This is an abbreviated edition of Postgame Thoughts as the only portion of the game that mattered was the 1st quarter when the Grizzlies were outscored by 16 points. The remainder of the game was played to a draw.
Seriously, was there a lid on the Grizzlies' basket for the first 15 minutes of the game or was it just me? It wasn't even a case of good defense by the Lakers -- the Grizzlies just could not get anything to fall, other than Pau Gasol.
Two minutes into the game Mike Conley pulled something that made me hit the rewind button on the DVR not once, not twice, but three times. He dribbled towards the basket to the left of the lane, went through the lane near the basket, never picking up his dribble and then back out of the lane on the right side before zipping a pass to a wide open Darko Milicic for a layup. It was so reminiscent of the kind of plays that Steve Nash makes, where you know he could score if he wanted to take the shot, but instead he just kind of hangs out near the rim until he can get the ball to an open teammate. Hopefully, this is merely shades of what is to come from him in the future.
In the 2nd quarter Hakim Warrick returned from exile. After not having played in the past three games -- games in which the Grizzlies were actually competitive -- Hak made his return and played very well on the night. He did what we have all come to expect from him, which is score reasonably well and rebound decently. What was interesting was that he played and Juan Carlos Navarro played (ineffectively in my evaluation), but Casey Jacobsen did not. I don't know if the crowd's booing has affected Iavaroni's rotation or not, but it was a noticeable absence to be sure.
I'm not sure if it was still a secret or not, but this just in: Derek Fisher is good. Seriously, as well as he played tonight, when I looked at the boxscore I was surprised to see that he missed the one shot that he did. I think his performance might have done a little to quell the heaping amounts of praise that super-frosh Mike Conley had been receiving after playing very well against the likes of Andre Owens, Rajon Rondo and Chris Quinn as a starter. Leave it to the wily veteran to ruin the party.
As I stated in the opening, this one was decided in the the first quarter as the Lakers were able to cruise through the rest of the game after establishing a sizable lead. I don't expect the other two meetings with them to go the same way, but with this young team, who can tell how they'll play from one night to the next?
Chipc3's Perspective:
Sorry to get this up so late but my computer is down at my house.
Mike Conley, welcome to the NBA. After playing three games against less than top notch opponents Derek Fisher, who was motivated by his mom in the stands, put on a clinic against the rookie. Everytime Conley went low Fisher nailed the open 3. If Conley stayed up Fisher used the pick to get past him and dish to an open ma. Mostly Conley went low as Fisher's 26 points (more than double his season average) can attest. On offense Fisher played about 5 feet off of Conley all night daring him to hit the long ball. Conley took the dare and shot 5-15. Until he consistently can hit that open J it will be difficult for Conley to really be effective but the mechanics look good and with Mark Price working with him there is no reason to believe he won't learn to hit that shot.
Mike Miller showed some true grit but it was too little and way too late. Mike was pretty quiet until the 3rd quarter when Kobe started laying off him. Defensively Mike played hard all night but it was hard to tell when Kobe was getting every call he wanted and hitting shots with people in his face. Gasol played well but not well enough. With Fisher hanging down low it was difficult to get Gasol the ball where he is most effective (another problem with Conley/Lowry being unable to hit the outside shot). Darko benefitted early from the attention Gasol received but that horrible call took him out of the game at the 8 minutes mark of the first quarter. Either Lowry has hit the wall or he is pouting over Conley's promotion. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to sit Lowry for a few games and let Damon come off the bench. Damon's outside shot has to be respected at least.
Memphis was pressing on offense and that rarely leads to a high shooting percentage. The Lakers played intelligent defense and forced Memphis into shots they don't consider their best options. Memphis didn't rise to the challenge.
On the bright side Hakim Warrick showed he can really score again. With the Lakers playing Kwame Brown and Ronny Tauriaf as their backup bigs, any defensive lapses by Warrick weren't going to be exploited. This is the ideal type of match up to play Hakim and with Sacramento coming up expect another Hak sighting in that game. Darko had a double-double and did a decent job against Bynum, especially early. Darko was aggressive offensively and that is huge when teams shadow Gasol. Memphis hung with LA when Darko played.
Tough loss at home and in front of a decent sized crowd. Would have been nice if the team had risen to the occassion.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Postgame Thoughts: Memphis at L.A. Lakers 1.8.08
Memphis vs LA Lakers - 1.8.08
Memphis has taken to heart the idea of starting the New Year right. With a blowout win over Indiana, a tough loss at Boston and an exciting victory over Miami and Dwayne Wade on a rare Sunday matinee game, Memphis is playing the best basketball of the season. Not coincidentally, Memphis has started the same lineup for all three games. Mike Conley has replaced Damon Stoudamire at the point with his quick feet, pass first mentality and the team has a new defensive focus giving up a mere 88.67 ppg since the change was made. Maybe the fact that Conley hasn't had to play against an elite PG yet has something to do with that. Gasol has definitely benefited from some off days to recover his physicality and without the need to play 'point' forward his scoring has improved. Mike Miller and Rudy Gay are both becoming stat monsters with their scoring, rebounding and assists. Even Darko has started to find his shooting touch of late. What hasn't been working is the bench which has struggled outside of Navarro's big game in Boston.
Los Angeles is one of the more surprising teams in the NBA this season. Last summer Kobe Bryant was demanding a trade and making life miserable for coach Phil Jackson, GM Mitch Kupchak and owner Dr. Jerry Buss. With the Lakers sitting at 21-11 and having won 8 of their last 10 games no one is miserable anymore including Kobe. The interesting thing was that Kobe was demanding he get more help on the team yet the Lakers didn't make any drastic moves. Lamar Odom's return to health, Luke Walton's maturation and Andrew Bynum's development into an NBA center have suddenly provided Kobe nearly all of the help he needed. Derek Fisher was a nice addition but no one can really take credit for his opting out of his contract in Utah to sign with LA. The only move the front office has made was to acquire Trevor Ariza. With Ariza, Jordan Farmar, Javaris Crittenton and Ronny Turiaf doing the dirty work the Lakers are deep, talented and well-coached. So why was Kobe complaining so much this summer?
Storyline of the Night
-- New Point Guard, New Year, New Team. The 2-1 record since Micheal Conley took over on January 2nd has the fan base buzzing again. Those old feelings of despair, anxiety and doubt have been replaced with a promise of good, if not great, things to come. And right or wrong (I'd say mostly right), Micheal Conley is getting most of the responsibility for the sudden turn around. In the last 3 games, the new so-called "big three" of Pau, Miller and Gay are averaging 65.7 ppg, the success attributed to Conley getting the offense more in sync.
Trends
-- Memphis is 2-1 since the return of Conley. In those 3 games, Conley has played 35 minutes per game, averaging (approx.) 9 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 turnovers.
-- The Memphis rotation has tightened the last 3 games, with Conley/Miller/Gay/Pau all getting 35+ minutes per game and Darko/Swift/Lowry/Casey/Navarro getting between 10-24 minutes.
-- Memphis scored over 100 ppg in 15 of their first 24 games, but only 1 time in the last 9 games.
-- L.A. has won 12 of their last 15 games, and only 3 times failed to reach 100 points (resulting in 2 of the 3 losses).
-- Both teams score considerably more in wins than losses. 108 vs 97 for Memphis and 112 vs 97 for L.A.
-- L.A. is currently 6th in the West if the playoffs started today. The Grizzlies would be 13th and 8.5 games away from the 8th spot.
Zack's Keys to Victory
-- Conley as the primary decision maker on offense. When Damon and Kyle ran the offense, it forced Pau and Miller to be too focused on making crucial decisions with the basketball related to merely getting the offense flowing. Now with Conley taking more responsibility for the ball and ball movement, Pau, Miller and Rudy can focus more on being a threat to score. So far this concept has paid good dividends.
-- Strong interior defense. Darko might not be playing as much as the other starters, but the tone he sets with his interior defense is crucial. The Lakers would love nothing more than to allow Bynum and Odom to control the 1st half with their post-up game. Forcing the Lakers to look to their perimeter play earlier in the game will help us defensively later in the game.
-- Gay staying out of foul trouble. Even if Conley is getting most of the credit for our recent offensive resurgence, all of that could be fools gold if Rudy is on the bench for long stretches due to fouls. If Miller is in foul trouble, Navarro can replace his shooting impact. If Pau is in foul trouble, Darko or Swift or Hak can replace his interior scoring impact. If Rudy is in foul trouble, no one on our roster replaces him. That will be key against Kobe and the suddenly defensive juggernaut Lakers. We might need Rudy's defense on Kobe, but more importantly we need his offense to force the Lakers to exert a lot of energy on defense.
Matchups
Point Guards: Michael Conley vs Derek Fisher
Memphis was unhappy to have to select Michael Conley this summer in the draft after losing the lottery. No Greg Oden, no Kevin Durant and not even Al Horford for the team desperate for interior strength. Not many people are complaining now. It is amazing how much better a solid point guard can make your interior defenders. Speaking of a solid point guard, is it a surprise that the Lakers have improved dramatically with the addition of Derek Fisher at the point? Suddenly Kobe has someone who understands his role and delivers the ball in the proper manner. Fisher is a wily veteran who may not have the foot speed to stay up with Conley but he has all the knowledge that Conley hasn't got yet. Should be a good education for the youngster in this game.
Advantage: Lakers
Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Kobe Bryant
Mike Miller is really enjoying playing with a fast, pass first PG as he has averaged 20 ppg since Conley became starter. He was averaging 15 ppg before Conley. Conley's impact is being felt in more ways than just the point positions improvement. Miller is a spot up shooter who needs penetration from the point to be most effective. He is getting that now and from someone who will pass it out once he gets in there. Not that it matters in this match up. Kobe is one of the best perimeter defenders when motivated. He is only superior on nights he isn't motivated. The only way Miller will see 20 pts tonight is if he looks at Kobe's halftime score.
Advantage: Lakers
Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Luke Walton
Luke Walton doesn't post illustrious stats but he's drunk from Shane Battier's cup and is the glue on the team. He makes everyone happy and does all the dirty work for the team. If Walton was a tad more athletic he would be far more appreciated. However he isn't more athletic and his all around hustle and determination can only take you so far. Defensively he is a liability against more athletic players. Rudy Gay is more athletic and has a lot of confidence in his game right now. Walton alone won't be able to contain Rudy and everyone knows it so expect to see Trevor Ariza getting extra minutes. If Walton and Ariza get in foul trouble it may not be a surprise to see Kobe take on the challenge against the bigger and stronger Gay.
Advantage: Memphis
Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Lamar Odom
When Lamar Odom is healthy he is a 5 category player who can basically do it all. The problem has been he rarely has been able to play healthy. In his 9th season Odom has only played 80 games twice in his career and has made it to 70 games twice more. When healthy he'll score around 15 ppg, grab 6-7 rebounds, dish out 5 assists, get a block and a steal and basically make life miserable for whomever it guarding him. At 6-10 he is tall enough and strong enough to defend PF's but also has range like a SF. Gasol is scoring and rebounding just a shade below average this season and considering he started slow that is an amazing comeback. Gasol can be a beast to defend down low and has developed a nice 10-15 ft jump shot as well. He will have to be physical in this game however and not check for blood too often. Gasol played big against Miami and the Grizzlies will need a similar effort against the Lakers.
Advantage: Memphis
Centers: Darko Milicic vs Andrew Bynum
Andrew Bynum was the man-boy drafted to replace Shaquille O'Neal and continue the tradition of great LA Centers. The problem was he started slow and spent his first two seasons in a legendary coach's dog house. At one point Jackson challenged his desire to improve in the press. Now in his 3rd season Bynum has begun to realize his potential and is starting to be a major force in the triangle offense. Darko Milicic was drafted to become the next Detroit Bad Boy and continue the tradition of excellence in Detroit. The problem was he started slow and spent his first two seasons in a legendary coach's dog house. At one point He was traded and had to re-establish his psyche on a new team. Now on his third team Darko has had to battle injuries this season but has had big games against the likes of Tim Duncan and Yao Ming. Should be a great match between child stars who are trying to become all-stars. The difference is Bynum hasn't had his ego as damaged as Darko's was in Detroit and Orlando.
Advantage: Lakers
Benches: Memphis vs Los Angeles
Where has Kyle Lowry gone? From the Super spark plug who was going to revolutionize the game he has regressed over recent weeks and is barely keeping his position ahead of Damon right now instead of challenging Conley for the starting role. The dreaded rookie wall seems to be claiming another victim as Kyle passes the 45 game mark in his career. Juan Carlos Navarro has been more erratic every week but is still capable of lighting up the scoreboard at any moment (just ask Boston). Stro is still good for 8 pts and 4 boards in 15 minutes. The problem is he's good for 10 pts and 5 boards in 30 minutes. The only other person getting minutes is getting booed when he walks on the court. LA's bench is young, athletic and full of promise but short on production. Jordan Farmer, taken right after Lowry in the draft has been moving slowly into the rotation and is benefiting from Fisher's experience. Vladamir Radmonovic isn't snow boarding anymore but isn't scoring that much either. Ariza is the wild card. When on he can be a very exciting player but he hasn't been on that much. Kwame Brown and Ronny Turiaf fill out bench players for the Lakers. Memphis' bench has the capability of being more productive but LA's bench knows their roles a little bit better than Memphis' and is a tad more consistent.
Advantage: Lakers
Kurt from Forum Blue and Gold was kind enough to ask us some questions about tonight's game, so be sure to check out his great game preview.
Other relevant blogs/websites:
Forum Blue and Gold
Lakers.com BasketBlog
Things to Know (Preview)
Grizzlies.com Preview
Monday, January 7, 2008
Links: Richardson Waived, Tell Grizz "Get Well", Kinsey Signed, Pranica Blogs, Being a Fan
In the category of "unsurprising news", Jeremy Richardson was waived today. The D-League standout did not score in three game appearances since being signed on December 20th. We wish you the best Jeremy.
Over on Grizzlies.com, they have a way to send a "Get Well" message to Grizz, the mascot for the Memphis Grizzlies known to his friends as Eric McMahon. As we reported on here last month, Eric is being treated for Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Former Grizzlie Tarence Kinsey was signed by Turkish champion Fenerbahce Uker for the remainder of the season. Good luck TK -- we'll all be rooting for you.
Pete Pranica updated his blog today. As usual, it was quality reading material.
Chip alerted me to these next two links, which are quite clearly related. The first is from Dwight Jaynes of the Portland Tribune and is titled "Start training to be a great fan". The second is Dave from Blazer's Edge's response to it, which he titled "Ten Tenets for being a Semi-Decent Fan". Both are good, although I'd have to give the nod to Dave in terms of which is more relevant to today's NBA fan. Here's the first rule:
1. It is not always the coach's fault.
This is the Number One rule of fandom...or should be. Sometimes coaches are bad. Sometimes coaches lose their teams. But even a bad, out-of-touch coach doesn't pull his team into the huddle and say, "OK backcourt players...after we hoist a contested 23-foot shot against the buzzer why don't you guys stand around for a minute and allow the opponent to get out on a 3-on-1 fast break." Generally speaking most coaching styles and strategies can lead to success. All other things (e.g. talent) being equal if a team's players are committed to the coach, pay attention to the game plan, and execute with energy they're probably going to do well no matter what that game plan is. The #1 cause of bad coaching is lack of talent on the team. The #2 cause is lack of consistency among the talent you do have. Look really hard at those things before bringing up the coach. If a guy doesn't have flour and half of his eggs are broken he won't be making a cake today. People can come up with amazingly accurate critiques of coaching sometimes. But a whole lot of coaching criticism is cover for "I don't fully understand what's going on" or "I don't want to admit my team isn't that good".
If that doesn't sound like something most Grizzlies fans should take heed of, then I don't know what would. I'll be referring to #9 in a post later this week as well, so be sure to check it out.
Blog/Website of the Day: Forum Blue and Gold
Roster Redundancy or just a Poor Evaluation?
I saw this last night on The Fanhouse, but was unsure what exactly I could say that would top what Bethlehem Shoals had already stated. It seems that Ira Winderman, a great beat writer to be sure, evaluated some of the teams that were seen as disappointments to this point in the season for the Sun-Sentinel. Here's what he had to say about the Memphis Grizzlies:
Grizzlies: Hopes were particularly high in the offseason with the addition of Marc Iavaroni as coach, Chris Wallace as general manager, Darko Milicic as free agent and Mike Conley Jr. as first-round pick.
But for all the talent on Memphis' roster, the lottery already beckons.
In many ways, this is one of the most redundant rosters in the NBA, with two soft power players in Pau Gasol and Milicic, perimeter players with a preference for the jumper in Mike Miller, Juan Carlos Navarro and Casey Jacobsen, erratic athletes in Rudy Gay, Stromile Swift and Hakim Warrick, and oodles of point guards in Conley, Kyle Lowry and Damon Stoudamire.
It was easy to be seduced by the names in the offseason. Only the pieces don't fit, which means Iavaroni will have to wait until Wallace can get things in order.
Now here's what Shoals had to say in response to that:
I just don't see how this counts as "redundancy." Maybe "incomplete," since there's no dominant, powerful seven-footer on the roster. But is this really any worse than any other team in the NBA not named Phoenix? If he were to correctly identify Gay as a "slashing swingman with star qualities," and Gasol as "All-Star adjusting to a new coach", suddenly this doesn't looks so bad. The problem is that he's been inconsistent and Darko has been a letdown -- not that they're both international players of a certain height.
After sleeping on the subject, I realized that a lot more could be said about this. Let's go beyond the two obvious names that Shoals correctly pointed out in Rudy and Pau, and explore the rest of the evaluation.
Darko might have a repuatation for being soft coming into his time with the Grizzlies, but anyone who has seen him play defense in the low-post this season would have to disagree with that label, as he has played extremely well against the best big men more often than not, most notably against Tim Duncan and Yao Ming. He's not an emotional player, preferring to get his block or rebound and head down to the other end of the floor, rather than screaming to the rafters or beating his chest, but that doesn't make him any softer than anyone else. Foul trouble and injuries have limited his effectiveness, which has contributed to the perception that he's been a letdown in Memphis.
Mike Miller is a perimeter player with a preference for a jumper, but he's also the second leading rebounder on the team at 7.1 rpg -- not too shabby for a shooting guard the last time I checked.
Casey Jacobsen certainly has the reputation for being a gunner -- one that was developed through his collegiate career at Stanford and hasn't left him since. However, since spending some time overseas, he appears to have learned a new trick or two. CJ's role on this team has been that of a hustling defender who only shoots occasionally. While he's certainly not a lockdown defender, he has done exactly what the coaching staff has asked him to do, despite the "concerns" of the fanbase who have questioned why he gets more playing time than young scoring forward Hakim Warrick.
Since when is having 3 point guards a bad thing either?
I agree with his assessment of Stro and Hakim as erratic athletes and Navarro as a perimeter-based jump shooter (although he is willing to drive into the lane), but people who don't do anything other than watch ESPN could probably come to those conclusions.
Also, he sees the Grizzlies as a disappointment, while others who have followed the team closely believe that they are "right on schedule", myself included. This team was far more different from the 50-win surprise team than most people could tell at first view. I agree that some elements of this team seem redundant at a glance and that there are obvious needs that should be addressed, such as a starting SG capable of playing great defense (ex: Raja Bell). But beyond that, I think that Winderman was off-target in his evaluation, as did Bethlehem Shoals.
I understand that Winderman cannot be expected to be an expert on every team in the league, but before making such sweeping generalizations he might want to do a little more research next time. Relying on reputations and stereotypes causes fans around the league to lose respect for your opinion and your credibility. You're better than that Ira. As someone who has been reading you for quite some time, I know that better than anyone. For that matter -- just shoot off an email and ask a team's beat writer or even a team-centric blogger what they think about the team. We're always willing to answer questions about our favorite team. Every now and then, we even take off our glasses that are tinted Beale Street Blue, too.
Chemacterility???
Here's the defining why-the-Spurs-win-and-keep-winning story: They gave away Luis Scola this summer not just for luxury tax reasons, but because they were afraid that Scola, a No. 1 scoring option for Argentina's national team as well as the Euro leagues, wouldn't be able to adjust to playing 20-25 minutes a game as a supporting guy on a great team. They didn't even want to take the chance that he'd mess them up. So they shipped him out. What's even more fascinating is the Spurs have won four titles (and counting) with a specific strategy that nobody else emulated until Boston voyaged down the same defense-character-chemistry path this season. And the Celtics are 20-2 right now. Hmmmm.
It seems that having some great basketball in Boston for a change has enlightened Simmons because he started off the New Year with an entire article on this same subject while also coining a new word...Chemacterility.
Here's the new mantra for savvy NBA teams: "Chemacterility." Why haven't you heard the term before? Because I just made it up. But it's an amalgam of three concepts that have formed the foundation of the Duncan era in San Antonio: chemistry, character and (cap) flexibility. As soon as Duncan arrived, in 1997, Popovich and Buford began to avoid bad guys and bad contracts, preferring role players, quality guys and short-term deals. They're so fanatic about chemistry that when Luis Scola jumped to the NBA this summer, they traded his rights, partly because they weren't sure he could adjust from being a star in Spain to being a supporting player here. They didn't even want to take the chance he'd screw them up!
Just like Simmons, some things should be obvious for an NBA GM getting a million dollar plus salary to try and build a champion. Either NBA owners are not fans of the game or they just real stupid. If every media outlet, blog and fan message board are screaming that a draft pick or contract is horrible the second it scrolls across ESPN then what is the point of being a 'former player' or having a scouting department?
There are four assets available to NBA GMs in building a roster: draft picks, salary exceptions, cap space, and roster slots. Every NBA team has equal access to all four assets and NBA GMs that mismanage even one of the four usually send their teams into a tailspin eventually. Now this usually leads to the GM being fired but unfortunately, the problems the fired GM created remain after he is long gone (and working in the league office...Stu Jackson). This is what Memphis Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace is about to have to deal with in the 2008 trade deadline and offseason.
The first thing a new GM needs to do is reset the four assets back to neutrality or as close to possible. Unfortunately, sometimes this requires making some hard decisions. This is why I liked the Darko Milicic signing. It followed one of my NBA GM RULES: Never sign a marginal talent to a contract for more than three years. So regardless of if Darko develops or not, the Grizzlies are not saddled down with an untradeable player which hampers you in any and all trade discussions by limiting your options.
The mismanagement of the four assets is what turned the Grizzlies from an up and coming playoff team, back into a bottom of the barrel lottery team. Draft picks were wasted, salary cap exemptions were given to bad players, and roster slots were filled with players that couldn't contribute in the present or the future. Mismanagement of the four assets is the first sign that the walls are coming down. It is what is happening in Phoenix right now but is masked because the have so much talent at the top of that roster. However, the Suns will be a lottery team by the 2011 draft. They have wasted draft picks, given out bad contracts and they lack salary cap flexibility. The smart move for them is to start the rebuilding process this summer especially if Shawn Marion is foolish enough to opt out of his contract.
Back to the Grizzlies...
What will Chris Wallace do? Regardless of what we want to say to fool ourselves, the Grizzlies are a bad team with a poor roster makeup. We lack defensive minded players, we have a lot of money tied into players in suits (your inactive list shouldn't equate to a near MAX contract), and our two highest paid players are Pau Gasol and Mike Miller. If his response is to wait three years until all those contracts roll of the cap, he will spend a lot of time in the forum alone. It is not possible to build a contender with the Grizzlies roster and salary structure unless Rudy Gay and Michael Conley become All NBA level players on their rookie contracts. Possible but not bloody likely.
I know most will counter with the fact that in Portland; Steve Francis, Raef LaFrentz, Darius Miles and Joe Przyzbilla are their four highest paid players. However, Portland GM Kevin Pritchard (former San Antonio Spurs scout) took over prior to the 2006 draft (plus LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy minus Sebastian Telfair). The cost for turning Telfair into Brandon Roy was taking on Raef LaFrentz's contract. Steve Francis is a result of sending Zach Randolph to purgatory and due to injuries Miles and Przyzbilla remain on the pay roll. After next season, I am betting that all four well be gone even if it does mean buying out Miles.
If Wallace truly is interested in bringing a parade to Beale Street then some tough decisions have to be made that go beyond talent. The Grizzlies have to get back to a state in which they are maximizing all four of their assets. Until then, we will continue our annual trip through mediocrity...or worse.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Rudy Gay: Next in Line
TheDay.com (Connecticut) had an article this morning touting the fact that they believe that Rudy Gay is the "Next in Line" of the ex-UConn players headed to stardom. Far be it from me to disagree with that assessment either.
If Gay, 21, continues on his path, it may be only a few years before he joins (Ray) Allen, a seven-time All-Star in his 12th professional season, as another former Husky to reach elite status in the NBA.
Gay, a smooth 6-foot-8 forward, is in the midst of a breakout second season, averaging a team-best 19.3 points and 5.5 rebounds while starting all 32 games for the Memphis Grizzlies. After a slow start Friday, he finished with 21 points and five rebounds, although Allen's Celtics won, 100-96, at TD Banknorth Garden.
The article follows Rudy from his lowered draft status due to concerns about his effort and passion towards the game to his current rise towards stardom. They also provide quite a few quotes from fellow UConn alum Ray Allen, who has been impressed with how much Rudy has progressed in such a short time period.
“It has to be just his ability to perform consistently,” Allen said when asked what's the difference in Gay's game. “He's always been a great athletic player. It seems like he's starting to develop professional habits.
“He's shooting the ball. He just seems he's confident in his moves. Before he would be just all over the place. Now it seems he's locking down his offense a lot more. ... He's definitely getting better.”
As always, it is great to see a Grizzlies player be recognized for how well they are doing. This was a great piece that I recommend everyone checking out in full.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Memphis vs Miami - 1.6.08
Memphis is playing some of their best basketball to start the new year after playing some of their worst to end 2007. The only significant change has been the demotion of Damon Stoudamire and the promotion of Mike Conley. Suddenly Memphis' interior defense is improved, the offense is more effective and the results are far more encouraging. Conley has learned how to swim apparently to use Iavaroni's reference from the beginning of the season. Rudy Gay had a tooth knocked out against Boston but came back to lead the team in scoring against Boston and showed the type of fortitude that the Grizzlies have lacked in previous seasons taking big shot after big shot in the game. Juan Carlos Navarro came back to life to score 20 points after being shut out in the win at Indiana. Mike Miller started hot but faded late to finish with 16 points after scoring 11 after 14 minutes of the game.
Miami has been one of the biggest disappointments in the league this season. With Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Williams it seemed inconceivable that the Heat wouldn't be competitive for the playoffs in the East but Miami is not only not competing, they have the worst record in their conference. Injuries have played a major role as all three of their big name vets plus Alonzo Mourning have suffered through injuries which has torn team chemistry apart. Don't be surprised if health issues sideline Pat Riley pretty soon as his history is to lead championship teams but abandon bad teams. Miami is bad this season. The only bright spot has been the play of rookie Daequan Cook from Ohio St.
Point Guards: Mike Conley vs Chris Quinn
Miami has suffered at the point all season but seems to have found a keeper in the young Quinn. Quinn has started 8 games for the Heat and performed very well in that role. His 52% shooting has helped him average 7.4 points as well as dealing out 4.3 assists. Mike Conley has done even better starting. Conley is averaging 8.5 ppg, 6 assists and 2 steals while showing incredible poise running the team. With Conley finally in the regular rotation and starting no less it seems impossible that he won't make his home debut in this game.
Advantage: Memphis
Shooting Guards: vs Daequan Cook
Mike Miller has been most effective shooting the ball this season but struggles to get shots in the 2nd half and especially the 4th quarter of games. His rebounding (7.0 rpg) has been a needed aid to the Grizzlies offense but one has to wonder how long Miller can continue to be effective playing over 37 minutes a night. Cook, Conley's teammate at Ohio St, replaced Dwayne Wade in the starting lineup against Dallas as Wade sat out the game against Dallas. Cook is a mad bomber who can shoot his team to victory or defeat since he seems to have no concept of his shot being on or not. Cook will shoot either way.
Advantage: Memphis
Small Forward: Rudy Gay vs Ricky Davis
Is there is any player who has broken the Grizzlies heart more than Ricky Davis? Davis could build an hour long highlight film simply on game winning shots against Memphis. Whether at Boston or Minnesota or Cleveland Davis has beaten the buzzer against the Grizzlies and now he gets another shot in a Miami uniform. Davis is struggling this season with Miami after being traded right before the start of the season but seems to be finding his game averaging nearly 20 ppg over the last 5 games. Rudy Gay has been the best player for the Grizzlies this year and has made people forget that he was traded for crowd favorite Shane Battier last year. Gay has shown the athletic ability to shoot over almost any player in the league yet still had the touch to be dangerous from 3 pt land. If Rudy has a weakness it is avoiding foul trouble against slashing players like Davis. Early foul trouble has given Rudy troubles in games this season.
Advantage: Miami
Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Udonis Haslem
If there has been one player who consistently puts out the effort to win games for Miami this season it has been Udonis Haslem. The 5th yr pro out of Florida has averaged 12.9 ppg and 9.4 rpg and brought the interior power game that Miami needs with Shaq not playing. Gasol has been anything but consistent this season. He followed a 31 pt game against Philly with his first non-double figure scoring night the next game against New Orleans. He followed a 30 pt scoring night against Indiana with a 12 pt effort on 3-13 shooting from the field but did grab 8 rebounds, dish out 5 assists and block 3 shots but gave up a big offensive rebound and basket in the Boston loss. Gasol has never liked playing against physical players and Haslem is one of the more physical PF's in the league but Gasol has too much talent to not win this match up.
Advantage: Memphis
Centers: Darko Milicic vs Mark Blount
Blount was the 2nd part of the pre-season trade with Minnesota but was not brought in to be the starter. In fact he really wasn't brought in to back Shaq. Blount made the salaries work and Minnesota wanted to be rid of him. Lucky for Miami that he was included as Shaq has looked terrible this season and Mourning's career is over after tearing his Patella Tendon. Blount has never been a hard working center and this season is no different but at least he is a big body for Miami to put on the court and when motivated can produce. He just isn't motivated very often. Milicic continues to improve with the support of Marc Iavaroni. Despite a painful thumb that makes rebounding and shooting difficult Darko's defense and physical presence allows Gasol to concentrate more on offense and that alone is a huge benefit. Darko may not be a great rebounder but he does a great job of keeping his man off the glass which enables Miller, Gay and Gasol to get to rebounds they didn't last year.
Advantage: Memphis
Benches: Memphis vs Miami
With Jason Williams, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade injured the Miami bench is decimated. Against Dallas Miami played Luke Jackson, former Grizzly Alexander Johnson and Former Tiger Earl Barron but no one else. That can't be good for any team over a long season. Jackson has been a nicer NBDL pickup for Miami than Jeremy Richardson has been for the Grizzlies but that isn't saying a lot. Memphis' bench has been struggling along with the play of Kyle Lowry. The former spark plug seems to have hit the rookie wall and his minutes and production are way down from earlier in the season. Navarro has been hot and cold as most rookies are even if they are 27. Stromile Swift has been playing a lot like Navarro but he isn't a rookie and Casey Jacobsen has worked hard on defense but struggled with his shot. Still Memphis has depth and talent off their bench and any of the player can perform on any night.
Advantage: Memphis
Relevant blogs/websites:
Crazy from the Heat
Ira Winderman (Sun Sentinel)
Friday, January 4, 2008
Damon Speaks
While Chris Wallace admitted before the game that he still hasn't spoken to agent Aaron Goodwin, it appears that Damon Stoudamire spoke to the fine folks at Hoopsworld.com prior to the game.
"As a professional you have to always stay ready," Stoudamire told HOOPSWORLD. "You never know when your number's going to be called so therefore you have to always be ready. You want to keep yourself prepared mentally to play, stay and shape, and just be ready. That's what I try to do every day as I got out there and prepare for whatever might happen."
Stoudamire's "do whatever it takes" attitude doesn't seem to fit with Goodwin's claim to the Memphis Commercial Appeal that his client's demotion to the bench was "unacceptable." So what's the real story?
"I think that's why we hire those type of guys," Stoudamire said of his agent. "So they can be the bad guys, so to speak. So I just kind of let him do all the talking. For me, I'm just trying to go out there and, like I said, work hard, keep my condition, make sure everything is tight whether I'm playing here or somewhere else. I'm going to be ready to play. That's my whole mindset right now."
Stoudamire may pay Goodwin to speak for him, but he has plenty to say for himself. When asked if he wanted to play for the Grizzlies, Stoudamire said, "I want to play [with] whoever's going to let me play. I just want to play basketball."
------------------
If winning means going to the bench, the Grizzlies believe Stoudamire will take the move in stride. Head coach Marc Iavaroni is not concerned with Stoudamire's efforts in wake of a demotion -- "We've talked about it. I'm not worried about it at all," Iavaroni said -- and values Stoudamire's contributions to the team.
"Damon's been great from training camp on," he said. "He's helped the young kids by the way he's conducted himself, also by his talk on the court and in the locker room."
Conley is grateful for what he has learned from Stoudamire. He credits his "good buddy" for his progress during his rookie year and swears there is no tension between the two.
In other words, I can stand by my earlier stance that Aaron Goodwin is a typical agent and Damon isn't a troublemaker. I still hope that the Grizzlies can get something decent in return (expiring contract & 2nd round pick or a young player stuck on the bench) and agree with owner Michael Heisley's stance that a buyout is unacceptable....although I suspect we have different agendas when reaching that conclusion. I just hope that this doesn't drag out and become a distraction for a young team that seems to be finding itself finally.
Postgame Thoughts: Memphis at Boston 1.4.08
Tonight I came away impressed with what Pau and Darko were able to do on defense in the low post. I know you're saying "WHAT?!?! We got creamed by Points in the Paint!" That is true, but I'm talking about the two of them being matched up on KG, Perkins and Big Baby within 10 feet of the basket. They held their position well and either blocked or altered quite a few shots, especially in the 1st half.
How about the toughness of Rudy Gay? He had his tooth chipped by James Posey in the 3rd quarter and managed to make it back into the game in the 4th quarter and hit a few big time shots along the way. For those of you who don't know how much a chipped tooth hurts, all I can say is that you're lucky. I cannot imagine trying to run and jump while enduring that. While it certainly sucks for him, it might actually help him relate to the Memphis locals a little bit better.
Where are the body snatchers that took over Ray Allen tonight? He was 0-9 from the field and his only points came off 2 free throws in the last minute of the game. Very strange to witness after coming to expect great scoring nights from him his entire career. Everybody has an off night, but this was an anomaly of epic proportions.
The team needs to work on scoring in the paint more, both from the low post and from slashing to the basket, while looking to draw contact. Missing too many 3 pointers (8/24) and missing some key free throws (16/21) made this a win for the Celtics, rather than a toss-up for either team in the last minute of the game. I'll definitely take this result over a blowout loss though, as the Grizzlies are beginning to look like they are working together, establishing chemistry and putting Marc Iavaroni's teachings into practice finally. Definitely a positive night for Grizzlies fans looking for something to give them hope for the remainder of the season.
ChipC3's Perspective:
Who was that masked man off the Boston bench? Tony Allen went for a season high instead of Ray Allen (who probably had the worst game of his career) but once again a backcourt player had his best game of the season and led to Memphis' downfall. The team really needs a defensive stopper on the perimeter more than the reputed scorer from the NBDL.
Gasol had an off night shooting but still contributed 8 boards, 5 assists and 3 blocks but where was the blockout on that last put back by Garnett. I realize it was Rudy's man at the time but Gasol should have been looking to block out someone instead of sitting under the basket like he expected it to fall in.
Rudy Gay showed the most intestinal fortitude in a Grizzlies uniform since James Posey took down Peja Stojakovic in Sacramento. Interesting that it took Posey's forearm to show that toughness as Posey's elbow jarred loose one of Rudy's teeth. How can that not be a foul by the way? Rudy overcame a tough start shooting the ball and Posey's accidental shot to lead the team in scoring and make some big shots down the stretch.
Mike Conley has learned how to swim in the pool. He didn't fill up the stat sheet like he did in In Indiana but he made good decisions and forced Rhondo to take jump shots instead of lay ups. Speaking of lay ups Boston killed Memphis in the paint (44-26) but more from Boston not allowing Memphis to score more than defensive breakdowns on the Grizzlies. Still the breakdowns were at particularly bad times.
Mike Miller has to learn to find his shot in the 2nd half and especially in the 4th quarter. With Rudy and Gasol drawing defensive attention Mike has to take more shots. His drop off from 11 pts in the first 14 minutes to 5 pts the rest of the way really hurt. Don't worry if you miss Mike just find a way to take some shots. That will force teams to play more straight up defense and Gasol and Gay can beat straight up defenses.
Tough loss for the team but not many teams can go to Boston and only lose by four points. The team should hold their heads up and come back home ready to give 100% effort against the Heat.
Other Views
A Boston fan's recap of the game.
Links: Damon Fallout, Conley Blogs, Gasol Rumors/Wishlists, Staxtacular '08, NBA Blogger Award Ballot and All-Star Team
We've already covered the Damon trade demand from top to bottom and side to side. Now let's take a look at the fallout.
Kelly Dwyer has some good thoughts about the situation and the future direction of the team over on Yahoo's NBA Experts Blog, along with a mention of our little old site. Thanks KD!
Chris Vernon also has a take on it, although in his typical way, he is less than complimentary of what he perceives to be "whining".
Predictably, fans of teams around the league needing a PG upgrade or depth (like Cleveland) are posing scenarios to acquire the former Rookie of the Year.
In related news, Michael Conley updated his blog to talk about his first career NBA start and admits to being nervous.
ESPN's Daily Dime jumps on board with the "Chicago could really use Gasol right now" movement:
Team that needs to make a move, or else
The Chicago Bulls. Their two best players are Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. Both are up for contract extensions, both are unsigned. Scott Skiles has been fired.What this team needs now is to develop an identity, which can be helped by getting an interior scorer and go-to guy. Getting Pau Gasol would be a great move for them, a face-up shooter who can complement their tremendous perimeter players. Seems like they have a glut of young big guys like Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah who do the same type of things.
To follow that up, over on RealGM, there is a piece by Patrick J. Austin where the title really says it all: Grizzlies Need to Move in a New Direction: Deal Gasol. The highlights:
Change is never easy. It’s always a scary and unpredictable proposition, but one that is ever present in life. People cling to what they know for fear of what’s “new and unknown.” The Memphis Grizzlies are currently facing this grim reality. They are a franchise in flux mired in another disappointing season and cellar dwellers in the most difficult division in the NBA.
However, the cold hard fact of the matter is that Gasol has not elevated the Grizzlies to a competitive level, despite the team emphasizing his talents and making him the focus of the offense for the majority of his career in Memphis. The organization saw flashes of a superstar player in Gasol’s earlier years and tried to make him the face of the franchise and go-to guy on the court. He repaid them by demanding a trade this past off-season and is nagged by various injuries. Moves were made to try and appease Gasol including using a chunk of cap space to sign a complimentary big man in Darko Milicic and dealing away a first round pick for Gasol’s good friend, Juan Carlos Navarro. Neither move has made the team markedly better and Gasol has not put up better numbers.
I believe the trade below would be perfect for both teams…
Grizzlies acquire:
Tyrus Thomas
Ben Gordon
Joe Smith
Chris Duhon
Bulls acquire:
Pau Gasol
Brian Cardinal
Juan Carlos Navarro
In other words, it is a rehash of what has been written by many people in many different places, including by our own bloggers here. I'm just curious why it is that we have to trade with Chicago in all these scenarios. Sure, they need Pau the most, but they really don't have what we need the most in return, IMO.
Are you ready for Staxtacular '08? In case you don't know what that is, here's a brief explanation from the link provided:
STAXTACULAR returns on Friday, March 7, 2008!
The city's wildest "soul-shakin' throwdown," hosted this year by Brian and Danielle Cardinal, Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley from the Memphis Grizzlies, is back, bigger and better than ever--and now YOU have the opportunity to buy tickets before they go onsale to the public!
Call 901-261-6385 now to purchase your tickets before they are available to the public. Tickets are $150 each, and as always, all the proceeds will benefit the life-changing music education programs of the Stax Music Academy.
Sounds like a great event, as well as benefitting a good cause.
Over on Hardwood Paroxysm, they have released the NBA blogs that will be voted upon for various awards, as well as the First and Second Team All-Stars. Our fair blog did not make the cut for any of the categories and it would be fair to say that I'm disappointed. Nay, not disappointed -- OUTRAGED!!! After all, how many other blogs have sat down over chicken wings with their team's GM? How many I ask!?! If that's not enough to get you some recognition, then I don't know why I roll out of bed at noon every day to update this blog. We even got shut out of "Rookie of the Year" because of some technicality based on the fact that we posted a couple of times late last season about Greg Oden and the draft. Well that's not right and I refuse to stand for it! Give me my internet award right now! Sorry....just had some righteous indignation left over from yesterday's Damon post and had to get that out of my system.
In all seriousness though, everyone go over there and look at all the great blogs/websites that were nominated in preparation for the voting which will take place in April.
Blog/Website of the Day: The Basketball Jones
Memphis at Boston - 1.4.08
Memphis had been reeling of late with successive blowout losses to Houston, New Orleans and San Antonio until the Indiana game. Frankly the Grizzlies were playing some of the worst basketball in the league at the end of the year and things could only improve and did in the Indiana game. Memphis big three of Gay, Gasol and Miller had not been able to put together consistent efforts by even two of the players much less all three on any given night until the Indiana game. More time together under Iavaroni's system can only improve things as the Indiana game showed. The time off gave Conley and Darko further time to heal and they both looked better in the Indiana game especially Conley who started his first game. Not that any of these things should matter in this game. This will be the Grizzlies 3rd consecutive road game and we are talking about Boston in the Garden, I mean Fleet Center, or whatever they call their new digs.
Boston has opened the season with the NBA's best record and arguably the best big three in league history. The 'Boston Three Party' as ESPN dubbed them have pulled an otherwise inexperienced and ineffective team to the top of the standings by playing team ball with none of the three seemingly unhappy sharing the work load. So far KG and Paul Pierce have both won Players of the Week honors with Pierce receiving the honor for the last week of 2007. Kevin Garnett still leads all players in All-Star votes which is amazing considering how many Chinese routinely vote for Yao Ming. Rajon Rhondo has made strides to be a top flight point guard which has helped the team reach this level of play quickly. Throw on top the fact that the Celtics haven't left Boston since Dec 30th and this has the makings of an ugly game.
Point Guards: Michael Conley vs Rajon Rhondo
It will be speed on speed in this match up of ultra fast point guards. Conley took over the starters role in Indiana and produced. His 7 pts, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and three steals help the Grizz control the ball and push the tempo. Rhondo won't be impressed as easily with Conley's speed. The 2nd yr player from Kentucky is averaging 1.9 spg in only 31 minutes. Those quick hands will probably give any Grizz point guard fits. Rhondo's major weakness is a poor shooting touch but that is well hidden with the big guns in Boston. The key will be if his defensive pressure can combine with the ghosts of the Garden to unnerve the cool looking Conley. It is a big test in seeing how ready Conley really is.
Advantage: Boston
Shooting Guards: Mike Miller vs Ray Allen
Ray Allen is 2nd on the Celtics in scoring at 19.1 ppg but his season high is 33. The reason I bring up his season high is that often that number gets set against the Grizzlies. Ray Allen has always been a thorn in the Grizzlies side as well. Who can forget the 25 second shot clock he got with Seattle where he nailed a three pointed after the buzzer to beat the Grizzlies? The NBA actually wrote a letter of apology to the Grizzlies after that game. Mike Miller has had some success scoring on Allen as well but if Ray gets hot Mike will struggle to stay up.
Advantage: Boston
Small Forwards: Rudy Gay vs Paul Pierce
Rudy Gay is an up and coming star who has all the moves but seems to lack the mental toughness that comes from experience but he is only 21 yrs old after all. Paul Pierce is a veteran who had carried teams on his back single-handed as well as functioned well in a team oriented environment. Basically Pierce is willing to do whatever it takes to win. His scoring and rebounding are down this season but he will gladly trade that to win more games and you don't win a lot more than the Celtics this season. Not having to carry all of the scoring load this season has allowed Pierce to increase his shooting percentages making his a more effective scorer.
Advantage: Boston
Power Forwards: Pau Gasol vs Kevin Garnett
How can Boston support their highest paid player if he is only the #3 scorer on the team? Memphis has turned their back on Gasol because he is the highest paid player and is only 2nd on the team in scoring. Sure Garnett leads his team in rebounds but so does Gasol so that is a push. Okay if you count some arbitrary statistic like Wins and Losses it could make a difference but those statistics are meaningless when comparing individual players right? Garnett is leading the Celtics emotionally and with him the team is scared to lose. Not scared like the refs were after Darko's tirade but scared just the same.
Advantage: Boston
Centers: Darko Milicic vs Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins is finally learning to play after being drafted in 2003 straight out of high school by the Grizzlies who immediately traded him to Boston for trash. Wait a minute, who else was drafted that season? Why Darko Milicic with the 2nd pick in the draft by Detroit. Who would have thought that 4 years later both of these players would still be struggling to establish themselves in the league and that Perkins would have the upper hand? Neither player is very good yet but Perkins is benefiting from superior players around him to build up his confidence. Darko's confidence is reportedly lower than ever. Maybe he is finally realizing that he isn't as good as he thought he was...
Advantage: Boston
Benches: Memphis vs Boston
Finally! Memphis may have an edge somewhere. Boston traded away their entire bench to get Garnett, a good trade by the way, but Boston has survived by relying on their starting 3 anyways. Still Tony Allen, James Posey and Eddie House provide some experience off the bench and Glen 'Big Daddy' Davis will be difficult to contain for Memphis' lighter interior players. Memphis' bench has not been that effective of late. Navarro continues to score above 10 ppg on average but Lowry seems to be hitting the rookie wall and Stro is only good for 10 minutes of action during the 18 minutes he is on the court.
Advantage: Boston
Other Blog Commentaries:
Celtics Blog
Green Bandwagon
Loy's Place
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Damon's Agent: Trade him or release him
From the Commercial Appeal:
Grizzlies veteran point guard Damon Stoudamire will seek a trade or contract buyout, his agent said Thursday.
Stoudamire was removed from the starting lineup in favor of first-round draft pick Mike Conley. Stoudamire was on the inactive list for the Grizzlies' victory Wednesday over Indiana. Aaron Goodwin, an experienced NBA agent with a star-studded client list, called the decision to relegate Stoudamire to an insurance player at the point unacceptable and disrespectful.
“For the Grizzlies to demote Damon because of his age and because of the team’s record is unacceptable,” Goodwin said. “They’re going to have to do right by Damon — move to get him out of there or restructure his contract so he can be bought out. Mr. Heisley is a good, compassionate man. But we’re not going to sit back and watch Damon’s career rot.”
Sorry I was late with the news -- I was returning a movie to Blockbuster that coincidentally enough had a co-starring role for Damon Stoudamire's agent, Aaron Goodwin.
Yeah, that's what I think of Goodwin at this point. I'm not saying that Damon is innocent in what transpired, but if there is one thing that I do know, it is that agents only care about the bottom line. Most of them barely care about their clients and none of them care about the teams their clients are employed by. So why would Goodwin release this strongly worded statement that surely makes it impossible for the Grizzlies to get anything but trash in return for Damon? In my opinion, it is because he wants them to release Stoudamire, thus paying him for the remainder of his contract (that Goodwin has already collected his 10% for), allowing Damon to sign for the veteran's minimum with a contender (Boston, Cleveland, L.A.), which will pay him another fee, in addition to "proving" that he gets what his clients want when they want it. I despise agents for this reason, as if there aren't already enough other reasons to hate them.
There are plenty of potential deals in which to acquiesce to Damon's preference, either him alone or with another player (Stro or Hakim, perhaps?) to get something worthwhile in return. What I actually find amusing is that in all likelihood, this demand has done little to Damon's value in a trade one way or another. He'll still garner an expiring contract or a player that doesn't fit another team's current or future plans (say...Mickael Pietrus?), so all this has done is made public what everyone already knew. Either way, I appreciate what Damon has done for this franchise as a veteran influence and still marvel at the recovery he has made from a career-threatening knee injury. I'll miss his big shot capability and his refusal to accept the losing culture that had crept back into this franchise. That's all though. I don't echo Heisley's sentiments in "hoping he can win a championship", because the only team I want winning a title is my own. The rest of the NBA can sit on it and rotate for all I care. That goes for "The Boston Three Party", too. Nobody "deserves" a championship. You have to earn one as far as I'm concerned. So in closing, take care Damon and get the hell outta here. Take your scum-sucking agent with you.
Zack's Viewpoint
Updates included below...
Micheal Conley started last night and looked great, while Damon was inactive. Today Damon's agent has went public with a trade and/or buyout demand. Coincidentally, the Griz are in Boston tonight, who happen to need a PG. Linkage:
Grizzlies veteran point guard Damon Stoudamire will seek a trade or contract buyout, his agent said Thursday.
Stoudamire was removed from the starting lineup in favor of first-round draft pick Mike Conley. Stoudamire was on the inactive list for the Grizzlies' victory Wednesday over Indiana. Aaron Goodwin, an experienced NBA agent with a star-studded client list, called the decision to relegate Stoudamire to an insurance player at the point unacceptable and disrespectful.
Unacceptable and disrespectful? Wow! Also in the article, owner Micheal Heisley has some interesting quotes. It might also be a good time to remind readers how Damon was quoted yesterday in the Commercial Appeal:
"It was to be expected," Stoudamire said. "They have to see what Mike can do. He's a very capable player. I'm happy to see him get a chance. It's something everybody's looking forward to -- you know, to see how he plays.
And here comes the odd part. Awesome Memphis radio host, Chris Vernon, reports on his radio show that he called GM Chris Wallace this afternoon after hearing the news. Chris Wallace said the Verno phone call was the first time he has heard about it and has yet to talk to Aaron Goodwin or Damon about it.
Personally, I think we should have done something with Damon in July or August, but I digress.
More details to come later.
Chipc3's Perspective:
I think Damon is probably embarrassed about his agent going public. However he hired the man to represent him and he deserves any backlash caused by that decision. He can't take back what has been done but the idea that his agent would go public with this just shows how self-centered agents are. It's sad to see what could have been a great hire by the Grizz denegrate to this level.
Having said that there is absolutely no way the Grizzlies should buy out his contract. Conley or Lowry could get injured and we would need Damon if that happened. If a trade can be arranged that gave the Grizzlies a 3rd string PG with an expiring contract then the team would be foolish not to pursue it but to buy him out means his salary is still charged against the cap this season and next season. Memphis needs that cap space to re-sign Navarro or pursue other FA's. By buying him out it may save money for Heisley but needlessly hamstrings Wallace and Iavaroni from building the team that they want on the court.
Sorry Damon but the team should not buy out your contract and you should be the adult your age implies you are and do what is best for the team not yourself.
Friday Morning Update (by Zack):
Some more info has been added to the Commercial Appeal article. Heisley says that he has no intention of a buyout:
"It's not my preference," Heisley said. "I'm not going to be constantly buying out people's contract so they can go play somewhere else for nothing. I did that with Eddie Jones and I told everybody that's not going to happen again."
I know Chip made the case above against a buyout, but I disagree and think a buyout is probably the best and easiest solution. But let's not dwell on that right now.
The next bit of interesting news regards Damon saying he believes he will not again be in a Grizzlies uniform. He says all the right things and expresses the right attitude if that is the case:
This is a case of good cop, bad cop, where Damon is able to say the right things and then let his agent be the Jackass. Either way, this is an interesting story to watch unfold.Stoudamire sounded as though he's conditioned his mind to be in Memphis although he's hopeful something can be worked out by the Feb. 21 trade deadline.
"If something happens, it happens," Stoudamire said. "It'll probably be a lot of people thinking (a trade) will happen, but I don't know. I'm here and I have to do my job and be a soldier around here, and try to help in different ways rather than on the floor.
Even though he seems convinced Dec. 30 at San Antonio was his last appearance in a Grizzly uniform, Stoudamire promised that he won't disrupt the team in the locker room or on the bench.
"I've got to keep working as if I'm playing every day," Stoudamire said. "The wrong thing to do right now is not work. You've got to keep working and stay professional through all of this."
Friday Morning Update II (by Zack):
I have a ton of work to accomplish this morning, but I wanted to include this in this discussion as well before I try to force myself to quit talking Grizzlies and get some real work done.
Ron Tillery has graced us with a Memphis Edge post about Damon. Tillery needed to be objective in his earlier 2 articles and not show favoritism to someone that has clearly been one of his favorite Griz players. But the Memphis Edge post allows him to be more subjective and opinionated. He makes the case that this is a business decision, not a basketball decision.
Tillery also implies that Damon has been TOLD that he is now only the emergency PG. This does not sit well with the great Ron Tillery.Not every detail will become public in this saga. But here’s one: I’m told that Stoudamire’s contract calls for him to play in 55 games and average 20 minutes this season. If Stoudamire doesn’t, he’ll receive roughly 50 percent of the $4.65 million he’s due for the 2008-09 season.
So don’t think for a second that this is PURELY a basketball decision.
If this was simply a basketball decision, then Conley would start and Lowry would be the third (insurance) point guard instead of Stoudamire at this point and time. Lowry, off the bench, has played the most minutes at point but he’s regressed defensively. Lowry makes the same mistakes (see: turnovers) over and over and his decision-making is poor.
Lowry is an excellent energy guy in an Earl Watson mold. But he’s not starter material. Frankly, Iavaroni lost the majority of those seven games by three points or less in large part by staying with Lowry at the end of games.
Stoudamire is a stabilizing force, a leader and a decorated NBA veteran who doesn’t deserve to be treated like this. The Griz can and should go to a youth movement. But Stoudamire has earned the right not to want to watch.
...
Is it ridiculous for a 13-year veteran who is serviceable after coming back from a serious knee injury to want to play with another year left on his contract?
I can not state how much I disagree with Ron's stance. We should have went with a Conley-Lowry PG combo starting October 31st, not January 2nd. While Lowry has not shown the improvement many (including me) had wanted to see this year, he is still, in my humble opinion, playing as well or better than Damon. And with the potential to get better that will only come by actually playing, the decision to have Lowry be the primary backup instead of Damon is an easy one.
I find the opinion that the Griz have lost so many close games because Lowry played in the 4th instead of Damon to be laughable. I don't think anyone is saying that Lowry is starter material, rather I am saying that he is a better option than Damon now and in the future to play behind Conley. But really, I think anyone that follows the Griz expected Ron to jump to Damon's defense on this one. And he did.
Interview with Peter Edmiston
The boys at 3 Shades of Blue have done it again. This time we were very fortunate to squeeze in some time with one of the busiest sports radio personalities in Memphis as Peter Edmiston answered a few of our questions.
about her and why did you add her to the team?
Peter: Lots of people have watched Kristen Tallent on FOX 13's sports coverage - she's been in Memphis for a year now and has definitely established a following.
Kristen is a genuinely funny, friendly, excitable person who doesn't take herself too seriously and really knows her sports. She ran track at Mississippi State and is a far better athlete than I will ever be. I talked with her about a month ago about doing something with me and Ron and she wanted in. She's been great so far and I hope people enjoy hearing from her on Thursdays.
Plus, Griz fans will want to take note that we've added Griz assistant coach Dave Joerger to our lineup as well. He will be on every Tuesday morning to give us some insight into the team, life in the NBA, and other stuff. He's a great guy and is really funny. And we've also got former Griz head/assistant coach Lionel Hollins on to talk college and pro basketball every Friday - the Train is an incredible analyst and I guarantee you won't find better basketball analysis than he gives.
Peter: I've always felt like we talk a lot about the Grizzlies. It's one of our most important subjects and a huge strength of our show. That being said, as the season progresses, you can expect a huge amount of talk about the Grizzlies. To me, they are always really interesting, no matter whether they're very good or very bad. There are so many storylines and intriguing topics that it's a natural we discuss as much as we can. Lionel and Dave add fresh and informed perspectives to the mix, and it's really cool to have them. Plus, Lionel loves to rip Ron for his clothing, which always cracks me up.
3SoB: You have been a bit down on the Grizzlies of late. What do you
think needs to be done to improve the team going forward?
Peter: That's a tough one. I have been down of late because I was one of the many reporters and fans who thought this team was going to take a step forward this season - a big one - and the fact that they've struggled so mightily is a definite disappointment. Part of the issue in my mind is that the front office clearly took steps to build around Pau this offseason and he's not playing anywhere near his highest level. He is not a leader on the court, not a leader in the locker room, and is not the best player on this team on a consistent basis. Given the salary cap limitations here in Memphis, having your max guy be so limited is a really big problem. When you add to that the fact that Marc Iavaroni's system doesn't mesh well with Pau's strengths, he goes from a manageable problem to a distinct liability. And this is coming from a guy who has defended Pau staunchly until this season.
I build around Conley and Rudy and run like crazy.
3 SoB: In your pre-season comments you thought the team could compete for the playoffs until late in the season, what has failed in that regard?
Peter: This is a team comprised of very talented players who do not seem to play well together. There is a distinct lack of chemistry and leadership on this team, which to me explains a lot of the problems we've seen. They don't perform well in clutch situations because they don't have an established go-to guy (Rudy is getting there, mind you), they give up a lot of scoring runs because they don't have a defensive stopper, and they don't respond well to adversity because they lack locker room leadership. It speaks to the disappointment and difficulty of the season when you note that the team is getting better-than-expected performances from key individuals like Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Gay, and Darko Milicic (defensively), yet is underperforming as a whole. This team is less than the sum of its parts.
Marc Iavaroni is getting adjusted to life as an NBA head coach as well, and I think we've seen him struggle to establish consistent rotations and deal with difficult game situations. I wouldn't say he's done poorly or anything, but he's been a bit hit or miss so far, much like his team. I think we will see the best of him next season once he's got a year under his belt.
3SoB: Well trading Gasol seems high on the list of things to change with the franchise. What type of player would you think the Grizzlies should try and obtain for the Spaniard if a deal was made or should the team go with draft picks and expiring contracts to totally rebuild the franchise?
Peter: I would want (and I would expect the Grizzlies front office to demand) more than merely expiring contracts and picks for Pau. I'd like either an athletic defensive-minded big who can run the floor and I don't care if he can score (Tyrus Thomas) or a 3/4-type in the mold of a Marvin Williams/Danny Granger who I could throw out there in an athletic lineup with Conley, Rudy, Mike (or Hak), and Stro (or Darko). Throw in expirings as needed to make the contracts match and a 1st and I'm sold.
Now if and when they trade Mike, I would be happy with an expiring and a pick.
I don't know that he's got a ton of value.
3SoB: According to David Berri's work 'The Wages of Wins' Mike Miller is the one player producing the most for the Grizzlies and that isn't just in minutes played. Losing him would leave a very large hole at the 2/3 swing positions wouldn't it? Or do you believe Jeremy Richardson might be the answer?
Peter: With respect to Dave Berri and his work (which I like), I don't know that his metrics tell the full story of Mike Miller. That said, I wouldn't advocate absolutely trading Mike away in any circumstance - you are right to point out that he does do a lot for this team and can be among its very best players.
Depending on what happens with Pau, Mike could thrive in a more Phoenix-esque offense. But if he does get traded, I think that is the value he has out there.
Jeremy Richardson is not the answer. I miss TK.
Peter: I think Conley is hugely important for the Grizzlies' future prospects. The coaches and his teammates always praise his professionalism and intelligence on the court. But it's not just his intangibles I like; he's got tangibles, too. His speed and passing will be incredible weapons. His quickness on defense was immediately apparent last night (albeit against Andre Owens), and it's only going to get better. I couldn't be more excited about his future ability - I think he will be a star.
I think the organization will do everything in its power to move Damon, not only because it makes financial sense to get his contract off the books and try to save a bit of cap in the process, but also because he has been a model professional in his time in Memphis. They should do their best to take care of him and move him to a better situation. I expect they will.
3SoB: So what else do you do besides chat with poorly dressed Ron Tillery every morning?
Peter: Obviously my main role is cohosting the show with Ron, but I am also our web administrator. We've got a brand-new web site in the works and I'm working hard right now to put it together. It's going to be great - look for it in the next few weeks. Combine that with on-site reporting and it's a full schedule. But I really enjoy it.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Indiana Postgame - First Win in Indiana, Conley Starts, Darko Shows Right Hand
(Getty Images)
From Zack - Quick Thoughts
-- Surprisingly good game tonight by the Griz. Nice to get that first win on the road against the Pacers.
-- Conley started and looked poised on offense and defense. It was a very impressive starting debut.
-- A glimpse of the future Conley-Lowry PG combo was on display (I loved it), with Damon not playing at all and being in street clothes (I think). Which was odd since Lowry was reportedly under the weather.
-- Darko shot and made a right handed hook. Yes, you read that right.
-- Offensive rebounds kept Indiana in the game.
-- The offense was better, but the defense was even more improved. Held a Tinsley-less Pacers to 72 points on 30% shooting.
-- Pau, Gay, and Miller was the offensive force we need. 73 combined points.
-- In the end, Conley was clearly the story of the night.
MemphisX's View:
Well, it has been obvious to most that Michael Conley was the best point guard on the team since preseason and he did nothing to disappoint me. Once he gets the nuances of when to score down, he will become very dangerous. Also, the team will look a lot better once they get used to having a point guard that they can let initiate the offense at all times.
Pau Gasol benefited so much from not having to facilitate for others and just being able to concentrate on scoring the ball. Still needs to get tougher on the defensive boards but that is really not going to happen at this point. He was The Spaniard tonight and I will take it every time.
Rudy Gay also benefited from the better offensive flow and was even better as a play maker.
I have the same gripe with Mike Miller. Shoot more Mike, please. There are no bad shots for Mike Miller just bad drives. He should really concentrate on spotting up from deep now and let Conley run the pick and roll.
Darko played good individual, interior defense again on Jermaine O'Neal. I still think he needs to lose weight to improve his rebounding range.
Damon in a suit means his time in Memphis is about over and just like I predicted, there will be a major (starter) trade before the MLK game.
The bad: rest of the team looked like crap with the exception of Lowry who was sick.
MemphisX advice: Be in the forum early on Sunday (3 pm tipoff) because that Pau Gasol action figurine wil be a collector's item.
Opposing View
Click here to read the postgame comments from the great Pacers blog, Indy Cornrows. A sample:
Indy's freshly sworn-in mayor, Greg Ballard was a guest of the Pacers tonight. Of the many issues that carried him to an unexpected victory was his promise to address a festering crime problem in several areas around the city. (Okay, are you finished with all of your Pacers off-court behavior jokes? Can I continue with this post? Thank you.)
Maybe Mayor Ballard should start at the Fieldhouse, because the basketball malfeasance he witnessed tonight during the Pacers' 90-72 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies should not be tolerated by the citizenry. The premeditated assault and battery on the helpless rims at the Fieldhouse with utter disregard for basic basketball principles like ball and player movement, making the extra pass, or shooting within the flow of the offense should be considererd felonious acts. Back up the paddy wagon to the locker room because everyone in blue and gold went wilding on the precious game we revere.
Additional Getty Magic (taken from here, click to see other great photos)
ChipC3's Perspective:
-Memphis finally got a chance to see the future PG of the franchise and he looked real good. Mike Conley's performance against the Pacers rivaled the performance he put on during the pre-season. Too bad Conley can't play every game against backup PG's in Indianapolis. The 7 pt, 6 rebound, 8 assists and 3 steals were one heck of a coming out party in his first career start.
-Damon made an impact by his absence in two ways. First, suddenly, a team wasn't able to get into the lane with ease and Memphis' defense was much improved. I wonder if there is a connection? Second, Sitting at the end of the bench in a suit raised a lot of suspicion that a trade is in the works to me. Damon was inactive without any injury being reported so why else does a player go from starter to inactive?
-Pau Gasol wasn't double teamed by Indy. He punished the Pacers all night to the tune of 30 pts and 12 rebounds. Either that was the height of foolishness or Coach O (O'Brien that is) read the Grizzlies Message Board and figured Gasol wasn't any good anymore. Either way Gasol looked like a kid in a candy store (30 pts and 12 boards) and had a solid all around night. The only negative was missing that jump shot before half-time that could have given the Grizzlies the lead at halftime. Damn Spaniard can never be trusted to produce under pressure! Sure he carried the team on his back in the third period when it seemed no one else was scoring but Gasol but he still didn't hit that clutch shot in the closing seconds nor did he make a game winner. (that is satire by the way).
-The Grizzlies Big Three beat the entire Pacers team 73-72. Besides Gasol's 30, Rudy Gay scored 24 and Mike Miller chipped in 19 pts. That compensated for a bench that scored 5 points all night and looked terrible. Navarro may have played his worst game as a Grizzlies with 3 turnovers in only 8 minutes. Stro was terrible despite scoring all 5 of the bench points. Kyle Lowry may still be feeling the effects of the flu he had in San Antonio. The bench committed 8 of the 17 Grizzlies turnovers despite no one but Stro playing more than 14 minutes.
-Indiana threw Jermaine O'Neal, Ike Diogu and Jeff Foster at the Grizzlies but only scored 34 points in the paint. Was that because Andre Owens couldn't penetrate like Jamal Tinsley, Mike Conley was quick enough to cut off dribble penetration or the Ivory Towers were that effective on defense? Probably a combination of all three but forcing (or allowing) Indiana to shoot from the outside instead of getting into the paint was huge defensively in this game.
-The Grizzlies came out from halftime like a team on fire. I don't know if people realize it but Indiana scored 28 pts after halftime. 9 pts in the 4th quarter. The Grizzlies put up 28 pts in the third quarter alone.
-Is this the team Chris Wallace told us to be patient and wait to develop or was it a fluke? It is hard to not be cynical about this win honestly. Conley was in his hometown, Tinsley didn't play, the Grizzlies shot below 50% from the line, were outrebounded by 10 pts and committed 10 turnovers in the first half and only trailed by 1 pt! The Pacers continued to shoot from outside when the book says attack the middle against the Grizzlies.
I just didn't see Indiana attempt to score from inside that much so I believe it is more mirage than material. Still feels good to finally win at the Fieldhouse but the Grizzlies head to Boston for a different test. As good as this game makes Grizz fans feel it is a long year. The more important games are going to be Miami and the Lakers next week in Memphis. Stringing together some home wins against the likes of DWade and Kobe would go a long way in re-energizing the home crowds.
One suggestion Coach Iavaroni, let Mike Conley play in those games. The home fans deserve a chance to see him play in person.
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