Don't Hire the Movers Just Yet

The fellas over at Hardwood Paroxysm were good enough to send me the link to this post from Jon Burkett of Passion and Pride, a fine Philadelphia 76ers blog. I enjoy most of Jon's writing, but he made a huge error by continuing to espouse the theory popularized by ESPN.com's Bill Simmons that the Memphis Grizzlies should be the team that is moving, rather than the Seattle SuperSonics. *Sigh* I try and I try, but at this point, I just cannot be nice about it anymore. The video sums up my feelings on the subject quite succinctly.



You tell 'em Howard Beale!

Here's why the Memphis Grizzlies won't be moving to Seattle anytime soon (once again for the hard of hearing and absent-minded):

1. Iron-clad lease with the city of Memphis for the next decade. Really, this is reason enough, but I'll give you a few more.
2. Strong corporate support, despite lukewarm fan support.
3. New, state-of-the-art arena already in place, rather than still needing one to be built with taxpayers' dollars.
4. Unlike David Stern's apparent apathy towards the fine citizens of Seattle (or is that a reflection of their own apathy???), he is committed to the NBA remaining in Memphis. He wasn't nearly as definitive about the NBA in New Orleans, though.

In fact, let's talk about the New Orleans Hornets a little, shall we? If we're going to bring up a team that Clay Bennett should buy and move to Oklahoma City, why aren't the Hornets -- who have already spent time in OKC -- being mentioned as that team? Why not let Bennett and George Shinn switch franchises, move the Hornets to OKC and keep the Sonics in Seattle? Let's be honest -- the population of New Orleans has dwindled to the point where it is obvious that they cannot support two professional franchises. That's not a judgment of them -- just a cold, hard look at the facts. There are not enough people with disposable income to support two teams. I'm not trying to "rob" the Crescent City of their fantastic team -- as Burkett, Simmons and others are trying to do to Memphians -- just illustrating that there are other, more obvious teams to use as examples when seeking to "fill the void" that the departing Sonics will leave.

That brings up another interesting point. I have yet to visit Seattle, but everyone I know of that has been there has absolutely raved about it. So, I'm quite sure that it is a great city. I do find it curious that over the past 15 years, all three of their major sports franchises have threatened to move, with the Sonics apparently being the first to actually do so. I remember that playoff series between the Mariners and Yankees that "saved" Major League Baseball in the Pacific Northwest. I have seen the stands sway as the raucous crowd cheered on the Super Bowl bound Seahawks. I've seen the Sonics go deep into the playoffs on the backs of Payton, Kemp, Allen and Lewis. If the fans in Seattle really, truly wanted to keep their team, they would have made sure that they did what was necessary to make that a happen -- namely, funded a new arena. I've also seen the attendance numbers for the Sonics over the last few seasons.

That's why Memphis gets thrown in there at the whim of every writer with something to say, you know -- attendance. The Houston Chronicle's Zachary Levine had some interesting things to say about 3 of the 6 teams at the bottom of the attendance rankings:

Competition hurts some NBA teams.

Of the six teams at the bottom of the NBA pecking order, three play in some of the best college basketball markets in America — an issue the NHL doesn't have to deal with in nearly the same magnitude.

The Pacers average a league-worst 12,179 at an arena within 90 minutes of Indiana University (16,699 per game) and of West Lafayette, Ind., where Purdue draws more than 11,000 per game.

The 76ers compete with five Division I schools within the city limits of Philadelphia and also with suburban Villanova, which sells out every game at a 6,500-seat on-campus facility and averaged 19,928 in its first two games at the Wachovia Center.

And then there are the Memphis Grizzlies, who share a building with the No. 1 Tigers and come up 4,000 short at the turnstiles. And the way they're going this year, maybe that's not the only way they would lose to their co-tenants.

That's right Mr. Burkett, he brings up your own Sixers team among those at the bottom of the attendance numbers with competing high-level college teams in close proximity, drawing fans away. How about you worry about the team in your own backyard before you come down South looking to meddle with mine? The Memphis Grizzlies are here to stay.

Memphis at Seattle - 2.19.08

Memphis needed a break during the all-star weekend just to get their feet underneath them again. So far the only additional player moves have existed in the minds of the many NBA correspondents around the country. There have been rumors that Mike Miller, and one of the three young PG's (likely Kyle Lowry) will be moved by the deadline but nothing has happened yet. Hakim Warrick has been playing very well on offense since his promotion and has been covered well on defense as the Grizzlies have resorted to zone defenses more than ever. Rudy Gay is back to being the man in Memphis and should be focused on that alone (instead of the next dramatic dunk idea off of YouTube). Mike Conley and Juan Carlos Navarro didn't play poorly over the weekend as well making sure Memphis' future was well represented. The player to watch will be Darko Milicic who hopefully used the days off to improve his conditioning, post moves and heal up a little more. Adding to Memphis' insecurity was the rumor that the NBA has sent a team down to evaluate what is happening with the team. That can't be good news if it is true.

Seattle was well represented over the weekend as well with Kevin Durant leading the rookie team in scoring with 23 pts and Jeff Green adding in 9 pts and 5 boards. The problem for Seattle has been the lack of reliable production anyone other than Durant and Durant has been erratic at best. Another thing disappearing in Seattle is hope as Commissioner Stern said that it is almost definate that Seattle will be moving to Oklahoma City sometime soon although he hasn't ruled out another season in Seattle. The Sonics have been scoring better in February after a bad month in January and seem to be finding some form of constant rotation. Seattle is 0-3 this season against Memphis and professional pride requires an all out effort to prevent being swept by the Grizzlies. Seattle is another team building for the future and not for the present.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Earl Watson
It is scary how similiar Conley and Watson's statistics are. Both players average around 8.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1 steal and 27 mpg. Neither player is very effective shooting the ball but Watson is slightly more effective from beyond the arc although not to the point of being a threat. Watson is a tough defender as well who knows how to use his body to compensate for a lack of speed. Conley has tremendous speed however and Watson will be forced to use all of his skill to stay in front of Conley. It should be an interesting matchup.
Advantage: Seattle

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Kevin Durant
If I have to give Watson the advantage because of experience at the point then how can I give Durant the advantage at the 2? Well Miller is not a great defender and Durant can shoot. Still Mike may have an additional motivation Durant doesn't have. Miller has been having his name used in rumors with nearly every team in the league and if he wants to be traded he needs to make it impossible for teams to say no. Now is not the time for him to be quiet and defering to other players. It is sad to say but it is quite possible that people will be seeing the Miller they always wanted between now and the trade deadline simply because he wants to get traded.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forward: Rudy Gay vs Jeff Green
Rudy Gay was 2nd on the sophomore team in scoring and may have gotten serious consideration for player of the game if not for Boobie shooting 11-20 from three pt land. Green didn't play bad but it was clear that Rudy is the more talented of the two. 11 days younger than Rudy, Green has always played 2nd fiddle to the more highly recruited UConn star. Green shows a lot of potential to be a solid NBA player but Rudy is almost a star already.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Chris Wilcox
As a starter Hakim Warrick is averaging 17 pts and 9 boards a game. Comparing that to Chris Wilcox who averages 13 and 7 would seem to be a clear advantage for Memphis but Wilcox usually has big games against the Grizzlies. He is intimidating, strong and powerful inside at it will require Hak to play tough on defense to keep him away from the basket. Wilcox doesn't have great range but he does know how to dunk the ball. That has been a weakness of Hakim in the past. As a starter now Hakim will have to play both sides of the court. Hak is fast however and his range will give Wilcox fits.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Kurt Thomas
In February Darko started to look like the man everyone was excited about in October before his thumb was injured. Averaging 9.2 ppg and 8.3 rpg in the month, Darko is starting to put together some nice games but he still has a limited repetroire of moves and commits too many bad fouls. Kurt Thomas gives up a lot of height to Darko but he is experienced and knows how to overcome his lack of size to be productive. In a game with so many inexperienced players this is another example of wisdom and old age defeating youth and talent. A good learning experience for Darko however.
Advantage: Seattle

Benches: Memphis vs Seattle
This is the one big difference in this game from the previous matchups. Seattle's bench used to be equal to Memphis but with the trade Memphis' bench has been severely weakened. Juan Carlos Navarro struggles against Seattle with their big guards of Wally Szczerbiak and Damien Wilkins. Jason Collins and Kwame Brown don't match up well against Nick Collison. Luke Ridnour and Delonte West are more experienced than Kyle Lowry and Javaris Crittenton. Basically if Memphis has to use their bench too much it won't be good for the Grizzlies.
Advantage: Seattle

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Post Game Thoughts - Seattle

If there is a cure for losing streaks it apparently is located in Seattle. The Sonics continue to be one team that this season's Grizzlies have no problem with. The 24 pt victory took a little sting out of the recent 5 game losing streak.

Who is Bobby Jones and where did this game come from? A lot of people will probably get overly excited about the 20 pt, 13 rebound, 7 assist, 3 steals and a block game but keep in mind that Tarence Kinsey had a month of such performances last season and is still playing in Turkey right now. Jones provided a huge lift with Rudy out but don't expect a lot more games such as this.

Pau Gasol had a big game (23 pts and 12 boards, 4 blocks) but failed to score again in the 4th quarter. Probably because he didn't play in the 4th as the Grizzlies already had the game put out of reach. Everytime Seattle tried to make a move to get back into the game Gasol made a big play to keep Memphis on top.

Mike Miller's back was obviously bothering him all night but he gutted it out and put a team high 25 pts including 6-9 from the arc. Miller didn't even make it to the end of the 3rd quarter when his back flared up but he fought hard and hopefully he will be ready for tonight's game against the Bobcats. Same goes for Rudy Gay who got sick before the game but was on the bench in street clothes.

I suggested Juan Carlos Navarro would have a difficult time in this game against the big guards of Seattle. I was wrong. Navarro had 21 pts, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. It is so much fun to watch Navarro play in person. He laughs, smiles and really seems to enjoy playing. The funniest moment of the night was when the Grizzlies did their 'Meet the Team' segment with Navarro. A few tidbits from his interview included his choosing #2 because he has 2 daughters, his best friend is Pau Gasol and his favorite food is hamburgers. It was all subtitled since he speaks Spanish and was interjected with movie clips including the hamburger scene with Samuel L. Jackson's scene from Pulp Fiction. Too funny! Great job by the Grizzlies media team.

This game was such a blowout that Andre Brown, Stromile Swift and even Brian Cardinal made 4th quarter appearances. Casey Jacobsen was in uniform for warmups but in street clothes for the game. Damon dressed but did not play.

All I can say about Seattle is that this team isn't good and doesn't match up well with the Grizzlies. At least that is what I can say and remain polite. If I wanted to be cruel I would say Nike isn't getting their money's worth from that Durant contract. Those have to be the ugliest shoes I have ever scene on a human being. Durant looks like he will be an offensive force one day but he has to learn to play defense, rebound and passer. Being a team leader doesn't mean taking every shot possible no matter how bad it is. Jeff Green looks mechanical and may not develop into more than a back up SF. The rest of the team are NBA rejects and over the hill players. I wonder why Seattle is fighting to keep this team right now. Good thing I am too polite to say such things.

Great win for the Grizzlies but it won't be so easy against the Bobcats. Charlotte was blown out by New Orleans and rested their starters as well in the 4th quarter.

Spartacus Says:

It is amazing what a fun game NBA basketball is to watch when your team is winning by 20+ for the majority of the game. This is especially true when the guy sitting directly in front of you is renowned for riding the officials all game long......and the officials are not only looking at him, but responding to him throughout the evening. Thanks for making the game even more entertaining Richard!

What a game by Bobby Jones. The game program for the night might have said that Kyle Lowry was the catalyst for the team, but Jones proved that to be incorrect almost immediately after tip-off. He played smothering, suffocating defense on Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Damien Wilkins and whomever else he was asked to guard. He made hustle play after hustle play, leading to a standing ovation from the crowd gathered at FedEx Forum near the end of the half when he converted a steal into a bucket, then immediately turned and nearly stole the inbounds pass before knocking it out of bounds. It was the kind of effort that made guys like James Posey and Shane Battier fan favorites during their time on Beale Street. Granted, the more cynical among us could say "hey -- the guy is fighting for a contract", but you could tell from the look on his face that he'd be playing this hard whether he was in Memphis, Los Angeles, Austin or Albuquerque. The kid just loves being out there giving his all. I expect that the Grizzlies will sign him to another 10-day contract, and as long as he doesn't completely fall apart, he'll be on the team for the remainder of the season. Rudy Gay might want to avoid eating anything else that Bobby gets him for lunch though.

Chip covered all the relevant stats for Memphis, but here's a new stat for you: .302% That is Kevin Durant's shooting percentage from the field in 3 games against the Grizzlies so far, as he has only made 13 of his 43 attempts. Here's another: 7.....as in 7 total rebounds he has grabbed in those 3 games. Echoing Chip's thoughts, if I wanted to be truly cruel, I'd tell you that he has more turnovers (10) in those three games than assists (3), steals (1) and blocks (0) combined. But I'm not that mean. His shoes were that ugly though.

While the game was entertaining, perhaps the most unbelievable thing I saw all night occurred when Al Sharpton showed up halfway through the first quarter with an entourage of 4 or 5 people. It was apparent that they were having some difficulty finding their seats, as they meandered along the walkway behind the baseline for several minutes attempting to locate the appropriate place. Finally, as Sharpton grew frustrated, he pointed to an open chair and proclaimed in the way that only he can, "I'll take that seat!". The ushers tried to inform him that he couldn't just have any seat, that he would have to sit in his assigned seat, but he wasn't having any of it by that point. Finally, someone turned around and said, "Reverend Sharpton, that's my seat." Sharpton replied, "Well who are you?" The man responded, "I'm Marc Iavaroni." "Well, I've never heard of you, but you seem to have heard of me, so I think I'll be taking that seat now" was the instantaneous response from Sharpton.

The preceding was a complete and total fabrication, so please don't sue me......even if it could have actually happened.

Hopefuly the Grizzlies will be able to carry over some momentum from last night into tonight's game against the BETcats.

Memphis vs Seattle - 1.18.08

Memphis has lost 5 consecutive games but two were on the last possession and one more was in OT so their record is a bit deceiving. Expect the Grizzlies to play small ball tonight despite Seattle's tall team as Darko Milicic is experiencing knee pain and said he felt popping in the knee prior to the Cleveland game. Doesn't sound promising but what else would you expect from the Grizzlies? Pau Gasol has been on fire of late but Mike Miller has struggled finishing games since he rarely is allowed to leave the court. Rudy Gay broke out of his two game slump with a 30 pt effort against Cleveland. Mike Conley set a career high in points against Cleveland and Juan Carlos Navarro integrated himself back into the rotation with a strong game against Cleveland as well.

Seattle is struggling worse than the Grizzlies and are even younger. Kevin Durant leads the team in shot attempts as well as scoring but he has struggled this season doing either against former Baltimore childhood friend Rudy Gay. Durant is averaging 20.1 ppg on 41% shooting from the field and 30.5% from the arc. In other words he is scoring by putting up a lot of shots. The other rookie Jeff Green is only scoring 9 ppg but is hitting on 44.2% of his FG attempts. His rebounding is acceptable for a SF and he is producing in all areas. The duo is raising expectations in Oklahoma City as the owner has stated he wants to move the team but Seattle is still trying to keep the team as well. Perhaps getting on the road and ignoring the soap opera will be good for the team.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Earl Watson
Some people say that Earl Watson can't shoot but he is hitting shots as well as Kevin Durant who is supposed to be the next super scorer in the NBA. Earl is clipping along at 40.8% from the field and an eye-popping 35.2% from the arc this season More importantly he is averaging 6.1 apg while splitting time with Luke Ridnour. Earl is known for his defense but that will be tested against the lightning fast Mike Conley. Conley is getting more and more comfortable running the offense as the team has eclipsed 100 pts in 5 pf the last 6 games while failing to hit for 100 in 6 of the previous 7. He must be doing something right. His shot is still not respected but that may be changing as Mike is hitting 45.5% of his FG attempts and 34.6% of his long range attempts. Conley leads all rookies in assists at 4.6 a game but has averaged 5.4 apg as a starter. A classic confrontation between a talented rookie and a crafty veteran. Remember what the last crafty veteran PG did to Mike and he never played for the Grizzlies.
Advantage: Seattle

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Jeff Green
I know this is not the true SG match up but everyone knows Rudy is going to be guarding Durant and I am not going to waste a great match up simply because some people get hung up on terms. Miller has increased his scoring in January to 18.1 ppg which just happens to correlate with Conley being the PG. Is there a connection? For the month Mike is hitting 55.7% of his FG attempts, 43.2% of his long balls and grabbing 7 boards a game. Naturally local fans are calling for him to be traded. Green has been developing slowly but solidly. He isn't a flashy ESPN highlight real type of player but more of a blue collar worker who gives great effort every night. He is now playing 32 mpg and but his percentages are starting to drop as his minutes increase. The rookie wall may be rising up to claim another player as Green starts hitting new barriers for games played in a season.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forward: Rudy Gay vs Kevin Durant
I've already discussed how poorly KD is shooting this season. To put it in perspective however Rudy shot 42% from the field as a rookie. I haven't heard too many people complain about his sophomore season lately. There is no reason not to expect KD to not improve similarly next year. Rookies struggle to get their shots in line with the pace of the game and once it slows down for Durant he should be awesome...as long as he isn't playing against Rudy Gay who knows every move KD has. The players are so similar physically it is scary. One is 6-8, 222 lbs with limitless range and awesome ability to get shots off in traffic. The other is 6-9, 215 pounds with awesome range and an awesome ability to get shots off in traffic. Rudy is more experienced right now and has given Durant fits in their first two match ups. KD has scored 28 pts total in those two games hitting 5-25 from the floor. Rudy is playing the best basketball of his career right now including putting up 30 against LeBron James on Tuesday night.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Chris Wilcox
Most people realize that Gasol is the #2 scorer on the Grizzlies. What most people may not realize Chris Wilcox is the #2 scorer on the Sonics. The 6th yr player out of Maryland has never materialized into the player many people thought he would coming out of Maryland but he is a fine player who uses intimidation as one of his best attributes. Gasol has been known to be intimidated by players such as Wilcox. Gasol is only averaging 12.5 ppg against Seattle this season but that was the November Gasol and the January Gasol is a far different creature. Gasol has been putting up huge numbers in January and Wilcox won't be able to just give him a scowl and a scream and expect Gasol to roll over. With Pau averaging 22 pts and 11 boards it may take every big Seattle has to slow him down. Wilcox is also on the mend after he suffered an injury so another advantage for Gasol.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Kurt Thomas
I know it may sound silly but this could be the most important matchup in the game. Will Darko be able to go? What will the MRI say? If not Darko who will play center? Will Hakim move to PF and Gasol to C? Will Stromile make an appearance after not playing since January 8th? It seems obvious that Darko won't be 100% but the team doesn't need Darko 100% in the game. They do need his bulk in the game. Behind Thomas is Johan Petro, Saer Sene and Nick Collison so you can count on Seattle playing every big they have to to dominate the boards and Memphis will need to find a way to counter this. Thomas is averaging almost 10 rebounds a night, partially because the backcourt throws up so many bricks everyone has a chance to grab boards. Thomas isn't a great shot blocker however so he shouldn't be effective trying to cheat away from his man to help out. Still a healthy Thomas vs an injured Milicic is no contest.
Advantage: Seattle

Benches: Memphis vs Seattle
Memphis bench has been getting solid production from Navarro lately and Lowry and Hak seemed to have solidified their bench roles as well but that was with a healthy Darko. If Darko can't go then Swift, Brown and maybe even Cardinal re-enter the picture. Navarro may also start but it is pretty spooky to think of Navarro guarding either Green or Durant. It is pretty scary to think of Navarro matched up against Wally Szczerbiak or Damian Wilkens for that matter who are the main bench scorers for Seattle. Delonte West and Luke Ridnour are battling for backup PG duty and right now it seems a toss up. West being more active defensively and Ridnour better offensively.
Advantage: Seattle

Update at Game Time: No Rudy Gay tonight. Out sick via Chip from the game.

Pregame: Memphis vs Seattle - 11.19.07

Hoops for the Hungry Night - bring a can of food for the hungry!

ChipC3 and Zack bring you pregame commentary for the 11.19.07 Memphis vs Seattle game. Leave your predictions for the final score in the comments.

Memphis returns home to play their third game in 4 days...again. If it seems like the Grizzlies have been playing a lot lately it is because they have. The Seattle game will be the 5th game in 7 days for the Grizzlies and the biggest margin in any of those games has been the Houston victory last week when the Grizzlies won by 6 points. Since the Houston win the Grizzlies lost to Milwaukee by three, lost to New Orleans in OT by two and finally lost to Dallas by three when Navarro had not one but two excellent looks at the basket. Both shots were on target but unfortunately didn't fall. Iavaroni is pleased with the team's effort but realizes that the team can't continue to dig themselves out of deficits if they want to start winning games. The Grizzlies juggled the lineup already with Darko's injury but once the big guy is back don't be surprised to see a more permanent change in the starting line up.

Seattle has struggled as well this season as one would expect of any team that traded away Ray Allen for youth and then traded Rashard Lewis for cap space and draft picks. Seattle won the lottery this summer with the 2nd pick. I know that sounds strange but with Oden out for the season Seattle got the best rookie playing this season. Kevin Durant has already shown the ability to hit the game winning shot and he is only going to get better and he has some motivation in this game. After shooting 3-17 against the Grizzlies in their first match up he is anxious to show it was just an off night and not the Grizzlies defense.

Trends

-- Crunch time execution. In the last 4 games, the score has essentially been even with 2 minutes to play. The Griz are 1-3 in those 4 games, losing the last 3.
-- Charity stripe. Tonight the Griz are asking fans to be charitable. Tonight I am asking the refs to be more charitable in return. After the Rockets win, the Grizzlies were going to the line 33 times compared to 22 for the opponent. In the 3 games since, that trend has reversed with Grizzlies shooting a combined 58 FT's to 83 for the opponents.
-- Sonics on the road. This is the 5th and final game of the Sonics first long road trip of the year. They are 2-2 so far, which they have to be pleased with.

Storylines

-- Infirmary report. Darko's thumb X-rays were negative, but I'd still be surprised to see him play tonight. Micheal Conley injured his shoulder last game and I would also be surprised to see him play tonight. Pau seemly has a laundry list of nagging injuries, though the Spaniard is playing through the pain. And I can't resist mentioning Stromile's name when talking about Grizzly injuries, although I think he is physically healthy.
-- La Bomba. JC got the start in place of Darko against Dallas, as Iavaroni moved Rudy to the 4. JC earned the starting spot by hitting 8 of 9 3-point attempts against the Hornets. Against Dallas, JC had 2 open attempts from beyond the arc to tie the game, missing both. Still, I'm sure the hometown crowd tonight will let JC know how much they appreciate his efforts of late.
-- Playing better than our record indicates. I know that phrase may have lost meaning after last year, but indeed, this year the Griz are playing better than a 2-7 record indicates. The Griz have played the 4th hardest schedule so far in the NBA and played all 4 Southwest Division foes to the wire.

Keys

-- Crunch time execution. Notice a trend here? In crunch time, the Grizzlies are 2-4, being able to get the best of Houston and Seattle. If the Griz can't put this one away early, they will need to buckle down in the 4th, get timely stops and find a way to improve the crunch time offense.
-- No early fouls for Rudy. Rudy is a big part of Iavaroni's game plan each night. When Rudy inexplicably picks up early fouls, Iavaroni has to change the game plan and go deeper into the bench. Although Iavaroni's comment about not getting down early might be pointing towards Damon, it probably has just as much to do with Rudy having to ride the pine for long stretches of the 1st half because of stupid fouls.
-- Replacing Darko. If the Serbian Enforcer can't go tonight, the Grizzlies will need to find a way to match his interior defense (without fouling, Rudy!!!) and his rebounding. Wilcox and Collison are both solid rebounders. Stromile or Hakim will need to step up and fill Darko's shoes tonight, especially if Rudy can't avoid early foul trouble. I suspect BC or Andre Brown may see some playing time tonight as well.

Matchups

Point Guard: Damon Stoudamire vs Earl Watson
Earl Watson and Damon Stoudamire are very similar players. They are both under 6 ft tall, they aren't as fast as most NBA PG's and most importantly they can't shoot a lick. They also have another thing in common. They are not far from seeing the opening tips from the bench. Watson has been outplayed recently by Delonte West while Damon has been seen as only babysitting the job since Michael Conley was drafted this summer. Earl will probably outlast Damon as a starter but if his game doesn't improve it is only a matter of time. Kyle Lowry's turnovers are probably the only reason he isn't starting already but the team can't afford to start game after game in a hole. Lowry's defense could help the team get started better and Damon can perform better against back ups than starters in most instances. He has proven he can still play without limping. The banner is ready to be passed.
Advantage: Seattle

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Damian Wilkins
Damien and Mike had a nice match the first meeting this season with Wilkins getting 18 pts and 5 boards and Miller scoring 20 pts and 8 rebounds. Of course that game was a road game for Mike. Now Miller is at home, has found his place in Iavaroni's offense and is starting to take over games down the stretch. Mike has always been a great outside shooter and an adequate slasher to the basket but where has the rebounding come from? Mike still leads the team in rebounds despite playing most of the game at the shooting guard. Wilkins' has to realize that Jeff Green and Kevin Durant are going to make it difficult for him to get minutes in the future but he isn't going away quietly. Especially after his 41 pt explosion at Atlanta (in front of his dad and uncle no less). However Damian and Gerald won't be at this game.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Kevin Durant
People in Memphis have been declaring that King Pau is dead, Long Live King Rudy. I don't know if I am quite ready to go that far but it is hard to argue that Rudy has been the most effective and productive player on the Grizzlies this season. Now if he could only avoid first quarter foul troubles. Kevin hit a game winning 3 pt shot against Atlanta the other day and that shot was the headline story on almost every sports show in the country. Rudy hit two three point shots to force OT against New Orleans the same night but was relegated to the back pages. Something tells me that Rudy and Kevin are going to be great rivals for the rest of their careers. Right now however Rudy shoots better, scores better and plays better defense despite the lack of press clippings.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forward: Hakim Warrick vs Chris Wilcox
With Darko injured and Navarro a bad match up against Wilkins I expect Warrick to start this game. Call me crazy but the small ball lineup doesn't fit well against a long and fast team like Seattle. Just ask Atlanta about that. Hakim isn't as powerful as Wilcox but his range and speed should give Wilcox fits as well. Hakim started the season buried on the bench but his offensive play of late has earned him more time. If it isn't Hakim then expect Stro to start but somehow I think with Iavaroni's desire to get a lead early the better offensive player in Warrick is the better option. Still Wilcox is a power beast who knows how to rebound and with no Darko rebounds will be a highly sought after commodity.
Advantage: Seattle

Centers: Pau Gasol vs Nick Collison
Something is wrong with Gasol. Never a power player, Gasol has failed to grab more than 8 rebounds in a game since November 7th. That is bad even for a weak center with no heart as some Grizz fans call Gasol. Pau hasn't lost his shooting touch however as he still is averaging 17 ppg and shooting over 50% from the field but there is still something missing. Be it dead legs from a summer of playing or a bad back or whatever, with Darko out Gasol must raise his game. Collison is an undersized Center who survives on effort, a knack for rebounds and a lack of decent competition for the job. Seattle recognizes the problem as they spent three straight #1 picks on a center but none have developed yet.
Advantage: Memphis

Benches: Memphis' bench has been depleted by the injuries to Darko and Michael Conley. That is one reason the development of Juan Carlos Navarro has been such a nice addition. Kyle Lowry continues to be the spark plug off the bench and Tarence Kinsey is starting to get court time again at the expense of cold shooting Casey Jacobsen. The thing to remember about Memphis' bench is that the team is a work in progress. Iavaroni started with those most comfortable in his system and now he is broadening out as more talented players get as comfortable. Seattle's bench is basically a three man outfit as Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and Jeff Green get the majority of production. Johan Petro continues to struggle fitting in and Robert Swift has been a disappointment. Luke Ridnour's return could add more confusion to the point guard position as well.
Advantage: Memphis

Coaches: Marc Iavaroni vs P J Carlesimo
Two coaches in their first seasons with new teams that are rebuilding with youth balanced with some experience. Iavaroni should be grateful for Carlesimo giving him his first professional victory as a head coach. Iavaroni is starting to bet into the team's head in a good way. The defense is improving and the offense is flowing. Players are starting to know what is expected instead of thinking about it. Now Iavaroni needs to teach his team how to hit 3 pt shots at the buzzer. The Grizzlies had the ball in their hands for the last shot in all three losses but couldn't get the shot to fall. Eventually that will change. Carlesimo got his first wins at Miami and Atlanta so obviously his style is being understood as well. Carlesimo's experience could be a deciding factor but I like Iavaroni at home.
Advantage: Memphis

Other Previews
Grizzlies.com
Hoopsworld.com
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Sports Network
Sonics.com
Sonics Insider

Postgame: Memphis at Seattle 11.07.07

First Times

--The Memphis Grizzlies got their first 2007 regular season win by beating the Sonics 105 to 98. Congrats.
--Coach Marc Iavaroni got his first regular season NBA win last night. Congrats.
--Micheal Conley saw his first regular season action in the NBA last night. Congrats. Conley came in during the second quarter and played about 8 minutes. I suspect this will be the norm in the near future.

From Seattle's Perspective

After some Griz games I would like to highlight what is being said in the opposing city. I'm sure every Griz fan that reads this blog, also reads the Commercial Appeal's coverage of the Grizzlies (Tillery's recap is here). Below are some snippets from the Seattle media...

Jayda Evans at the Seattle Times wrote,

He was told no one on Memphis' team could guard him.

Not that it gave Sonics rookie Kevin Durant any false confidence, but it did make those 14 misses sting a little more. Especially because some were against the player who spoke the words, second-year Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay.

Eric D. Williams at the News Tribune wrote,

Seattle fights mightily in the fourth quarter, but ultimately can’t make enough plays to close out a win.

Memphis must have studied the script while waiting for Seattle to return from back-to-back games in Los Angeles and Sacramento. The Grizzlies followed the plot line to perfection in defeating Seattle, 105-98, Wednesday night in front of an announced crowd of 10,761.

The game was in question with 20 seconds left, but Memphis guard Kyle Lowry put the contest out of reach by nailing a 3-pointer from the wing, pushing Seattle a game closer to some unwanted franchise history.

Gary Washburn at the SeattlePI wrote,

After the shot fell through the hoop, Wilcox slammed the ball into the basket support, a testament to the team's frustration.

To no one's surprise, the Sonics, winless in their first five games, were unable to hold a 65-51 third-quarter lead. But what was surprising was how quickly the lead disintegrated and turned into a sizable deficit.

Earl Watson's jumper gave the Sonics the 14-point lead with 9:25 left in the period. And by the time Lowry completed a three-point play with 5.9 seconds left in the period, Memphis owned an 87-81 lead. The Grizzlies went on a 36-16 run in just over nine minutes, adding to the list of runs against the Sonics this season.

Random Thoughts From a Sleep Deprived Graduate Student

--I think the Griz will make the playoffs. Bethlehem Shoals thinks the Griz will make the playoffs. But is making the playoffs good for the Grizzlies? From a business standpoint in the short-term, yes. Memphis fans are more likely to go watch a team playing for or in the playoffs than a team destined to be in the lottery. But in the long term, the answer is likely no. As new SoB, MemphisX, pointed out, we have a talent gap. This year's draft looks to be talented and deep. We could sure use any of the stud's likely to go in the top 10. Plus, if we finish as one of the top 10 teams in the league, we lose our 1st round pick to the Wizards in the Juan Carlos Navarro trade. However, it will not be fun to see Memphis relying on more high draft picks to develop. The more sensible way to acquire more talent is likely through trades. But getting back to the question of is it good for the Grizzlies to make the playoffs. Probably. Although it is probably best for the Grizzlies to show dramatic improvement, be as good as a playoff team and barely miss the playoffs due to great play by other Western Conference teams.

--I might be wrong about JC Navarro. There is no way he is in contention for 6th man of the year. He might not be in contention for 10th man of the year. JC hasn't shot well from beyond the arc, and has yet to make a shot inside the 3 point line this year as well, missing on all of his patented 'La Bomba' running floater in the lane. Between JC and Casey, we expect pinpiont 3 point shooting. We haven't gotten it. We aren't paying these guys to play defense, they need to start earning their money by being sharp shooters.

--No, Chris Herrington, I don't think it is too early to call Darko the best center in Grizzlies history. At least not from me. He has officially beat out Lorenzen and Jake for that honor already. Darko has really impressed me in the first three games of the season. My biggest complaint surrounding Darko is the inability of the rest of the team to get him the ball in the post when he has his man buried under the basket. Darko might not have shown great touch around the basket, but he has shown an ability to get great position on the block. I want to see our guards and espicially the bigman in the high post to do a better job of getting Darko the ball when he has his man pinned.

Pregame: Memphis at Seattle - 11.7.07

Pregame commentary for the 11.07.07 Memphis at Seattle game, by ChipC3 and Zack. Leave your predictions for the final score in the comments.

Memphis has started the season with back to back home losses. Not an encouraging beginning to the season but the Grizzlies were in contention in both games and both the Spurs (3-0) and Indiana (3-0) are undefeated this season so the losses aren't as catastrophic as they could be. A few bounces going the other way or a few less offensive charging fouls and the record could be very different. The Seattle game opens a tough 3 games in 4 days road trip. It is not critical yet for the team to get a win but it would make everyone feel better.

Seattle has struggled so far this season as well. Their 0-4 mark includes strong efforts against Phoenix (who is struggling right now as well) and Sacramento, but were blown out at Denver and at the Clippers. Kevin Durant seems to be the real deal despite the losses as he is averaging 22.5 ppg and 5 rpg. However he is shooting only 40% from the field and 30% from the arc so he isn't very efficient in getting his points. Chris Wilcox is coming into his own as he is averaging 18.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg so far. Seattle is playing at home on Tuesday night against Sacramento so fatigue may be an issue. With a possible move lingering over the franchise it will be interesting to see if the fans are supportive or bitter at this game.

Trends:

--Small ball. It's no secret that Iavaroni has not hesitated to go small so far this season. Two examples of pushing the use of the small lineups; Mike Miller playing PF against the Pacers and a Lowry-Damon backcourt to close out the first half of each game.
--Damien Wilkins is excited. Manu scored 30, had 5 boards and 7 dimes. Dunleavy had 27, 8, and 4. Needless to say, opposing SG's are playing well against the Griz this season.
--Careless basketball. The Grizzlies and Sonics are last and second-to-last, respectively, in the NBA in turnovers committed. In 5 games, they have combined to commit a total of 100 turnovers, compared to 72 for the opposition.

Storylines:

--Iavaroni looking for his first win. On paper at least, this game is Coach Iavaroni's best chance to collect his first every regular season NBA win.
--Griz fans get to watch what could have been. May 22nd, 2007 will haunt Griz fans everytime they see Kevin Durant play.
--Will the Sonics follow the Grizzlies lead in leaving the Pacific Northwest? New owner Clay Bennett wants to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City. With the ex-Vancouver Grizzlies coming to town less than a week since the official announcement of intent to move, you can be sure the similarities between the two teams will be written/talked about plenty.

Keys:

--Get Pau more involved. Although Pau is leading the team in field goals attempted, he hasn't necessarily been the focal point on offense like in the past. Normally, I'm all for a balance when it comes to offensive focus, but Gasol has historically killed the Sonics and it may be a good time to let Gasol do his thing more often this game.
--Keep teams from shooting a high percentage from the outside. Although sometimes I don't act like it, I'm not an official basketball coach. So however Iavaroni goes about it, something has to be done to keep the opposing teams from shooting so well from the outside. My suggestion... Quit being so passive against the pick-and-roll. But what do I know?
--Continue to learn how to play together as a team. Ok, this might not be a key to victory in this particular game, but for the Griz to have more victories in the future, the team must continue to improve the on court chemistry. Win or lose, it needs to be within the umbrella of playing as a one unit, not a collection of individuals.

Matchups:

Damon Stoudamire vs Earl Watson: Memphis should have interest in this match up as former Grizzly Earl Watson matches up against Damon. Earl is not a super fast PG nor will he have a size advantage which means Damon should have a chance to shine. So far this season Damon has been erratic with his shot and has not been impressive defensively or as an assist man. His leadership may be greater at this stage than Lowry's but obviously Lowry is the main man. Likewise, Watson may be starting but Delonte West, in only 19 mpg, is averaging more points while shooting more efficiently. His assists lag Watson's but one has to wonder how long West will remain behind Watson.
Advantage: Memphis

Mike Miller vs Damien Wilkins: Damien Wilkins realizes his time as a starter is not going to be long. With Kevin Durant and Jeff Green waiting to take over the team Wilkins's role is to teach the rookies professionalism and the NBA game. In the meantime, Wilkins seems very interested in showing the rest of the league he belongs on a team in a prominent role. The son of Gerald and nephew of Dominique Wilkins, Damien is averaging 16.5 ppg and hitting an amazing 62% from the arc. Miller took a back seat to superstars on the Team USA this summer. He has yet to reclaim that role of dominant scorer since returning. Memphis needs Miller to look for his shot and stretch defenses with his range. So far Miller is leading the team in assists (6.0 per game) and rebounds (10 per game) but is only scoring 12.5 per game and he needs to be more aggressive.
Advantage: Memphis

Rudy Gay vs Kevin Durant: This is the marquee match up of the game. Kevin Durant was the #2 pick in last summer's draft and has shown no intention of holding back his shooting despite his early season ineffectiveness. At 6-10 and capable of hitting any shot on the floor he will be a defensive nightmare for any player in the league. Rudy is the Grizzlies best perimeter defender and at 6-9 he has the ability to alter his shot. Durant and Rudy should be fascinating to watch if the referees stay out of the way. Against Indiana Rudy was given 4 offensive fouls and was called for a questionable charging foul in the Spurs game as well. This time the rookie will be guarding Rudy. The big difference is Durant seems to realize he is the best option on the team while Rudy seems hesitant to take that role.
Advantage: Seattle

Pau Gasol vs Chris Wilcox: The battle of the bigs matches brute force against coached skill. Wilcox is a beast willing to use any intimidation factor he can call on to gain an advantage. A ferocious dunker and determined rebounder, Wilcox embodies everything people want more of from Gasol. So far Gasol has seemed tentative and while putting up acceptable numbers he hasn't been the focal point of the offense yet. Perhaps this has to do with Iavaroni's style or being unsure of his role in the new system but Memphis needs more from Gasol if the team wants to win games. I thought about giving Wilcox the edge because of his physical nature but Damon Agnos at Seattle Weekly reminded me of how often Gasol dominates Seattle.
Advantage: Memphis

Darko Milicic vs Nick Collison: Darko is a stronger and bigger center than Memphis has ever had. Collison is more of what Memphis was used to seeing in the middle when Lorenzen Wright manned the post. He works hard and is willing to sacrifice himself for the team. He is just outmatched physically under the basket. Darko is starting to get comfortable in the post with his new team and has been very effective when avoiding foul calls. Neither players will be expected to score a lot for their team. This match up will come down to who get the most rebounds. Darko's height should give him the edge but Collison is at home and Darko has yet to avoid early foul trouble.
Advantage: Seattle

Benches: Memphis was probably surprised to see back to back teams come in with benches every bit as capable as their own. Memphis' depth is supposed to be one of their strengths but so far new players Juan Carlos Navarro and Casey Jacobsen have struggled with their shots and being terrible on defense while Stro and Hak haven't found their rhythm. The one true bright spot off the bench has been Kyle Lowry who's defense and attacking style have helped elevate the backups to perform better as a unit than individually. Seattle's bench is a combination of developmental players like Johan Petro and Jeff Green with veterans like Wally Szczerbiak and Luke Ridnour. Delonte West has emulated Kyle Lowry providing a spark off the bench as well. Szczerbiak hasn't found his shot yet and Ridnour has been battling an injury
Advantage: Memphis

Coaches: PJ Carlisimo doesn't have a stranglehold on this team yet (I am sorry I couldn't resist saying that). His team couldn't get their breath in Denver (bad pun) and choked against Phoenix (I promise to quit now) before the weak effort against the Clippers. Carlisimo is experienced as a bench coach but struggled in the head coaches chair in the past. This team will try his patience after year's on San Antonio's bench but he does get players respect for what he has accomplished. Iavaroni seems to be playing favorites with his signees getting PT (Darko, Navarro and Jacobsen) while holdovers Tarence Kinsey and Brian Cardinal have yet to be activated for a game. Eventually Iavaroni will either have to improve his players performances or activate these former good role players. He's a rookie Head Coach but he seems to have already fallen into a trap with the players.
Advantage: Seattle

Other Game Previews:

--Check out the game preview written by Damon Agnos at the Buzzer Beater blog in the Seattle Weekly. Particularly you should read his take on the epic Wally vs Miller matchup.
--As always, go read Chris Herrington's Pre-Game Three-Pointer.
--To prepare Sonics fans for tonight's game, Kevin Pelton, at Sonics Beat, has 5 questions for Chris Herrington about the Griz in his Opposing View column. Great stuff, go read it.
--Grizzlies.com game preview.
--USA Today's game preview.