Postgame: Grizzlies 97, Rockets 101

by Joshua Coleman

Due to some other things happening in my life over the last couple of weeks, I was unable to attend the other home preseason games, making this the first time that I had seen the home team live since the Open Practice. And what a sight it was!

Waiting outside prior to the Forum opening up, Chip and I chatted with some of the other fans. Then Chip turns and says, "Is that Artest?" Sure enough, there was Crazy Pills himself walking up to us, NY Mets hat atop his head and gametime sneakers in hand. After some small talk, he admitted that he just didn't feel like walking to the other side of the building where the players usually entered, so he decided to go through the main entrance. He was very polite and even a little shy.

We were selected to be MVP's for the night, which meant that we got some free t-shirts, watched warmups from the baseline and then stood in the line when starting lineups were announced, so we were able to slap hands and exchange fist bumps with the starters. (Relevant side note: Marc Gasol has ridiculously large hands.) Talk about a warm welcome to the season beginning. Prior to all of that, we got to watch shootaround, which was much more organized than we had previously realized. Antoine Walker was going through shooting drills with two assistant coaches until he was drenched in sweat. It was fairly impressive. On to the game!

The Good
Marc Gasol - The big Spaniard impressed me at Open Practice, has made believers out of his teammates through training camp and preseason, and did enough to raise quite a few eyebrows tonight. He was active and aggressive in his 19 minutes of play, including a sequence where he exchanged elbows with Joey Dorsey and Carl Landry on successive possessions, which failed to draw a whistle from the officials. The more I see him, the more comfortable I feel about him manning the pivot for this squad.

O.J. Mayo - The much-heralded rookie was the epitome of confidence. He never tried to do too much or force the issue, but had no problem whatsoever taking a few difficult shots with defenders in his face, including one fadeaway from the baseline that appeared to defy gravity as he hung in the air for what seemed like forever. On the occasions that he got the ball out front on the break, he either outran his opponents to the basket or found the open man for the easy bucket. He hasn't played like a rookie in the past two contests, which is very encouraging.

Darrell Arthur - I must admit that my expectations were fairly low for D.A., but he really had a quality performance tonight. He displayed a silky smooth touch on his jumper that just seemed too soft to belong to a PF. He also made several hustle plays, sticking his long arms into passing lanes and making deflections all night long. If he keeps this up, Hakim Warrick might be even more expendable than I had previously thought.

Darko Milicic - The Dark One played sparingly, registering just over 20 minutes, but was very effective while he was in the game. He was a solid defensive presence, but also showed some offensive abilities that hadn't been witnessed since early last season, registering 12 points on 4/5 shooting. He also had the game's highest +/- rating at +14.

The Bad
Kyle Lowry - I don't know if it was the teammates he had on the floor with him, since he played with the bench players most of his 20 minutes, but Lowry was unable to set up anyone for an easy shot all night. His offense was simply off, as his shot wouldn't fall, leading to a 1 for 8 effort from the floor. He just didn't look good at all tonight.

Hakim Warrick - Hak tallied 10 points tonight, but 8 of those came from the free throw line, mostly when he barreled into his defender and got the bailout call from the refs. He also allowed Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry to get easy offensive rebounds on multiple occasions by refusing to fight for position. It was a disappointing effort to witness.

Javaris Crittenton - After seeing Chip's post today, I was hoping that Critt would read it and become inspired. Ok, maybe not really, but I was hoping to see something noteworthy from the young guard tonight. Instead, he was largely invisible, other than one play where he juked two Rockets defenders with a ball fake before banking in the easy layup. That's not a good sign for a young player who needs playing time to improve upon his deficiencies.

The Ugly
Perimeter Defense - The Grizzlies allowed the Rockets to make 18 of their 29 three-point attempts tonight. That's 62.1%, which is simply inexcusable.

Whoever was supposed to be guarding Von Wafer - To piggyback onto the last point, the player responsible for allowing Wafer's 23 point explosion (8/13 FG, 7/9 3PT) needs to be put in Kevin O'Neill's secret dungeon beneath the Forum for the next week. As Chip said tonight, "I thought that Von Wafer was a type of cookie".

Brent Barry's facial hair - Seriously, that growth on his face needs to be surgically removed. It is just hideous.

Luis Scola/Ron Artest - They were pathetic tonight. Now that I survived meeting Artest, I can say that in print.

Overall Thoughts
I saw enough from the probable starters to be excited about what the future holds, although I still believe that they will be maddeningly inconsistent this year as they experience their share of growing pains. Conley and Mayo are both mature beyond their years, Rudy has enough swagger and confidence for two guys, and the Gasol/Milicic frontcourt pairing looks like it could work this season. I have lots of questions about the bench, but I'm not going to base everything on just one very entertaining preseason game.

Grizzlies/Pacers Postgame Thoughts

Well, tonight was my first in-person experience with the Grizzlies so far this season.

Parking garage, enter the game, see the same ticket check attendant (a super nice and very cool lady, by the way) from last season at the entrance to my section.

Ahhhhhh....basketball season.

The Grizz started with Darko/Marc G./RU-DEE/OJ/Conley. Pretty good lineup to start. Shot 67% for about the first seven or so minutes....the Grizz ended Q1 shooting around 38%. Thanks, bench. I'm going to preemptively apologize to Dr. Zack...but Lowry just stunk up the joint running the offense for several stretches tonight. It wasn't just what he did or didn't do, it was that no one seemed to anticipate teammates' positions or be able to get HQ shots while Kyle was running the offense. He was much better in the second half (when, by the way, he played with many of the same guys with whom he played in the first half), but Conley does seem to have a better cohesive effect on the offense. When Lowry came in, IIRC, it was 18-10 Grizz; at the end of Q1, it was 23-21 Pacers. On the plus side, all five Grizz starters scored in the first five minutes, with Rudy actually being the last of them to score. Three turns in the first 2.5 minutes, but only six the rest of the first half, and only four in the second half.

Now, on to the important part. This Mayo character. Saw him put his arm on Kyle's shoulder when Ivy said something Kyle didn't like (which seems to happen quite a bit.......), saw him do the same to Marc G. when he fumbled one. He's very, very unafraid to lead, and as much as Rudy and Conley are expected to lead the team...Mayo is going to move into that role as much as a rookie can.

AND SOMEONE NEEDED TO POUR SOME WATER ON OJ! HE WAS ON FIRE!!!!!!!

Nothing we won't see again, but goodness gracious, he was sure of himself. He had the green light and knew it, and it was awesome to watch. 10-17, 6-8 for three. Couple dumb mistakes with the ball, but overall his assets tonight FAR outweighed any liabilities.

Darko seemed to have his head in the game mostly, which was nice to see, but he and Gasol still made some concrete-handed messes on the inside tonight.


THE UNSTOPPABLE RASHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One should NEVER use that phrase, but it was that way tonight. He abused Marc Gasol in the first half, and had ten of the Pacers' first twelve points. That does NOT bode well for when the Grizzlies play against quick athletic centers (and oh, yes, there are a few of those, now aren't there).

And TJ Ford had his way with the Grizzlies' PG's in the first half as well, to the tune of 14 points in the half. Sure, he's quick, but not on an elite level. Again, that tells me that Tony Parker and the like can go ahead and pencil in about 30 against the Grizz.

I was surprised by how bad Hibbert wasn't-he has fair hands and is quick for a guy who is just huge.

Ok, enough about the enemy. Back to the Grizz. Hak had his first off game, but he had a HUGE three with the shot clock WAY down when the Pacers had begun to make inroads into the Grizzlies' lead. Quentin "I went 0-3 on a 3pt attempt freethrow trip" Ross made two really big buckets in Q4 also...nice that he made a couple when they really counted.

Rudy made several really nice shots, but I, like some others (right X??), am somewhat concerned that he seems to be able to "turn it on and off" at will. A player with his ability and talent should be unconsciously "on" ALL THE TIME. He had the highlight of the night on a one-armed drawback THROWDOWN on a putback. Amazing stuff.

One thought for the coaching staff:

DO NOT PLAY BUCKNER AND ROSS AT THE SAME TIME. PLEASE. It's as ugly as ugly can be on offense, and the Grizz can be ugly enough even with our offensive principals on the floor.

Oh, by the way, the Pacers didn't play Granger, Murphy, Daniels, or Dunleavy. Nice of them to give us this one.

Still a nice win, and a crowd that seemed much more into it than I thought they'd be. A nice surprise.

The above is the most sense I could make out of my completely scrambled chickenscratch of notes I took during the game..thanks Grizzlies for giving us a W tonight, preseason or not.

For the other side of things, check out the postgame comments from Indy Cornrows.

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

Wizards @ Grizzlies, 10/8/08

Memphis Grizzlies v. Washington Wizards, 10/8/08, Memphis, TN.

This will be the second night of a back-to-back for both teams. It will be a gracious-as-a-back-to-back-can-be introduction to the rigors of an NBA season for the rookies, with both teams having flown from Texas the previous night. Same timezone, at least. Sure, there will be a ho-hum factor to this game, as there is with any preseason game, but the overnight travel will give both sets of coaches an early (some might say nearly meaningless) glimpse at how the players for each team will respond to two nights in a row. I'll be missing this one in person....for the best reason ever...Hudson Graham Noe, 9lbs3oz, 7:34 PM on Oct. 1st :). Yes, he's doing fine, and thanks for asking :).

Ok. Enough proud papa stuff.

On to the game.

Point guards: Mike Conley v. Antonio Daniels

Sadly, it looks like AD might be doing a bit more than keeping Gil's spot warm, as the "arthroscopic washing" that Arenas just received is gonna keep him out for a while. "Injury history" is becoming a very important phrase when discussing Gilbert Arenas, and it's a shame, because he's one of the truly exciting players to watch in the NBA. Sure, he's not afraid to let you know that he knows just how exciting he can be, but that doesn't diminish his status. Daniels, however, is not exactly chopped liver. He is very physically strong with the ball and without it and is a good defender. He's not gonna shoot the lights out, but he can score at a reasonable level and can use his strength to get close to the hoop. It should be a good (preseason-style) test for Conley to see if he can blow by AD a time or two. Conley's much-heralded increase in physical strength over this offseason will be key in this matchup, and if he has trouble blowing by AD, we'll also get a chance to check out whether Conley's shooting work this summer will help him out. Should be quite fun to watch, but Daniels is very physically strong, and Conley is still learning to use his tools.
Advantage: Washington

Shooting guards: OJ Mayo v. DeShawn Stevenson

Ah, OJ. Save us, OJ. Ah, the ballyhoo, the hype, the seventh grader playing for the varsity team. Time to show us where it's at, OJ. I personally think that he's going to come out of the gate firing. He'll be looking forward to being the second option on offense and has already looked to assert himself as a leader. Will he try to do too much? Or will he try to play within himself and the team? Finding out the answers to those questions will be fun for Grizzlies fans. DeShawn Stevenson is an undersized two who can intermittently play the one and can hit the three, although Ray Allen he ain't. Decent ballhandler but not a worldbeater. If Mayo can keep himself moving, he could take this matchup on talent and drive.
Advantage: Memphis

Small forwards: RU-DEE Gay v. Caron Butler

In the regular season, this matchup would be a primo fix for an NBA junkie such as myself. In the preseason, it should still be good, but probably limited in terms of minutes, since both of these players is well-cemented in his respective starting lineup. Caron Butler has a nice-sized arsenal of offensive weapons,and is not a putrid defender either. He is strong, and can play and bang inside well for a 3. Can he stop Rudy? We'll have to see about that. If Rudy makes a leap this season similar to the one he made last year, the NBA at large could be in trouble. Let's not forget, however, that Rudy has a ways to go defense-wise, and playing against Caron, even in preseason, will surely test his D to its current limit. If these guys match up for any decent number of minutes in this game, it will be reason to watch (as if it were going to be televised, dangit). Rudy will have more to prove in this game, and will play as such.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: It doesn't matter v. Antawn Jamison

The Grizzlies are in all sorts of trouble with this matchup, depending on how much Jamison plays in this game. Sure, Jamison is not exactly a lockdown defender, but offensively, he can explode at will (but his twilight time is coming). Darko Milicic, Hakim Warrick, Antoine Walker, Derrell Arthur...none of these four guys is going to stop Antawn. He has the height to spot up on them, and can blow by them if needed. Could work out ok if a Grizz PF gets hot from the perimeter, but still doesn't look good for the Grizzlies.

UPDATE: Jamison left the game at Dallas 10/7/08 with a sprained knee. Any basketball fan hates to see any player injured any time of the season, but especially now. Looks like my man Blatche may get more playing time in this game than Eddie Jordan might have originally intended.
Advantage: Washington

Centers: Marc Gasol v. Etan Thomas

Enemy or not, I'm rooting hard for Etan Thomas. It will be great to see him come back from a major heart ailment and long rehab. Marc Gasol, while a rightfully recognized international talent, is a completely unproven quantity NBA-wise. Good size,and as much as some Grizz fans might not want to acknowledge it, there's basketball talent in that DNA. We'll see if he can keep his hands on the ball and not fumblerooski around the paint. Etan Thomas is staring straight at a ton of minutes with wrist surgery unfortunately seeming a part of Brendan Haywood's all-too-near future. Pretty good interior defender, can block some shots, but does not particularly excel at any facet of the center's game. No real threat offensively. Gasol, however, will certainly still be nowhere near finding his footing in the NBA by only his second preseason game.
Advantage: Washington


Benches:
Andray Blatche is one of my very favorite up-and-coming NBA players-he should see fair time in this game. He must learn to use his size while maintaining control of himself physically and mentally, and he'll become a well-rooted regular in the NBA. Dominic McGuire has received accolades for his offseason work and should see minutes, at least in the preseason, to see if he can garner a rotation spot. If Darius Songalia can keep healthy, he knows how to play hard and can hit the open shot. Memphis' bench does not suffer from the precipitous dropoff in talent that one might think-Antoine seems to really want to play, Kyle Lowry could scare off a pack of starving Staffordshire terriers, and Quentin Ross is a very good wing defender, as is Greg Buckner. Haddadi is certainly a project, but thankfully knows a lot more about rebounding position than he does about the English language. Jaric, perhaps Arthur, perhaps Milicic will be out for this game, which does make the Grizzlies bench shorter than a Paris Hilton trip to a buffet line.
Advantage: Washington

If this game can be as close as the MEM/HOU game was on the previous night, those who make the trip to the FEF should see some pretty darn decent NBA ball.

Preseason style, of course.

From Behind Enemy Lines: Griz Let Preseason Debut Slip Away

By Zack

(Note - The ever expanding crew here at 3SoB are going the extra yard this year and have installed a road blogger. Ok, ok, so I actually moved to Houston, but for the Houston (and possibly San Antonio) road games, I will be providing a view From Behind Enemy Lines.)

For 3 quarters, the new look Grizzlies reminded me alot of the Grizzlies from last year. Helter skelter half court offense. Defensive breakdowns. Less fast break opportunities than promised. Below average free throw percentage. Poor decisions with the ball.

Then a series of highlight-reel dunks by Rudy and Hak behind a swarming defense energized the Griz and deflated the enthusiastic Houston crowd. The defense started creating and getting loose balls they weren't previously. The fast break opportunity flood gates finally opened up. And the game looked like it was going to be a satisfying Grizzly win.

This energizing sequence was punctuated not by one of Rudy's electrifying dunks and post-dunk shimmy's, but by the originator of the shimmy itself, Antonie Walker, when he dove to the floor for a loose ball and called a crucial timeout. That play, by the teams most experienced player, said alot about the mindset of the willey veteran. Walker, playing Power Forward and surprisingly Center for most of the game, looked focused and team oriented. He even took a charge at one point. I know it is only the first preseason game and the inevitable losses have yet to pile up, but Walker may turn out to be a valuable and versatile contributor off the bench this year. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Rudy Gay, the unquestioned team leader, was a barometer for the team energy level and apparent confidence. For 3 quarters Rudy Gay was in foul trouble, had trouble on offense, looked slow on defense, and all around had a bad game. But like leaders do, he didn't let that ruin his game. In the 4th quarter, it all came together, albeit without Artest in his grill, and Rudy lead the Griz in their most exciting offensive stretch of the game, one that needs to be shown to the team on the flight home tonight so they know what their identity should be. Here is the highlights of that impressive 4th quarter stretch.

--Tonie steals the ball, leading to a Kyle Lowry drive and shooting foul.
--Kyle Lowry steals the ball leading to a Rudy Gay and-1 dunk and shimmy.
--After a few more trips, Rudy aggressively forces the drive and gets a layup.
--Hak blocks a shot which leads to a spectacular Rudy alley-oop.
--Another Griz steal and long outlet pass leads to a clear path to the basket foul on a streaking Mayo.
--Rudy forces another aggressive drive to the basket, not letting himself settle for a jumpshot.
--Lowry goes backdoor on Brooks, getting him back for the previous backdoor cut by Brooks.
--OJ sinks a 3 pointer.
--Another steal and long outlet pass leads to a Hak dunk and another shimmy!
--Mayo steals the ball and on the ensuing trip down the court after a missed shot, Tonie dives on the floor for the loose ball and calls a timeout.
--Lowry follows that up with a hard drive and foul, sinking a free throw to put the Griz up 93-92.

I thought the Griz were going to win at this point. I should have known better. The momentum seemed to be in the Griz favor. They were causing timely turnovers on defense and turning them into fast break points on offense. Griz basketball as promised! But nothing really says Griz basketball at its finest than losing a close game on a last second shot. Unfortunately.

Following Lowry's game leading free throw, the Rockets called a timeout and dialed up the Griz kryptonite, aka the pick and roll. With Toine playing Center and Hak playing Power Forward, there was little help on the pick and Brooks made it past Lowry to the basket for a diving layup.

But the Griz can still score to win the game, right? Wrong. I'm not too excited about Iavaroni's play that he drew up with the game on the line. Lowry gets the inbound. Makes a difficult lateral pass to OJ Mayo who has to go 3 feet beyond the 3point line to get the ball. Mayo gets screened by Toine, who then rolls to the top of the key and gets the pass. He then turns around and hands the ball off to Rudy behind the 3 point line. Rudy launches a shot with the clock running down and misses.

That play makes me give Iavaroni an F for his game grade. Only a 1 point deficit and he dials up a play where the ball never goes below the 3 point line? What? A 1 point lead and nobody attacks the rim? No basket cut? No post up? No Lowry out of control drive? The ball doesn't get to Rudy until he has to jack up a 3? Seriously? A bunch of lateral, dangerous passes on the perimeter? That is what you do when you are running out the clock, not trying to score for the win. Iavaroni, you are not installing much confidence in this now Houston-based blogger. You might as well just told the guys to do whatever they wanted to do, it couldn't have been any worse than that junk.

But anways, here are some of my other impressions from the game:

More on Rudy

Watching warmups closely, Rudy has this sense about him. This is his team. He is the leader, the star player. Unlike before, where there was guys like Miller or Damon or Pau that played that role, Rudy is now the guy. Us Griz fans take that for granted I think. But just think back to him falling asleep on the bench during the NCAA tourney and it really is a remarkable transformation. Rudy is one of ~30 Franchise Players in the NBA. Even in warmups, he knows it and is embracing the role.

MIA Players

I haven't heard any word on Darko, but he wasn't at the game. JCritt was there, but didn't play. Is he hurt? Doghouse? I hope we find out something about that. Arthur didn't play either, but given his hurt hammy, that is not surprising. Arthur was the last guy off the court practicing prior to the last locker room chat before team warmups.

Buckner and Ross

The defensive duo got plenty of burn tonight, even playing next to each other. Talk about lack of offense. You can tell defense is a priority when minutes at the 2 and 3 that use to go to Miller and Navarro are now going to Buckner and Ross. Somewhere Frat is smiling. I'm not amused though, the duo stinks and makes our helter skelter offense even worse. At least they can play defense, which is something, I guess, but playing them together for extended minutes is a disaster.

Haddadi and Gasol

Walker played a lot of 2nd half minutes at Center. That should say a lot about our twin international center duo. Gasol looked decent. Slow, but got solid position rebounding and showed off a sweet 18 foot jumpshot. Haddadi on the other hand was bad. Not surprising though. Griz fans shouldn't expect much contribution from the Iranian rookie this year. Without Darko (maybe even with Darko), our front court was outmanned and overmatched, even against the Rockets 2nd string. Gasol will be our starting center at some point this year. Even if Darko is better, he will not be as steady as Gasol.

Conley

Conley looked solid. Quick. Got to the rim at will. Missed most of his layups and floaters though. Maybe dribbled a little too much. But overall, had a good game. Conley had a stretch in the 3rd when Rudy and OJ were on the bench in foul trouble where he was on fire. Impressive. But, just like last year, Kyle did enough in the 4th quarter to stay until the end during a close game. Will that be another trend this year or just a preseason quirk? My gut says the former, but most Griz fans are hoping for the latter.

Mayo

Looked mediocre. Wasn't involved in the offense much. Sweet stroke on his mid range jumper. Showed flashes, but Iavaroni and the Griz have to get the ball out of Conley and Lowry's hands and into Mayo's. Wasn't quite there on defense either and it got him into foul trouble.

Hak

Shot the freaking rock nearly every time he touched it. Jeez. I like the thought of Walker off the bench, so I'm looking at Hak improving his shot selection this year rather than being benched for it.

Defense, Blocked Shots, and Kick-out 3's

Yes, the Grizzlies showed some surprisingly stout shot blocking. Particularly Hak. Can that continue? I doubt it, but lets hope. As for the defense as a whole, I was disappointed. Our pick and roll defense was still bad. We didn't rotate that well and allowed the Rockets to penetrate and kick out for numerous 3's that kept them in the game. I guess that is better than layups, but open 3 pointers can be as easy for NBA players as layups, so I'd still prefer contested outside shots rather than wide open ones.

About the Rockets Fans

I was impressed with their enthusiastic fans. Their red rowdy section was cool. Even the small preseason crowd made tons of noise. Everyone wore red. For opening night they are trying to set the record for most painted (red) faces in one place. I'm attending that game and I'll be wearing blue....hahahaha

Oh wait, I can't forget to mention Dorsey's boneheaded technical. It was awesome. He was mad at Gasol (who by the way, has all the same mannerisms of his older brother) and aggressively slapped Gasol's hands away before an inbound. Idiot. I couldn't tell if the crowd was booing Dorsey or the Refs. Bad first impression on the coaches, I'm guessing. He didn't play in the 2nd half.

My guess for the season opener...we are going to get steam rolled by the Rockets when they play Yao more and decide to force feed him the ball in the post. He could have scored 50 tonight if he wanted to. We are too weak on the inside.

UPDATE: For a different view of the game read Ron Tillery's recap from the Commercial Appeal.

Live Blog: Grizzlies @ Rockets

I'll be manning the Live Blog Death Ray tonight, so buckle up and hang on.

Make sure you leave some comments this time, so I don't feel like I'm talking to myself. Feel free to ask questions, too.

Pre-game commentary focused on the Rockets' forward tandem of Luis Scola and former Grizzlies' fan favorite Shane Battier. Play-by-play man Bill Worrell compared them to the Rockets' forwards in their first championship season -- Otis Thorpe and Robert Horry. Clyde Drexler agreed with that assessment -- big praise indeed.

Starting lineups
Houston Rockets: Mike James, Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier, Chuck Hayes, Yao Ming
Memphis Grizzlies: Michael Conley, Rudy Gay, Mike MIller, Stromile Swift, Darko Milicic

Q1 - 10:56: Stro looks good so far, with some hustle that resulted in a trip to the free-throw line (1/2), a block on Yao and two more altered shots. Rudy with a long jumper to get on the board early. Grizzlies 3, Rockets 0

Q1 - 9:25: Mike James (WHO!!!) ties the game up with a three, but then Conley answers back with a bucket of his own. The broadcast team makes some complimentary remarks about Gay and Conley and then talk about Conley's pedigree at length. Grizzlies 5, Rockets 3

Q1 - 7:04: Poor transition defense allows Mike James to slice through the lane and get the bucket plus the foul. He missed the free throw, but Memphis has to shore up their defensive inadequacies. Mike James continues to heat up, hitting a long three-pointer. Rockets 10, Grizzlies 5

Q1 - 5:48: Rudy makes another long jumper from the free throw line extended. Then the team gets beat backdoor and fortunately Mike James misses the bunny. Conley picks up his second foul and will be spelled by Kyle Lowry after the timeout. Rockets 10, Grizzlies 7

Q1 - 5:41: Just got the news that Bennett Salvatore is our lead official tonight. Oh boy....

Q1 - 5:03: Mike Miller in transition with the great setup pass to a streaking Rudy Gay for the highlight reel dunk!

Q1 - 4:18: Luis Scola checks in, matching up with Hakim Warrick. Mike James with another three pointer, giving him 11 of the Rockets 15 points in the 1st quarter. Rockets 15, Grizzlies 11

Q1 - 3:03: Hakim gets the entry pass, gets a double team by Scola and Yao and still attempts the shot. He gets bailed out with a foul call. He's still a black hole.....sigh.

Q1 - 1:45: Steve Francis and Bonzi Wells check in. Wonder if the FedEx Forum Ban on Bonzi is still in effect? I guess we'll see tomorrow night. Rudy Gay with active hands tonight. Two steals already in the game. Rockets 20, Grizzlies 14

Q1 -0:59: Miller with another miss. He's 0-4 tonight. The broadcast team notices this as well. Grizz take a timeout after some less-than-stellar play.

Q1 - 0:16: Kyle hits both free throws (thank you Mark Price!) and then grabs the rebound at the other end of the floor. Rudy settles for the jumper and misses. Charge on Stevie Francis on the other end! Way to go Hak! Rockets 21, Grizzlies 16

End Q1: Kyle, Stro and Rudy look good. Mike and Darko look bad. Hakim looks like a black hole. Conley looks like he'll terrorize the league for the next decade....but not tonight.

Q2 - 11:40: Navarro, Brown, Jacobsen in the game. Bonzi take Miller into the post and gets the foul call, hitting both free throws. Bonzi's low post game is his strength.

Q2 - 10:05: Luis Scola with the baseline jumper -- wonder if Shane taught him that? Andre Brown makes an appearance and gets the steal. Quick feed to Lowry for the transition bucket. Rockets 25, Grizzlies 18

Q2 - 8:48: Scola abuses Hakim in the post to get the bucket. Casey answers with the rhythm three-pointer to keep it close. Rockets 27, Grizzlies 21

Side note: Rockets dance team is still in preseason mode, too. Just an FYI.

Q2 - 7:50: Grizz with an...ummm...interesting lineup on the floor: Lowry, Navarro, Jacobsen, Brown, Swift. Still evaluating people, I guess. Rockets 30, Grizzlies 21

Q2 - 7:06: Stro picks up two quick fouls, but stays in the game. He's having difficulty with Scola right now, fighting for position. Francis with the long two-pointer.

Q2 - 5:50: Drexler questions Navarro's listed height of 6'3" after he pushes the pace and finds Stro for the easy dunk. Rockets 33, Grizzlies 23

Q2 - 5:22: Miller hits a three from the right corner. Maybe he'll warm up. Stro with the wicked block on Mutombo.....that gets called goal-tending.....incorrectly.

Q2 - 3:25: Conley hesitates from the free throw line and then nails the jumper. Nice to see him hitting shots from that range. Stro is all over the place tonight. Is this his "revenge game" on the Rockets? Save it for the regular season big guy. Conley fouls Mike James, sending him to the line for two....which he hits. Rockets 37, Grizzlies 28

Q2 - 2:35: Darko just looks uncomfortable out there. I don't know if he's having trouble with this much running or what, but he looks out of place.

Q2 - 1:41: All the Grizzlies are settling for long jumpers right now. There doesn't seem to be any semblance of an offensive rhythm. The Rockets are taking high percentage quality shots on the other end of the floor. Rockets 39, Grizzlies 28

Q2 - 1:16: Rudy comes back from T-Mac's finger in the eye to knock down a three-pointer and then get fouled in transition, hitting both free throws, giving him 13 points as the crowd chants "Overrated". What a lovely group of people. Rockets 42, Grizzlies 33

Halftime: Rudy still looks good, as does Stro. Darko still looks bad, but Miller is showing signs of life. Both young PG's have had their moments, but still look like young PG's. This team is going to have to make a committment to attacking the basket and playing tough defense this year. Too much settling for open jumpers.....that are open because the Rockets don't believe they'll hit them consistently......which they haven't. Too many defenders with hands down by their knees, instead of outstretched at their sides to cut down on the passing lanes. This will be a season-long teaching session for Iavaroni, in all likelihood. It's time for me to have an ice cream cone.

Q3 - 10:56: Conley with the beautiful feed to Andre Brown, who is unable to convert. Then he stops Mike James from completing the transistion bucket, showcasing those ultra-quick hands of his.

Q3 - 8:58: Stro continues his destruction of Houston with a fierce dunk that draws some bemused comments from the broadcast team regarding his season as a Rocket. Rudy with the return pass from Stro to get the foul among the trees and go to the line. Hits them both. Rockets 46, Grizzlies 38

Q3 - 7:33: Mike James hits another one and then Conley finds Stro for yet another easy dunk. Now I see what Rod Benson meant when he said that Conley could find Osama bin Laden if he was open! Rockets 48, Grizzlies 43

Q3 - 6:35: Miller goes strong to the hole and draws the foul on Hayes, although it could have been called on Yao, too. Mike makes 1 of 2 as Scola comes in to replace Hayes. Rockets 50, Grizzlies 44

Q3 - 5:43: Rudy gets a charging call after Stro pulled down a strong rebound. As he matures, Rudy will make better decisions -- like not driving at a perennial All-Star (Tracy McGrady) and expecting to get a favorable call. Where's Chip at to voice his frustration at the inequity of foul calls based on player status? I need a Lewis Black level tirade right now to make me laugh.

Q3 - 4:41: Miller runs Battier off a pick to get free for the long jumper. The broadcast team continues to give Stro a hard time -- which I fully support, since he had a horrible season in Houston. If the Clippers had any fans, they'd do the same thing to Andre Miller for his poor showing there. Rockets 52, Grizzlies 48

Q3 - 2:29: Lowry attempts to take the charge on Mike James, but flops too soon, resulting in a made basket for Houston. Bonzi with a massive bandage on the back of his shiny dome -- guess he got whacked by someone in the first half. Is Fratello in the building, perhaps? Stro dunking over Yao and Battier!!! Rockets 58, Grizzlies 55

Q3 - 1:55: Houston with their intergalactic lineup: Yao (China), Scola (Argentina), James (The Sun), Bonzi (Alpha Centauri). Both teams do lots of running up and down the court, but cannot convert much. Guess they are enjoying the exercise though. Rockets 59, Grizzlies 57

End Q3: Rockets 59, Grizzlies 58. Memphis shot 57% in the 3rd quarter and outscored Houston 25-17 to climb back into the contest.

Q4 - 11:20: Andre Brown just can't seem to do anything right. Misses the two-footer on one end and then gives up a ticky-tack foul on Landry's layup attempt, instead of doing something that might have made him miss.

Q4 - 9:15: Hakim with the high percentage dunk. Casey ties it up with a three from the left wing! 65 all!

Q4 - 8:50: Bonzi hits one of two free throws to give Houston the lead. Our first appearance by La Bomba and his rainbow shot are negated by a three-second call in the lane......when there was no one in the lane! Bennett Salvatore....I don't like you. Rockets 66, Grizzlies 65

Q4 - 8:20: Navarro comes back and gives a repeat performance. La Bomba!!!

Q4 - 7:45: Navarro is a cold-blooded killer, hitting a deep three to tie it up at 70 all.

Q4 - 7:11: Lowry with a beautiful running leaner off the glass to take the lead, 72-70.

Q4 - 6:45: LA BOMBA!!! That's all I need to say. Navarro is on fire right now. Where's Dan Patrick with "Simply.....en fuego"??? Grizzlies 74, Rockets 70

Q4 - 5:55: Nice crossover by Francis to get the acrobatic layup past Navarro. Grizzlies 74, Rockets 73

Q4 - 5:45: Lowry to the line for two -- hits one to give him 10 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast. Lowry = Jason Kidd lite tonight.

Q4 - 4:59: Casey lights it up again from beyond the arc. Grizzlies 79, Rockets 75

Q4 - 4:01: Rockets have gotten two easy layups in back-to-back possessions. Gotta close up those passing lanes, guys. Grizzlies 79, Rockets 77

Q4 - 3:42: Great rebound in traffic by Hak off the JCN miss. It results in a jump ball that Warrick easily wins.

Q4 - 2:57: Luther Head with the steal, which then goes to Landry for the long jumper that ties it up at 79.

Q4 - 2:00: Block by Hakim goes right to Novak for the easy bucket.

Q4 - 1:44: Casey hits a three from the left side, which is immediately answered by Luther Head. Rockets 83, Grizzlies 82

Q4 - 0:50: Lowry hits both free throws to give the Grizzlies the one-point lead, but then Francis slices through the lane with another crossover to get to the rack and take the lead right back. Rockets 85, Grizzlies 84

Q4 - 0:21: Grizzlies get a break with the 3 second call on Houston, so they get the ball back with the chance to win the game.

Q4 - 0:13: Isolation for Lowry, who misses the driving shot and the subsequent tip-in attempt. Landry grabs the rebound and is immediately fouled. He hits them both, so the Grizzlies need a three-pointer now. Rockets 87, Grizzlies 84

Q4 - 0:11: Casey Jacobsen with the heat-seeking missile! Came off a pick at the free throw line to hit the top of the key jumper. Tie ball game.

End Regulation: Novak misses the three-pointer at the buzzer, so we're getting free basketball. Grizzlies 87, Rockets 87

OT - 4:01: Luther Head hits the long shot to give Houston the lead. Warrick takes a contested 18-footer with 14 seconds on the shot clock??? Head finds another easy basket to push the lead to 4. Rockets 91, Grizzlies 87

OT - 2:33: Navarro hits the nifty runner to tie it back up, but allows Francis to blow by him for the easy layup. JCN turned his head for a split second and lost his man. Rockets 93, Grizzlies 91

OT - 1:13: Francis with another big shot, this one high off the glass that falls through. Navarro misses a shot and Lowry pressures Landry into stepping on the baseline after collecting the rebound. Grizzlies ball! Rockets 95, Grizzlies 91

OT - 1:10: Navarro gets the easy layup, making it a two point deficit.

OT - -0:50: Francis makes another tough shot. He must think it is 2001 instead of 2007. Lowry answers back with his own layup. Rockets 97, Grizzlies 95

OT - 0:17: Pick and roll results in a bad matchup Casey on Francis and Lowry on Novak. Novak pump fakes Kyle out of the gym and then cooly hits the open jumper. Rockets 99, Grizzlies 95

OT - 0:10: Kyle Lowry simply makes things happen! He gets the basket and the foul, misses the free throw attempt, gets his own rebound and feeds Andre Brown for the tying basket!!! What a gamer! Tied at 99.

End OT1: Francis keeps it on an isolation, gets Hakim as a defender on the switch and cannot get a good look over the lanky forward, missing from the left baseline. More free basketball!

OT2 - Rudy back in the game, playing the 4. Grizzlies go small with Lowry, Navarro, Jacobsen, Gay and Warrick. Rudy might be the Center in that lineup.

OT2 - 4:30: Novak hits another open jumper off a great screen by Chuck Hayes. Rockets 101, Grizzlies 99

OT2 - 3:16: Luther Head with a big three pointer. Warrick answers with a bucket of his own. Rockets 104, Grizzlies 101

OT2 - 1:14: Bad pass by JCN results in a turnover. Fortunately, Head gets an offensive foul on the ensuing possession. Rockets 107, Grizzlies 103

OT2 - 0:43: Lowry with the layup and then Navarro gets the charge against Head. CJ with the twisting layup to tie it up yet again! Neither team wants to just give up and get this game over with. We could be hear all night. I might have to order another pizza if this keeps up. Tied at 107.

OT2 - 0:08: Francis uses up his last foul, which is the Rockets last one before the bonus kicks in. Aaron Brooks into the game to replace him.

End Game: Kyle Lowry gets another isolation play, gets into the lane, misses the runner, and tips in the miss! Game over! Grizzlies 109, Rockets 107

Great game by Lowry: 21 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 turnovers

Thanks for all of you who stayed with me -- especially the overseas people who kept up the entire 3 hours!

Update (by Zack): To go along with Lowry's triple-double he also had 2 steals and only 2 turnovers and 1 personal foul in 44 minutes. Impressive.

Memphis at Houston

Memphis survived the thug squad from Miami on Saturday night to escape with a 104-98 victory. Memphis easily controlled the game in the 1st quarter and basically coasted through the rest of the game trying to avoid serious injuries after it became apparent that Miami's scrubs were long on physicality but short on talent. After Casey Jacobsen was sent to the locker room for stitches after catching an elbow, Rudy Gay was nearly flipped on an undercut move and Juan Carlos Navarro was steam rolled for a loose ball the team it appeared the objective changed from working on attacking the rim to just basic survival. This is pre-season after all and the Grizzlies don't need any more injuries before the real games commence.

Houston made a lot of noise in the off-season by acquiring Steve Francis, Luis Scola and Mike James to strengthen a bench that did little to support the big two stars of the team last season. It should be an interesting team to watch this season with volatile attitudes like Bonzi Wells and Rager Alston coming off the bench. One can only wonder what will happen if the three attitudes of Wells, Alston and Francis can't co-exist in supporting roles. The Rockets are still led by Yao Ming, probably the best true center in the league right now, and Tracy McGrady. Both have suffered through health issues during Jeff Van Gundy's more pedestrian style. If Adelman's more up tempo style leads to more injuries this team could fall far in the standings. If not then this team could be very dangerous come playoff time.

Point Guards: Damon Stoudamire vs Rafer Alston
There is a glut of experienced point guards in Houston but not a lot of point guards known for leading teams. Rafer Alston, the playground legend from NYC, is flashy but a shoot first PG who struggled under Van Gundy's rigid system. Francis is a former Houston star who lost his way after stops in Orlando and NYC. How much game he has left is up in the air. Mike James loved Houston the last time he was there but was shipped out to make room for Alston and then bombed out after signing a FA contract with Minnesota. Memphis on the other hand has three guads who are not considered shoot first guards and have been sharing minutes as closely as possible. Damon is the veteran and a step slower than Kyle Lowry. Lowry is the defensive PG who changes the game's tempo when he gets into games. Conley is the consumate point guard who just needs time to develop.

Shooting Guard: Mike Miller vs Tracy McGrady
A nightmare matchup for Miller as McGrady punishes on defense and plays good enough defense to distract Miller from his offensive game. The key will be for Miller to find his stroke early and hope that McGrady wants to get others involved on the offensive end. Backing up Miller will be Juan Carlos Navarro who is too small to defend TMac or Wells but should be able to stay with Luther Head if he plays. Otherwise expect to see Kinsey's minutes continue to climb in this game. Kinsey had trouble getting off the bench early in the preseason but has been getting more and more minutes of late. Houston also has Kirk Snyder fighting for minutes. With three fine players backing up T-Mac someone is not going to be pleased. If there will be an emotional problem on the team the backcourt is where it will start.

Small Forward: Rudy Gay vs Shane Battier
The once and future mayors of Memphis meet for the 1st of an incredible 6 meetings between the teams this year. Shane Battier is still among the most popular players in Memphis history despite Rudy's good play as a rookie. Battier has completely shut Mike Miller out in the past but he shouldn't be guarding Mike this time around. Rudy has taken that step forward and should be the more important player for Shane to defend. In his last outing Rudy was perfect from the floor including 5-5 from 3 pt land. If there has been anything to criticize with Rudy it has been his rebounding from the 3 spot. Casey Jacobsen backs up Rudy. It will be difficult for him to get open looks against a team that doesn't need to cover for the man in the middle. Former Rebel Justin Reed is fighting for a spot on the team but Wells and Steve Novak have the inside track for the backup SF spot with the Rockets.

Power Forward: Darko Milicic vs Luis Scola
The 27 yr old rookie Scola ought to have his hands full with the 22 yr veteran Darko. I realize that sounds strange to read but it is also true. Isn't international basketball great. Scola has looked good so far doing the dirty work under the basket for Yao. He grabbed 9 boards against Seattle on only 24 minutes in the last game. Darko is getting more starts with Gasol out but will need to take advantage of his size weight superiority. Chuck Hayes backs up Scola and absolutely gave Hakim Warrick fits last season. The rematch will be interesting to see Warrick has learned from his past experiences. Carl Landry and Jackie Butler may also see time at the 4 in this game. Brian Cardinal keeps sneaking into games and making a good play or two but not really having a major impact yet.

Center: Stromile Swift vs Yao Ming
One of the best centers in the league, if not the best, against the comeback kid in this matchup. Yao should have a clear advantage with his size and strength but Stro has made some impressive plays against Yao in the past with his superior speed. If the Grizzlies can make this a running game then Stro might actually have some moments to shine again. Backing up Stro has been Andre Brown who is more physical but less polished than Stro. Yao hasn't looked great in the uptempo style of Adelman but his passing ability should have Adelman very drooling. Incredibly Dikembe Mutambo is back for his 16th season and at age 41 (at least) is a physical marvel on defense but worthless on offense. Jackie Butler may get some minutes here as well.

Coaches: Marc Iavaroni vs Rick Adelman
Some fans in Memphis wanted Adelman to coach the Grizzlies before Iavaroni was hired. The thinking was his uptempo coaching style and use of big men in the passing game would be ideal for Gasol and the Grizzlies. It is more interesting to see how well this works with bad back McGardy and the plodding of Yao. The system should work well with the other players but are the Rockets stars willing to share the spotlight? Iavaroni keeps teaching and experimenting with players and lineups but hasn't really shown a full 48 minute game where the team was totally in control. There have been glimpses however such as the 73 pt+ 2nd half in Indiana and the 40 pt first quarter against Miami.

Reflections on a Strange Pre-Season Game

Saturday night at the Forum the Memphis Grizzlies experimented with lineup combinations and gave their youngsters some experience against the Ft Wayne Heat, I mean Miami Heat. Seriously it felt at times like I was watching a ABA game more than an NBA game (and yes I am old enough to remember the ABA in Memphis but just barely).

The Grizzlies started the game playing great. Led by Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift the Grizzlies scored 40 points in the quarter and while surrendering 28 as well were in total control of the game. From that point on it was a nasty affair where Miami's development league players threw elbows, undercut drives and basically played as dirty as possible to discourage the Grizzlies.

Which brings up a common complaint of mine. The referees were terrible. It appeared two of the team were rookies. That should have been a bad sign to begin with. While I did recognize the senior official he is not someone I consider at the top of the class so pairing him with two officials without experience wasn't the best combination. One of the rookies had an expression similar to a deer in the headlights and the other made so many terrible calls that even Stromile Swift was rolling his eyes at times. Usually that happens when a player disagrees with a call. Rarely does it happen after the referee explained what he saw! That happened twice in this game. I mean I can understand a player in the heat of battle getting upset when a call goes against him but what would a referee have to say that would cause a player to double take his explanation?

Anyway, the game seemed to be something less than a normal preseason NBA game with a team on the court of players I didn't know. Quick trivia. Can you tell me the first names (and I will give you the first letter) of the five Heat players with the most time on the court? J. Anthony, B. Chase, J. Richardson, D. Cook and A. Johnson and the last player was not Avery Johnson!

It was slightly disappointing that the Grizzlies couldn't win by more than they did but the objective in this game was too avoid injury. After Casey Jacobsen received stitches in his head for apparently cutting his forehead open on wind, Rudy Gay was undercut on a drive and nearly flipped over and Juan Carlos Navarro was run over and left for dead without any calls being made you could see that the idea of running it up on this team wasn't as important as escaping without a hospital visit.

We didn't learn a lot about the team as a whole but I did like that fact that Navarro continued to take open shots even though he was having an off-night. We will need his scoring and it is difficult to score if you don't shoot. Rudy Gay was phenomenal. Tarence Kinsey had a good night in limited minutes showing his defensive skills and nice shot. Mike Miller had 11 pts, 6 boards and 4 assists on barely 20 minutes. If this had been a night like last season when he played 40 minutes routinely he would have been close to a triple double.

The biggest surprise may have been the point guard position in general. Damon, Kyle and Michael all played well and the position produced 13 pts, 11 assists, a steal and even a blocked shot (thanks for Conley's 41 inch vertical leap). With the players rotating in like they do it is difficult to make a big impact but so far the three headed PG position is looking pretty good.

On the bad side was Darko Milicic. While he made some nice moves and showed the range on one shot we were told he had, overall his game was disappointing and against less than quality opposition. At least he didn't get into foul trouble.

On the Side: I wonder if the poor officiating had anything to do with 6 referees being punished for for undisclosed reasons that may have had something to do with their being seen in casinos in Las Vegas.

Memphis vs Miami

Memphis struggled out of the gates again in losing at Indiana. However the defense never showed up against the Pacers as the Grizzlies surrendered by quarter 31, 32, 30 and 29 points. Once again the offense woke up in the 2nd half to score 73 points. No one questions the Grizzlies ability to score. Stopping teams has been the problem. Well that and finding out how bad that sprain is on Pau's ankle. The team hasn't bonded as a unit yet but it is safe to say that they will be working hard on defensive responsibilities over the next week.

Miami has struggled with injuries this preseason but hasn't stopped their habit of inheriting Memphis players to bolster their team. Players with Memphis connections have included former Tiger Earl Barron as well as former Grizzlies Jason Williams and James Posey. This year's additions are former Tiger Penny Hardaway and former Grizzly Alexander Johnson. Penny should be able to play in the game Saturday night so expect a large contingent of fans not cheering for the men in blue in this game. AJ may have a chip on his shoulder in this game.

Point Guard: Kyle Lowry vs Jason Williams
I know a lot of people will come to this game to see former Grizz point guard Jason Williams. Finally getting healthy after struggling with different ailments so far in camp JWill should get extended minutes in this game. Who will start for the Grizzlies is a much bigger question. Damon started the first three games but doesn't look capable of playing the uptempo style that Iavaroni has expressed a desire to play and can't defend well enough to prevent opponents from breaking down the defense. Kyle Lowry has looked great off the bench but only average as a starter. His passing hasn't been that impressive and his shooting isn't very good at all. Mike Conley posted his first double double against Indiana with 11 pts and 10 assists in only 29 minutes. Maybe it is Mike's turn to show off. Backing up JWill is Smush Parker. Keep an eye on Chris Quinn as well for Miami.

Shooting Guard: Mike Miller vs Dorell Wright
Mike had an off night offensively with only 4 attempts against Indiana. Most peculiar since with Gasol's absence you would expect Mike to step it up more offensively. Maybe the rumors about him being dealt are affecting him. JCN and TK are battling for back up minutes at the 2 and their battle is getting heated. Dorell Wright has been talked about as the next great player for two years but he never has really had a chance to show off his stuff until now. With Penny hobbled, DWade out and Posey gone Wright is being given his chance to shine. Penny should be ready to play in this game so expect to seem him at both the point and the 3 as well as the 2. Daequan Cook should also see some minutes at the 2.

Small Forward: Rudy Gay vs Antoine Walker
Walker is reportedly out of shape but what else can Riley do but start him? Walker has always played well against the Grizzlies in the past and he will be a tough matchup for Rudy. Walker has unlimited range and uses his Barkley-esque butt to grab boards and bang in the middle. When on his game he is a very difficult matchup for anyone in the league. However with his eating habits that isn't usually a problem. Devin Green, Joel Anthony and Jeremy Richardson all may see minutes if Penny can't go. Casey Jacobsen should continue to get minutes if he continues his hot 3 pt shooting for the Grizzlies.

Power Forward: Hakim Warrick vs Udonis Haslem
Assuming Pau can't go in this game, and why should he since it is only preseason and he has played a lot this summer, Hakim will get an opportunity to show he can be physical enough to be a 4 in Iavaroni's offense. Hak's got to show he can defend as a PF, rebound as a PF and most importantly play within the team offensive structure. Haslem is a big boy and knows his role. Haslem plays defense and rebounds. Occasionally he shoots but only if he did his first two jobs well will Riley reward him with an attempt. Backing up Haslem is Alexander Johnson. The former Grizz was shockingly cut during the summer league and may have a little atttitude in this game. Heck he had attitude when he was playing for the Grizz. Expect to see more of Brian Cardinal in this game as welll.

Update: Graham Kendrick is reporting on Grizzlies.com's new GrizzBlogs section that Gasol won't play against the Heat due to his sprained ankle. There are some good quotes from Coach Iavaroni worth reading as well, so go check it out.

Center: Darko Milicic vs Shaquille O'Neal
Good news is this is preseason so Shaq shouldn't play long. The bad news is that Alonzo Mourning is backing up Shaq. The good news is that this is still preseason so Mourning shouldn't play that much either. The bad news is that former Tiger Earl Barron should play and that means more Memphis fans cheering for the opponents. The good news is this is a preseason game so no one will remember it next week. Darko has had trouble avoiding fouls, Stro has been inconsistent (shocking) and Memphis can't expect Andre Brown to be a big help against Miami's size.

Coaches: Marc Iavaroni vs Pat Riley
Student vs teacher. Iavaroni's first assistant coaching job was on Riley's staff in Miami. He should know Riley's offensive playbook so maybe the team can start shutting teams down, especially with DWade absent and so many others playing hurt. If Pau can go that would be a great outcome but more likely he won't. This will test Iavaroni's coaching skills to the max. Riley is a skilled coach who shouldn't have to much trouble with mixing and matching lineups with his experienced veterans on the bench.

UPDATE: Shaquille O'Neal is not making the trip to Memphis and will be out of the game. Also missing the trip are Alonzo Mourning, Michael Doleac, Wayne Simeon and Dwayne Wade. Riley announced that JWill, Antoine Walker and Udonis Haslem should each play over 30 minutes in the game.

Live Blog: Grizzlies @ Pacers

Zack is out of town tonight, so I'll be taking over the live-blogging duties. Try not to be too hard on me.

Grizz Starting Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Mike Miller, Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol, Hakim Warrick
Pacers: Travis Diener, Mike Dunleavy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Jermaine O'Neal

Interesting lineup for the Grizzlies, since Kyle and Hakim haven't started to this point.

Q1 - 6:48 -- The Grizzlies are attempting to run whenever they get the opportunity, but haven't really gotten the offense to click yet. Pacers 11, Grizzlies 4.

Q1 - 6:21 -- Darko with a great move to get around J.O., but can't convert. Goes to the line for two and misses them both. He has to work on his free-throw shooting.

Q1 - 5:35 -- Darko with the big block on J.O. and then runs the floor, gets the nice feed from Miller for the dunk! Pacers 15, Grizzlies 10.

Q1 - 5:31 -- Conley checks into the game. Hakim Warrick with the explosive dunk over Jermaine! Pacers 15, Grizzlies 14.

Q1 - 2:54 -- Miller really seems to be seeking out rebounds this season, as he pulls down another one. We go to the TV timeout tied at 19 all.

Q1 - 2:44 -- Conley gets around his defender effortlessly and gets a bogus charging call that the commentator correctly identifies as a "rookie call". Chip will be fuming at the mention of that!

Q1 - 1:58 -- Grizzlies still need to work on their transition defense. Too many opportunities for the Pacers when they get our and run, even after made baskets. Cardinal and Navarro are in the game now.

Q1 - 0:32 -- Navarro ends an 11-0 Pacers run with a three-pointer from the left wing to make the score 30-22 in favor of the Pacers.

Q1 - 0:00 -- Conley abuses Tinsley, but cannot convert just before the end of the quarter. That part of his game will develop with more experience in the League. End of the 1st quarter: Pacers 31, Grizzlies 22.

Q2 - 11:22 -- Quinn Buckner just described Cardinal as a "non-athlete who still manages to play basketball". Yep...that's a pretty accurate description.

Q2 - 10:50 -- Just reported that Pau's ankle sprain was going to keep him out of the remainder of the game. Obviously, we'll continue to give updates on this as the game goes on.

Q2 - 9:26 -- Marquis Daniels is showing flashes of the player that he was with the Mavericks. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, that was when he was good. Pacers 42, Grizzlies 28.

Q2 - 8:10 -- Buckner has his projected Southwest Division standings as follows: Spurs, Rockets, Mavs, Grizzlies, Hornets. Very interesting. Wonder what he knows that I don't?

Q2 - 7:37 -- Kyle with the quick hands to pick Diener's pocket and then get fouled on the other end. If he can maintain his defensive tenacity while developing his offensive game, he could be a terror for opposing teams. Pacers 44, Grizzlies 29.

Q2 - 6:47 -- O'Neal at the free-throw line and I glance at the boxscore for the game. Granger and Dunleavy are in double figures for scoring, with Daniels right behind them with 9 pts. The Grizzlies leading scorer is Rudy Gay with 6.

Q2 - 5:45 -- More poor transistion defense, as Kareem Rush feeds Shawne Williams behind the defense for an alley-oop. Pacers 47, Grizzlies 33.

Q2 - 5:02 -- Rudy settles for the step-back jumper while guarded by Murphy. Fortunately, he hits the shot, gets fouled and converts the free-throw. He should be blowing by Troy on that play 9 times out of 10 though.

Q2 - 3:25 -- The first notable Andre Brown sighting of the night, as he hits a jumper from the left elbow and then gets an unnecessary foul while jostling with J.O. on the other side of the court. Good thing he'll be riding the pine most of the season, I suppose. Pacers 55, Grizzlies 39.

Q2 - 3:00 -- Guess what? More non-existent transistion defense as Marquis Daniels gets the flush again. Perhaps we need to hire an MLG&W worker to stand at half-court leaning on a shovel with a bored look on his face, half-heartedly paying attention to passing traffic while flipping the STOP/SLOW sign every few minutes. Think that would help?

Q2 - 1:41 -- Conley finally gets on the board, hitting one of two free throws. Couldn't tell you why he was on the line, since it is storming here and the satellite blinked out for a few mintues. Pacers 61, Grizzlies 42.

Halftime -- Pacers 63, Grizzlies 42.
Here's what I think is going on -- Iavaroni is keeping everyone under wraps to keep everything hush-hush. Then, when the regular season starts....BOOM! Unleash the Secret Weapon! No? Well, I tried. Maybe they are just looking to see how big of a deficit they can overcome in preseason after what happened against Minnesota on Monday night. At least that's what I'm going to tell myself at this point.

Right now, the Grizzlies are failing miserably at defense (especially in transition), rebounding (-5 differential) and ball control (-6 steals/blocks differential). They'll have to address these issues in the locker room if they want to have any shot of coming back in this game.

Q3 - 12:00 -- Grizzlies start the 2nd half with Lowry, Miller, Gay, Warrick and Darko on the floor.

Q3 - 10:46 -- Hakim tries to make something happen by going hard to the basket and gets rewarded with free throws. He converts one of two while I listen to the Pacers' announcers continue to be unabashed homers. These guys could give the Blazers' broadcast team a run for their money!

Q3 - 10:23 -- More free throws by Hakim and he manages to can them both. Then he makes a nice defensive play by forcing a shot alteration. Pacers 65, Grizzlies 45.

Q3 - 9:44 -- Jamaal Tinsley hits a three-pointer to answer Rudy's long bomb on the other end. Then Jermaine O'Neal takes his third charge of the night on Hakim. Jermaine the Flopper? I think so, since he outweighs Hakim by about 75 pounds! Pacers 70, Grizzlies 48.

Q3 - 6:46 -- I had a conversation with someone earlier today and they said that if Mike Dunleavy beats us, then so be it. Well he just hit another 3, giving him 16 points on the night, leading all scorers. *SIGH* Good thing this is just the preseason or my night would be ruined. Pacers 80, Grizzlies 56.

Q3 - 5:23 -- Rudy is being more agressive, driving more and getting to the free throw line. That's a very good sign IMO. Kyle is putting pressure on the Pacers' defense at every opportunity -- I know this because even the incredibly biased announcing team had to mention it. Just as I type that, Lowry blows by Owens and gets fouled. He'll shoot two....and hit them both. Pacers 82, Grizzlies 62.

Q3 - 3:27 -- Rudy hits another jumper, giving him 19 points on the night. The Pacers seem content to allow him to shoot from 15-18 feet and fortunately he's hitting them tonight. Cardinal checks in and gets talked up by the broadcast team again. Boy, they must love former Boilermakers! He's the only guy they want to praise tonight on the opposition. Pacers 87, Grizzlies 68

Q3 - 2:57 -- I cannot decide who is more frustrating on the Pacers: Jeff Foster or Ike Diogu. I think it has to be Foster because you know what he's going to do -- rebound and be annoying -- but you're absolutely powerless to stop him. Diogu's ability to do a little bit of everything while appearing so unassuming due to his physical build is very frustrating as well though. I remember him destroying the Tigers in the NCAA tournament his freshman year too, so perhaps I have some residual feelings based on that, too. Grizzlies 89, Pacers 72.

Q3 - 2:14 -- Travis Diener might be the most underappreciated player in the league. He's not great at anything, but he's above average at enough to develop into a solid PG. His decision making ability is the only thing that stands out as being more than just "solid".

Q3 - 0:57 -- Finally! Rudy drives past Marquis Daniels and crashes into Foster, drawing the foul call. He hits both free throws, making it 9-9 from the line tonight. Pacers 93, Grizzlies 81.

Q3 - 0:00 -- The Grizzlies have clawed back as they are now down by only 12 after trailing by as much as 28. Rudy has led the charge with an assortment of great plays on both sides of the ball. They'll have to work hard to come away with a victory in this one, though some important Pacers are in foul trouble. That was a 39 point quarter for Memphis.

Q4 - 11:22 -- Kinsey starts off the 4th quarter with a nice pull-up jumper off a feed from Conley. After his shoulder injury this summer and the article in the CA today, I hope that he knows how hard he'll have to work to get a place at the table this season. Pacers 95, Grizzlies 85.

Q4 - 9:52 -- Just saw Darko standing next to J.O. Even with his perpetual slump, The Dark One still towered over him by two inches. Maybe we can tell him that J.O. killed his dog or something and then watch what happens. Then again....maybe not. No need to see the NBA's first Flagrant Foul Level 4 -- Homicide. J.O. has quietly amassed 20 and 10 tonight.

Q4 - 8:57 -- Conley with a huge three from the left wing to cut the deficit to 6 points. 97-91 Pacers as Indiana needs a timeout. Too soon to call them the Comeback Kids?

Q4 - 8:21 -- Good hard foul by Cardinal on Daniels. Marquis has gotten far too many easy buckets tonight. About time he was forced to earn one.

Q4 - 7:14 -- Kinsey hits a three and then Conley gets the steal and the bucket. Pacers 103, Grizzlies 96.

Q4 - 6:28 -- They just flashed a graphic that is very telling: Free Throws, Grizzlies - 35/44; Pacers 33/38. Gotta work on those free throws. Mark Price is gonna earn that paycheck this season!

Q4 - 5:05 -- Pacers 110, Grizzlies 101. The refs have made another horrific call as the Pacers' player had ahold of Kinsey's jersey and when TK moved to get the rebound, that jerked him to the side, somehow earning him a foul call. Unbelievable!

Q4 - 4:08 -- Why do I know that Ike Diogu has range out to 18 feet and the Pacers' broadcast team doesn't? He was a perimeter threat in college, frequently hitting three-pointers. The Pacers have most of their "A squad" back in and have pushed the advantage back to 11, taking a 114 to 103 lead.

Q4 - 3:03 -- Tinsley just made the highlight reel by dribbling the ball between Navarro's legs, but missed the layup after pressure from Darko.

Q4 - 2:18 -- The Grizz remembered that Darko plays for them as he finally gets the ball in the post, scoring on a nice shot from the right block.

Q4 - 1:32 -- Shot clock violation on the Pacers and the Grizzlies are hoping for a miracle now, down 116 to 106 with a minute and a half to go in the game.

Q4 - 1:21 -- I know he has a lot of loyal fans, but Hakim is a black hole. He just does not pass the ball at all. He hits two free throws to close the gap to 8 points.

Q4 - 0:57 -- Navarro with another three-pointer, his third of the night. JCN is, without a doubt, the best bargain in the NBA this year. Hopefully, the front office already has a good idea of how they are going to clear enough cap space to re-sign him next year.

Q4 - 0:46 -- Just announced that the upcoming free throws would be the 89th and 90th of the game. That should tell you just how controlling the refs have been in this contest. Pacers 120, Grizzlies 113.

Q4 - 0:10 -- Casey Jacobsen just missed two free throws. That would have cut the lead to 3 points. That's very disappointing, but it is hard to come off the bench after sitting for so long and immediately hit shots. Too bad, as that would have put tremendous pressure on the Pacers' inbounding of the ball.

Game Over -- Indiana Pacers 122, Memphis Grizzlies 115

The Grizzlies made a valiant comeback effort, but fell just short. They showed a ton of heart tonight after a horrible start, so that is encouraging as we move forward.

Thanks to all of you who stuck it out with me tonight. I saw you out there, even though you didn't leave any comments. Until next time, I'm out!

BOX SCORE:

Memphis vs Indiana

Memphis returned home from Spain and looked extremely jet lagged in the first half. In fact they reminded fans of last season's squad more than this years. First they started only returning players and then they played Fratello's offense (45 pts) and Barone's defense (61 pts). This could also partly be due to the pathetic attendance in the Forum. The crowds was terrible. The second half saw a renewed emphasis on defense and faster play which showed results as the Grizzlies scored 56 points while surrendering only 32. The major bright spots were Juan Carlos Navarro and Rudy Gay who led the team in scoring and the fans in exciting plays.

Indiana stayed perfect in preseason with a 117-104 over the Hornets on Monday night in New Orleans. Old stars like Jermaine O'Neil (yes he is still with the Pacers despite off-season demands to be traded) and Jamal Tinsley combined with former Warriors Mike Dunleavy, Ike Diogu and Troy Murphy to power the team over the Hornets. The Pacers seemed to be a team on the decline last season but new coach Jim O'Brien has the team moving forward and seemingly on a straight path. All five starters scored in double figures against the Hornets and Diogu was perfect going 7-7 from the field and hitting all 5 of his free throws.

Point Guards; Damon Stoudamire vs Jamal Tinsley
One has to wonder how much longer Damon will hold off hard charging Kyle Lowry as the starter. Damon was outplayed again by Lowry against the T'Wolves and seems a step too slow to run the uptempo style that Iavaroni left in Phoenix. More importantly, Damon has never been a defensive minded point guard and Lowry is definitely defensive minded like Iavaroni. Mike Conley, the future starter, seems to be falling off the pace for starters minutes right now but at barely 20 yrs old the team can afford to be patient right now. Jamal Tinsley is a former Grizzlies draft pick traded to Atlanta and then to Indiana in the deal that brought Pau Gasol to Memphis. Tinsely has fought injury issues almost his entire career. When healthy Tinsely is a an excellent floor general who has a solid post up game. The new kid on the block at Indiana is Travis Diener. The former Marguette player escaped the backlog of points in Orlando and is seeking an increase in PT with the Pacers.

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Mike Dunleavy
The Rudy Gay experiment at the 2 probably ended last night. By the end of the game Rudy was playing more of a small 4 than even the 3 so expect Miller back starting at the SG against the Pacers. Unless of course Juan Carlos Navarro gets a start. Navarro is short and not a big defensive player but Dunleavy isn't an elite SG and maybe the Grizzlies will want to see what he can do defensively and offensively against mid-level NBA players. Just a thought. Dunleavy has been playing well in the preseason and has actually raised his scoring average since arriving in Indy to over 14 a game. Higher than he scored in Golden St. Backing up Mike is Andre Owens and Kareem Rush. They seem to be having a spirited competition for the #2 role with Marguis Daniels out of action.

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Danny Granger
This may be one of the best young SF matchups in the league today. Danny Granger enters his 3rd season as a double digit scorer and a good defender at the 3. Rudy Gay enters his second season as a double digit scorer and a good defender. Maybe they cancel each other out but it should be fun to watch either way. Rudy definately is the more talented but Granger is probably the more determined of the two. Backing up Granger is former Memphis Tiger Shawne Williams who struggled to find PT as a rookie and then ran into trouble with the law this summer. Williams seems to want to put both bad memories behind him as he is averaging nearly double his rookie scoring right now. Behind Rudy is not Tarence Kinsey. Casey Jacobsen is getting the extra minutes right now and that may be due to his greater range, may be due to Kinsey's injured shoulder or it may be due to his outplaying last year's surprise. No matter what it is Casey is getting the PT not TK.

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Jermaine O'Neal
It wasn't that long ago that Jermaine O'Neal was considered the hands down better player. Now after another disappointing season and a summer of discontent and trade demands from O'Neal, Gasol may have just past the older O'Neal straight up. Last season O'Neal saw his scoring drop for the 2nd consecutive season and he finished below the 20 pt a game mark for the first time since 2001-02, his first season in Indiana. Gasol on the other hand went over the 20 pt per game standard for the first time and outrebounded O'Neal as well. Two years younger than O'Neal and far less traveled, Gasol seems to still have upside while O'Neal has begun to slide. Backing up O'Neil is Ike Diogu. The Golden St washout has been reborn in Indy and seems to be making a charge at redemption. Gasol's backup is Hakim Warrick who looks lost in the new system but with his 3rd coach in less than a year that is understandable. Still at 25, Warrick needs to find his footing fast.

Centers: Stromile Swift vs Troy Murphy
There aren't many centers that are a more difficult guard for most bigs than Troy Murphy. With legitimate 3 pt range and a strong nose for rebounds Murphy gives even the best PF's a tough time. The key to Murphy's game is hustle. He simply outworks many of his opponents. Not a good sign for Stro who's toughness and effort have been questioned throughout his career. Stro is surprising some with his consistent ability to outplay Darko and hold onto the starting role but this is a contract year for Stro if he wants it to be. This could also be a tool by Iavaroni to motivate (or showcase) Stro and Darko. Jeff Foster is still hanging around as the traditional big man in Indy as well.

Coaches: Quick, who was the coach for new Grizz GM Chris Wallace's Boston Celtics team that lost in the Eastern Conference Finals? If you said current Indianapolis Head Coach Jim O'Brien give yourself a prize. O'Brien has coached for over 30 years and held the top job in Philly as well as Indy and Boston. Right now O'Brien has the team playing well but dissent has long been a trademark of O'Brien coached teams in the past and seeing O'Neal demanding a trade already isn't a good sign for the relationship between O'Brien and his star. Iavaroni has been getting sweaty with the team actually lacing it up on the court to show his big men what he wants them to do. Iavaroni's freer offensive sets have pleased the players as well. Now if he could just get the fans to notice.

Postgame Thoughts - Memphis vs Minnesota

The Grizzly Killer, Ricky Davis, brought his Minnesota Timberwolves to Memphis tonight for the Grizzlies first home preseason game. The crowd was sparse despite the game not being shown on TV (announced ~8400, but probably only ~5000 in attendance). Those who did go got to see the Grizzlies fight back in the 4th quarter from a double digit deficit to pull out a 101-93 win.

I have some thoughts about what I saw at the game. But I feel obliged to include the disclaimer that, of course, it is only one meaningless preseason game. I know that it is going to take some time for a new coach with young players to get a feel for each other. Thus, one shouldn't extend single game observations, let alone during the preseason, too far.

With that said, I think I might have been too optimistic in the last month. Coach Iavaroni and the boys in blue have some serious work ahead of them.

In the 1st half, I could not tell this team apart from last year's team. We started a 2006 lineup (Damon, Miller, Gay, Pau and Stro). The offensive sets looked the same. The tempo was slow. Most shots came at the end of the shot clock. Free throw shooting was pitiful. Rebounding was lifeless. The defense looked poor all around. We were losing. Seriously, Fratello could have been on the sideline coaching for all I know. And this was against what might end up being the worst NBA team in the league this year!

Thankfully for Griz fans, Kyle Lowry is healthy and Chris Wallace stole JC Navarro from the Wizards. After playing a little bit in the 1st half, they both came in the game in the 3rd quarter and never again left the court. Together, they were the primary reason why the Grizzlies fought back from a double digit 4th quarter deficit to beat the Twolves. JC was the offensive spark plug and Lowry was the defensive spark plug. Included in that 4th quarter stretch was a 15-0 run, a number of highlight reel dunks by Rudy including a sweet alley-oop from Lowry, back-to-back 3's from JC that brought the house down, and a gritty runner in the lane by Lowry that gave Memphis the lead for good.

Here are some of my off-the-cuff thoughts about the Grizzlies after just one meaningless preseason game against what might be the worst team in the league:

--Why do the Grizzlies suck so bad at free throws? I actually feel good we finished with 66%, because most of the game it was in the 50's. Mark Price, you have your work cut out for you.

--Props to Rudy, Pau and Darko for a great night blocking shots.

--Despite the 13 blocks and 10 steals, the Grizzlies still look weak. Whether it is finishing a layup in the lane, pulling down a rebound in traffic, or diving to get a loose ball, the Griz just always seem to be the weaker team, again reminding of the 2006 team that had the same problem. Being weak contributed to Pau going 1 for 9 from the floor. Lowry is the saving grace for this team in the toughness department. Memo to the rest of the NBA: Trying to isolate Kyle Lowry, even when he is guarding someone bigger, is a bad idea.

--Lowry and JC make a great backcourt. Short? Sure. They seem to click when playing together. Through 3 preseason games they have been our most steady performers and also seem to get more out the other Grizzlies players. IMO, they are a perfect combo to come off the bench while also closing out games in the 4th quarter. They are also my 2 favorite Grizzlies right now.

--Although Rudy might have had a number of alley-oop dunks tonight, he could have had triple that amount. Before Damon found Rudy for his first alley-oop of the night, there were at least 3 missed opportunities for an easy oop. On one of Rudy's 2nd half alley-oops, props have to go to Kyle Lowry for setting a great pick.

--I don't like how we defended the pick and roll tonight. Navarro and Damon were going under the screen allowing Jaric to bury some easy jumpers. At the same time, our bigs were playing soft, which resulted in the big guys not hedging on the guard AND not guarding their man, allowing the guard to penetrate then dish for an easy pick and roll layup. I hope we play that more aggressive in the future and that Iavaroni will have the bigman be more decisive so not to find themselves guarding neither player on the pick and roll.

--In the 4th quarter, we switched up the default offensive set by pushing the SG and SF down to the corner from the wing. Looking more like what Phoenix runs. This set ended up working the best for us. Lowry was at point. Navarro and either Miller or Casey were the wings. Rudy was the PF and Stro or Pau was the center. It got Rudy closer to the basket. It promoted using a pick and roll (which I hope to see used more and more). Spaced out our 3 point shooting wings more (resulting in at least one JC corner trey). And allowed more room for a high/low game between Pau and his frontcourt partner.

--I like the deep position Darko gets on offense. Tonight at least 2 times he was given the ball almost right under the bucket after pinning his man behind him. After getting the ball in the post, you can be sure he will use his soft lefty baby hook.

--With Kinsey either still hurt or just simply out of the rotation, I'm anxious about guarding the perimeter. When two of Miller, JC, or Casey are on the court together defensively, we are obviously at a disadvantage defensively. Tonight, JC was able to guard the slow Marko Jaric (who plays PG) and then Lowry guarded the SG (either Ricky Davis or McCants or Buckner). We won't have that luxury typically. In the past, we have tried to hide Miller defensively. Hiding Miller and JC at the same time is more difficult.

--I hate Ricky Davis. Last year I sat under the basket and heckled him. When I yelled, "Go back to the Eastern Conference, Ricky Davis!", he replied by shaking his head no. When I yelled, "We hate you, Ricky Davis!", he replied by nailing a 3 in Mike Miller's face then pointing my way. I'm glad tonight was meaningless and Ricky "Grizzly Killer" Davis was on the bench in the 4th quarter. Hopefully he will get traded.....................to a European team.

Update I: If you haven't already, go read Chris Herrington's post game thoughts. Herrington touched on something I was thinking about last night leaving the arena. The plus/minus for our 3 point guards (last night and beyond). Here was what Herrington said:

I actually think plus/minus numbers are of limited relevance in evaluating individual players, but I give the stat some credence in the team’s current point-guard battle, because all three players are only playing one spot with a relatively equal blend of supporting casts and I think the position sets the tone for the whole team. So, I’m going to track this at the home preseason games.

If you glance at the box score, you’d think Damon Stoudamire was the best point guard tonight, but if you watched the game closely, you’d go with Lowry, and the plus/minus backs that up:

Lowry: +20
Stoudamire: -3
Conley: -9

I’m pretty sure Kyle Lowry has outplayed Damon Stoudamire in every regular season or preseason Grizzlies game in which they’ve both played. At some point that has to be persuasive, right?

You would think so...

Update II: Chip has his post-game remarks over at the Memphis Edge. Go read it.

Update III: I'm sorry, I just couldn't let this go. I mentioned it over on the Grizzlies messageboard this morning and I will mention it again here. In the Commercial Appeal today, Ron Tillery wrote this:

Iavaroni said he still wants to look at more combinations. But the starting lineup of Damon Stoudamire, Mike Miller, Rudy Gay, Stromile Swift and Pau Gasol is making its case.

"Making its case"....what? How so? We've played 3 preseason game, with one being against a far inferior opponent, so basically we have played 2 real preseason games (against teams that would qualify as bottom-rung NBA teams) and our starters have not, in my estimation, looked that good. In fact, the only thing I can see that our starters are making a case for, is being able to dig a hole to see if Lowry and Navarro can pull us out of. I wonder, who actually said that the starters are "making its case"? Tillery or Iavaroni? Either way, in that same article, Iavaroni implies that Mike, Rudy and Pau are safe and that it is the other two starter spots up for grabs.