Final Power Rankings 4-14 to 4-16

	THE FINAL RANKINGS FOR 2007/08 Grizzlies average ranking of 26. Some nice kudos that the franchise has a youthful, bright future.
Power Rankings for 14 & 15 April '08
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Memphis at Denver - 4.16.08

Memphis closes out their 2nd consecutive disappointing season in a city that has never been friendly to the Grizzlies and against a playoff team celebrating their fan appreciation at the game. Unlike last season this year is just ending bad. A loss would guarantee Memphis no worse than a tie for the 4th worst record in the league and the corresponding ping pong balls in the lottery. As Memphis fans are well aware, finishing with the fourth worst record only means Memphis is guaranteed no worse than the 7th pick in the draft. Memphis put up only a token effort against Minnesota in their final home game so the likelihood of the Grizzlies giving a serious effort at altitude against a hostile crowd is unlikely.

Denver has already begun celebrating their season, or at least one of their stars has. Carmello Anthony was arrested the other night for driving under the influence. The question is will Denver attempt to avoid Los Angeles and former Grizz star Pau Gasol in the 1st round by beating Memphis and hoping Dallas loses their final game against New Orleans. Denver has to be pleased with the potential of winning 50 games this season and a little surprised it could only earn them the 8th spot in the playoffs.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Anthony Carter
Kyle Conley or Mike Lowry or whatever, the twin headed PG situation may get even more crowded this summer if the Grizzlies get lucky in the draft. Who am I kidding? The Grizzlies get lucky? Say hello Brook Lopez people. Anthony Carter has been a pleasant surprise for the Nuggets who signed Chucky Atkins in the off-season to man this role.
Advantage: Denver

Shooting Guards: Juan Carlos Navarro vs Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson gives 110% everytime on the court. I know that isn't possible but then again, what Iverson has done on the court over his career shouldn't be possible either. Juan Carlos Navarro will have to jack up a bunch of 3s to set the NBA record for 3pt shots by a rookie but why shouldn't he go for it?
Advantage: Denver


Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Carmello Anthony
If this was earlier in the season it would be the marguee matchup of the night. After the DUI situation with Anthony and Rudy's already locking up the 20 ppg thing I doubt either will make more than token appearances at best. If one does it will be Rudy.
Advantage: Memphis

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Kenyon Martin
Kenyon Martin has finally had a healthy season after years of injuries wrecking what looked to be a promising career. His numbers are down across board but Denver is just happy to have a player at the PF position playing 70+ games this year. Hakim Warrick had a big game in Portland (17 pts and 14 rebs) but has not put up the all-around numbers this season that most PF's in the league can. He is a finese PF and that makes it difficult against more physical players like KMart. His range has improved this year and that could work to his advantage against the less mobile Martin.
Advantage: Denver

Centers: Andre Brown vs Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby was defensive player of the year last season and while he hasn't been as dominating this season his presence in the middle will wreck havoc on the Grizzlies PG who love to drive the lane. Andre Brown is making a good case to be brought back next season or at least remain in the NBA if Memphis doesn't sign him with his play the last few games. He followed his double-double against Minnesota (13 pts and 18 rebs) with a career high 16 pts against Portland. He has poor hands and no real shot blocking ability but he does hustle and do the little things teams need from a 3rd string big man.
Advantage: Denver

Benches: Memphis vs Denver
Denver will be going deeper into their bench than at any other time this season. Expect to see plenty of former Grizz Chucky Atkins, Former Grizz Bobby Jones, Yakhouba Diawara and maybe even Jelani McCoy and Taureen Green. Anyone but their real bench players Linas Kleiza, JR Smith and Eduardo Najera. Those players and the starters will spend most of the night laughing on the bench (not alcohol will be served by the way). Memphis' bench was decimated by injuries to Javaris Crittenton, Mike Miller, Darko Milicic and Jason Collins against Minnesota. No one has heard anything yet but it is doubtful they will play in this game.
Advantage: Denver

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The Nugg Doctor
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Nuggets Hoops

Shultz to Sue Bennet on Behalf of Seattle

I know, this is supposed to be a Grizzlies blog but give me time and I will get around to a way this is about the Grizzlies.

Clay Bennet could be sued any day now by Howard Shultz.

So what you ask?

Well Howard Shultz used to own the Seattle Sonics before selling them to the Bennett and his group from Oklahoma City on the belief that the team would remain in Seattle. Since Bennett has announced he was moving the team, and e-mails have emerged suggesting that was always the plan, Shultz is suing to rescind the trade.

The financial damages have to be hard to determine but the end result is this, according to Shultz's attorney:

The damages that are being sought is to rescind, unwind the transaction. It's not money damage. It's to have the team returned. The theory of the suit is that when the team was sold, the Basketball Club of Seattle, our team here, relied on promises made by Clay Bennett and his ownership that they desired to keep the team in Seattle and intended to make a good-faith effort to accomplish that."

The Seattle argument is breach of contract. The e-mails make it apparent that it was never the intention of the Oklahoma City ownership group to keep the team in Seattle. Now Bennett has already sold the Seattle Storm, the WNBA team in Seattle, to local business women so that part of the deal has been maintained but isn't the Sonics are the real meat of matter?

Which brings us back to the Grizzlies. Micheal Heisley has stated that he would not have moved the Grizzlies if the team could be successful in Vancouver but it didn't take him long to determine that was not going to be feasible. Less than one year to be exact. Now Clay Bennett is saying that the team can't be successful in Seattle and that they have to move to be financially viable. However, unlike Mr. Heisley, there appears to be a clear statement that the owners never meant for the team to remain in Seattle regardless of the city or state building a new arena. I don't know how this is going to wind up but I find the similiarities eerie.

Let me say that I completely believe Mr. Heisley and his financial reasons for moving the team. I am not implying that he bought the team with the express intent of moving the Grizzlies as it now appears obvious Mr. Bennett did. It is just that there are a lot of interesting parallels between the two franchises and their proposed move. New owners, financially strapped teams in poor NBA arenas, declining fan bases and the subsequent moves being planned. If course the save the NBA program failed miserably in Vancouver and the Grizzlies didn't have a promising player like Kevin Durant on their team at the time so there are some serious differences as well.

I wonder if that is why Heisley has stopped responding to e-mails?

Related Stories:
Editorial from the CA
Sonics Not Accepting Renewals

Memphis at Portland - 4.15.08

Tax Day.

Memphis has been a disaster this season so it is only fitting that the last home game, the so called Fan Appreciation Night, opened with a portion of the stands collapsing injuring some of the fans and closed with a blow out loss to the Minnesota Timber Wolves. The Grizzlies didn't dress Mike Miller and Javaris Crittenton for the game and for some reason Darko Milicic and Jason Collins did not play as well. I can only suspect that the team is now concerned that New York or the Clippers might pass the team in the standings and the team didn't want that to happen.

Portland has fallen off their early season pace when they were the toast of the NBA competing for a playoff spot. The team is 40-40 for the season and would be tied for 6th place in the West but instead resides in 10th place in the West. At least the Trailblazers are attempting to keep the publicity coming with a snappy web page designed for LeMarcus Aldridge who is up for Most Improved Player in the league. While these publicity stunts rarely work it is nice to show the player the team is behind him. Portland is one of the deepest teams in the league with backups at every position including center where Greg Oden has sat out the entire year rehabbing his knee.

Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Steve Blake
Steve Blake was supposed to be too slow to play the point in the NBA. He wasn't supposed to be a good enough shooter to play in the NBA. He wasn't supposed to be creative enough to be effective in the NBA. The experts were wrong. Steve Blake isn't fast, isn't a great shooter (although he is much improved) and all he does is put the ball where a shooter wants it. Conley is starting to figure out how to pressure defenses by using his speed to get to the rim. Next year he needs to learn how to suck in defenses to pass out to open shooters. It is a process he should have little trouble learning.
Advantage: Portland

Shooting Guards: Juan Carlos Navarro vs Brandon Roy
Former rookie of the year Brandon Roy has not been as sensational in his sophomore season as he was his rookie year but he is still dependable and solid. Similar to Rudy Gay, Brandon has struggled being the go-to guy at times. He has also been bothered by injuries all season. Roy is still a complete player scoring 19.3 ppg, grabbing 4.6 rpg and dishing out 5.8 apg. Navarro doesn't have that total game. He is a scorer plain and simple even if he scores in an extremely crafty way. Setting up defenders with his 3 pt shot has allowed Navarro access to the lane where he has been very effective with his tear drop 'La Bomba' shot. It looks like Navarro will come up just short of the all-time rookie record for 3's but he has consistently been rated in the top 10 rookies this year.
Advantage: Portland

Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs James Jones
James Jones has been replacing Martell Webster while he recovers from 'heart pain.' 3 Shades of Blue hopes it isn't serious. Jones is very familiar with Ivaroni's system both offensively and defensively and will look to exploit holes in the attack. Rudy Gay exploded in his sophomore season as the former #8 pick leads the league in increased scoring this year as well as being one of only 2 players in the top 40 in dunks and 3 pt shots made. It's not all about offense as Rudy has also improved his defense this season increasing his steals and blocked shots from a year ago.

Power Forwards: Hakim Warrick vs Channing Frye
Channing Frye has been inserted into the lineup with Joel Pryzbilla out with a broken hand and Greg Oden out with micro fracture surgery. The change makes Portland lighter but faster which should make for an interesting game. Hakim probably won't get too fatigued in this game but he has put together a solid season after Gasol's trade. He should have a good idea of what he needs to work on over the summer.
Advantage: Memphis

Centers: Andre Brown vs LeMarcus Aldridge
LeMarcus is going to play a lot in this game in a last second attempt to convince voters that despite his numbers not being the best, despite his not being on a playoff team and despite his playing in the Pacific Northwest (meaning the East Coast writers haven't seen him play very much) he is deserving of the Most Improved Player Award. Maybe he is right but my money is on Hedo Turkoglu or Rudy Gay. Andre Brown showed some intensity in the last two games including a monstrous 17 board night against Minnesota in a losing effort. Late season big numbers against uninspired competition in a blowout doesn't impress anyone.
Advantage: Portland

Benches: Memphis vs Portland
Travis Outlaw has been a major mover for the Blazers this season including a heart-breaking last second game winner on Dec 3rd. That game was followed by 11 losses in 13 games and soon after that Gasol was gone and the rebuilding was officially unveiled. Throw in Jarret Jack and Sergio Rodriquez and that is about all the Blazers have left on the bench with Joel, Oden and Webster out. Memphis' bench is likewise pretty thin with Miller, JCrit, Collins and Milicic out for various reasons. Casey Jacobson is shooting horribly, Brian Cardinal is slow and the collected rust from years on the bench doesn't shake off too easily. Kyle Lowry is taking advantage of the lack of bench production to up his offensive approach and has played well but he is outnumbered in this game.
Advantage: Portland

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Blazers Edge
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