Links: Mike Miller Likes 3's, Damon on NBA TV, Conley out with shoulder injury 2-3 weeks

Following Pau Gasol's lead earlier this year, Mike Miller will be giving away 333 tickets in person on the same night that 3,000 Mike Miller Team USA jerseys will be given away.

Prior to Wednesday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors at FedExForum, fans will have the opportunity to pick up tickets to Saturday’s game from Miller himself beginning at 4:45 p.m. in the Grand Lobby. There will be a limit of two tickets per person.
“I’m proud to have represented my country this past summer and help the United States men’s basketball team qualify for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing,” said Miller. “I felt a great deal of pride putting on a Team USA jersey, and I’m excited to share that feeling with Grizzlies fans Saturday night.”

Last night, Damon Stoudamire was interviewed by NBA TV's Rick Kamla and Frank Isola. You can see that interview on NBA.com. It was an interesting exchange as it seemed that the hosts wanted Damon to say something that would make it seem like he wanted to leave Memphis, but Damon responded like the savvy veteran that he is.

Injury news: It is being reported that Michael Conley will miss 2-3 weeks with a posterior labral tear in his right shoulder. (Source: ESPN.com)

Postgame Thoughts: Memphis vs. Seattle 11.19.07

Spartacus' Pictorial Statistical Review

I didn't get to see the game, but based on the boxscore I can tell you a few things. Since stats are boring, I thought I'd liven things up with some pictures. Enjoy.




The Grizzlies had 8 players combine for 9 steals against Seattle. When they decide to make a movie about the Hamburglar, I expect all of them to audition.




Pau Gasol just signed an endorsement deal with LEGO after tallying 7 blocks tonight.

The Grizzlies made 48 field goals on 33 assists. Damon Stoudamire and Mike Miller led the team with 7 assists apiece.

The Grizzlies hit 48 of their 86 field goal attempts, which translates to a .558 success rate. We'll round that up to 56%, which is a very good number indeed. For those of you who noted the outline of the fine state of Oklahoma and drew the parallel to the inevitable plight of the Sonics -- kudos. For those of you Sonics' fans in the Seattle area cursing my very existence -- my sincere apologies for being a horrible person.

Comments from Chipc3:
I did get to see the game and I noticed Grizzman wasn't in his seat. Owl sat in her's even when the Grizzlies honored to veterans returning from service for our country. Many people showed up dressed as empty seats in the expensive section. Pretty pathetic.

That was the only thing that got me down tonight. As Spartacus mentioned the passing game was clicking tonight and most of the best passes came by simply making the extra pass. Gasol especially drew defenders and then made great passes to wide open players instead of forcing the issue himself. Great game on the offensive end.

Rebounding was a problem but the turnovers being created offset the losses on the glass. Darko was missed tonight but Stro's ability to anticipate the extra passes really allowed him to have an incredible offensive game.

I thought when I read Iavaroni's comments about fighting back from behind that it was a message to Damon Stoudamire to pick up his play. Tonight Damon was incredible. It was the best I've seen him play since that horrible day in Portland. He created offensive opportunities, he hit the open shot and he harrassed Earl Watson all night. Great job Damon.

Of course, Kyle kept the heat on him as well but made a few sloppy turnovers that showed me he isn't quite ready to take over just yet but the time is coming soon.

Warrick passed the ball tonight. I don't know if he was credited with an assist or not but he hit the open man instead of forcing up a wild shot. He looked like he is starting to understand what Iavaroni expects of him.

I could go on but everyone played well tonight. Just a reminder, Seattle was playing their 5th straight road game and were obviously tired. It was nice to get an easy win but don't read too much into this victory. Toronto Wednesday night will be a better test on how the team is developing.

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

Mike and Mike and Mike

Mike Miller

There was some good to come out of the defeat in Dallas. Mike Miller finally woke up offensively. However, it is the game within the game that I found interesting. Late in the game with the score close, Dallas started going to the Dirk-Josh Howard pick and roll to force Miller to switch defensively to Howard. Josh Howard commenced to going buck wild on Mike Miller and abused him off the dribble. It seemed it was this abuse that brought out the pride in Mike Miller and he finally decided to attack back using his strength...offense. Miller caught fire and almost single handily brought Memphis back from a double digit deficit late in the game. Hopefully this opens Miller's eyes to how important it is for him to shoot. Mike Miller is perhaps the only player in NBA history that I have disliked because he doesn't shoot enough. Shoot that rock Mike.

Michael Conley

Unfortunately for Grizz fans, promising rookie point guard was injured in the Dallas game. It seemed that Coach Iavaroni was going to turn the corner and sit down Damon Stoudamire. Hopefully, he is able to get into the lineup before it is to late for him to make a splash in the Rookie of the Year race. At the time of his injury, Mike Conley was leading the Grizzlies and 28th in the league overall in PER at 21.79 which compares favorably to the PER of 22.14 Chris Paul posted as a rookie. Get that kid in the game coach.

Michael Beasley

I know that Grizz fans do not want to go through anymore lottery heartache as with the Oden-Durant lottery drawing. However, I have to mention the start that Beasley has gotten off to in his college career. In his first 3 games; he has averages of 30 points, 20 rebounds while shooting 61% from the field and 42% from deep. The competition has been lite but you can’t argue with those numbers. Make sure to catch Mr. Beasley and Kansas State on Turkey Day. Also, frosh OJ Mayo will be in action later that night with Southern Cal.

Overheard

Putting Rudy Gay at power forward shifted Miller to small forward and thrust Navarro into the starting lineup.

"Why wait to get to it?" Iavaroni asked about starting with Gay as the "Phoenix 4."

I am still trying to figure this statement out. Why wait? As well as Darko has started the season, I do not think they were considering benching him. Hmmmmm...

Links: Updated TV Schedule, Pau isn't being shopped, Injury News, Darko being Darko

I meant to mention this on Thursday, but got busy fighting off ninjas....or was it pirates? Well, whatever it was that happened, helpful reader AC reminded me that SportSouth picked up 11 of the 19 games that were not scheduled to be aired locally. In fact, I'll let AC tell you all about it:

In any case, according to the schedule at the official Griz site, SportSouth will be carrying these games:
Dec. 3, Portland
Dec. 8, @ Atlanta
Dec. 15, @ Orlando
Dec. 26, New Orleans
Jan. 6, Miami
Jan. 19, @ Charlotte
Feb. 2, Utah
Feb. 9, @ New Orleans
Feb. 19, @ Seattle
March 8, Boston
March 11, @ Phoenix

That is obviously great news for Grizz fans who don't have League Pass and would otherwise miss seeing the Boys from Beale Street in action.

In other news, Pete Pranica mentioned something interesting in his latest blog post about the Pau Gasol trade rumors originating from Chicago. He mentions his friend Marty Burns, who just happens to write for SI.com and wrote a column about the Gasol issue titled "Grizzlies not looking to deal Gasol":

The Grizzlies' slow start has fueled anew talk of a Pau Gasol trade, but here's a crude reminder for any team hoping to strike oil by stealing the 7-foot Spaniard out of Memphis: Gasol-ine doesn't come cheap.
"Pau's already a proven commodity," Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said, while insisting he's not looking to deal his franchise forward. "He's proven he's a double-double player. He's a difficult matchup for the other team. He scores the ball easily in the post. Those are things that are very difficult to go out and replace."

Wow...you mean that post players who have averaged 20/10/4/2 and can finish with either hand don't exist on every street corner? Whodathunkit?

"In the NBA, you can never say never," Wallace said. "Allen Iverson was traded. Shaquille O'Neal was traded. Kevin Garnett was traded. Those things do occur. But Pau has been very enthusiastic about what's going on here with the players we've brought in and the system Marc Iavaroni has put into place.

"We're not out there running around shopping him, I can tell you that."

Needless to say, it doesn't exactly sound like GM Chris Wallace is running up his cell phone bill begging the other 29 GM's in the NBA to offer him a couple of unproven young players and a draft pick for the talented Spaniard. If anything, he's taking the approach that there's no reason to trade away a 27-year old PF/C coming off a career year who is suffering from a few minor, nagging injuries early in the season. That should be welcome news to Grizzlies fans everywhere -- especially given the solid play of Darko Milicic and the emergence of Rudy Gay as a consistent scoring threat. Pau seems to be more content in Memphis this year, even with the persistence of the trade rumors.

"Every player is [tradable]," he said with a shrug after Wednesday night's loss in Milwaukee. "That's up to [the GM] and the owner. ... Right now, I'm trying to focus on the team and that's what you've got to do, worry about the present. If something happens, it happens.
"But it's definitely a better situation around here than last year."

In that same article, Marty Burns also notes that rookie PG Michael Conley has looked good in the limited time he has seen the court. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: The future looks bright for the Grizzlies.

Unfortunately, Conley sprained his right shoulder in the loss Saturday night and will be evaluated to determine if he'll miss any time. Darko Milicic missed the game against Dallas with his injured left thumb. X-rays were negative during the Hornets game when the injury occurred, but the Grizzlies are holding him out since the thumb was already injured prior to the New Orleans game. Reports are that he'll be re-evaluated upon the team's return to Memphis.

Speaking of Darko -- over at Basketbawful, they have uncovered some very....um....interesting video of The Dark One doing some very....um.....interesting things. I'd say more, but I'm trying to forget I ever saw it. But you guys head on over there and enjoy it. The nightmares will wear off -- I promise.

Dallas Post Game Comments

Another day, another heart-stopping loss. Not much new here.

Just teasing. Juan Carlos Navarro had another strong game in spite of the two misses at the end of the game. If anything was disturbing it was the ease that Terry broke down Navarro in the 2nd half. Jason Terry is a great offensive player but Navarro has to make players like Terry work harder. Seemed like Terry would come down fake left and go right every time down the court and was wide open every time. Also, I don't believe JCN made a 3 pt shot after the first quarter. Word got around the league fast to watch out for him.

Hakim is a major spark offensively off the bench. His defense is still suspect but seemed better than what I saw last season. He really filled in nicely for Darko. Stro played okay but was completely overpowered bu Erick Dampier underneath. Memphis has no answer for Dampier with Darko out. Side point, Hakim has one assist this season and that was on opening night. He will need to work on passing next summer. Perhaps he would prefer to find someone other than Carmello Anthony to work with on that part of his game.

Mike Miller is getting comfortable in the new system and starting to be a force on the offensive end again without losing his rebounding. Navarro was wide open at the end of the game because Dallas was convinced Memphis would go with Mike again since he was leading the comeback.

Damon Stoudamire is playing well but the team isn't responding to him nearly as well as with Kyle, who needs to only cut down on turnovers to take the starting job. Iavaroni commented after the game that the team needs to stop having to come from behind constantly. That would appear to be a direct comment at Damon.

Gasol has either got a bad back or has lost about 3 inches in leaping ability. I imagine it's the back but the feeling that dead legs from the summer activity can't be ignored.

Rudy needs to stop committing fouls in the first quarter. His constant foul trouble early makes it that much more difficult to get into the flow of the game. Along that line when will the Grizzlies start earning the ref's respect? Seems like the Grizzlies lost all of the toss up calls last night and a few that weren't even that close.

Looks like Memphis will have to wait a bit longer to see Michael Conley in a game. His shoulder injury will most likely cause him to miss the next few games. Three of four are home games. Just another reason to watch the road games on FSN!

This picture is for Nancy W. Thanks for continuing to read!

Dancing with the Grizzlies: Ashley Nations

We at 3 Shades of Blue have been fortunate in the past and gotten some really nice stories about the Grizzlies. Once again luck shined on us as we were able to meet Ashley Nations, one of the original members of the Grizzlies Dance Team. Of course I had to hurt my back to be so fortunate but you take the good with the bad in life.



Ashley retired from the dance team this year and is a full-time physical therapist now. She was kind enough to answer some questions from the 3SoB's crack investigative staff (hopefully she doesn't refer to us that way).

3SoB: So tell us Ashley, when did you start dancing?
AN: I started tap, ballet and gymnastics at 4 years old. I cheered in Junior High and High School and started pom pom in my Junior year of High School.

3Sob: Wow, four seems real young! Is that normal for the dance team or did you start younger than most?
AN : My parents put me in a studio at that age, which is pretty common. I danced in a studio until I was 14 - competing in local competitions and doing recitals. Then when I got to Junior High School, cheer was the only school option and I enjoyed that. From there I went to pom and never looked back after that!

3 SoB: After 6 years on the dance team, what was your favorite team?
AN: The first year was fun and exciting and I met some of my best friends on that team. As far as having a team that got along, I would have to say last season was the best, hands down. There was almost no competitiveness and we did a good job of building each other up.



3 SoB: What was the main attraction to being a Grizzlies Dance Team member?
AN: Being able to keep dancing!! Learning dances from great choreographers in LA, and being a part of all the action!!

3SoB: What was the funniest experience you have had as a member?
AN: I guess when my wig came off during intro and I looked like a fairly decent drag queen!!

3SoB: When was that?
AN: I think the wig session was season 4. That was the last time I wore the afro wig. I banned the wig last year and some of us got to wear the 70's flybacks instead.



3SoB: Who was the most famous person you met in your role as a Grizzlies dance team member?
AN: I've been on the stage with some good ones (Morgan Freeman, Justin Timberlake, Danny Glover), but my favorite one was Andy Roddick!!!

3SoB: What? Andy Roddick? Not LeBron or Kobe?
AN: As far as audience attendees. He was front center, hard to miss, and we got the chance to talk to him and meet him that night. As far as players. Unfortunately, we sign a contract that we are not allowed to fraternize with the players so I was not able to "meet" many of them. My absolute favorite was sitting beside Michael Jordan and seeing John Stockton before he left the scene!



3SoB: What do you do when you aren’t dancing?
AN: I am a physical therapist and I manage the clinic I work at. I am getting my doctorate. I am starting to train for triathlons. I was recently baptised and I am really enjoying the extra time with family and friends and enjoying watching the game from the stands!! I also have a personal trainer's license, but I don't have time for that much anymore. I enjoy working out, running and playing tennis (no, I'm not good!). I just finished the infamous Chicago marathon in October, which was my second marathon. I love to travel and SCUBA dive, but I don't get to do that much either (I have issues with not having enough time).

3SoB: Is that all?
AN: I forgot to talk about the competition. It is a cheer and dance competition for youth and high school age kids. All of the proceeds go to St Jude. We raised over $3,000 in our first year! We look forward to having all of the squads in the Midsouth next year! It is called St Jude Cheer for the Kids and some of our sponsors were UCA, Varsity, Mcdowell marketing, Tabor Orthopedics, and Rehab Etc.

3SoB: With all of those hobbies and activities I don’t know where to start. Where are the best places to dive in your opinion since tennis isn’t high on my activity charts these days and my doctor told me to slow down on dance routines and marathons?
AN: I haven't had the opportunity to do much. I have only been to the Great Barrier reef which was excellent! I would love to go to Turks and Caicos. I look forward to much more travelling now. I have three trips already planned for next year!!

3SoB: If you were talking to someone interested in becoming a dance team member what advice would you give and why?
AN: Practice!! Get in a dance class. Study it. And HAVE FUN with it! Stay true to who you are and don't change into what others want you to be, because in the end, it really is worth it to have your integrity and not the approval of those who don't matter.

3SoB: What experience are you most grateful for from your time as a dancer?
AN: Meeting my lifelong friends and having the opportunity to do something I have dreamed of since I was little!



3SoB: What was your favorite Grizzlies game? Does one game stand out among the rest for sheer excitement?
AN: The first was probably the best! Justin singing and sitting mere feet away from me and all those fans!! The first few playoff games were amazing. There was so much energy!!

3SoB: What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
AN: Going for another doctorate or PHD, having a family, and SCUBA diving a lot or maybe even sailing and owning my own boat.

3SoB: You are beautiful, talented, smart and want a boat to go SCUBA diving around the world, is there any chance you would marry me?
AN: Haha. I am very flattered!

Maybe I should have taken off my wedding ring before asking that last question!

Pregame: Memphis at Dallas - 11.17.07

ChipC3 and Zack bring you pregame commentary for the 11.17.07 Memphis vs Dallas game. Leave your predictions for the final score in the comments

Memphis ends a difficult week in a difficult place to play. The 4th game in 5 days makes the game difficult to get up for. The good news for the player fans is that the team should be using their bench depth in this game. You know it will be a tough game when you think the bright spot is that Dallas just destroyed San Antonio two nights earlier at home so maybe they will be over-confident or looking past the Grizzlies. Rudy Gay has become a serious challenger to Pau Gasol's streak of seasons as the Grizzlies leading scorer. Mike Miller and Pau Gasol give the Grizzlies three players capable of scoring significant points at any time. Throw in Darko Milicic who, while focusing on defense, is a significant offensive player in his own right and the Grizzlies should be able to score points. The problem will be containment of Dallas' scorers.

Dallas closed into a virtual tie in the Southwestern Division with a dismantling of San Antonio Thursday night in Dallas 105-92. The game wasn't that close. Dallas took a double digit lead in the first 7 minutes of the game and extended that to 33-18 at the end of the first quarter. Former Grizz Eddie Jones is injured (so it isn't something that only happens to him in Memphis) and Maurice Agar got the surprise start but that didn't slow down the Mavericks. Devin Harris out-Parkered Tony Parker (except in the wife department) and the big three of Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry led the team in scoring. The Mavs look like they want a second chance at the league best record.

Trends

-- Wish we had their record. Dallas is 6-2, Grizzlies are 2-6. Dallas also hasn't lost at home yet this year.
-- Navarro is 'sul fuoco'. JC broke out last night and shot lights out from beyond the arc. His 8 of 9 performance tied him for most 3-pointers made for an NBA rookie.
-- I want my free chicken. The Grizzles are one of 10 teams in the NBA averaging over 100 points per game. Dallas also belongs to that group. We will now just ignore that column in the standings in between 'Points For' and 'Differential'.

Storylines

-- Dallas misses the free throw, it's tipped back, Dirk catches, shoots for 3, it's in. Yes, I am still bitter over that Game 3 loss in the playoffs. Every game we play them is revenge for that night, for all I care.
-- Eddie returns. Many fans are mad at Steady Eddie for dogging it last year before getting bought out and heading back to Miami to chase a ring. Some still respect what he brought to Memphis. Personally, I think Darko was a great use of the money freed up by his expiring contract.
-- New Game. This year is certainly a new game in Memphis. On any given night, who might step up and play well is an unknown, and so far the 2 guys we all know so well (Pau and Miller) have not been out in the forefront as dominantly as expected. Last night, JC decided that the basket was 5 feet wide. Darko has been a force downlow. Lowry is making an impact almost every night. Rudy looks nothing like that lost and tentative rookie getting chewed out by Fratello and actually resembles a potential reserve All-star. Conley has looked good in limited minutes. The new faces and the new game they bring have given a fresh and unpredictable aspect to the Griz.

Keys

-- Slow down the JET. Jason Terry has been playing well off the bench and really giving the team a huge boost. Lowry has a tough assignment ahead of him.
-- Make Dirk drive. We aren't that great defending the ball screen. We get killed by big guys that can shoot the mid-range shot. Thus, I would like to see us get up on Dirk and either make him pass or try to put the ball on the floor and drive. I'd also like to be physical with Dirk, but right now I don't know if our Serbian Enforcer will be playing. (Bonus key...use Hak in limited minutes, he has shown the ability to score against Dallas)
-- Reward Navarro. I'd like to see Iavaroni stick with Navarro for big minutes off the bench against Dallas. I have a feeling that JC's hot hand is just getting warmed up.

Matchups

Point Guards: Damon Stoudamire vs Devon Harris
Devon Harris was a former #5 draft pick who took a few years to really get comfortable running the Mavericks offense but he apparently has figured it out moving Jason Terry to the bench. While not the scorer that Terry is Harris is a leader who does the things a point guard is suppposed to do. He gets the offense set up and running properly, his size and speed makes him a good defender and he understands his role. Damon also understands his role too. He is to teach the rookies behind him how to beat him out of his job. That has to be a bit unnerving for a professional athlete but so far it seems he is doing his job. Damon has been the most effective point guard despite his defensive weaknesses. Still the future is coming fast for Damon and he knows it.
Advantage: Dallas

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Maurice Agar
Mike Miller has been the subject of numerous trade rumors in some circles but it is highly unlikely that the team will make a move anytime soon with their best long-range threat. Miller is also leading the team in rebounding and has the most assists on the team this season. So why are people not happy with Mike Miller? He isn't great defensively and he hasn't imposed himself on the offensive end. Maybe that is changing after a great 4th quarter in Milwaukee however. Agar is starting for the injured Eddie Jones who is starting for Jason Terry because Avery Johnson wants Terry's production coming off the bench. The 6-5 2nd yr player from Michigan St is getting his first exposure to the NBA after only playing 214 minutes last year.
Advantage: Memphis

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Josh Howard
Is this the new marguee 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 Big Dirk as the team leader. Rudy is still young and has a lot to learn on being a complete player (3.7 rpg and 1.0 apg) but defensively he averages a block and steal a game while shooting over 50% from the field. Howard is averaging 22 pts a game (on 54% FG shooting), 5.7 rpg and 2.2 apg but fewer steals and blocks. Both are some of the best young SF's in the league and their battle should be fun to watch if Rudy can avoid foul trouble.
Advantage: Dallas

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Dirk Nowizki
This match up is still the main one. Gasol has been battling ankle, back and now a finget injury but is playing through the aches and pains to put up respectable numbers for most players. His 17.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 2.3 apg are respectable but not up to the standards that he has set in the past. Dirk Nowitzki is also not averaging the numbers you expect from a player of his stature. His 18.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 5.5 apg are excellent but not up to his standard either. Most surprising is Nowitzki's lack of shooting accuracy. Dirk is only shooting 44% from the fiels and a shocking 28% from 3 pt range compared to 52% from Gasol. One area of Pau's game that has dramatically improved is his FT shooting but he isn't getting to the line nearly as often as last season. Two seasons ago Gasol demolished Dirk in a head to head matchup with 36 pts and 15 boards. How effectively he can get to the line in this game could decide the outcome. However his injuries seem to cast a shadow on that ability.
Advantage: Dallas

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Desagna Diop
Dallas has a serious hole in their lineup and that same hole has been shored up by Memphis. Eric Dampier is out while recovering from off-season surgery while Memphis signed Darko to a free agent contract. This means Dallas can no longer protect Dirk by putting their centers on Gasol on defense while Gasol doesn't have to pound so much down low. Darko has been a huge positive for the Grizzlies giving the team a banger to match up against other big men and allowing Gasol to handle less strenous defensive assignments. Diop is a decent rebounder and great shot blocker but Darko has shown already he knows how to attack shot blockers himself.
Advantage: Memphis

Benches: Dallas has one of the most productive benches in the NBA with Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse and with the return of Erick Dampier a legitimate big man off the bench. Brandon Bass and Jose Barea round out the substitution pattern and both have prodided quality minutes when on the court. 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. Kyle Lowry has been exciting but erratic. Michael Conley is the supposed point guard of the future but is still learning his way. Casey Jacobsen and Juan Carlos Navarro are supposed to be the scorers off the bench but neither have found their shots yet (although both are showing signs) and JCN especially needs to improve his defense. Stromile Swift has been inconsistent which shouldn't be a surprise but Hakim Warrick losing playing time to Brian Cardinal and Tarence Kinsey's inability to get more than token minutes should be.
Advantage: Dallas

Coaches: Marc Iavaroni vs Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson took the league by storm after replacing Don Nelson as head coach in Dallas. It seemed no one had an answer for the combination of defense and offense Dallas threw at teams in their racing to first an NBA Finals and then the best record in the NBA the next season. Then Don Nelson showed Avery that while he may have taught Avery everything Avery knows, he didn't show him everything Nelson knew. Johnson entered the season under some suspicion and early losses on the road to Atlanta and Portland raised more eyebrows but his complete team effort against San Antonio should silence critics for the time being. Marc Iavaroni is still in his honeymoon period but his rotations are raising eyebrows as well with Casey Jacobsen, Brian Cardinal and Juan Carlos Navarro getting minutes that TK and Hak had last year. Also the sporatic playing of Michael Conley is making people wonder.
Advantage: Dallas

Other Previews:
Grizzlies.com
Mavericks.com
The Sports Network
6abc.com Preview

Postgame Thoughts: Memphis vs. New Orleans 11.16.07

This was a fantastic game between two very entertaining teams. Let's get that out of the way right now, because as much as it stings to lose close games, this was pure entertainment from the 2nd quarter on.

















Tonight was mostly about the coming out party for Juan Carlos Navarro aka "La Bomba". JCN hit 8/9 three-pointers on his way to a career high 28 points. Navarro was unbelievable, hitting everything he threw towards the basket. I say "threw" because Navarro doesn't really shoot, he kind of flings the ball no matter what kind of shot it is -- three-pointer, floater, runner, even his free throws look semi-unconventional. Hopefully, this is the first of many big nights for La Bomba.

Unfortunately for Memphis, Chris Paul matched his 28 points and David West led all scorers with 40 points. Maybe someone at the game can clear something up for me. Was David West invisible to the naked eye? Do you need special goggles to see him in person? I ask this, because the Grizzlies continually left him open in the first half, so I assumed that they could not identify him without some form of aid. That had to be it, right?

Unusual game for Rudy and Pau as they both stumbled through a subpar first half, but turned it on late in the game. Rudy, in particular, was amazing, hitting two deep three's to send the game to overtime when everyone thought the game was past saving. He missed the game-tying shot at the end of OT, but he is still showing flashes of the superstar level talent that Jerry West pronounced him to possess last year after the trade to acquire him. The future looks bright for Rudy....and Memphis, as a result.

Darko was largely ineffective in his limited minutes due to foul issues and then he injured his wrist, sending him to the locker room for X-rays. The results came back negative, so hopefully he will be available tomorrow night against Dallas.

I know Zack will be here to talk about Kyle's 8 assist/1 turnover night, so I'll leave that bit of enjoyment for him.

All in all, I think this was a great effort against a team that will be in the playoffs this year if they can maintain their health and I'm proud of our guys, even though they came up just a little bit short. One more night that produced a few lessons, some growth and maturation, and a peek into what the future holds for this young, talented team.

Thought's From a Sleep Deprived Grad Student (i.e., Zack)

Like Spartacus, I had fun watching this game. Ok, I had fun once we weren't down by 15. Which reminds me, did you know Peja was trying out for America's Next Top Model? Getting back on point and trying to be quick, here is what is on my mind right now...

Ricky Davis is getting nervous. His status as top Grizzly Killer, once miles ahead of the pack, might have serious competition. Apparently the Grizzlies forgot that David West is a really good shooter from mid-range. I guess that Haitian from NBC Hero's came in and erased all memories of that fact. Seriously, 40 points? Seriously? (note - Grizzly Killer is a term I apply to players that aren't anywhere close to being superstars, but look like them against the Grizzlies, time and time again.)

Juan Carlos Navarro would prefer we not have a draft pick this year. Wow! What a game from JC. That was something to behold. In reality, our top-19 protected 1st rounder is all but certain to stay in Memphis, but if we were able to pull the miracle off of being a top 10 team in the league, having Navarro shoot that well off the bench is probably a requirement. A big round of applause goes out to JC. On a side note, I think we should increase the Spanish flavor by trading for Garbo. Here's how.

Starting point guard emerges? Ok, not really. I understand the reality that for better or worse, Damon's job is safe as long as he is still a Grizzly. But my preference for Kyle Lowry being the Grizzlies full-time PG this season is probably not a secret for anyone that reads this blog or the Grizzlies message board regularly. Tonight was just another day at the office for the 2nd year guard. He picked up the pace, picked up the energy level, played great defense and even knocked down his jumpers. Commonly, his critics like to pick on his low assists and high turnovers, though tonight he had 8 assists and only 1 turnover (in contrast Chris Paul had 13 assists and 7 turnovers). Though in reality JC's hot hand is a big reason why Lowry's assists were so high (or conversely, JC's cold hand the previous games is the reason why he doesn't average 8 assists every game). Lowry might not be the most talented ball distributor, but his motor, his defense, and his will to win is as high as anyone not named KG.

Get well soon Darko. We are a better team with him, so I hope Darko the Serbian Enforcer is back at full-strength as soon as possible. I've really grown fond of Darko and seeing him go out with an injury sucked. Here I thought Stro was on the team to take everybody's minor injuries for them.

Rudy Gay is about 2 years ahead of schedule. Despite missing the bucket to tie in overtime, his back-to-back triples to send the game into overtime were simply electric.

USA Today Recap

Grizzlies Holiday Pack

Just got some news about a fantastic ticket offer from the Grizzlies.
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(*Grizzlies Player figurine Series Give away)
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1/15 vs Cleveland Cavaliers (LeBron James)
1/30 vs Denver Nuggets (Carmelo Anthony & Alan Iverson)
*Mike Conley Jr Jersey Night
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3/22 vs Sacremento Kings (Mike Bibby)
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The 3 Shades of Blue blog and it's writers are not affiliated nor endorsed by the Grizzlies in any way. We are simply fans of the team and want to promote the team among their fans. If you are interested in purchasing tickets from this offer please call the Grizzlies ticket office at (901) 888-HOOP.

2008 All-Star Voting

2008 All-Star Voting has begun, so click on the link and vote for your favorites players -- hopefully they are wearing Beale Street Blue. There will also be an icon in the right-hand sidebar, so make sure you remember to vote daily.

Links: PG Battle Heating Up, Casey Jacobsen on Defense

Who wants Kyle Lowry to start? Show of hands? Yes, there are quite a few of you out there. Well, you'll all be happy to know that there are others who think like you do (even if I'm not one of them). Wendell Maxey has a new column up on Hoopsworld.com titled "Is Lowry Ready to Start in Memphis?" He mostly focuses on Lowry's road back from his season-ending wrist injury last year, but does touch on the 3 PG rotation that Iavaroni has used in road games this year.

It will be interesting to see how long Marc Iavaroni continues to shuffle between a three point guard rotation, a dilemma he hasn't had to endure before. But one thing is for sure this year in Memphis: Kyle Lowry is making a case to become a starter.

Casey Jacobsen says that Defense Wins Games (and Championships) in his latest blog. I know that some of you might think that this basketball lesson is coming from an unlikely source, but Casey has a great understanding of the game's basic principles.

Offense shouldn’t be any team’s top priority. It is important, of course, but offense must be secondary in our minds when we step on the basketball court every night. Traditionally in basketball, offense is inconsistent. Sometimes the ball goes in, and sometimes it doesn’t…even if you work very hard developing offensive skills. Defense, however, should be consistent.

That's not a notion that is popular among many fans who want to see scoring and lots of it, but it is one of the universal truths that cannot be ignored. Why do you think San Antonio is always a title contender and Phoenix continually falls short of the ultimate prize (as Dallas and Sacramento did before them)? Defense, defense, defense.

Two Month Anniversary

It was two months ago today that we put up the site counter and today it passed 24,000 hits. Thanks so much for reading our obsessive rantings. The SOB's really appreciate your patronage.

In celebration of this, we'll be posting an interview with a former dance team member later today.

Pregame: Memphis vs New Orleans - 11.16.07

ChipC3 and Zack bring you pregame commentary for the 11.16.07 Memphis vs New Orleans game. Leave your predictions for the final score in the comments.

Memphis lost a heart stopping game to the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night to finish the first back to back series of the week at 1-1. That was an expected outcome with two games against Houston and Milwaukee but not many people expected the Grizzlies to win the first game only to lose the 2nd. At 2-5 the Grizzlies are not the worst team in the league right now but they aren’t far from it. Rudy Gay continues to score seemingly at will but has yet to rebound or assist to the level of an elite player. Pau Gasol’s minutes are down, his shot attempts are down and there are rumors his motivation is down despite continued minutes for Juan Carlos Navarro, the player supposedly brought in to pick up his spirits. Mike Miller finally broke out of his season long slump at the end of the Milwaukee game, but one quarter doesn’t break a slump. He will need to be aggressive again to win back some non-believing fans.

New Orleans is hanging with the Texas Trio early in the season behind the strong play of Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and surprisingly Morris Peterson. Peja Stojakovic still has incredible range when healthy and David West is an up and coming player at the forward spot. Former Grizzlies player Byron Scott has the Hornets over achieving from some experts expectations but the players believe in the system and are working hard to implement it. The only drawback for the Hornets seems to be fragile health of some of their starters. If they get injured who knows what would happen. If the Hornets win tonight it will mark the best start in franchise history. I would hate to allow them to do that.

Trends

-- Shooting slump. Mike Miller is 1 for 14 on 3-point attempts in the last 4 games. Ouch.
-- Big 3, now Big 4? So far this season, the Hornets are trying to prove that the Southwest Division is not just about San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston. At 7-2, New Orleans is sitting at 2nd place in the division. Maybe more telling is that Hollinger has the Hornets ranked #2 overall in his statistical-based power rankings. Only the Celtics are better. Lucky for the Griz is that they have played their best this year against Southwest Division foes at home. (Bonus trend...the Hornets beat the Grizzlies 3 out of the 4 games last year)
-- Winning streak. Not so surprising, the Grizzlies have yet to string together any wins this year. Last year, it took until the end of March (!) before the Grizzlies strung together multiple wins. How long will it be this year? After losing a heartbreaker to the Bucks, obviously tonight isn't the answer. Though maybe tonight will be win #1 in our first winning streak of the year (wait, who do we play tomorrow night...ugh!)

Storylines

-- Lottery point guards. Chris Paul is playing at an MVP level in only his third year. Micheal Conley is having a hard time getting on the floor. Still, the fact that 2 top-5 PG's are playing against each other is noteworthy.
-- Making the Southwest Division the best in the NBA. I mentioned in the Trends section that so far this year, the Hornets are every bit as good as the Texas Trio. Of course that is only taking into account the first 10 games of the season. However, stepping back a little farther, both the Hornets and Grizzlies are young, up-and-coming teams trying to force their way into the elite of the Western Conference. Both still have a ways to go (winning a single playoff game would be a good start), but this year the gap certainly looks to be closing.
-- Rudy Gay for All-Star? I've talked about it previously in this space, the emergence of Rudy Gay is certainly the top story of the year for the Grizzlies regardless of the matchup. Not many expected him to be averaging 20 ppg (double from his rookie campaign) and forcing his way into a primary offensive weapon. Foul trouble has kept him from making a big impact on the defensive end, but that will soon come.

Keys

-- Downtown Memphis Pick and Roll Blues. It is only the early part of the season, and I am already beating a dead horse with the "we have to defend the pick and roll better" theme. I'm tired of it. I want to move on, but first either the Grizzlies have to move on or we have to play a team that doesn't excel at the P-n-R. Chris Paul and David West should be licking their chops right now. I predict David West to keep nailing that elbow jumper of his. I'd love Iavaroni to get more aggressive in P-n-R defense, but I expect him to keep it passive so to avoid foul trouble.
-- Easy Rider. Before last game, I went on and on about the superb job the Griz have done this year at getting easy buckets (i.e., getting lots of FT attempts and points in the paint). Against the Bucks those easy buckets were not nearly as plentiful. With Memphis signing the jump shooting blues more times than not, continuing to attack the rim and force feed Pau/Rudy/Darko will go along way tonight. (Bonus Key...Keep Chandler from setting a career high in rebounds)
-- Get on your feet, Memphis and stand up! This Grizzlies team is hungry. They are also a bit fragile. A good cure to prevent lags in intensity and effort is for the crowd to stay pumped. It is nearly impossible to keep a loud and lively atmosphere for 48 minutes in the NBA, however, having an energized crowd at the right moments throughout all 4 quarters will help this team. I'm sure Rudy Gay will do his best to get the crowd involved with a few sick dunks (Julian Wright, you have been warned).

Matchups

Point Guards: Damon Stoudamire vs. Chris Paul
This is an ugly match up for the Grizzlies. Chris Paul is lightning fast player who can score and dish. Damon has been solid this season in extremely limited minutes (15 a game) but still that is too many according to some fans. Chris Paul is playing at a pace that has garnered some talk of MVP awards this season. He leads the Hornets in scoring (18.6 ppg) and assists (10.6 apg) in only 34.1 mpg. His 51.2 FG% and 44.4 3pt% makes him very efficient for a point guard and throw in 4.7 rpg and you can understand why he is being discussed for MVP.
Advantage: New Orleans

Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Peja Stojakovic
I wonder how many people will boo Peja in memory of the Slam in Sacramento? Peja was the most hated player in Memphis at one time. Time heals all wounds probably and that can be said for Peja as well as he attempts to rebound after missing last season with a bad back. His 10 3 pt shots against the Lakers seems to imply he is back. Now if Mike Miller can only build on his finishing effort in Milwaukee for the Grizzlies. Mike has been hesitant to take shots this season but he took over late against Milwaukee and made some clutch shots. Hopefully this is the start of good things. Until it is confirmed however...
Advantage: New Orleans

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Morris Peterson
Mo Pete found his shooting touch in the last game hitting 6-9 bombs on the way to 27 points against Philly. It's not likely that he will find it quite so easy in Memphis against Rudy Gay. Unfortunately Peterson is a better defender than he gets credit for so it won't be easy for Rudy to get his points either. Neither player hits the boards that hard. For Peterson that isn't a big problem with Chandler and West cleaning the glass. For Rudy that may be a bigger concern. Miller has been filling in nicely but Rudy has to contribute more in the all-around game to be considered a dominant NBA player and not just a scorer. It seems weird that Rudy is actually averaging more blocks and more steals than assists. Great players make players around them great. That is Rudy's next step in his development.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs David West
Power vs finesse in this atypical match up at power forward. Pau Gasol has the height but is more a finesse player. David West has the bulk and uses it to his advantage to gain leverage in rebounding. West has range nearly to the 3 pt line (he's actually 3-5 this season from beyond the arc). This is a test for Gasol's back (some would say spine). If Gasol allows West to push him around the Grizzlies will be in trouble. Gasol must use his height to go over West on offense while blocking out to grab boards on defense. New Orleans misses shots so controlling the glass is vital. West just seems to be the type of player who intimidates Gasol. If Gasol checks for blood more often than he grabs a board you will know who won the match up.
Advantage: New Orleans

Centers: Darko Milicic vs Tyson Chandler
You want to read something incredible? Tyson Chandler is learning how to score outside of dunking the ball. I realize most people didn't think this would happen but his 11.2 ppg implies something different is going on with the Big Easy's biggest player. Tyson always could rebound but his shot was suspect (7.6 career ppg, 60.4 career FT%). Tyson poses unique challenges for Darko in the post because of his speed and agility. Darko does better with slower centers like Yao. However Darko has been surprising everyone so far this season. His 11.1 ppg and 8.4 rpg are great and he should only continue to improve. The question is can be adapt in time for this game?
Advantage: New Orleans

Benches: Former Grizz Bobby Jackson leads the scoring off of New Orleans bench averaging 8.1 ppg but his shooting isn't exactly accurate. Rasual Butler had some big games against Memphis last season, Janero Pargo and Hilton Armstrong provide most of the bench play but don't overlook promising rookie Julian Wright who is buried on the depth chart but has some serious talent once he develops. Memphis' bench finally matched Kyle Lowry's intensity in Milwaukee as Casey Jacobsen, Brian Cardinal, Juan Carlos Navarro and Michael Conley all contributed in bringing Memphis back in the first and second halves. Hopefully this is the start of some decent play from the back ups because the team needs more contribution from it's bench. While the bench overall improved, Stromile Swift had a poor night against Milwaukee and needs to rebound against New Orleans. Where have you gone TK and Hak?
Advantage: New Orleans

Coaches: Byron Scott exercised one demon already this season when he defeated New Jersey for the first time on their court since he was fired from the Nets job. Scott's resume includes trips to 2 NBA finals as a head coach in New Jersey and 3 NBA titles as a Laker player so he gets respect from his team. With only Mo Pete as a new player among the top 8 on the roster Scott has a group of players who know what is expected of them. That chemistry should continue to improve this season unless injuries take another significant toll. Marc Iavaroni is still experimenting with different lineups while trying to figure out who is going to run the point. It isn't easy but the tinkering now should produce results later in the season.
Advantage: New Orleans

Other Game Previews

-- Today's must read game preview from a Hornets blogger is from Ryan over at THE New Orleans Hornets Fan blog. Probably the best game preview from an 'enemy' blogger that we have linked to this year. Please, click the link and read the whole thing. For now, I want to highlight one of Ryan's on-point observation/prediction.

In the end, the Grizzlies are going to have to hound Paul and defend the perimeter closely or the Hornets are going to crush them under three point shots and dribble penetration like they've done to 7 other teams to start this season.

-- Chris Herrington's preview at Beyond the Arc.

-- Grizzlies.com

-- Big Easy Buzz Blog

-- Hornets 24-7

-- The Sports Network

Power Rankings - 11.16.07

This is our new collection of Power Rankings, courtesy of the fantastic CarlCR.

Week of November12th, 2007
PUT MOUSEOVER GRIZZLIES LOGO TO SEE COMMENTS worksbest with MS IE

	Actual	Sagarin	ESPN	Yahoo	CBS	FOX	NBA	SI
date	11-14	11-14	11-12	11-12	11-13	11-13	11-12	11-12	date
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	Actual	Sagarin	ESPN	Yahoo	CBS	FOX	NBA	SI