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.

Southwest Division Previews

Dallas Mavericks
Jake Kerr: Mavs Moneyball

Houston Rockets
grungedave and UofTOrange: The Dream Shake

Memphis Grizzlies
Joshua Coleman: 3 Shades of Blue

New Orleans Hornets
Rohan: At the Hive

ticktock6 & mW: Hornets Hype

Ryan Schwan & Ron Hitley: Hornets247.com


San Antonio Spurs
Graydon Gordian: 48 Minutes of Hell

Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com

Grizzlies at Houston - 10/8/08

Since this is the 1st pre-season game all assumptions on starting lineups are totally subjective.

Memphis enters their first pre-season game with more questions than answers with their lineup. The only completely solid starter appears to be Rudy Gay at Small Forward. Mike Conley, O J Mayo appear to have the inside position to man the other perimeter positions but both are being pushed by their backups. The PF position is a complete mess with returning starter Hakim Warrick appearing to be the winner simply because he fits the youth movement better than Antoine Walker. Center is a battle royal between two 7 foot big men in Darko Milicic and Marc Gasol. There aren't going to be a lot of questions answered in this game either.

Houston has questions as well but not on the level of the Grizzlies. Tracy McGrady, Ron Artest and Yao Ming should all start and likely Luis Scola and Rafer Alston but their positions are still in play. Shane Battier is best as a solid SF but has shown the ability to play PF and SG when needed. That versatility and professional attitude seems to make him an ideal 6th man. The rest of the lineup gets fuzzy for the Rockets. New Rockets Brent Barry, D J Strawberry and Joey Dorsey should find a way to get into the regular rotation along with Aaron Brooks, Mike James and the incredible Dikembe Mutambo.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Rafer Alston
Speed. That is the one common denominator in this matchup. Alston has been considered a fast point guard since his days on the playgrounds of NYC. Conley has the capacity to make Alston look slow however with his incredible burst of speed. The problem is that Alston seems to have a clue how to use his speed. Conley is still learning how to use his most effectively in the NBA. If he has learned that important lesson then his control with the ball could prove to be the difference. Alston has never really adjusted to leaving the playground and playing with any restraint at the point in he NBA despite 9 years of NBA experience. Mike just hasn't shown that he has learned how to use his jets yet.
Advantage: Houston

Shooting Guard: O J Mayo vs Tracy McGrady
Welcome to the NBA Mayo. You may have been on people's radar since 7th grade but nothing you have seen yet can prepare you for T-Mac. McGrady can score at will, is an excellent passer and at 6-8 can easily do either over the diminutive Mayo. T-Mac has the type of game Mayo wants but without the experience or the size it will be a learning experience for O J. Mayo's most reliable talent, defensive intensity, will be pushed to the limit but he should be able to get his shot off against the lackadaisical effort from T-Mac.
Advantage: Houston

Small Forward: Rudy Gay vs Ron Artest
Two of the most important players on thier respective teams. Rudy Gay must remain healthy and produce at even a higher level than his sophomore season to prevent the Grizzlies from being a joke in the NBA. He is that important right now. If there is one player who could destroy the Rockets dream of a playoff series win then this is the man. Sure T-Mac and Yao are vital but Artest has the mentality to make an entire team basket cases especially coaches. Artest used to be among the best defensive SF's in the league but his athleticism is on the decline now.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Luis Scola
Hakim Warrick inherited the starting role after the Pau Gasol trade and was nearly as effective on offense as Pau was. He averaged 16.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg as a starter but amazingly he was worse than Pau on defense! That won't sit well with new Assistant Coach Kevin O'Neill and showing up to camp looking even lighter than last season won't help Hak improve on his interior game either. Scola was a big surprise among the rookie class last year and should be more comfortable this season. At 28 Scola is entering his prime and benefited a lot from Yao's injury last year. Scola does the dirty work on this team and excels in that role.
Advantage: Houston

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Yao Ming
Yao Ming was the Rockets last season before another season ending injury pushed him to the bench. When healthy there isn't a more complete center in the league. Yao averaged 22 ppg, nearly 11 boards and hit over 82% of his FT attempts last year. Throw in a couple of blocks a night as well as two assists and you can understand why people called Yao the best. Darko however matched up well against Yao when they played. Darko fought injuries all season last year but when healthy early was capable of keeping anyone in check. The problem was that Darko wasn't healthy very much.
Advantage: Houston

Benches: Memphis vs Houston
Memphis has a lot of talent off the bench. Antoine Walker has looked good in camp so far. Marco Jaric is capable of starting in this league and his size makes him capable of playing 3 different positions. Kyle Lowry was arguably the best PG on the team last season. The biggest question mark however is Marc Gasol. Pau's younger brother has been the biggest surprise of the camp so far and he has the type of size that could give people fits this year. Houston's bench is as scrambled as Memphis' but with a lot more experience. Shane Battier should become an immediate player in the league's Sixth Man of the Year contest but everyone else is a question mark. Carl LAndy had a tumultous summer dealing with a new contract. Dikembe Mutambo is probably closer to 50 than 30 although no one knows for sure. Aaron Brooks is a dimunitive PG who packs a big game. Throw in Brent Barry, Chucky Hayes, Mike James, Steve Francis and others and Houston has a lot of weapons.
Advantage: Houston

Memphis at Houston - 2.29.08

Memphis 'leaps' back into action after their encouraging performance against Phoenix on Tuesday night. For only the 2nd game since the Gasol trade Memphis looked competitive with Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick and Juan Carlos Navarro leading the way against the revamped Phoenix Suns. Memphis will attempt to not lose all but one game in February by giving Houston their only loss of the month. Memphis seems to be gaining some confidence after losing their face of the franchise as Hakim Warrick and Rudy Gay bring athleticism and excitement to the court. Memphis is hoping to get Mike Miller back for this game but it is doubtful. Kwame Brown failed to get into the game against Phoenix due to some minor injuries including a sore shoulder according to Coach Mark Iavaroni.

Houston took advantage of a friendly schedule in February to win 13 consecutive games but that doesn't mean every thing is going great in Texas. The Rockets are playing their 2nd game without Yao Ming who is lost for the season with a stress fracture in his foot. There didn't seem to be much of an effect against Washington in their first game as Houston won 94-69 against Washington. That puts Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean Jacque Wamutombo aka Dikimbe Mutombo into the starting center role. No one is really sure how old Mutombo is but his profile says he is 41. He could actually be older! Houston is led now by Tracy McGrady but gets important minutes from Shane Battier and Shane Battier. Houston surprised many people with two late trades despite their winning ways. Houston acquired former Grizz Bobby Jackson and former slam dunk champion Gerald Green at the last second before the deadline.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Rafer Alston
Rafer Alston is being asked to pick up a large amount of the scoring lost by Yao Ming which is fine with Rafer but the Rockets aren't so sure. Alston's reputation is being a selfish point guard who thinks 'me' first. Despite his poor shooting percentages this season Alston has been better at playing within the team concept. Mike Conley is all about the team concept. The 20 yr old PG is averaging 5.2 apg as a starter while shooting 44.5% from the field. The main area Conley needs to develop is his long range shooting is terrible (27.5% from behind the arc).
Advantage: Houston

Shooting Guards: Juan Carlos Navarro vs Tracy McGrady
This is probably the worst match up Memphis will face all season. Tracy McGrady is 6-8, scores at will and has an all around game people dream about. Juan Carlos is 6-3, a weak defender and has only recently climbed over the rookie wall to start producing again. The main deficiancy in Navarro's game has been on the defensive end which doesn't bode well when playing T-Mac who seems to take personal joy in lighting up the Grizzlies especially in crunch time. T-Mac's averaging 29 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists against the Grizzlies this season.
Advantage: Houston

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Shane Battier
It seems strange today to believe that Rudy and Shane were once traded for each other. Rudy Gay is starting to prove he can score on anyone in the NBA. Shane Battier is one of those players who lives to shut down people who think that way. Usually Shane is giving Mike Miller fits but with Miller laid up Battier will turn his focus to Rudy. That isn't good for Memphis. Battier is a 'glue guy' that does everything well. Shane's benefited against the Grizzlies in the past with insider knowledge of our players favorite moves. That isn't the case now so it will be interesting to see how things develop.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Luis Scola
In the last 5 games Warrick is averaging 18.8 ppg and 8.4 rpg. while shooting 52% from the field. That is pretty good production for the Grizzlies who were supposed to be weak at the PF position after trading Pau Gasol. However everything isn't simply by the numbers. Warrick doesn't command the double teams that Gasol did which makes it difficult for their other players to get easy shots and his passing is close to terrible compared to Gasol. Luis Scola, the rookie from Argentina, has averaged 13 points and 6.6 rebounds over that same time frame but is bring muscle and effort to a position Houston has been extremely weak at historically. Scola struggled on the boards with Yao out against Washington getting only 2 rebounds. How well Scola handles the increased pressure with Yao out will determine if Houston can continue to climb in the Western Conference standings. Scola will need to use his bulk against Warrick's speed and range.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Dikembe Mutombo
If there is a more important match up in this game than T-Mac against Navarro is has to be Mutombo against Milicic. In the first game without Yao Houston got 4 blocked shots from Dikembe but the Rockets lost Yao's ability to score and rebound getting only 4 pts and 6 rebounds from the elder Mutombo. Darko Milicic was limited to 12 minutes against Cleveland but returned against Phoenix and Shaq to score 15 pts and grab 7 rebounds in only 21 minutes. Darko is the future in the middle for Memphis but needs to start showing more consistency and a better touch around the basket to make fans agree with the decision to sign him. Milicic has performed well against slow big men and Mutombo is that in a nutshell plus he offers almost no offensive threat.
Advantage: Memphis

Benches: Memphis vs Houston
If Memphis appears to have an advantage among the starters that won't be enough to overcome Houston's dominating bench. Former Grizzlies swing guard Bobby Jackson brings toughness to the backcourt and mixes well with Luther Head for a powerful scoring dou off the bench. Rookie Carl Landry is starting to make a name for himself at the forward position as well. In the last 5 games Landry has averaged 10.4 ppg and 7.0 rpg. Houston will have to go small a lot with Yao out but Chuck Hayes has proven himself to be more than capable rebounding despite his size. Memphis' bench is led by Kyle Lowry but falls off quickly after that. Javaris Crittenton has yet to find his groove in Memphis since the trade. Kwame Brown has struggled with minor injuries and isn't expected to play in this game leaving Jason Collins as the only big off the bench. Brian Cardinal has been getting minutes and still exhibits that go for broke style and outside touch that enamored former GM Jerry West to bring him to town.
Advantage: Houston

Postgame Thoughts - Dallas

I don't understand how people can't be entertained watching the Grizzlies these days. My friend and I had a blast watching the Dallas game. Halfway into the 3rd quarter I bet him that the Grizzlies would score 80 points in the game. It was so exciting watching to see if it would happen.

What has Juan Carlos Navarro done to earn the hatred of the refs? He was getting mugged tonight without any calls. I can understand his frustration. We were absolutely laughing watching Eddie Jones nearly knock him over at midcourt in the third with no call, regrouping himself and driving into the lane and having Barea hook his arms with no call. The next time down the court Devan George elbowed him to the court for a rebound right in front of the ref with no call. I realize that Navarro has to be down after buying his contract out from Barcelona (yes he paid them to get out) so he could play with Pau only to see his best friend traded but the calls, or lack of them, certainly has to be making him wonder what he is doing here.

Rudy looked great in the first half but disappeared in the 2nd. Miller looked off all night and particularly bad in the 2nd when he lost the ball at midcourt, only to have it knocked back toward him so he kicked it toward the sideline and then slid out of bounds going for the ball. That was just embarrassing. Darko failed to get his double-double but didn't look particularly bad. He just didn't look particularly good either. Hakim is playing like he is a career bench player.

Free throw shooting was abyssmal. How does trading Pau cause the team to shoot 19-32? 13 missed free throws and a 12 pt loss. I wonder if there is a connection? Shooting below 40% from the field isn't going to get you many wins either. It just appears the team is lost without Gasol drawing double teams down low.

Face it, the team is bad right now. That doesn't mean they are that bad a team however. If the team doesn't shoot well then they aren't going to win but I believe that the shooting will improve once the team adjusts to Pau's being gone. Free throw shooting is a longer term problem however. Darko shoots free throws so poorly my high school coach would bench him on that alone and Kwame is worse!

The team looks lost on offense but at least is improving on defense. Probably the highlight of the game for me after Dallas went on a 11-2 run to end the half was when Jason Collins flattened Devan George instead of letting him get an easy layup. When has that happened by a Grizzlies player before?

Saturday night will probably be more of the same but after the all-star break I expect a better overall effort from the team. It's tough to make major changes to a young team in mid-season but there is a green light at the end of this tunnel. That FA money should find someone to help this team this summer. We just have to endure the rest of the season until that happens. A high draft pick and a veteran FA who can contribute inexpensively (I don't believe we will be going after a name player this summer) plus experience for Navarro, Conley, Rudy (yes he can still get better) and Lowry will make the team better next year.

I wasn't around when the Brooklyn Dodgers played ball at Ebbetts Field but I have heard their refrain: "Wait til next year!"

Memphis at New Orleans -2.10.08

Memphis comes to New Orleans desperate for a win, any win, but it will be difficult against the Hornets, one of the best teams in the league this season. Memphis has struggled to find an identity after trading their biggest name, Pau Gasol, for cap space and future draft picks essentially. The most encouraging player from the trade, Javaris Crittenton, may be forced to play out of position if he wants to get any playing time this season. Kwame Brown adds size and defense to the interior but has been mostly a disappointment since being the #1 pick in the draft. This is most likely the last chance Kwame will get to impress anyone enough to sign him for more than the MLE so motivation should be on his side as well. Rudy Gay and Mike Miller are still the leaders of the team but will struggle to find open looks without an interior scoring threat.

New Orleans had been one of the top teams in the Southwest Division all season. Led by MVP candidate Chris Paul and balanced with a strong rotation including Peja Stojakovic, David West and Tyson Chandler, The Hornets have resurrected the franchise that only three seasons ago won a grand total of 18 games after trading their biggest name, Baron Davis. That trade brought back two old bad players in Dale Davis and Speedy Claxton and no draft picks. The Hornets are the poster children for the idea that by making smart draft picks and good free agent signings a quick turnaround is possible. New Orleans has improved thanks to improved health as much as anything. Last year New Orleans struggled with injuries to Chris Paul and Peja Stojakovic to just miss the playoffs. This season New Orleans is 3-0 against Memphis including two overtime games.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Chris Paul
Mike didn't start against Dallas but he was clearly the more polished player and will most likely start against the Hornets. Welcome to the NBA rookie, go guard MVP candidate Chris Paul. Paul has been outstanding this season and while LeBron is the front-runner, CP3 isn't far behind. Conley is a great looking rookie but he has only played 20 games this season and 2 years ago was playing high school ball. He has a bright future but this isn't the future.
Advantage: New Orleans

Shooting Guard: Mike Miller vs Morris Peterson
Miller started at SF against Dallas but MoPete can just shoot over Navarro while being a good enough defender to prevent JCN from getting any looks. Miller on the other hand is tall enough to contain MoPete and can cause him problems when the Grizz have the ball. Miller is good for a lot of points in spurts as long as they aren't crucial points in the game. He should be able to do some damage against MoPete.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forward: Rudy Gay vs Peja Stojakovic
Peja has a history against Memphis that isn't very good. If there is a better pure shooter in the NBA than Mike Miller than Peja is on that short list. At 6-10 he is a matchup nightmare on the perimeter where his deadly accuracy and fast release allow him to score in bunches. Rudy Gay is able to hit some great shots but struggles against better defenders off the dribble. Lucky for Rudy that Peja isn't one of those defenders. Rudy will need to force Peja to work on defense so he can't focus on offense. Rudy has also been doing a great job on the boards lately and will need to continue to do so.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forward: Hakim Warrick vs David West
Hakim has not played well enough to earn the spot but then again what interior player has off the bench? West is a monster when his game is not on. Give him some quick easy baskets and he will likely get on a roll. Hakim had shown an instant offense reputation off the bench but Memphis can't wait that long to get a scorer on the court. As a starter Hakim hasn't been nearly as effective. Memphis needs someone who can score around the hoop and Hak is drifting further and further from the basket too often.
Advantage: New Orleans

Center: Darko Milicic vs Tyson Chandler
TYson Chandler didn't play Thursday against the Suns but is expected back for this game, Why are they rushing him? Darko had his string of double-doubles end in Dallas but is capable of starting another run as soon as the ball is thrown up. Darko still relies on one basic move but teams struggle to stop a 7-2 man throwing up hook shots. Once he refinds his range he could be deadly effective underneath. Darko can't fall too in love with his shot however or Tyson Chandler will be sprinting past him to get easy baskets. Darko needs to rebound on the defensive end and rush to get on defense on our misses. If healthy Tyson Chanler is hand full on the backboard and has range out to at least 12 inches from the rim. The problem is nothis range since he is such an effective offensive rebounder.
Advantage: New Orleans

Bench: Memphis vs New Orleans
No contest here. Moving ice cold Juan Carlos Navarro to the bench won't help him find his shot. Crittenton is exciting but out of control. Hopefully that has more to do with his lack of knowledge of the system and not a character trait. Kwame Brown makes Darko look good at the free throw line. Jason Collins at least has shown the willingness to guard the lane with his body. Lowry will have to force the pace to be effective. Memphis' gamble of going big early means they have no backup SF. The Hornets have been getting freat production from their bench. Janerro Pargo is on a roll. Former Grizz Bobby Jackson will drain anything if left alone. Even Julian Wright has been getting some court time but it is still the starters that drive this team.
Advantage: New Orleans

Memphis at Dallas - 2.8.08

Memphis continues the painful trip from optomism to reality as they venture to one of the most difficult arenas to play in the country when they take on the Dallas Mavericks Friday night. Memphis has seemed in shock, both the team and the fans, from the Gasol trade. On the good news front Mike Conley is expected to play for the first time since the Washington game on January 23rd. The bad news is that Dallas is where he originally hurt his shoulder that caused him to miss so much time early in the season.

Dallas continues to hang around the lead of the Southwest division thanks to the play of Dirk Nowitski. Last season's MVP started the season slowly but has been steadily improving and, despite the back to back losses last week at Boston and Detroit, Dallas is in great shape to win the division again as they are currently tied with Saturday night's opponent New Orleans and have a 1.5 game lead over San Antonio. Rumors have been swirling however that Dallas may be interested in acquiring former Mav point guard Jason Kidd. You will have to put me in the see it to believe it catagory.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Jose Barea
Barea hurt the Grizzlies the last meeting in the Mavericks rout. His 9 points came at crucial times when it looked like Memphis may make a run. Barea isn't a great shooter or passer overall but as a starter he has hit 54% of his FG attempts and 58% of his 3 pt shots. Mike Conley is more in control as the starting point guard than Kyle Lowry and his return should be a big benefit for the Grizzlies. Coach Iavaroni has said that Conley has looked good in practice and even taken a few tough hits without problem. However rust has to be a factor as will conditioning. If Conley is 100% and not afraid of contact then he should have the advantage but only time will tell if that is the case. Barea will physically challenge Conley despite his relative size disadvantage.
Advantage: Dallas

Shooting Guard: Mike Miller vs Eddie Jones
Eddie Jones is old. His performances this season reflect. His 3.5 average and 36.8% shooting means Mike could have a relatively easy night on defense for a change. The problem is Eddie Jones can still play defense and he knows Mike's tendancies and prefered shooting locals. He won't let Mike get open looks very often. When defended Mike has a tendancy to disappear and the Grizzlies don't have enough offensive weapons to match the Mavs if Mike isn't being aggressive. Mike should outperform Jones but will it be enough to change the outcome?
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Josh Howard
Two players having serious break out seasons meet in this matchup. Rudy Gay is now considered the second best player in last season's draft but unlike Brandon Roy doesn't seem as comfortable in the lead scoring role yet. Rudy can hit clutch shots and has little fear but his ball-handling skill leaves much to be desired and he doesn't hit open teammates as much as is needed for a lead player. Howard toiled under Dirk's shadow for 4 seasons but this season emerged from the shadow to establish himself as a legitimate threat. Averaging 20.8 ppg this season puts Howard in 2nd place in scoring ahead of Jason Terry and only 1.6 ppg behind Dirk. What's more he has played above that level against Memphis averaging 26.5 ppg in the series.
Advantage: Dallas

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki used to light up Pau Gasol on the defensive end while letting his big centers work him over on defense. Now he will have to guard Hakim who has the size and quickness to frustrate Dirk offensively. The problem is that Hakim's reputation on defense is worse than Gasol's. Hakim needs to keep Dirk in check and that won't be easy. The real problem comes on the boards as Hakim is averaging a meager 3.1 rpg compared to Dirk's 8.7 rpg. If Dallas gets 5 more rebounds than Memphis from the PF position it is going to be a long night.
Advantage: Dallas

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Erick Dampier
Dampier is one half of the Mavericks powerful center combination. Known for his rebounding ability Dampier has managed to grab 7.0 rpg despite playing less than half of the game. Dampier gets most of his points close to the rim usually from tipping in misses which explains his 62.5 FG%. He has little range however which also explains his 62.0 FT%. Darko has posted three consecutive double-doubles but those games were against less physical big men. Diop and Dampier average 2.5 bpg between them and will clog the lane as well as any one. Darko needs to make sure he is taking good shots and hopefully will get Dallas' big in trouble more than himself.
Advantage: Dallas

Benches: Memphis vs Dallas
Jason Terry has moved back to the bench but that just means he gets to try and score against backups instead of starters. The man knows how to score. His points alone could outscore the Grizzlies bench players unless Navarro gets hot. Throw in Brandon Bass who is showing the athleticism that made him a star at LSU. Diop provides great defense in the middle and Dallas' bench with Terry becomes as scary as any in the league. OUtside of Navarro there just aren't a lot of points coming off Memphis' bench right now. Crittenton could help but Kwame Brown, Andre Brown, Brian Cardinal and Casey Jacobsen don't actually create fear in opponents. Kyle Lowry played well as a starter but hasn't shown the spark coming off the bench as much as people expected this season.
Advantage: Dallas

Postgame Thoughts: Memphis vs. Dallas - 1.28.07

Am I insane? I wonder sometimes. I thought that this team could be competitive this season. I didn't think they were going to be .500 or make the playoffs like many fans, but I thought that they could at least develop enough chemistry and mature enough to hang with most teams night in and night out. I truly believed that they would be playing better as the season went on, not worse. Was I completely off-base or what? Nights like tonight make me want to trade the entire team, coaching staff and even the fans.

First, the players. The only player who seemed to know what his role was tonight was Hakim Warrick. Hak didn't hit any FG's, but he got to the line, rebounded a little and even got 2 assists! Everyone else was trying to do too much or too little. Mike Miller wouldn't shoot....again. No sense beating that dead horse though. Rudy Gay had the quietest 18 points I've ever seen while allowing both Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki to do whatever they wanted while he was "guarding" them. I used quotes there, because I'm not sure that what he did actually qualifies according to the definition of the word. For a guy many are touting to be "the franchise player", he certainly didn't look to assert himself tonight. Kyle Lowry missed as many free throws as all other players on the floor combined -- that's both teams for those counting at home. He started off the game as a tremendous playmaker, especially on defense, but fell back into old habits as he would put his head down and drive into the trees without any regard to his teammates' openness or positioning. Stromile Swift managed to find his headband long enough to log 1:45 tonight. Don't want to do too much too soon though Stro -- better ease back into things. Pau Gasol was given limited minutes as he continues to recover from his lingering back pain and I cannot really find much to fault him, but since he's gonna get mentioned in trade rumors anyways, let's get rid of him too!

Now for the coaches. I'd put 100% of the blame for Kyle's free throw mishaps on his young shoulders if the organization hadn't hired Mark Price to work with the team.....on free throw shooting! Earn your paycheck Mark! Speaking of guys named Mark.....errr......Marc. I would love to ask Marc Iavaroni a question: Coach, why is Mike Miller continuing to play 35+ mpg in blowouts? I know you weren't here for last season when he was so physically exhausted at the end of the season that he took the last couple of weeks off, but surely someone told you about the situation. I'm also quite certain that you are aware that he played over the summer for Team USA and could use some lighter minutes when the game is obviously out-of-hand. Let's see if we can do something about that, shall we?

Finally, the fans. As I noted above, Pau Gasol played tonight after missing the game Saturday night against the Clip Joint. Wait -- before we get into that, let me say "Kudos" to the fans for their vocal assault on the officials tonight, especially at the end of the 1st quarter when the zebras handed the Mavericks an additional 4-5 points by swallowing their whistles after witnessing obvious fouls. All three officials whould be reprimanded for that series of events. But Grizzlies fans at the FedEx Forum, can you tell me why you felt the need to boo Gasol after he missed a single shot late in the game with the home team still down 20+ points, given that he was one of the few players still giving effort? I understand and support your right to have your voice heard, but what was the motivation for that? Was it to tell Pau, "thanks for the past 6+ years, but don't expect a going away party when we convince Chris Wallace to ship you out for ten cents on the dollar"? Why not boo the players I called out above? The ones who played a lot more minutes than Pau and produced a lot less in those extra plays, by the way.

I don't know what else to say about this team, this organization or this city. It seems to me that all of them are suffering from a split personality disorder.

From Zack - Mavs Dominate 1st Quarter, Cruise to Victory over Griz,

I had a little bit of free time last night and tried to come up with some keys to winning this game. But I couldn't convince myself any of my ideas were worth posting. Basically, only one of the ideas I worked through made much sense to me. Keep it Close.

Ya, I know the Griz are horrible in close games. But still, at least there was a chance to win. In other words, getting blown out before the 1st quarter or 1st half are even over is too much for this team to overcome. In just the last week, superior teams Orlando and Washington won by jumping on the Griz early and then just putting it in cruise control. I thought if Dallas could get a big lead early, this game would be over.

The score after the 1st quarter tonight was Dallas 33, Memphis 19.

Here is a figure that illustrates the 1st quarter struggles for the Griz.

Early on, the Mavs barely missed anything. Josh Howard was perfect from the field and the charity stripe. Memphis couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. By the time the game was at the half, the outcome was decided and the Griz had virtually no chance to win.

Although it is probably for the best that the Mavs just blew us out from the get-go. Violet Palmer was one of the refs and if there is anything that might rival the Griz's inability to win in Sacramento, it is our inability to win with Violet Palmer as a ref.

ChipC3's Perspective:
Who could have guessed that an officiating team with Violet Palmer would be at the game and Violet wasn't the worst referee. When Violet Palmer isn't the worst ref on the court the officiating is going to be worse than normal and tonight was a perfect example of officials allowing the Mavs stars to do whatever they wanted while the Grizzlies were called for every foul. Dirk Nowitski hit Rudy Gay so hard on the arm I could actually hear the slap and it was right in front of Greg Willard and nothing gets called. The Mavs use that to throw the ball down court where Josh Howard absolutely mugged Juan Carlos Navarro, throwing him to the court in front of Kevin Fehr and nothing is called. End result was Dallas getting a cheap layup and the crowd going absolutely crazy. The amazing thing was that this was the first quarter and the game was still tight. Dallas used the officials (and poor Grizzlies shooting as well) to run up a big lead. The game was over at that point.

Which brings up the second negative of the night. Who quits in the 2nd quarter of an NBA game? The effort was horrible but then again it was the second game of a back to back...for the Mavericks! Memphis sat at home last night and they were the team looking tired. I realize Gasol is hurt but Miller didn't assert himself, Gay didn't assert himself and the team looked lethargic. I mean it was really hard not to just get up and leave but the hope of the Grizzlies turning things around get me there.

Finally, one pet peave to discuss. How can Memphis fans seriously boo Pau Gasol on his first shot of the game? The man has an injury he is playing with and a rather noticeable group booed him for missing his first shot of the game. Way to thank one of the few players trying last night. It isn't like Gasol hasn't been giving his best this month either. He's one of four NBA players averaging 20 pts and 10 boards a game and some idiots boo him for missing a shot. Incredible. And people wonder why I question the Memphis fans.

So basically I am pissed at the team's effort, at the officials and at the fans. Other than that how was the play Mrs. Lincoln.

Memphis vs Dallas - 1.28.08

International Night

Memphis is coming off a satisfying overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. That makes 5 wins for the month so far, with two games remaining. The Grizzlies would love to avenge their close loss to the Mavs earlier this season, as the 108-105 defeat is one of the notches in their 1-10 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer. The Grizzlies are banged up, with Pau Gasol, Mike Conley and Stromile Swift all missing games recently due to injury. The others should be rested though, as Memphis has finally gotten past its steady diet of back-to-backs to play a more balanced schedule. Last time, Juan Carlos Navarro missed two open 3's that would have sent the game to overtime. Don't expect him to make the same mistake again, if given a chance to redeem himself.

Dallas is on the second night of a back-to-back after battling the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night on ESPN. They are 10-2 in January while averaging 103 ppg. The Mavs are currently in 2nd place of the Southwest Division, a mere 1 game behind the surprising New Orleans Hornets. Their "Big Three" of Nowitzki/Howard/Terry lead the team in scoring (58 ppg combined) as they attempt to erase the memory of their early postseason flameout from last spring. Much has been made of Howard's elevation that has challenged Nowitzki's title/role as "best player" on the team, but there hasn't been any conflict come up as a result of this so far.

Matchups

Point Guards: Kyle Lowry vs Devin Harris
Filling in for injured starter Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry was an integral part of the victory over the Clippers as he muscled in a career high 21 points. Lowry brings unbridled intensity every single game, but his decision making can still be suspect, as would be expected with any rookie PG. On the other end of the philosophical spectrum, steady Devin Harris is enjoying the best season of his young career, posting all-time highs with 14.6 ppg, 5.4 apg, 1.5 spg and .362 3PT%. He's a tough matchup for anyone in the league, although I expect Lowry's physical play to bother him somewhat.

Advantage: Dallas

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Eddie Jones
Mike Miller is evolving as a player this year with career highs in rebounds (6.8 rpg) and shooting (.517 FG% and .440 3PT%) and is even showing some improvement on the defensive end, although no one will ever confuse him with Bruce Bowen. The Grizzlies have yet to win a game when he doesn't score at least 17 points. Since Eddie Jones returned from missing 17 games due to injury and was reinserted into the starting lineup, the Mavs are 13-4. Jones doesn't provide much scoring, but his defensive ability is what gets him playing time for this title contender. It should be an interesting matchup between these two former teammates who undoubtedly battled through many practices here in Memphis.

Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Josh Howard
With all due respect to Pau and Dirk, this is the new marquee matchup in the Mavs-Grizzlies series. Both Rudy Gay and Josh Howard are making strong charges to be considered the best player on their teams. Rudy is pretty close averaging over 20 pts a game and being the go-to player down the stretch in close games. Howard is playing great but still defers to Dirk Diggler as the team leader. Rudy is still young, but is learning how to be a complete player (6.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg) as he continues his amazing leap forward. Howard is averaging 2008 ppg on 48% FG shooting), 7.6 rpg and 2.0 apg but fewer steals and blocks than Gay. Both are among the best young SF's in the league and their battle should be fun to watch if Rudy can avoid early foul trouble.

Advantage: Dallas

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Dirk Nowitzki
Even with the attention being paid to the SF battle, this matchup is still key to the end result of the game. Gasol is battling back pain, having missed the Clippers' game and playing tentatively against both the Bulls and Wizards prior to that. That's too bad, as the Spaniard was on quite a roll in the month of January, averaging 24.2 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.9 bpg on .542 FG% through the first 10 games of the new year. Dirk has fallen off statistically from his MVP season of a year ago, with lower PPG, RPG, FG%, 3PT%, FT% and higher TO's. Perhaps on that walkabout through the outback of Australia he lost a little of his game? It doesn't seem to have affected the team much though, as they continue to win far more often than they lose.

Advantage: Dallas

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Erick Dampier
The battle of the big uglies was one matchup that the Grizzlies used to always lose. Dampier could have credited his big games against Memphis for the massive contract that he signed a few years ago. Well, with Darko manning the paint, that has changed dramatically for the boys in Beale Street Blue. Darko's offense is still wildly inconsistent, but his defense has been tremendous this year, as he has kept most post players from having any significant success as long as he avoids foul trouble. Dampier started off the season recovering from injury, but has bounced back to regain his usual form.

Advantage: Memphis

Benches: Dallas has one of the most productive benches in the NBA with Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse and DeSagana Diop off the bench. Brandon Bass and Jose Barea round out the substitution pattern and both have provided quality minutes when on the court so far this season. Dallas isn't afraid of going to their bench which allows the starters to put out maximum effort without having to hold something back for extended minutes. Memphis' bench was supposed to be a strength of the team going into the season but that hasn't been the case so far. Juan Carlos Navarro has been exciting but erratic and has played far better as a starter than off the pine. Hakim Warrick provides solid scoring and some rebounding, but not much else to this point. Bobby Jones and Casey Jacobsen are the defensive stoppers off the bench, although both have left a lot to be desired lately. Stromile Swift has been inconsistent which is as shocking as the sun coming up each morning. Andre Brown is merely a fill-in for the frontcourt. This matchup really isn't even close.

Advantage: Dallas

Relevant blogs/websites:

Mavs Moneyball

Showboating

Mavs Full-Court Press

UPDATE: Devin Harris did not travel to Memphis after injuring his ankle against Denver.

Memphis at San Antonio 12.30.07

Memphis plays their last game of 2007 at San Antonio. Many people associated with the Grizzlies are glad to see this year end. A record of 23 wins and 77 losses (heading into the Houston game) can have that effect on an organization. However there are some bright spots peaking through the clouds and one of those is Rudy Gay who's game winning three point shot over Tim Duncan at the buzzer on Dec.19th allowed the Grizzlies to double last seasons total wins in the Southwest Division and it's only December! Sure they only had to win 2 games to do that but an achievement none the less. Going 1-15 in the division last year and 2-8 this season means the Grizzlies head into the weekend's games just 3-16 against the division in 2007.

San Antonio still leads the Western Division despite losing Tim Duncan and Tony Parker to various injuries over parts of December. The surprising thing is that Tony Parker's absence seemed to hurt more than Duncan's. At 20-7 heading into the weekend the Spurs can't afford to play sloppy with Phoenix just one game behind in the standings. San Antonio's nearly unbeatable at home with a 15-1 record and the only loss happening when Tony Parker was out with his injury and that was to 2nd place Phoenix by only 5 points. Strange things are happening in SA these days however. How often does a team honor a former player by retiring his jersey, while he is the Coach of your biggest rivals??? The Spurs did that last week honoring Avery Johnson. And I thought Shane Battier Poster Night was a bad idea!

Point Guards: Damon Stoudamire vs Tony Parker
Damon isn't limping anymore in his recovery from Patella Tendon surgery but he has definately lost a step and even on his best days he never was fast enough to stop Tony Parker. Kyle Lowry's bull dog approach hasn't been slowing down too many PG's lately either. With Conley cleared for workouts he may see action in this game if Lowry and Damon can't keep up although that's doubtful. The only thing slowing down Tony Parker these days is women. Which wouldn't be bad if he hadn't gotten married this summer! Of course, Spurs fan may get to ogle at both Eva Longoria and the 19 yr old french starlet during games.
Advantage: San Antonio

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Michael Finley
At one time Michael Finley was the premier Sg in the Western Conference. Now he is relegated to three point shots after the ball is dumped out. Of course standing wide open is a shot even this old man can hit with regularity at 36.8%. Mike Miller used to disappear against the Spurs but not so much anymore. With Bruce Bowen tied up tring to contain Rudy Gay, Miller is not blanketed so much any more and his season high 31 points are representative of that in the game earlier this month. Mike is averaging 18.7 ppg on 58% from the field and 56% from the arc against San Antonio this year.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Bruce Bowen
Rudy Gay has failed to break 20 points a game in the last 3 games after scoring in the 30's twice in the previous 3 games. Defenses are definitely keying on Rudy and Gasol's presence may be intimidating Rudy's aggressiveness (although Gasol only taking 6 shots against New Orleans doesn't make it seem to be the issue). As has been said before, Rudy seems to play better when he doesn't have to guard slashers and Bruce Bowen is definitely not a slasher. Bruce Bowen is a defender and holding Rudy to 18 ppg on 465 fg shooting and only 18% from the arc (and that includes the 'Dagger in December' which was over Duncan) seems to confirm that Bowen is among the best at what he does. However, Bowen is getting older and Rudy is getting better.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Tim Duncan
Pau Gasol may be happy to not be in Memphis after the fan discontent he has dealt with lately. Really Gasol is not playing that bad. He is averaging 17.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.7 apg and 1.3 bpg despite the injuries and the passing of lead scorer role to Rudy. Compare that to a probably All-Star in Tim Duncan who is averaging 18.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.9apg, 1.7 bpg. So would people think Gasol was all-star material if he averaged just 1 more point a game? Do the 1.8 rebounds per game make that much of a difference? What about the 0.4 bpg? I'm just teasing. The big difference in production isn't the numbers its the rings and Duncan dominates that category because he is a better team player that doesn't worry about the individual categories.
Advantage: San Antonio

Centers: Stromile Swift vs Fabricio Oberto
Stromile Swift was supposed to be one of the biggest benefactors of the Grizzlies up-tempo style. He has played well at times and not so well at others but why is he only getting 17.1 mpg (21.5 as a starter)? Playing way less than half a game Swift is averaging 7.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg and shooting 54.7% from the floor. That isn't bad production for the #3 big man on the roster. Sure it is hit and miss on his performance but he needs to be given more than 17 minutes to determine if he is hot or not. Oberto is only getting 22.7 mpg but that is still 25% more than Stro and he averages only 6.2 ppg but does grab 6.2 rpg as well. Obreto also brings a more consistent effort. Oberto understands his role on the team and does the job he is asked to do every night. Stro is hit or miss.
Advantage: San Antonio

Benches: Memphis vs San Antonio
San Antonio has a luxury most teams can only dream about in Manu Ginobili who comes off the bench to terrorize other teams backups. Averaging 19.2 ppg in only 28.8 mpg Ginobili has already cleared a space on his mantle for this season's 6th man of the year award. How Memphis matches up with the 6-6 shooting guard from Argentina determine the game. Manu lit up Memphis on opening night for 30 points in the Spurs 3 pt win. He has only shot 12-36 in the next two games however. Memphis' bench has been off of late with Navarro finding out how hard the NBA schedule really is, Warrick and Darko are fighting inconsistent playing time and inconsistent time and Kyle Lowry's outside shot is so disrespected around the league opposing teams' PG are camping out around the lane looking to strip whichever big man attempts a move into the paint.
Advantage: San Antonio

UPDATE: Darius Washington was waived Friday by the Spurs.

Zack's Corner

With the way the Grizzlies are playing right now, I think it is healthier for us to look back on the improbable home victory over the Spurs 11 days ago instead. This is all you need to know. Happy New Year!

(Getty Images)

Memphis vs Houston - 12.28.07

GOOD BYE TO ANDY DOLICH NIGHT
Come give one of the men responsible for the Grizzlies being in Memphis a rousing farewell as he leaves to pursue opportunities in another city. Tonights game is the last home game before Andy's retirement so come out and give him a great send off!!!

We will miss you Andy and wish you continued success back in San Francisco. Don't forget us when we call you for Super Bowl tickets in a few years!!!

Memphis is trying to finish the season with a few bright spots to jump start the 2nd half of the year. One of the early bright spots was a victory over a healthy Houston Rockets team at FedEx Forum. The last game the Grizzlies played the fans were less than hospitable at the effort. Hopefully the Grizz will shake off their post-Xmas blahs (no turkey leftovers before the game please) and come out running and playing aggressively like people know they can do. Memphis can triple their division wins from a season ago with a win tonight against the short-handed Rockets.

Houston is attempting to correct their path before their season crashes as well. The preseason pick of having the best chance to unseat the Dallas-San Antonio stranglehold on the division has been struggling to find consistency with a new coach, several new players and two superstars who seem unable to get their health together to start any kind of run. The Rockets haven't played since losing in Detroit on Sunday in a game where both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady left with injuries. At 13-15 and with two games remaining in 2007 the Rockets need to win both games to finish the 2007 year at .500 and within shouting distance of division leaders San Antonio, Dallas and New Orleans.

Zack's Corner

Sorry for coming in late with my thoughts on the Houston game. Despite sitting courtside for the Hornet game, I am just not feeling all that good about the team right now. That causes me to refrain from saying too much in the pre-game posts because an enjoyable and informative pre-game post should not be done when you are too down on the team (see last year's game threads). But here it goes. You can call these keys to the game, or rather they are simply some aspects of the game I am interested in tonight against the divisional rival Rockets:

-- Help defense on defensive mismatches. In the last meeting, the Rockets went to Bonzi in the post something like 7 straight times with Lowry on him (because JC guarded Alston to decrease the SG mismatch). What followed was embarassing and I am still at a loss for why Iavaroni didn't try to counter the Bonzi-iso somehow. If the gameplan is again to not double (or something) against defensive mismatches like the one Bonzi creates against Kyle or JC, we are in trouble.
-- Transition 3-pointers. It has been said that the Grizzlies need to be hot from outside to be at their best. I will modify that some for tonight. I think it is the ability to hit 3-pointers in transition that will make the most difference. Navarro and Miller both seem to have an easier time making 3's on the break than in the half court because it minimizes the ability of the other team to focus on the 3. The Rockets are good with transition defense though. Watch out tonight when we are on the break for how much success Miller and Navarro have.
-- RU-DEE. He's a stud and I think he's to the point now that he could go off for 30+ points on any given night and be almost unstoppable on offense. I want him to shoot the most shots tonight. I want him to be our 1st option on offense. With McGrady out, he should have an easier time.
-- Darko's interior defense. In my opinion, Darko's best 2 games of the year were against the Spurs, where it seemed he really wanted to show Duncan he is a good post defender. And it all started with Darko fighting HARD for position on the block (something I never see Pau do, Pau would rather take his chance after the post guy gets the ball, Darko on the other hand has shown he can do damage by fighting hard to not allow the post player the position or the ball). If Darko can go out there tonight and give the same kind of effort against Yao, we will be in good shape.
-- Foul trouble. We need Yao to get 2 quick fouls and for Rudy to stay out of foul trouble.

Matchups by Chip

Point Guards: Damon Stoudamire vs Rafer Alston
Rafer Alston was never viewed as a pure point guard under Jeff Van Gundy but that reputation seems to be changing with Rick Adelman. Alston has been the point guard on the floor when Houston's offense has executed at its best while the team has struggled to score when the reserves, Steve Francis and Mike James, have been on the court. Damon Stoudamire was supposed to be packing his bags by now for some new locale while Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley were preparing to play the point. Someone forgot to tell the plan to Coach Iavaroni as Damon is not only still starting but actually increasing his minutes played in each game and has re-taken the closer's role.
Advantage: Houston

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Tracy McGrady
T-mac has struggled with a mysterious knee injury that has not shown up in scans or even an MRI but McGrady has said he can't play with the pain. It is not sure if he will play in this game or not but resting it for 6 days should ease the pain somewhat. Miller has been playing well until he hits the 35 minute mark when his legs appear to give out and his game goes downhill. Unfortunately Miller is being asked to play over 40 minutes a game and the drop off in crunch time has been easy to notice. Miller is having a great season other than late in games as he is scoring at the 3rd best clip of his career, is having his best rebounding season, second best assists and is shooting over 50% from the floor and over 43% from the arc. The trouble is if this game goes down to the wire, T-Mac can take over and Miller can't.
Advantage: Houston

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Shane Battier
A match up of the past and future kings of Memphis. Shane Battier was the most beloved player ever to play in Memphis. Loved by nearly the entire city, his trade two summers fits rather conveniently with the drop off in attendance at games. The funny thing is that Battier's play has dropped off in Houston while Rudy Gay has become the new star of the team and a potential all-star that Shane could never be. Rudy is leading the team in scoring, has hit a game winning 3 pt shot (over Tim Duncan no less) and routinely is seen on ESPN with his highlight reel moves. Battier isn't the bright light but the glue and he makes his opponent work to look good. You will rarely notice Shane on the court much less see him on ESPN but he does his job. Rudy is just doing it better right now.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Chuck Hayes
The biggest mismatch on the court, literally. Gasol at 7-1 towers over Hayes at a generous 6-6. If there is a weakness that shouts out on the Houston team its Chuck Hayes. Adelman prefers his forwards to be passers from the high post as well as bangers underneath. Hayes can't shoot, isn't a great passer and is routinely over-matched underneath. He does try hard however. Gasol went into Christmas vacation with the best game of the season and one of his most clutch ever. Down the stretch Gasol continued to score as pull the Grizzlies close eventually tying the score. It didn't produce a win but it was good to see.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Stromile Swift vs Yao Ming
Most of Stromile's highlights in Memphis have come against Houston and Yao Ming. Including a few poster dunks over the big man from China. Unfortunately Stro only plays Houston four times a season. Yao is having another big season averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds a game but struggles against the quicker Swift. Since Houston has little support behind Yao getting the big man in foul trouble early is a big advantage for the Grizzlies. Failure to get him in foul trouble spells trouble as the last game in Houston showed. History says bet on the Grizzlies tandem but common sense tells you Yao should be too big for the Grizzlies post players.
Advantage: Houston

Benches: Memphis vs Houston
Bonzi Wells is notorious for playing big against former teams he feels disrespected by. I wonder if he feels that way about Memphis? Other than Bonzi the only real contributor off the bench for Houston has been rookie Luis Scola who has been erratic. Mike James and Steve Francis have struggled in the back up point guard role and Luther Head seems to be better suited as a small SG than a PG. Kyle Lowry has struggled lately as teams have become accustomed to his bulldog approach at the point. Teams are just daring Kyle to shoot from outside while preventing him from getting into the lane. Kyle's forcing the issue has created turnovers at inopportune times. Navarro is having a tough time in the NBA when his shot isn't falling but he is still averaging over 10 points and makes it difficult for teams to double in the post when he is in the game.

UPDATE: Tracy McGrady said he expects to miss a week with his non-injured knee. Despite an MRI showing no damage Tracy McGrady expects to miss at least another week resting his sore knee. Maybe he is waiting to get his lift back. Great news for the Grizzlies in this game if T-Mac doesn't play. Of course the bad news is more Bonzi Wells who has a history or torching his former teams.

Outside Commentary:
Wages of Wins: Houston Still Has a Problem

Memphis vs New Orleans - 12.26.07

Don't forget to make a donation for Grizz this holiday season!

Memphis has struggled this season in close games. 1-7 now in games decided by three points or less has left Memphis in a deep hole this season. Memphis is 5-9 at home, 2-8 in their last 10 games and struggling to find a way to cut down the turnovers that have plagued them this season. Pau Gasol returned from a jammed big toe injury to get double-doubles in both games including a 31 pt, 13 rebound game against Philly. Rudy Gay has shown flashes of brilliance against teams but has struggled on defense against slashing players and has fouled out of games twice this season. Mike Miller is consistently scoring again and leads the team in minutes played but his long range shooting has been noticeably absent at the end of games. Memphis needs to use the time off for Christmas to heal up some of their walking wounded like Pau and Darko Milicic.

New Orleans has continued to shock the division by hanging around the top all season despite injuries to key players including Tyson Chandler, Morris Peterson and Peja Stojakovic. New Orleans isn't a great scoring team (18th in the league) but they are a great defensive team (4th in the league) and that combines to give them the mental edge they need in close games. Mew Orleans hits the boards well with the 9th best rebounding team in the league but are a surprising 21st in the league in preventing opponents rebounding. Mostly this is due to the Hornets poor field goal percentage. New Orleans has the mental advantage over the Grizzlies after winning twice already this season but both games came in OT so it isn't something New Orleans should take for granted.

Point Guards: Damon Stoudamire vs Chris Paul
The man who is supposed to be on the way out against the man on the way up. Damon Stoudamire continues to surprise detractors not only with his continued starting role but also by his solid play. While not a great defender Damon is very good with that ball and limits turnovers which is important on a team not noted for controlling the ball. Chris Paul is a serious challenger for league MVP this season. Paul is averaging a double-double with 20.9 ppg and 10.0 apg. He is shooting 48% from the field and 37% from the arc. Throw in an incredible 2.84 steals per game and the winner is clear.
Advantage: New Orleans

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Morris Peterson
Mike Miller is probably the least known Team USA member from this summer. His reason for making the team is quite simply that the man can shoot. His range is anything within 27 ft and he can hit those shots consistently. Miller doesn't like to sit and that has him among the league leaders in minutes played averaging over 37 minutes a night. Those minutes may be taking their toll already as Miller's 4th quarter performances have been declining significantly including an 0-1, 4 turnover performance against Philly which included having his man score 17 pts and hit the game winner. MoPete is an under-rated defender who also has a smooth outside shot but understands that he isn't expected to be a scorer on this team.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Peja Stojakovic
Peja Stojakovic is one of the most hated players for Grizzlies fans in the league. Even now, 4 years later and on a different team, Peja can still expect boos after the fight with James Posey. What people forget is that Peja can still really shoot and at 6-10 he is actually taller than Rudy Gay. The good news for Rudy is Peja isn't really a slasher nor a great defender. As long as Rudy prevents Peja from spotting up he should be able to contain his scoring while Rudy has averaged 25.5 ppg against New Orleans in two games. Rudy has become the focal point of the team's offense and therefore the opponents defense. How Rudy responds to be the main man team's attempt to stop should be something to watch for going forward.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs David West
David West loves Memphis. Rather, he loves playing against Memphis. He's averaging 33.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 54.2% from the field and 50% from the arc. The 5th yr pro from Xavier has done this despite giving up inches to Gasol. Of course Darko was hurt in the 1st quarter of game 1 and didn't return and Darko was playing in his 1st game back from injury in game 2. How many productive minutes Darko can log could influence how effective West is. Gasol looked as sharp as ever in his last game scoring 31 pts and grabbing 13 boards not to mention scoring a lot down the stretch. West will have difficulty defending the tall and lanky Gasol.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler joins Chris Paul in averaging a double-double. His 11.5 ppg are a direct result of his grabbing 11.9 rpg. His offense is basically dunks and free throws and he is much more effective dunking. Keeping Tyson off the glass has to be one of the most important things to focus on for the Grizzlies. Darko is good at blocking at rebounders although that doesn't translate well into personal rebounding numbers. What is clear is that Darko's thumb hasn't recovered as he avoids contact on offense which has meant very few easy baskets for the big man. Darko needs to finish at the rim not fading away. Until he feels comfortable with his thumb that isn't likely to happen.
Advantage: New Orleans

Benches: Memphis vs New Orleans
Two radically different approaches to bench players in this game. New Orleans brings in experience with Bobby Jackson, Mark Jackson, Jannero Pargo and Rasual Butler sprinkled with some youth in Hilton Armstrong and Julian Wright. Memphis comes in with basically rookies with Kyle Lowry and Juan Carlos Navarro, a veteran in Casey Jacobsen who has played more minutes in Europe than the US and 3rd yr player Hakim Warrick with the only true veteran being Stromile Swift. While Memphis is building for the future New Orleans is playing to win now and their bench reflects that. Memphis has firepower and excitement but New Orleans has consistency and a better understanding of their roles.
Advantage: New Orleans

Relevant Blogs/Sites:
THE New Orleans Hornet Fan
Hornets 24-7
Hornets Beat
Swarming the Ball

Post Game Thoughts - San Antonio

Memphis continues to grow and tonight they overcame a persistent growing pain to get the victory over the short-handed Spurs. This was the first time all season Memphis has won a game decided by three or fewer points.

Rudy Gay scored 23 points and came through at the buzzer sinking a huge 3 point shot over Tim Duncan to win the game. Rudy also had 9 rebounds and 3 assists as the total package was on display in this game. Mike Miller led the team in scoring with 31 but was not a factor offensively in the 4th quarter when the Spurs made their run. He contributed with 6 rebounds as well but only 1 assist. Rudy and Miller and Juan Carlos Navarro each logged over 40 minutes in the game. Navarro was not sharp offensively scoring 10 pts on 4-13 shooting including 2-7 from long range but his 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals were huge in the game. Navarro was also forced to defend much larger guards but was not burned defensively.

Memphis nearly lost a huge lead heading into the fourth quarter when San Antonio really turned up the heat defensively. Memphis had a 76-59 lead going into the fourth thanks to one of the most complete first quarters I have ever seen the team play. The Grizzlies led 31-19 at the end of the first quarter behind Damon Stoudamire's 8 pts in the quarter. Damon finished with only 10 pts but was a steadying hand in the 4th after Kyle Lowry lost his composure under relentless pressure at the start of the fourth.
The only drawback was that Memphis blew the 17 pt lead in the fourth including giving up a slam dunk to Manu Ginobili with under 4 seconds to play on an inbounds play. That Memphis could commit 9 turnovers in the fourth, score only 12 points and still manage to win should bolster the team's confidence going forward. In the last three games Memphis has managed to win two games where the game was in doubt with under two minutes to play. The team is starting to trust one another and is finding ways to win games instead of losing them.

Rudy Gay should get a huge boost from this game. Often matched up against one of the best defenders in the game in Bruce Bowen, Rudy allowed the game to come to him most of the night instead of trying to force the action and the results were inspiring. If there was a negative, it was his play leading up to the game winning shot. With clear outs set up for him to operate one on one he often deferred to teammates with disastrous results. Rudy needs to understand that in crunch time the team can live without Rudy making every play, but he needs to be initiating every play in crunch time for the team to succeed. He is only 21 and in his 2nd season so that will come with maturity. He grew up a lot tonight with that shot.

The referees didn't play protect the stars as much as they simply deferred to the players tonight. It was a poorly officiated game in that there was no officiating to speak of. What calls the crew did make were usually terrible, including a walking call against Mike Miller when he never moved either foot! He faked a move and Manu Ginobili flopped down on the ground. The ref blew his whistle but realized he could call neither an offensive nor defensive foul since there was no contact so he made up the travelling call. From that point on he never made a call, no matter how much contact was made. The crew was lucky a fight didn't break out the way the game was getting out of control. Most of the turnovers in the fourth were caused by plays that normally would have resulted in foul calls.

San Antonio looked their age tonight. Without Tony Parker who is either nursing a bad ankle or trying to handle more personal matters at home, the Spurs looked tired and old and could only muster the effort in the fourth quarter but it was nearly enough.

The team is gaining confidence in themselves and it should result in better results as the season progresses.

On a side note there was no Mazola Dance Program tonight. Very disappointing in that respect!

Grizzlies vs San Antonio - 12.19.07

Memphis has 5 players averaging double figures scoring a night. The Grizzlies also have 4 more players averaging more than 7 points a game. The problem is that Head Coach Marc Iavaroni only wants 8 men in the rotation. That leaves someone out in the cold. Pau Gasol's injury however has allowed Coach I to play his rotation now without concern and he is building some continuity finally. How long that last depends on how long Gasol stays injured. Rudy Gay has emerged as a long shot for All-Star consideration this season and has taken a huge step forward in Gasol's absence but the small ball lineup the Grizzlies have been running means Gay is on Tim Duncan. I guess it's no time like the present to see how much further Rudy has to go in his pursuit of All-Star recognition. The Grizzlies need this win to split the two game home stand after losing to Golden St on Monday night.

San Antonio has had to fight thru injuries as well this season. First Duncan went down with a sprained ankle and then Parker went down with a bad ankle although it is rumored he may be back for the Grizzlies. Without Parker and Duncan San Antonio has managed to remain on top of the difficult Southwest division but not without some bumps along the way. Back to back losses to Golden State and the LA Lakers may have only awakened the sleeping giant however. Manu Ginobili is running away with the 6th man of the year award this season and has really stepped up his production in Parker's absence. Poppovich is a solid coach who doesn't allow the team to get too high or too low. Memphis had better not count on a let down from the Spurs in this game especially after losing their first home game of the season against Phoenix Monday night.

Zack's Keys to Victory

1.) Strong Interior Defense by Darko and Swift. In the first Spurs meeting, Darko impressed all Griz fans with his tough interior play against Duncan. However, now he is banged up and has been getting into constant early foul trouble. One of the main ways to keep this game close will be for Darko and Swift to play at a high level on the defensive side.
2.) Rudy Continuing His Strong Play. With Pau out, Rudy is the primary offensive weapon. An off night for him will spell trouble for the Griz.
3.) Our Shooters Getting Separation. I'm worried about Navarro and Miller finding room to get their shots off. In the half court set, both are likely to find Finley, Manu or Bowen giving them little space to shoot with. Usually, the transition game allows for many open 3-point looks, but the Spurs are probably the best transition defense team in the league. I suspect our 3-point shooting percentage tonight will be closely tied to Navarro and Miller being able to get space to shoot.
Bonus Key - Assisted Field Goals.

Point Guards: Damon Stoudamire vs Jacque Vaughn
If Memphis gets lucky, and it would be the first time this season that happened, then Tony Parker will rest his ankle one more game before returning. Vaughn is a solid point who makes intelligent decisions but he isn't Tony Parker who's blazing speed and ability to break down defenses is among the best in the league. Damon Stoudamire's shot has been hot and cold as has his overall play. Damon, more than anyone else on the Grizzlies team, needs to hit some shots to stay involved in the game. When contributing on the scoreboard early, the passing and overall play is better from him. If Parker plays then all bets are off.
Advantage: Memphis

Shooting Guards: Juan Carlos Navarro vs Michael Finley
Finley has lost the ability to play all out for 40 minutes a night but he can still do it in spurts and he trusts his replacement. If Navarro can light up Finley early maybe that will force Manu to play more minutes than usual, but is that a good thing? Navarro has rebound his shooting stroke and that helps tremendously in opening up the interior for Rudy and others to work. Navarro's size won't make it hard for Finley to get his shot off however.
Advantage: San Antonio

Small Forwards: Mike Miller vs Bruce Bowen
Mike Miller continues to hit 50% of his shots, 40% of his threes and grab a ton of rebounds for a SG/SF but has yet to make an impact when it mattered or so it appears. Mike had a huge 4th quarter against Golden St but the game was already decided before he started lighting it up. Memphis needs Mike aggressive from the start not in spurts. Bruce Bowen is known for one on one defense so Mike will have to step up his game again. In the two previous games Rudy scored a combined 25 pts against Bowen. With no Gasol he needs to be back in the 25 pt range tonight. Bowen is old and crafty. That won't be easy.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Tim Duncan
Rudy Gay has scored 32 points in back to back games while shooting 24-39 over that stretch. Unfortunately Rudy has only 2 assists in the last three games but that is a little deceiving. It isn't like Rudy is selfish. He's just the best option. No one else wants to shoot. Rudy passes and the open player passes it on. It is hard to get assists that way. Tim Duncan is back from his sprained ankle and will make it extremely difficult for Rudy on the defensive end while forcing Rudy to hit outside shots. Speed could work in Rudy's favor but you know Duncan will get the benefit of every call so Rudy has to be very careful not to get in foul trouble.
Advantage: San Antonio

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Frabricio Oberto
If Darko's ankle allows he should be able to control Oberto. He will predominantly be matched up defensively with Duncan anyway. If Rudy draws Duncan away from the hoop Darko will have to be aggressive to the glass. Oberto is a crafty vet who will play on Darko's tendency to fade away from the hoop. As long as he keeps Darko off the boards he's done his job. Darko's so beat up that shouldn't be a problem for Oberto.
Advantage: San Antonio

Benches: Memphis vs San Antonio
San Antonio has more all-stars on their bench than Memphis has had in their franchises history. Okay that sounds dramatic since Memphis has only one all-star in their history but it is true also. Manu Ginobili, soon to be announced as the 6th man of the year award winner and first to be so proclaimed before January 1st, leads the bench but Brent Barry, Robert Horry and Matt Bonner all contribute. If not in scoring per se then in doing the 'glue' things that make teams champions. Memphis bench has been playing better of late. Warrick provides 'point a minute' production and Stromile Swift is erratic but good when playing well. Kyle Lowry weathered his first slump as a pro and seems to be back on fire. The problem comes at back up SF where no one has contributed. Miller can't play 45 minutes a night. Jacobsen has been terrible offensively which was supposed to be his strength and Kinsey has not been any better plus his size makes it difficult to put him on the blocks.
Advantage: San Antonio

Other Previews/Commentary Sites:
Pounding the Rock
Spur of the Moment