 7 players with less than 4 years experience in the league. Of course Memphis has 8 players that fit that bill. The TWolves bench is led by Rashad McCants and his 14.3 ppg. He is deadly from the perimeter. Craig Smith has improved on his rookie campaign but is looking closer to the top of his potential. Corey Brewer is struggling as most rookies do but plays excellent defense and has put up some big games (18 rebounds in a game for example). Whatever happened to Antoine Walker however? Memphis' bench is led by rookie Juan Carlos Navarro and 2nd yr (barely) Kyle Lowry. The front court is a mess off the bench with Collins, Brown and Cardinal looking to help out as much as possible but rarely doing much in that regard. Still two guards are better than one.
Advantage: Memphis

Relevant Blogs/Website Links
T'Wolves Blog
Timberwolves Today
Wolves Watch

Memphis vs. Charlotte - 3.17.08

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Memphis is coming off a close loss to Golden State that showed evidence of the team "getting it" as they reach the home stretch of the regular season. They had active hands on defense, found open players on offense and played with intensity and determination, even when down by double digits late in the game. If they can build upon that throughout the remainder of the season, it would give fans that much more hope for better results next year.

Charlotte gave a valiant effort against the Cleveland LeBrons, but came up a little bit short in the end. That dropped the Bobcats to 3.5 games out of the 8th position in the Eastern Conference. After winning 5 in a row, they have now lost 3 straight and will need to get back on track if they plan on living up to preseason expectations.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs. Raymond Felton
Raymond Felton has improved each season he's been in the league, as his scoring and assists have gone up, while his turnovers have gone down. Mike Conley didn't play exceptionally well against Golden State and saw most of his minutes go to Kyle Lowry as a result. He'll need to be on his toes if he plans on keeping up with Felton, who has been great since the team cut Jeff McInnis with the exception of a sub-par effort against the streaking Rockets.
Advantage: Charlotte

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs. Matt Carroll
Matt Carroll has seen his minutes decrease with the return of Gerald Wallace to the lineup, and his performance has suffered as a result. He has played well against the Grizzlies historically, but that doesn't mean he'll break out of his mini-slump for this one. Miller also has a good history in this series, averaging 20 ppg against Charlotte. When Wallace comes in, expect to see Miller matched up with Jason Richardson fairly often.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs. Jason Richardson
Jason Richardson has been lighting it up since Charlotte brought him in over last summer. The most noticeable improvement has been in his perimeter game, as he is hitting over 40% of his 3-pointers this season. However, he's also prone to disappearing on occasion, posting more than a few sub-15 point games. Rudy Gay is still struggling with a sore left hamstring, which has hindered his production over the last few games. He'll need to be at 100% to battle Richardson and Wallace all night.
Advantage: Charlotte

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs. Emeka Okafor
Okafor turned down a big money extension last summer and hasn't shown much improvement over last season as most of his numbers mirror last year's while his blocks are down almost a block a game. This is one of those matchups that make you cringe as a Grizzlies fan. Okafor is bigger, stronger and tougher than Hakim. Hak has a decided advantage in terms of offensive skillset, but Okafor will probably dominate him in all other areas while limiting Warrick's offensive output.
Advantage: Charlotte

Centers: Darko Milicic vs. Nazr Mohammed
Nazr has seen a decided uptick in his production since coming to Charlotte from Detroit in an early season trade. He was mostly ineffective off the bench in the earlier meeting between these two teams, but perhaps life as a starter will produce different results. It is unknown if Darko will play after missing the Warriors' game with a sore foot. With the frontline of Okafor/Mohammed/Harrington, the Grizzlies will need another big body to throw at them.
Advantage: Memphis

Benches: Memphis vs. Charlotte
Juan Carlos Navarro and Kyle Lowry have been big contributors the last few games. They'll need to duplicate the effort they put forth against Golden State if they want to keep pace with Gerald Wallace and Jared Dudley. Expect Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins and Javaris Crittenton to see playing time as well, while the Bobcats will probably give some minutes to Jermareo Davidson and Othella Harrington.
Advantage: Charlotte

Relevant blogs/websites/links:
Interview with the Enemy: BobcatsPlanet
Bobcats Bonfire
BobcatsPlanet
Queen City Hoops

Memphis at Golden State - 3.15.08

Golden State of Mind wanted our thoughts on the Grizzlies in the post-Gasol era and, as always, we were more than happy to offer them up. Go check out that Q&A for some further insight and analysis.

Memphis is a ship without a rudder, captain or destination at the moment. Many fans simply want this disastrous season to be over with so that they can focus on the hope that the offseason brings to every team looking to rebuild. The Grizzlies are in the midst of a 16 game road losing streak - their longest since they moved from Vancouver.

Golden State has won five straight against the Grizzlies and are on a 4-game home winning streak. They are maintaining their tenuous grasp on the 8th playoff spot, leading the Denver Nuggets by 2 games at the moment. They will need to take advantage of their next three games (Grizzlies, Kings, Clippers), if they plan on making any noise this postseason.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Baron Davis
BD has been on fire in the month of March, averaging 27.4 ppg, 7.6 apg, 4.6 rpg, 1.4 spg on .527 FG% in the last 7 games. He's even chipped in 4 blocks in the last 3 games. Mike Conley, on the other hand, has been facing the typical struggles that all rookie point guards deal with. The scary thing is, his stats are almost exactly what I predicted they would be in the preseason. Of course, all the rest of them were way off, but I'm going to bask in the glow of being right for a little while.
Advantage: Golden State

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Monta Ellis
Monta Ellis has responded to March in much the same way as his backcourt mate. Through 7 games he is averaging 23.1 ppg, 7 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.9 spg on .550 FG%. This smallish SG (only 6'3") is lightning quick and has a great mid-range game to go with his prolific slashing ability. In other words, he's going to shred the Grizzlies' defense once again. Mike Miller has put up less than spectacular numbers in the last three games (all blowouts) and the fact hasn't changed that as #33 goes, so go the Grizzlies. He'll have to put forth a superhuman effort for them to even be competitive in this one.
Advantage: Golden State

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Stephen Jackson
Captain Jack had been playing well prior to Thursday's loss to Phoenix when his shot seemed to leave him. If his perimeter game picks back up, Rudy could be in for a long night on defense. There is some concern that Rudy Gay is less than 100%, given that the Commercial Appeal reported that he pulled his left hamstring against the Suns, which he feels limited his effectiveness against Denver. If that injury is still bothering him, this matchup could get ugly very quickly.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Mickael Pietrus
Now, on most teams Pietrus would be as much of a PF as Shaq is a SG. But by the Bay, anyone can play anywhere, which is why he gets the start here as far as we can ascertain. Pietrus has responded well to the increase in playing time over the last few weeks, which I find interesting given that Nellie didn't want to play him at all early in the season. Of course, Nellie is known for making unusual decisions and leaving people guessing. Hak will do what Hak does: score and rebound. He'll definitely struggle to defend Pietrus though.
Advantage: Golden State

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Andris Biedrins
Biedrins is a classic high-energy player, which is the classic example of what Darko has trouble with. In other words, expect Biedrins to get the best of him in blocks and rebounds, even if he doesn't score much. Darko's main role should be to block out any and everyone he can to prevent the Warriors from collecting easy second chance points.
Advantage: Golden State

Benches: Memphis vs Golden State
Al Harrington has been sent back to the bench (again, for reasons only Don Nelson knows), giving the Warriors another weapon off the bench as he joins Kelenna Azubuike, Brandan Wright and C.J. Watson as the primary scoring threats in reserve. The Grizzlies still don't have much coming off the bench for them, as they counter with Kyle Lowry, Juan Carlos Navarro, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins.
Advantage: Golden State


Relevant blogs/websites:
Golden State of Mind
The City
WarriorsWorld
Ball Don't Lie - Warriors talk about their first cars
Commercial Appeal - Grizz seek talent like (Monta) Ellis
Tom Ziller (The Fanhouse) - Will Monta Ellis Leave Baron's Shadow?

Memphis at Denver - 3.12.08

Memphis was absolutely destroyed for the second outing in a row, as the Phoenix Suns ran them into the ground for a most embarassing loss. The Grizzlies showed all the defensive intensity of a three-toed sloth for the second time in as many games and the run-n-gun Suns didn't display any mercy in racing out to a huge lead and eventual win.

Denver comes off a tough loss against the defending champs Monday night. The Nuggets are currently 2.5 games out of the playoff picture, despite the presence of a former MVP, the reigning Defensive POY and an All-Star by the name of Melo on their roster. That shows you how tough the West truly is this year. They will need to close that gap if Coach George Karl expects to retain his job without a fight this offseason.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Anthony Carter
Anthony Carter was signed as a stop-gap measure backup who was thrust into the starting lineup following Chucky Atkins' string of ailments this season. He has been decent in that role, even as his minutes fluctuate from game to game. Conley bounced back after a succession of disappointing games to post some solid numbers against Phoenix (10 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and he should see significant playing time in this one. Carter's veteran savvy should outweigh Conley's youthful exuberance.

Advantage: Denver

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson paced the Nuggets with 28 points against the Spurs, despite playing with a broken finger on his shooting hand. That's right Grizz fans, AI plays with a broken finger and we couldn't even get one former player out on the floor until "his lift" returned. Mike Miller played poorly against the Suns at the SF spot, but he should be able to take the smaller Iverson down to the post and get a few easy baskets. Of course, the diminutive guard's lightning-quick first step will cause #33 all kinds of problems on the other end, so expect a big night for the Nuggets' leading scorer.

Advantage: Denver

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Carmelo Anthony
The marquee matchup for this game (and quite frankly, probably the only truly interesting part of the game as long as the Grizzlies continue to play like it is still the preseason). Rudy was the lone Grizzly to post good numbers against Phoenix, so hopefully that will carry over to this game. Melo has played well since the All-Star break, even as his team struggles to get over the hump and back into the postseason picture, picking up his rebounding numbers noticeably. I expect Melo to get significant help in defending Rudy, while Rudy will be left on an island most of the time.

Advantage: Denver

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Kenyon Martin
Kenyon Martin has been in the news for the wrong reasons the past few days. It would seem that there have been some questions about him receiving preferential treatment by the local police despite behavior and driving that didn't deserve it. On the court Martin has been inconsistent recently, leaving George Karl to wonder just which player will show up from one night to the next. Warrick, on the other hand, has been fairly steady since being inserted into the starting lineup, which made his move back to the bench last night somewhat surprising. Martin's hustle and intensity could intimidate Hak and throw him off his game, but if he utilizes his exceptional mid-range game, he'll draw Martin away from the basket and away from his comfort zone.

Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby's scoring might be down this season (from 11.2 ppg last year to 9.2 ppg this year), but he's certainly not resting on the laurels of his DPOY award, as his rebounding is up 2.2 rpg (13.9 rpg - 2nd in the NBA) and his blocks are up 0.5 bpg (3.8 bpg - 1st in the NBA) from last year. Darko is coming off a poor shooting (6/15 FG) and rebounding (4 reb) night, which isn't good if you caught a look at Camby's stats above. To further complicate matters, when Camby does shoot, he has no problem stepping out to 18 feet, which will pull Milicic away from the basket on defense, leaving him in poor rebounding position. I expect Camby to double Darko in rebounds and blocks in this one.

Advantage: Denver

Benches: Memphis vs Denver
Denver gets most of their bench scoring from the duo of Linas Kleiza and J.R. Smith, while Eduardo Najera takes care of all the "dirty work". Kleiza was positively on fire earlier this season, but has seen his shooting touch get a little shaky since the onset of a nagging ankle injury last week. Memphis relies on Juan Carlos Navarro for scoring/playmaking, on Kyle Lowry for defensive intensity and a change of pace, and Jason Collins for their own brand of "dirty work". Javaris Crittenton has also seen increased minutes lately, as the coaching staff evaluates the team in preparation for next season.

Advantage: Denver

Enemy Blogs:
Pickaxe and Roll
The Nugg Doctor
Nuggets Hoops