GrizzLife

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2010-10-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

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Perfect Season?

2010-10-08T14:27:00.001-07:00

Yes, it’s early, and this is likely as ignorant of reality as a Cubs fan expecting to break the streak, but I am already excited. Not just because we are 2-0 in the preseason. That holds about as much weight as Calipari’s claims of ignorance, but I have been very impressed with several factors in the recent wins.

The first is the newfound resistance to folding when the game is on the line. It’s a well-known tendency of the Grizz to play great for several quarters only to fold in the third or the fourth quarter. Well in these first two games, our hometown heroes have had to bounce back from some kind of deficit. In the first game, against the Pacers, the Grizzlies lost their four point halftime lead to begin the fourth quarter down five. It seemed like it was going to be the same ole same ole from the Grizz. Give up, game over, lose by fifteen. But no, the team rallied for a comeback, outscoring the Pacers by seven in the fourth on the way to a narrow two point victory.

In the next game, the Hawks dominated the Grizzlies on the way to a 54-33 lead at half. Thirty three points in the first half. Pretty pathetic. But, again, the Grizz bounced back with an explosive second half, and in the third quarter outscoring the Hawks 42-18. We were able to hang on at the end of the fourth to send the game into extra time. At this point, the cynic would just assume that this affords the Grizz another chance to blow the game. But again, the Grizz came through in the clutch to ensure a hard fought road victory. Neither of these games were pretty wins, but in each the Grizz found a way to grind out a win despite 27 turnovers in the first game and 22 in the second. They were able to step up on defense when necessary and pull out the W.

Also, I saw some potential in the bench performances over the first two games. Not exactly perfect play, but there were some shining moments. Hasheem threw up ten points in the first half on 3-3 shooting. Sure, he managed later to foul out with only ten points, but hey, it’s still the preseason. Sam Young had two solid games, with six and thirteen points. But most impressively, Acie Law had six points against the Pacers and against the Hawks, had nineteen to lead the Grizzlies in scoring. He did it everywhere- midrange, slashing, three-balls, and free throws. He looks like he could be a huge addition to the notoriously weak Grizz bench.

It may not be much to get excited about. But hey, I’m a Grizz fan. You gotta find some sustenance somewhere. Let’s see if we can come out strong again tomorrow night against the Hornets. And while on the topic, who’d have thought that a guy named Quincy Pondexter would turn out to be an NBA player? Go figure.

Michael

Michael Heisley: I was wrong

2010-09-15T22:27:00.000-07:00

“I bet on my team every night.” –Pete Rose

“I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful." –Alex Rodriguez

“There’s no question I’m doing what I should have probably done earlier.” –Michael Heisley

Rose. A-Rod. Heisley. Three immensely successful men. Three men who struggled to admit their mistakes, but eventually did.

The Commercial Appeal reported earlier tonight that Grizzly management has caved in concerning the contract disputes with Xavier Henry and Grievis Vasquez and are now closer than ever to reaching an agreement. According to Ronald Tillery, all performance incentives in the rookies' contracts have been removed, and both Henry and Vasquez will receive the full 120% salary automatically if they sign. The New York Times has reported that Wallace and Henry's agent Arn Tellem will talk Thursday.

I ask that you go back with me a few weeks. Michael Heisley, for the first time ever, had decided to go on the Chris Vernon Show. When asked why he was the only owner taking this type of stand, Heisley said this:

Heisley: "I don’t know why they don't do it and quite bluntly I don't really care why they don't do it. I basically am trying to run my team. I'm trying to run my business. They're trying to run theirs. It's a good question. Why don't they do it? I don’t really care what the answer is.

As someone who has been relatively pro-Heisley for most of my fanhood, it was after comments like this one (ie the now famous, "I've never seen the collective bargaining agreement") that I threw my hands up in the air and finally joined much of grizz nation (country?) in their anti-Heisley sentiments. While it is extremely good news for grizzlifers out there that our owner has finally come around and admitted his stupidity, I'm afraid that the damage has already been done. It will be harder than normal next spring to get potential signees in to workout. Why would an agent want to work with Heisley?

But none of that matters to me right now. I'm excited to know that these two rookies will be in a grizzly uniform this season and that they will be contributors on what is becoming an average bench (compared to a horrible one last season). With our core returning, a better bench, and a weaker western conference, the grizzlies seem to be in the best position in recent memory to compete for playoff wins. It's year 3 of the infamous "3 year plan" and if the team produces like Heisley claims they should, this grizzlifer will be willing to forgive him for the gross misstep of this offseason.

More to come from grizzlife, stay tuned...

I live the grizzlife and love it,

Paul

Grizz New Advertising

2010-09-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Make sure you read this article in today's Commercial Appeal.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/sep/02/grizzlies-launch-press-to-stir-fans/

My 3 favorite new slogans are:

"We believe underdogs bite harder."

"We believe in showing the world what Memphis means."

"We believe in jerseys with blue collars."

Let's Get it Grizz!

Xavier Henry on the Trade Block?

2010-08-19T11:59:00.001-07:00

File this under "I Told You So." According to the Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery, the Memphis Grizzlies have received several offers from teams wanting to trade for #12 pick Xavier Henry. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley is insisting that Henry will not be traded and that the team's main focus is working out a deal with him.

The point of contention in the negotiations with Henry and his agent Arn Tellem has been rookie bonuses. Typically, rookies receive 120% of the salary assigned to them by the collective bargaining agreement. However, Heisley wants to change that tradition and feels that Henry must earn that extra 20%. Despite letting last year's first-round draft picks (Hasheem Thabeet and DeMarre Carroll) earn that 20% through participation in workouts and the NBA Summer League, Heisley wants Henry to earn his bonus through selection to the All-Rookie team. Obviously, Henry and Tellem are upset that they are not receiving traditional rookie treatment and are incensed at the offer of a Rookie Team selection for bonuses.

By offering Henry his 20% bonus, Heisley is sending the message that individual accomplishments are more important than team accomplishments. Thabeet and Carroll's bonuses were earned through workouts and Summer League, activities that benefit both the player and the team. Henry's charge to make the All-Rookie team is a purely individual pursuit. If he feels that he doesn't have the requisite stats to make that team, Henry will be gunning for his own shot when he should be playing team basketball. It's a horrible way to motivate a player. If the Grizzlies had told Rudy Gay in his contract negotiations, "Rudy, we're going to give you a 20% bonus if you make the All-NBA team," how do you think that would affect Rudy's play this season? He would be going for 30 points a night and crippling the team in the process! And that's exactly what is happening with Xavier Henry.

I've said it all summer and I'll repeat myself again: the Grizzlies are doing irreparable harm to the team with the way they are handling the contract negotiations with #12 pick Xavier Henry. Prospects already don't want to work out for the team. These negotiations certainly won't improve that. Future Grizzlies' draft picks will refuse to play for the team since they know how horribly management treats players.

Michael, we need Xavier Henry on this year's Memphis Grizzlies. He is a phenomenal shooter, adds length to the guard position and is a top-flight athlete. Losing him would put our playoff chances in serious jeopardy. Please get off your high horse and sign him.

Owen

Grizzlies 2010-2011 Schedule Released

2010-08-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been away from the blogosphere for a while, Grizzlies fans. We, the Grizzlife team, have been working on revolutionizing the blog and becoming a beneficial member of the Memphis community through the development of a multi-faceted marketing strategy. We'll provide more information about that in the coming days and weeks. But enough about us; let's talk Grizzlies.

As you might be aware, the NBA released its full 2010-2011 schedule on August 10. Here is a link to the full schedule, but I want to point out some of the highlights. First, the Memphis Grizzlies will kick off their 2010-2011 season at home against the Atlanta Hawks on October 27. The Forum is sure to be rocking that night as Memphis gets its first look at a (hopefully) playoff-bound team.

The first month of the season will arguably be the most interesting. Twelve of the first eighteen games on the Grizzlies' slate are against teams that made the playoffs last season. By November 30, the Grizzlies will have hosted the Hawks, Suns, Mavericks, Celtics, Trail Blazers, Heat and Lakers. Additionally, we will have traveled to play the Mavericks, Magic and Cavaliers. I'm not going to sugarcoat it: the first month of the season will be brutal. If we can steal some games from elite teams and beat the teams we're supposed to, we could enter December with a great record. What hurt the team so much last year was the 1-8 start. Although we eventually ditched AI and started playing as a team, that start proved to be too much to overcome and ultimately kept us out of the playoffs. We have a chance to reverse that trend this year.

Outside of the first month of the season, there are many other great matchups throughout the season. On December 29, University of Memphis alum Tyreke Evans leads the Sacramento Kings into FedEx Forum. In my opinion, the Kings are one of the best young teams in the NBA and have a chance to win a title or two down the road. On January 4, Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder come to town. The Thunder have become a psuedo-rival of the Grizzlies and are arguably the most well-run team in the league. In a two-week span in January, two elite Eastern Conference teams, the Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic, visit the Bluff City.

There are certainly many more exciting games on the schedule, but those are some that intrigued me. I encourage you to buy a season ticket (or at least come to as many games as you can). This year's Grizzlies team needs us more than ever and we as a city need to come together and show ownership that we have what it takes to support an NBA franchise.

Meet me at the Forum,

Owen

Grizzlies Sign PG Acie Law

2010-08-05T07:48:00.001-07:00

According to multiple league sources, including The Commercial Appeal's Jason Smith, the Grizzlies have come to terms with point guard Acie Law on a 1-year contract worth almost $900,000. News broke yesterday that Memphis was in talks with the 4th-year point guard, who spent the 2009-2010 season with Golden State, Charlotte and Chicago.

Law has been a backup point guard for his entire NBA career and will fill that role for the Grizzlies, who feel that another backup is needed for Mike Conley. Rookie Greivis Vasquez is coming off ankle surgery this offseason and had a disappointing summer league.

How will this move impact the Grizzlies as they head into the season? Hardly at all. Conley will get at least 30 to 35 of the 48 minutes at point guard, easily the Grizzlies' weakest position. Law and Vasquez will be available to give Conley a breather but they likely won't play a big role on the team at all.

Law has averaged around 4 points and 2 assists per game in his career and will likely log similar numbers for the Grizzlies. If I were you, I wouldn't pay much attention to this signing; the Grizzlies' success (or lack thereof) at point guard lies with Conley, not Law or Vasquez. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies could not swing a trade for a starting point guard to replace Conley, who is better suited for a 6th or 7th man backup role.

Do you really need a PG in basketball??
Owen

Grizzlies to Host Bulls on MLK Day

2010-08-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

The NBA announced last night that the Grizzlies will play host to the Chicago Bulls in the nationally-televised Civil Rights Game on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 17). The announcement was part of a special wherein the NBA announced many of its marquee, nationally-televised matchups.

To no one's surprise, Memphis will have just one game on national TV this season. If Dr. King had not been assassinated here and if the city did not have the National Civil Rights Museum, the Grizzlies would have zero. This game is merely a vehicle for the league to celebrate its African-American heritage and the accomplishments of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders. It's not about basketball.

The full regular season schedule will be released on August 10th and you can count on GrizzLife to profile the upcoming season's biggest games.

Owen

Grizzlies, Zach Randolph Talk Extension

2010-08-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Late last week, multiple news outlets reported that the Memphis Grizzlies are discussing a multi-year contract extension with power forward Zach Randolph. Randolph, who is coming off an All-Star season in which he averaged 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds, is set to make $17.3 million this season. This season will be the second of the 2-year contract he signed with the team last summer.

Last month, the Grizzlies refused to swap Randolph for Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson. Furthermore, the team then insisted that Randolph is not on the trading block. The 2-year deal was expected to be all the Grizzlies would get from Randolph, who will be a free agent at the end of next season. However, GM Chris Wallace has confirmed that talks are ongoing between the team and Randolph. The length of the extension is reportedly between four and five years.

Randolph's reasons for re-signing with the team are easy to discern. If he signs a deal now, he can lock himself into guaranteed money for a few years and will not have to negotiate a deal under the new collective bargaining agreement, which will be in place next summer. He knows that his value will never be higher than it is right now and he wants to get paid right now. I get it.

The Grizzlies' reasons for a new contract for Randolph are also simple. In my opinion, management has fallen in love with a player who reinvented himself this past season and proved that he can be a valuable contributor for the team. Wallace and Heisley have let an All-Star appearance, 20 points and 11 boards cloud their judgment. They want to believe that Randolph will continue to produce at that high level for the next five years and they are willing to pay him millions to find out.

But don't despair, Grizzlies, fans; I'm here to sort everything out. I am going to tell you why re-signing Zach Randolph to a four or five-year extension is just about the worst thing the Grizzlies can do right now.

The simple reason that it is a horrible idea to sign Randolph right now is age. He just turned 29, has already logged about 600 NBA game and is entering his 10th season. That trifecta should be a giant red flag for the Grizzlies, but it isn't. So i'll be blunt: history has proven that NBA big men age rapidly once they hit 30/their 10th season. Their stats plummet and they become a waste of space on a team's bench. The problem is, teams love to pay big money to a veteran big man because they are blinded by the stats the player has put up for the past several seasons.

Don't believe me? Let me show you the stats. For his career, Zach Randolph has averaged 17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds. If you throw out his first two seasons (in which he was used sparingly), he has averaged 20 points and 10.1 rebounds. Those numbers are pretty good, right? They most certainly are. Randolph has been one of the NBA's most consistent forwards for seven years, averaging between 17 and 23 points and 8 and 11 rebounds in each of those seven seasons. It is no surprise that he now has an All-Star game on his resume.

Now I would like to compare the first 9 seasons of Zach Randolph's career to the first 8-11 seasons of ten similar big name forward/centers of the last 25 or so years. Let's take a look...

For the first nine seasons of his career, Shawn Marion averaged 18.3 points and 10 rebounds. For the first ten seasons of his career, Alonzo Mourning averaged 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds.
For the first nine seasons of his career, Elton Brand averaged 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds.
For the first ten seasons of his career, Derrick Coleman averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds.
For the first ten seasons of his career, Terry Cummings averaged 21.3 points and 8.7 rebounds.
For the first nine seasons of his career, Antoine Walker averaged 19.8 points and 8.7 rebounds.
For the first nine seasons of his career, Vin Baker averaged 16.9 points and 8.2 rebounds.
For the first eight seasons of his career, Tom Gugliotta averaged 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds.
For the first eleven seasons of his career, Shawn Kemp averaged 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds.
For the first nine seasons of his career, Buck Williams averaged 16.1 points and 11.7 rebounds.

Man, those are great numbers! Take notice of how similar those players were to Randolph in his first nine seasons (17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds). Now, let's look at how those players did after they finished their first nine or ten seasons.

In his next two seasons, Marion averaged12.4 points and 7.4 rebounds.
In his next five seasons, Mourning averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds.
In his next two seasons, Brand averaged 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.
In his next five seasons, Coleman averaged 10.4 points and 6.9 rebounds.
In his next five seasons, Cummings averaged 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds.
In his next three seasons, Walker averaged 9.8 points and 4.5 rebounds.
In his next four seasons, Baker averaged 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds.
In his next five seasons, Gugliotta averaged 5.1 points and 4.1 rebounds.
In his next three seasons, Kemp averaged 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds.
In his next five seasons, Williams averaged 10 points and 9 rebounds.

As you can see, there was an incredible statistical drop-off for every player on that list! Just a couple short years after they were making the All-NBA team, they were riding the bench and poisoning their locker rooms. Those ten players' points-per-game dropped by an average of 9.6 points and their rebounds fell by an average of 3.9. If Randolph's next few seasons go normally, he will average around 8 points and 5 rebounds. Should the Grizzlies pay millions for 8 points and 5 boards? I say no.

Will Randolph's next few seasons happen this way? Who knows. I do expect him to have another big year this year (I'm thinking 17-19 points and 10-11 rebounds) and then rapidly decline like his predecessors. But here's the kicker: we have Randolph under contract for exactly one more year!!! That means we can reap his benefits while he still has them and then get rid of him at the perfect time, right before he starts to fade.

Chris and Michael, please let someone else overpay for a veteran forward who, if history repeats itself yet again, will be a waste of space in three years. If we sign Randolph to a four or five year deal, it will cripple the franchise. Like I said, he will never get more money than he can this offseason. Don't let the Grizzlies be the ones giving it to him.

Owen

Lorenzen Wright Dead at 34

2010-07-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

When Lorenzen Wright's body was found in Germantown yesterday afternoon, details were hazy at first. Some reports denied the body found in the woods behind the Fieldstone apartment complex was Wright's while others indicated that it was. As people began to gather at the scene, many held out hope that it was a mistake; that Wright was still alive. As the evening approached, however, it became clear that the body was that of the 34-year old former Booker T. Washington, University of Memphis and Memphis Grizzlies star. That is when the realization sunk in: the city of Memphis had not just lost one of its greatest athletes, but one of its greatest ambassadors.

I first heard the news when I got off work at 5 p.m. A report I heard on the radio indicated that Wright's body was found just across the street from the entrance to TPC Southwind near Hacks Cross and Winchester. I realized that I was very close to that area, so I decided to go to the scene. I didn't know why I decided to go, really. I knew it would be a major news story and I wanted to be there to cover it. But there was more to it than that. I felt I had to go; Lorenzen was such a powerful figure on and off the court and my devotion to the Tigers, Grizzlies and the city of Memphis made the loss that much more devestating. Most of all, however, I wanted to get peoples' reactions. I was deeply saddened by the tragedy and wanted to hear people echo what I felt. Echo they did.

I arrived on the scene at about 5:15, just as a crowd was beginning to swell. Traffic police directed traffic on Hacks Cross since the right lane was blocked by dozens of parked cars. I too parked my car and walked toward the wooded area via Callis Cutoff Road. Dozens of people around me were doing the same. The first person I saw was another Tiger and NBA great, Penny Hardaway. I had always seen him smiling, but he was anything but that yesterday afternoon. I approached him and simply asked for his thoughts. He informed me that he had just learned about the body and was shocked at the news. "There's this unbelievable feeling that you have in your gut," he said, searching for words to explain the inexplicable. "It's shocking and sad at the same time." Although sunglasses hid his eyes, his body language told the whole story. His shoulders slumped, making him seem much shorter than his 6'-7". He was visibly choked up and kept shaking his head, searching for answers for a "senseless tragedy."

After talking with Penny, I sought out Geoff Calkins, a longtime Commercial Appeal columnist. Geoff covered Lorenzen many times throughout his career and couldn't have been more impressed with him. "He was the nicest, most upbeat guy in the locker room," Calkins said. "This is just a terrible tragedy." Like Hardaway, Calkins' body language said even more. His voice was hollow and he wore an abject frown on his sunken face.

By 5:45, the crowd at the scene had grown to 250. Yellow police tape and a barricade of squad cars kept the crowd at a 50-yard distance from the woods. 12-15 uniformed officers stood by their cars, but they weren't forced to hold people back from the area where the body was found. Nobody wanted to see. Nobody wanted to believe that Lorenzen Wright was really gone.

It is still too early to tell how exactly Wright went missing and how his body ended up in the woods behind the intersection of Hacks Cross and Callis Cutoff Road. What is known, however, is that a 911 call was placed from Wright's cell phone early in the morning on July 19. The call was dropped, but not before multiple gunshots could be heard. The 911 operator tried to call back, but no one answered. Police did eventually confirm that the body was in fact Wright's and that he had been shot multiple times. The number of shots has not been released, but many reports indicate that Wright was shot at least a dozen times. As the investigation into his death continues, more details will surely become available.

In talking with Hardaway, Calkins and others that knew Lorenzen, a common thread emerged: his love and pride for the city of Memphis. His presence on the basketball court has been well documented, sure, but the attitude at the scene was not one of "we lost an athlete." Rather, it was "we lost a Memphian." Hardaway expounded on Lorenzen's passion for Memphis: "he was a city icon. He did a lot for this city that people didn't know about." Calkins echoed Hardaway: "He was really proud to be a Memphian." The stories about Lorenzen's love for Memphis could fill a book. Grizzlies fans will recall how he beamed with pride when he was selected to model the Memphis Grizzly uniforms at the team's first press conference. Tiger fans will remember how he adored playing for his hometown team and relished the chance to represent Memphis. When Lorenzen was traded to the Grizzlies in 2001, he called it "a dream come true." In the woods behind an apartment complex, however, that dream manifested into a nightmare.

Another common sentiment shared by those that knew Lorenzen was his upbeat, positive outlook on life. His financial and marital troubles were significant: two of his houses were forclosed and he divorced his high school sweetheart last year. More than that, his young daughter Sierra died in 2003, one month before her first birthday. Despite all of those struggles, Lorenzen remained gregarious and outgoing. "No matter what Lorenzen was going through, that didn't make him who he was," said Hardaway. "He always stayed positive." Radio commentators spoke about how the Grizzlies locker room, under coach Hubie Brown especially, was very close knit and that Lorenzen was the emotional leader of those teams. "He was much more than just an athlete," one commentator noted. "He was a truly great person who loved life and loved his family."

If his love for basketball and for Memphis was big, his love for his family surpassed everything else. He had six children and cared for them deeply. This whole investigation was started because Lorenzen hadn't spoken to his kids in days, something that never happened. He spent time with them regularly and always called to talk if he couldn't be with them. A picture he posted on his Twitter page two weeks ago shows him with his kids at a hibachi restaurant, beaming with pride. When with his family, Lorenzen was truly happy.

By 6 o'clock, I had spoken with enough people to get a good sense of the effect Lorenzen's death was having on those gathered at the scene. Who would commit such a heinous crime?, people wondered. Why did this have to happen to Lorenzen? How could such a great person end up like this? Similar questions were asked by everyone and, sadly no one had any answers.

As I was walking back to my car, I called Lafayette Williams, the manager at Chings Hot Wings, a restaurant popular with the Memphis athletic community. I asked him if he had heard the news and he said he had, that it was unbelievably tragic. He said that, although he did not know Loreznen well, he had met him a few times. "He was such a nice guy who cared so much for this city. It's just sad to see him go." He then told a heartbreaking story. "Lorenzen actually came into Chings a couple weeks ago," Lafayette said. "I told him 'Ren, I want to get a picture of you to put on the wall, but I know you're busy and I don't want to bother you. I'll get it next time.' Now, there won't be a next time."

Rest in peace, Lorenzen. You will be missed,
Owen

Mayo Cut from Team USA

2010-07-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

Despite putting up 18 points in Saturday's scrimmage, Grizzlies SG OJ Mayo has been cut from the national Team USA. Head coach Krzyzkewski and USA Basketball director Jerry Colangelo also cut three other players from the squad, Kings PG Tyreke Evans, Bobcats F Gerald Wallace and Wizards C JaVale McGee.

The 15 players remaining, who include Grizzlies SF Rudy Gay, will be trimmed to 12 before the World Championships begin August 26 in Turkey.

Mayo was cut from the team for what team insiders described as a "sluggish" four days of practice.

Owen

The Xavier Henry Dispute and Incentives

2010-07-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Below is a link to a great analysis of the Xavier Henry dispute by 3 Shades of Blue's Chip Crain. He discusses the pros and cons of giving rookies an incentive-laden contract, which is what Michael Heisley and the Grizzlies are trying to do with Henry. It's a great read.

http://3sob.com/archives/56-july-2010/1115-whats-the-incentive-

Owen

Greivis Vasquez has Ankle Surgery

2010-07-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

Memphis Grizzlies rookie point guard Greivis Vasquez had surgery yesterday to remove a bone spur from his right ankle. The Grizzlies expect him to be fully recovered by the time training camp begins in September.

Unfortunately, the surgery will only repair his injured ankle, not his inferior athleticism, poor decision making and slow reaction time. Those deficiencies will never go away.

Obviously I'm not the biggest Greivis fan,
Owen

LeBron: What Could Have Been

2010-07-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

Take a trip with me back to May 22, 2003. On that night, the NBA conducted the lottery for the 2003 Draft. As the draft order was slowly revealed, it came down to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the #1 pick. The Grizzlies had a 6.4% chance to win the pick; the Cavs had a 22% to land it. Thanks to a 1997 trade with the Detroit Pistons for the immortal Otis Thorpe, if Memphis was awarded any pick but the #1, the selection would be sent to the Pistons. It was all or nothing for the Grizzlies: we would either get the #1 pick or get shut out of the deepest draft in history.

You know how it ended; Cleveland got the #1 pick and the rights to draft high school phenom LeBron James, who was being hailed as the greatest prospect ever. The Grizzlies got nothing.

It makes me legitimately sad to write these words, but let's see what would have happened if the Grizzlies had landed the #1 pick and drafted LeBron...

2003-2004 Season
First, let's look at how the Grizzlies did that year. Under the coaching of Hubie Brown (in his first full season as Griz coach), the 9-man rotation of Jason Williams (PG), Mike Miller (SG), James Posey (SF), Pau Gasol (PF), Lorenzen Wright (C), Bonzi Wells (Bench-SF) Shane Battier (Bench-F), Stromile Swift (Bench-F) and Earl Watson (Bench-PG) went 50-32 and lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the 1st round of the playoffs. Now add a rookie LeBron James to that mix.

In his rookie season, LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists and was named Rookie-of-the-Year.

With the Grizzlies, he would have started immediately at SF. Our starting lineup would have been J-Will, Miller, LeBron, Pau and Lorenzen. Two of the best role players of the past 15 years (Posey and Battier) would have come off the bench to provide defense and hustle. Stromile and 3-point specialist Wesley Person would have provided the scoring off the bench, and Earl would have added PG depth. If a LeBron-less Grizzlies won 50 games, I think it's safe to say he would have added at least 7 to that number. So let's be reasonable and say the 2004 Grizzlies would have gone 57-25.

That record would have given us the #3 seed in the playoffs and we would have faced the now-6th seeded Dallas Mavericks. Would our 2004 lineup have bested the Mavs, who lost to the Kings in reality? Since their top 7 were Steve Nash (PG), Marquis Daniels (SG), Michael Finley (SF), Dirk Nowitzki (PF) and Antoine Walker (C), with Josh Howard and Antwan Jamison coming off the bench, I'm going to say we would have lost to the Mavs in 7 games. Nash would have feasted on J-Will, Dirk would have pounded a then-weak Pau and the rest of the Mavs would have been too much for the young, playoff-inexperienced Grizzlies to handle. But at least we would have won a playoff game...

2004 Draft
Since the 2003-2004 "with-LeBron" Grizzlies likely would not have traded Wesley Person and the 2004 #23 pick to the TrailBlazers in exchange for Bonzi Wells, we would have, based on our improved record, likely had the 27th selection in the 2004 Draft. At that point in the draft, Sasha Vujacic would have been the best player available. Let's assume that we would have taken him, since we needed guard help to complement a forward-heavy roster.

2004-2005 Season
First, how did the real 2004-2005 Grizzlies do? The rotation of Gasol, Miller, Wells, Williams, Swift, Battier, Wright, Brian Cardinal and Posey finished the regular season with a 45-37 record. In the playoffs, the 8th-seeded Grizzlies were swept by the Phoenix Suns in the first round.

Again, add sophomore LeBron to the mix. In his 2nd year, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists while being named to the All-NBA 2nd Team.

With the Grizzlies, he would have become the clear alpha dog on the team. The lineup from "fantasy-2004" would remain virtually the same in "fantasy-2005." However, LeBron would have come into his own and added at least 12 wins to the "real-2005" Grizzlies. Additionally, rookie Sasha Vujacic would not have added much to the team, since he did not develop into a solid role player until his second season. With Lebron, the Grizzlies would have finished the regular season at 57-25, good for the 5th seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Again, the Grizzlies would have faced the Mavericks in the 1st round. This time, however, things would have turned out differently. With Steve Nash gone to Phoenix, the Mavericks would not have enough weapons to hang with LeBron and the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies would have won the series in 5 or 6 games.

In the 2nd round, the Grizzlies would have faced the #1-seeded Phoenix Suns, who won 62 games in 2005. With a lineup of Steve Nash, Quentin Richardson, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion, the Suns would have been a formidable matchup for the Grizzlies. I believe the Grizzlies-Suns series would have gone to 7 games, but that the 7-Seconds-or-Less-Era Suns would have bested the Grizzlies. Although LeBron&Co. would have put up an epic fight, we wouldn't have been good enough defensively to stop the Suns.

2005 Draft
Based on a "fantasy record" of 57-25, the Grizzlies likely would have picked 27th in the 2005 Draft. At that point, forwards and centers were the best players available. I believe the Grizzlies would have selected a center, since Lorenzen Wright was aging and Brian Cardinal was not a viable option at center. The selection would have likely been David Lee.

2005-2006 Season
First, how did the real 2006 Grizzlies do? A lineup of Chucky Atkins, Shane Battier, Eddie Jones, Pau Gasol and Jake Tsakilidis led the Grizzlies to a 49-33 record. In the playoffs, the Grizzlies were the 5th seed in the West and were swept by the 4th-seeded Mavericks.

Again, add third-year LeBron to the mix. In 2006, LeBron averaged an astounding 31.4 points, 7 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game and garnered All-NBA First Team honors.

The "fantasy-2006" Memphis Grizzlies lineup would have been hard to predict, since we shipped J-Will and Posey to the Heat in exchange for Eddie Jones before the season began. Would we have done that if we had been advancing in the playoffs and had the league's most promising player on our roster?? Probably not.

Our lineup would have been J-Will (PG), Miller (SG), LeBron (SF), Pau (PF) and Lorenzen/David Lee at center. Posey and Battier would have shared the 6th man role and Damon Stoudemire would have provided veteran depth at guard. Rookie David Lee would likely have made slightly more of an impact than rookie Hakim Warrick did, but not much more. Keep in mind: without LeBron on the Griz, Gasol put a 20-9 in '06, Miller averaged 14 and shot 40% from 3 and J-Will had a great year (14 pts and 5 assists) in Miami. Any way you slice it, the 2006 Memphis Grizzlies would have been deadly. The above team, with a truly elite LeBron, would have been at least 15 wins better than in real life. That's right; the 2006 Grizzlies likely would have finished 62-20, finished with a better record than division rival San Antonio and would have been the #1 seed in the West.

In the first round, we would have faced the 8th-seeded Sacramento Kings. We would have obliterated the scrappy Kings, winning in 4 or 5 games.

In the second round, we would have faced the winner of the Denver-Dallas series. Since the real 2006 Mavs reached the finals, let's say they advanced to face the Grizz. In yet another "fantasy" Grizz-Mavs matchup, the "fantasy 2006 Grizzlies" would have likely defeated the Dirk-led Mavericks. Remember, the real 2006 Grizzlies lost to the real 2006 Mavericks by an average of 14 points. You don't think having LeBron (who averaged a 30-8-6 in the playoffs) would have completely flipped those results?? The series would have likely stretched to 6 or 7 games, with the Grizzlies winning due to their ability to bottle up Dallas' comparitively weak supporting cast.

In the Western Conference Finals, the "fantasy" 2006 Grizzlies would have squared off against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio, who would have likely been fresh off a victory over the Phoenix Suns in the Western Semifinals. This Grizzlies-Spurs series would have been an absolute classic. Two of the best players in the game, LeBron and Duncan, against each other plus a supporting cast of Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Mike Miller and Manu Ginobili. Additionally, four of the greatest role players of all time would have been in the series: Battier and Posey for the Grizzlies and Bruce Bowen and "Big Shot" Robert Horry for the Spurs. For a basketball fan, this series would have been heaven.

Since this is a fantasy matchup, and I'm controlling it, let's say that the Grizzlies win in a 7-game classic. This is not an unrealistic fantasy prediction. Although the Spurs would have been the more playoff-seasoned team, the Grizzlies would have had some legit playoff experience under their belts as well. I think the Grizzlies would prevail since Gasol would have been able to bottle up Duncan just enough to allow LeBron to take over the series. Additionally, the "fantasy" 2006 Grizzlies supporting cast would have been better than the 2006 Spurs supporting cast.

Following a victory over the Spurs, the Grizzlies would have advanced to the NBA Finals to face the Dwyane Wade-led Miami Heat. This hypothetical matchup would have been difficult to predict, since a couple of the pieces of Miami's team came in a trade before the season began. However, we can analyze the matchup based on a each team's top 3 players. For Memphis, LeBron, Pau and Miller would have led the way. Wade, Shaq and Antoine Walker would have paced the Heat.

Although the Grizzlies would have fought valiantly against the Heat, I think that the Wade-Shaq combo would have been too much for LeBron & Co. to overcome. Wade had one of the best Finals performances of all time that year and would have scored easily on the Grizzlies. LeBron would not have gone down without a fight, but knowing what we do now about LeBron, there is no way he would have performed well in crunch time. It would have been the duel of the century, LeBron vs. D-Wade, but Wade would have come out on top.

With that, the Grizzlies 2006 season would have ended. We would have been NBA runners-up and would have provided NBA diehards with legendary series against the Mavericks, Spurs and Heat.

The LeBron Era would also have been over. His rookie contract would have been up and he would likely have taken his talents elsewhere. But it's nice (or excruciatingly painful) to think about what might have been. If only our ping pong ball had come up, LeBron would have been a Grizzly, we would have been a deadly team for 3 years (instead of just a decent team) and we would have had a storybook run in the 2006 playoffs. Additionally, LeBron would have brought millions to the city of Memphis and we would now be a legitimate NBA franchise.

Instead, he went to the Cavaliers. The Grizzlies got swept three years in a row and are now the laughingstock of the NBA.

If only that ping pong ball had been different...

Owen

GM Chris Wallace on the Xavier Henry Dispute

2010-07-26T14:04:00.001-07:00

In an article posted on the NBA blog Fanhouse.com on Sunday, Memphis Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace shed little light on the dark Xavier Henry contract dispute. While reaffirming that the Grizzlies were not prepared to give Henry the full 120% salary immediately, he did say that neither Henry nor his agent Arn Tellem have requested a trade to a team that would offer Henry 120%.

According to Wallace, using performance bonuses in rookie deals (which is what the Grizzlies want to give Henry) is the "best practice" for the Grizzlies organization.

Really, Chris, it is the best practice for the Memphis Grizzlies to be in a bitter contract dispute with a talented rookie who could have an immediate impact on the team? It's the best practice of the organization to treat a draft pick like cattle and alienate what few fans you have left? It's the best practice of the organization to withold $330,000 from a rookie when every other team in the league is signing their picks to the full 120%? You have put your unique spin on every single negative Grizzlies story of the past few years and somehow we fans let you get away with it. Not this time, Chris!

If it is the best practice of the organization to only sign players to 100%, why did you sign both Hasheem Thabeet and DeMarre Carroll (last year's 1st round picks) to max (120%) deals??? I have a hard time believing that you would play hardball with Thabeet and Carroll before ultimately rolling over. My guess is that you signed them to 120% without any dispute at all. The main question I have is why now? Why alienate Xavier when you lovingly welcomed Thabeet and Carroll into the fold? It shouldn't even need to be said, but I'll say it: Xavier Henry is already a better player than Hasheem Thabeet or DeMarre Carroll will ever be. So again I ask: why Xavier?

Owen

2 Memphis Grizzlies, 1 Team USA

2010-07-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

After a much-hyped Team USA basketball scrimmage, two Grizzlies are hoping they have done enough to garner a spot on the World Championship roster. Although they will log a combined zero NBA minutes this summer, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo are playing the role of Grizzlies ambassadors very well as they train and try out for a Team USA roster spot.

Although the World Championships will not tip off in Turkey until August 28th, Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski is doing plenty to evaluate every possible player until the final roster is set at 12 players. Gay and Mayo both received an invitation to the training camp this past season, and both have come into the camp with something to prove. Gay is out to show the world that he is worth a 5-year/$82 million contract and that he can be a top-notch producer for Team USA. Mayo is trying to use a good camp performance to make people forget about his dreadful point guard experiment in the summer league. However, both players are out to prove that the Memphis Grizzlies are a formidable team that has considerable star power of its own.

In the Blue vs. White scrimmage on Saturday night, both players proved beyond a doubt that they do belong on the team. Gay's 23 points (on 7-11 shooting) led the blue team while OJ's 18 points were second on the squad. Although both players were overshadowed by superstar Kevin Durant and his 28 points, they were spectacular in their own right. They were a combined 6-10 from the 3-point line and paced the blue team throughout the game.

Despite their strong efforts, neither player has a roster spot locked up. Coach K and USA Basketball director Jerry Colangelo are set to make four more cuts to the squad today. Indications are that Rudy is safe, but some reporters believe that OJ may be on the bubble. This is because the roster is loaded with athletic, high-scoring shooting guards and OJ may be passed up for a more experienced player.

Regardless of whether or not Rudy and OJ make the team, they have done the Grizzlies proud this week. Way to go, guys!

Once the cuts are announced, count on GrizzLife to update you.

Owen

Grizzlies Tidbits

2010-07-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Hello, again, Grizzlies fans. I hope you all enjoyed the sweltering Memphis heat this weekend and that this post finds you well. You may not be aware, but the weekend was a very active one for the Memphis Grizzlies. I'm not going to do a separate post for each news item, but instead give an overview of the headlines in Grizz-Land.

The biggest story involving the Memphis Grizzlies right now is the bizarre disappearance of former Grizzly and Memphis Tiger center Lorenzen Wright. He was reported missing on Friday and has not been seen by anyone in over a week. According to his family, he has gone away unannounced before, but never for more than 48 hours. It is a story that was first strange, then scary and is now becoming tragic. Wright has been in financial trouble recently and his Eads home was foreclosed on. He was visiting his family in Collierville last Sunday evening, but by Monday morning had completely vanished. There has been no activity on his credit cards, cell phone or passport. Police have said that there is no foul play involved, but the truth is that no one has any idea what has happened to Wright. One has to pray for a happy ending to a story that is getting worse and worse with each passing day, but that happy ending is looking less and less likely.
In happier news, the Memphis Grizzlies newest member, guard Tony Allen, was introduced to the media on Friday afternoon. He was gregarious, ebullient, jocund and made a great first impression. My favorite part of the Tony Allen Era happened on Friday afternoon. In an interview with AM 730's Chris Vernon, Allen was legendary. Among other topics, he talked about how he thought the Oklahoma State assistant that recruited him was gay, his favorite highlight from the playoffs(watch it here), his desire to help the Grizzlies win and his recent passion for the game of golf. Listen to the entire interview and I promise you that you will come away a bigger Tony Allen fan. I listened and he is now one of my favorite Grizzlies.
The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery reported that Grizzlies management "is not expected to soften its stance on having 20% of the rookie deals tied to performance bonuses." In other words, if Greivis Vasquez and Xavier Henry are to sign a contract with the team, they will have to accept 100%, instead of the usual 120%, of the rookie salary. Ultimately, I think Vasquez will sign. He is not a hot commodity and had a very poor summer league performance. He seems genuine about playing for the Grizzlies and I think he will take the small pay cut (which for him, the 28th pick, is only about $172,000). Henry is another story and I have written plenty about his contract dispute. Tillery's report only strengthens my belief that Henry will never sign with the team. Look for him to be traded in the next few weeks.
Grizzlies doctors are concerned about Vasquez's ankle, which they will evaluate this week. Those doctors have not ruled out surgery for the rookie. More is expected to come to light in the next few days.

That's what's happening in Grizz-Land. Keep sticking with GrizzLife for all your Griz needs.

Owen

Dare to Dream Grizzlifers

2010-07-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

Below is an article that inspires unrealistic hope and desire. It's a proposed trade for Chris Paul. I'm going to keep dreaming, but at least the article is entertaining.

http://www.memphisflyer.com/BeyondtheArc/archives/2010/07/23/the-chris-paul-pitch-the-grizzlies-should-make

Grizz Straight

Also, I almost met Greivis Vasqez last night. Almost

Rudy's Contract Pen up for Auction

2010-07-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right Grizzlies fans. For only $150 (as of Friday afternoon) you can be the proud owner of the fountain pen that Rudy Gay used to sign his 5-year/$82 million contract with the Grizzlies: http://auctions.nba.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=126716951&prmenbr=51136034&aunbr=127063661

*A disclaimer: the link may expire after the auction expires on Friday evening. If so, just imagine a picture of the signing and a close-up of a nice faux-mahogany fountain pen.

"Why would I want to spend $150 on a pen?" you might ask. Well, this is not just any pen. This is the very pen that sealed the Grizzlies fate for the next 5 years and officially saddled us with an under-performing small forward who scores 19 points a game and plays lazy, uninspired defense. There are literally 15 other players in the NBA who fit that description, but only one just signed for $82 million! What's more, he has autographed the pen!! And you can own this pen!!!
Joking aside, I would like to buy this pen and have a vote for what to do with it. Should I A) use it to write a letter to Michael Heisley telling him how horribly he runs his team, B) blow it up, a-la the "Steve Bartman" ball, in hopes that doing so would rid the team of its notoriously bad luck? In my opinion, those are really the only two rational choices.

But who am I kidding; I don't have $150 to spend on a pen. However, I do have enough money to buy the pen that Xavier Henry will never use to never sign a contract with the Grizzlies: http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/181594/Paper-Mate-Ballpoint-Stick-Pens-10/

It's the weekend and I'm feelin' good,
Owen

Looking into the Grizzlies Crystal Ball

2010-07-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

Four days ago, I wrote about how the Grizzlies #12 draft pick, Xavier Henry, was in a contract dispute with the team over a 20% bonus. Honestly, I expected the dispute to be resolved by now. It isn't. And it may never be. This situation is worse than Grizzlies fans realize and is absolutely devestating to the team. If Henry ever does sign, he will play lazy, uninspired basketball and give new meaning to the word "coasting." And who could blame him? He has been treated like dirt during the entire negotiating process. We have already sent a message to the rest of the league that we treat our players horribly. We were lucky to get Tony Allen this summer, but based on the Xavier negotiations, he may be the last quality free agent we ever get. And if you thought that draft prospects didn't want to work out for the Grizzlies this year, just wait until next year. You ain't seen nothin' yet. I pray that I'm wrong about all this, but let me tell you how I think the next few months will play out in Grizz-land.

First, I do not think Xavier Henry will ever sign with the Memphis Grizzlies. The contract talks are already beyond acrimonious and neither side seems willing to budge. Michael Heisley is not going to give Henry an extra 20% and Arn Tellem is not going to accept anything less for his client. I give it one to two weeks (possibly sooner) before there is a leaked announcement along the lines of "Grizzlies unable to come to terms with Henry." This announcement will bring with it mockery and laughter from the national media, who will run Heisley, Wallace and the Grizzlies through the mud while defending Henry/Tellem. In the Age of LeBron, do you honestly think anyone will side with the owner over the player???

Shortly after that first announcement, the team will announce that it is shopping Henry. More mockery will follow as pundits compare the situation to Steve Franics' refusal to sign with the team in 1999. Offers from teams will come quickly, but none will become official for a few days. My guess is that Henry will go to the Bucks, Hornets, Nuggets or Cavaliers in exchange for Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (to fill the backup SF role), Julian Wright (ditto), Anthony Carter (to fill the backup PG role) or Sebastian Telfair (ditto). Honestly, all those deals look pretty good right now, which is sad because I believe Henry will develop into a quality NBA 6th man in the next two to three years.

Those events will bring us to the start of the season, where our reserves will be Tony Allen, Sam Young, Hasheem Thabeet, Darrell Arthur and one of the above-named players. That is not a terrible team, but we would be an injury-to-a-starter away from the 2011 season going down the drain. If that happens, prepare for the worst.

You heard it here first: if the Grizzlies do not make the playoffs in 2010-2011, the team will be sold and moved within the next three years. Here's why: we will have gone 5 years without a playoff appearance. We will have been the laughingstock of the league because of the Xavier Henry debacle. We will be losing marquee players Zach Randolph (his contract will be up), Marc Gasol (ditto) and Mike Conley (ditto) in the summer of 2011 because they would rather retire than re-sign with the miserable Grizzlies. All that will remain will be an overpaid Rudy, a petulant OJ Mayo, Allen, Young, Thabeet and Greivis Vasquez. Heisley will panic, realize how much money he has lost on the team and do everything in his power to sell. Finally, some rich investor will buy the team, who will become either the Las Vegas Dice or the Seattle Grizzlies. And that will be the end of professional basketball in Memphis.

But, wait, I'm not going to end a post like that; who wants to be depressed all day?? Here is a plausible, happier scenario: Henry will sign within the next two weeks when Heisley finally caves in. Training camp will go smoothly and the team will begin the regular season on a high note. In a fine season, the Grizzlies will win around 50 games and will be the 6th seed in the Western Conference playoffs. In the playoffs, we will steal a win or two from the 3rd-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, ultimately losing the series but at least garnering the franchise's only playoff victory. In the summer of 2011, Heisley, Wallace & Co. will somehow shrewdly manage negotiations with and re-sign Gasol, execute a good trade for Conley and use spare cash from Randolph's departure to buy a quality point guard or small forward and everything will be OK.

Which scenario will happen, then: the first or the second? I would like to believe that the second unfolds, but everything I know about the Grizzlies tells me that it will happen the first way. Don't get me wrong, I love the Grizzlies and want only good things for the team. But if we're being honest, that first scenario is much more likely than the second.

Sorry if I made you depressed,
Owen

Summer League: Grades

2010-07-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well, Grizzlies fans, the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League is in the books and it's time to hand out grades to the Grizzlies. Just so you know: they're not very good.

O.J. Mayo: D
O.J. playing point guard was easily the biggest story heading into the summer league. Would he be able to run the point effectively? Could he be a true point guard? Would he hog the ball? We were all excited to see the Juice Man put on a show but, unfortunately, that didn't happen. He played just 2 games but managed to turn the ball over 15 times. He scored 31 points, sure, but proved ineffective at distributing the basketball and finding open teammates. He forced too many passes and generally tried to do too much. Give him an "A" for effort, though; it couldn't have been easy to lower himself to the summer league knowing he might not do well. More than that, he was honest about his bad performance, even giving himself an "F" after the first game. Basketball isn't about having a good attitude, however, and I have to grade him based on his play. The good thing about his horrible performance is that, now, the coaching staff shouldn't have to deliberate about whether or not to put O.J. at point guard; they should just not do it.

Sam Young: B+
If it wasn't for his performance against the Spurs, Young would have an "A." In the first four games, he was far and away the Grizzlies best player. He nailed the game-winning 3 in the second game, put up 35 points in the third and showcased his many offensive talents. More than that, he even played pretty good defense. No, he won't start for the Grizzlies this season. But he should be the first player off the bench and will provide spark to a maligned second unit.

Hasheem Thabeet: C-
The big Tanzanian showed why he was the #2 pick in the 2009 Draft...for one game. Against the D-League All Stars, Thabeet posted a 21-14 with 6 blocks. The rest of the time? Let's just say he left much to be desired. He was average at best on the defensive end, finishing the summer league with 14 blocks and 26 personal fouls. Offensively, he was extremely timid. He showed flashes of aggressiveness but never had that mean streak for even an entire quarter. He shot 53% from the field, but many of his misses were flat-out embarassing, like a layup yesterday that clanged off the underside of the rim. Yes, you read that correctly, a 7'3" center missed a layup because it hit the bottom of the rim. The NBA: Where Amazing Happens!! Joking aside, watching Thabeet is an incredibly frustrating experience and Griz fans should count on him for 17 minutes, 3.7 points, 3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game this season. In other words, don't expect much.

Greivis Vasquez: C-
Like Thabeet, Vasquez came into Las Vegas with something to prove: that he could be a quality backup for the 2010-2011 Memphis Grizzlies. And also like Thabeet, he proved that he could not be. While he was overshadowed somewhat by Mayo's point guard experiment, he did start in the team's final three games. In those three starts, he dished out just 15 assists and turned the ball over 15 times. Like Mayo, he was unassertive when running the point and rarely made the best pass. His defense was disappointing, as opposing point guards were able to drive-and-kick routinely. Since there are zero other options, Vasquez will be the team's backup point guard when the season begins. Grizzlies fans should hope, however, that starter Mike Conley plays as much as possible.

DeMarre Carroll: D+
Memphis' resident Junkyard Dog played like junk for most of the five summer league games. He proved he is the worst shooter on the team, shooting a putrid 37% from the field and a horrendous 48% from the free-throw line. Carroll didn't do much on defense, either. Overall, he is a large waste of space on the basketball court and does little to help the team. Like it or not, however, he is in the running (against Darrell Arthur and Xavier Henry, possibly) to back up Rudy Gay at small forward. Hopefully, though, he becomes the team's 11th Man and never sees the court.

Darrell Arthur: C
Arthur's performance in the summer league was like a roller coaster: up, down, up, down. In his first game, he 17 points and 7 rebounds. (Yes! Darrell is going to be a force this year! Look out!) In his second game, he scored 6 points on 3-10 shooting. (Come on, Darrell! You can do better than that.) In his third game, he scored 17 points again and grabbed 6 rebounds. (All right! Darrell's getting it!) In his fourth and final game, he scored just 4 points. (Boo! Darrell sucks!) Hopefully, Darrell can straighten things out by the time the regular season rolls around. He doesn't have to score 17 points every night, but anything less than 10-11 points and 5-6 rebounds per game would be a disappointment for someone who finished last season on such a high note.

Memphis Grizzlies: C-
After playing great for the first three games, the Grizzlies rolled over in their final two, losing by a combined 15 points. Point guard play, either from Mayo or Vasquez, was uninspiring, shooting was poor, turnovers were abundant and agressiveness was nowhere to be found. If not for the play of Young, the grade would be even lower. He kept the team from finishing with a losing record and was the only player who looked like he belonged in the rotation. Additionall, the team's contract dispute with Xavier Henry hung over Las Vegas like a dark cloud. Overall, the summer league left Grizzlies fans with more questions than answers as the season approaches.

Owen

Summer League: Grizzlies 64, Spurs 78

2010-07-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

So much for saving the best for last. The Memphis Grizzlies did the exact opposite, saving their worst summer league performance for their final game. In a game that saw just one Grizzly (DeMarre Carroll) score in double figures, the Grizzlies were trounced by the San Antonio Spurs and ended their summer league slate with a 3-2 record.

I don't want to sound insensitive, but if DeMarre Carroll is your team's leading scorer, you're probably not winning many games. In a positively forgetful game, Carroll's 14 points and 4 rebounds "paced" the Grizzlies, if you want to call it that. Sam Young, who had had a phenomenal summer league, went out with a whimper, scoring just 6 points on 1-6 shooting. Greivis Vasquez continued his lackluster play, contributing 6 points, 3 assists and 7 turnovers. Hasheem Thabeet, who, like Young, had had a decent summer league, put up a stinker of a performance on Sunday, socring 7 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.

Overall, it was a terrible performance for the Grizzlies and assured the team that they have plenty to work on before the season starts.

The Grizz life could be a lot better,
Owen

Summer League: Grizzlies 65, Timberwolves 66

2010-07-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

In a close loss to the T-Wolves, Sam Young continued to be the bright spot of the Memphis Grizzlies summer league adventure. Everyone else continued to disappoint.

Young scored 25 points on 11-20 shooting (including 3-5 from beyond the arc) and helped keep the Grizzlies in the game against a pesky Timberwolves squad. Young has been on fire through the Grizzlies first four games, averaging 23.5 points, including 58% from the field and 45% from the 3-point line.

The rest of the Grizzlies, however, have been largely underwhelming during the summer league. After a great performance against the D-League Select team, Hasheem Thabeet scored just 6 points on 2-7 shooting and committed 8 personal fouls. Greivis Vasquez again proved unable to run the point effectively, turning the ball over 4 times and routinely making poor passing decisions.

Overall, it was a frustrating night for the Grizzlies. For some inexplicable reason, the team was 9-21 from the free-throw line. Additionally, the Griz turned the ball over 24 times and were a -5 on the rebounding margin.

The Grizzlies final summer league game is this afternoon against the San Antonio Spurs.

Owen

The Xavier Henry Contract Dispute: An Overview

2010-07-16T06:56:00.001-07:00

If you haven't heard by now, the Grizzlies are in a contract impasse with their #12 draft pick, guard Xavier Henry. The reasons behind the dispute are myriad, but the main one is (you guessed it) money. Before addressing why this is a debilitating decision by Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley, let me explain the two sides of the dispute.

"How is there a dispute?!?!" you might ask. "I thought there was a pay scale for first round picks!" You're right; there is a pay scale in place that determines what a first-round draft pick will earn in his first three NBA seasons. The current pay scale calls for Xavier, the #12 pick, to receive $1,683,500 in his first season, $1,809,700 in his second, etc. Additionally, rookies are eligible to receive up to a 20% bonus on that base salary.

Herein lies the dispute: Heisley only wants to pay Henry 100% because he believes Henry has done nothing on the court to warrant a 20% bonus. Henry and his agent, Arn Tellem, want 120% since virtually every other first-rounder has received that bonus and they believe Henry is a valuable asset to the team. That 20% difference, which amounts to just over $330,000, has kept Henry from the summer league and could keep him out of training camp if the dispute continues.

There are a million reasons why I believe Heisley should pay up and end the dispute, but I am just going to give three. First, Heisley should pay up because he is stunting Henry's NBA growth. He has already missed three of the Grizzlies' summer league games and only two more remain. The summer league gives rookies an invaluable taste of the NBA and allows to them to actually play basketball instead of just working out. They get to suit up against legitimate NBA players and gell with their teammates. By making an example out of $330,000, Heisley is doing more harm than good.

The second reason why Heisley should pay up is that, for him, $330,000 is pocket change. Literally. According to Forbes, Heisley is the 522nd-richest man in the world and has an approximate net worth of $1.4 billion. Yes, billion with a "B." The guy gives new meaning to the term "loaded." Of all people, he should be willing to pony up $330K, right? I did the math and found that $330,000 represents a 4,243rd of his net worth. To put that into normal terms, let's say I have $25,000. A 4,243rd of that comes out to about $5.89. So what I spend on a sandwich, Heisley won't spend on his team's highest draft pick, a player that could be the team's most productive rookie since O.J. Mayo. We all know that Heisley is cheap, but this is unbelievable.

The third and final reason Heisley should pay Henry 120% is that this is the state of the NBA today. Rookies get 120%, whether you like it or not. Heisley is standing on principle here, that he shouldn't have to pay a 20% bonus to someone who has yet to play an NBA minute. He believes players should have to earn bonuses on the court. If he truly believed that, why did he pay Rudy Gay a ridiculous sum of $82 million? Gay certainly didn't earn that kind of money on the basketball court. With that deal, Heisley proved that he could be a free spender. With this contract dispute, he's going the other way. I know he doesn't think rookies should be getting bonuses, and that's fine. Frankly, I don't believe they should either. But the NBA today is a league where the players have the power and rookies do get bonuses. That's just the way it is.

Michael Heisley, you think of yourself as a master negotiator, a force to be reckoned with in dealings. You don't like to be pushed around and you've proven that during your tenure. Hell, you even signed Darius Miles and played him just so the Portland Trailblazers would have to pay him millions. I get it; you aren't going to let some untested rookie boss you around. But until you climb off your high horse and pay up, Henry will not sign. His agent, Tellem, is one of the NBA's most influential and refuses to get bossed around even more than you. If you think he'll budge, you're just fooling yourself. Unfortunately, this contract dispute has shifted from a disagreement about the pay scale into a full-fledged owner vs. agent ego struggle. And in today's NBA, power no longer resides with the owners.

If the LeBron Sweepstakes taught us anything, it's that power is fully in the hands of the players and their agents. The sooner you understand that, Mike, the sooner Xavier Henry will be filling up NBA boxscores.

Owen

Summer League: Grizzlies 101, D-League Select 85

2010-07-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

If Sam Young's rookie season was his coming out party, then last night's game was his coming out after-party. After averaging 7.4 points in 2009-2010 (including scoring in double figures 25 times), Young entered this year's summer league with something to prove: he wanted to show the Grizzlies that he could handle an increased scoring load and that he could play effective defense.

After two good-but-not-great summer league games, Young exploded for an astounding 35 points last night. While playing just 33 minutes, Young went 12-17 from the field and 11-13 from the free-throw line. If that wasn't enough, he threw down a few thunderous dunks, played stingy defense all night and sparked the Grizzlies' run that put the game out of reach. Young's 35 points were the most scored in a summer league game this season.

Not to be outdone, fellow sophomore Hasheem Thabeet filled up the box score as well. Thabeet added 21 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks in the best all-around game of his summer league and, arguably, his career. His performance reminded us of why the Grizzlies took him with the #2 pick in last year's draft. If only he could have such a game in the regular season...

With O.J. Mayo now practicing with the USA Basketball team, rookie Greivis Vasquez got his first taste of the starting point guard role. Despite some rough patches, he mostly played well, smoothly directing the offense and even chipping in 9 points. Vasquez dished out 7 assists, against just 4 turnovers, and proved much more adept at the point than Mayo.

Overall, last night's game was a great one for the Grizzlies. Although it is important to remind oneself that this is just the summer league, a game like that gives a fan like me hope heading into the season. And, in the words of Andy Dufresne, "hope is a good thing."

The Grizzlies' next game is tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Owen

Summer League: Grizzlies 67-Bucks 64

2010-07-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

In the second of five games on the Memphis Grizzlies summer league schedule, OJ Mayo's performance at point guard was again the headline story. After grading his performance in the first game an "F," Mayo vowed to do better the second time around. Did he produce? No.

While he was able to fall back on his solid offensive game two nights ago, nothing went right for the Juice Man last night. He played 32 minutes yet scored just 11 points on 3-10 shooting. He dished out a paltry 3 assists while turning the ball over 7 times and committed an astounding 8 personal fouls. The only positive from his performance last night was his improvement on the defensive end. After getting torched on Monday night, OJ responded with hightened defensive intensity last night, routinely challenging the Bucks' penetration and clogging passing lanes, coming up with 2 steals.

Due to a prior commitment to the U.S. National Team workouts, Mayo's summer league tenure is likely over, although there is a small chance he will suit up for the Grizzlies' next game on Thursday. Over just two games, it is clear that the OJ-at-point experiment has not worked. He turns the ball over too often, makes risky passes, doesn't create offense like a pure point guard should and plays average-at-best defense. Once the regular season begins, I'm sure OJ will see minutes at the point but Mike Conley can rest assured that his starting job is safe. OJ is more of an asset to the team at shooting guard.

Besides OJ, Sam Young and Hasheem Thabeet also scored in double figures for the Grizzlies. Young scored 15 points, including the game-winning 3, while Thabeet added 12. The Tanzanian also grabbed 8 rebounds and blocked 3 shots. He is still incredibly timid on the offensive end, however, and should not be counted on for any significant offensive production this season.

Although Young hit a 3-pointer to win last night's game, the Grizzlies have been positively putrid from beyond the arc during the summer league. Over just two games, the Grizzlies are 2-12 from downtown. It is important to note that sharpshooter Xavier Henry has not yet suited up for the team and Conley, who led the team in 3-point shooting last season, is not on the summer league roster. Their presence in the regular season will hopefully alleviate our 3-point woes.

The Grizzlies' next summer league game is on Thursday against the D-League Select team. Stick with GrizzLife for coverage.

Counting the days till the season starts,
Owen

Summer League: Grizzlies 89, Hawks 85

2010-07-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

Before analyzing last night's Griz summer league game, it is important to remember that summer league games are only 40 minutes long, as opposed to a 48-minute regular season game. Other than that, however, a summer game is basically an NBA game (except without 3rd-year-and-older players, structured offensive sets, defensive intensity, head coaches, regular season pressure, real jerseys, packed arenas and thousands of fans).

Heading into the summer season, the big question surrounding the Grizzlies was, how will OJ Mayo perform as the starting point guard? Although we have only one game to analyze right now, the answer is: not well. Sure, OJ was his usual high-scoring self (20 points on 8-13 shooting), but his presence at the 1 created more problems than it solved. With the ball in his hands more often, he was especially turnover-prone and finished with a game-high 8 (against just 3 assists). Additionally, he was a defensive liability and could not guard the Hawks' point guard (often Jeff Teague). He routinely allowed Teauge to penetrate into the lane and create offense and could not contain the Hawks' fast breaks, on which they scored 21 points.

We knew that OJ would not be a traditional point guard, that he would simply get his touches earlier in the posession. We didn't know, however, that he would turn the ball over more often than Stuart Scott says "boo-yah!" and that he would defend opposing point guards worse than the state of Massachusetts defends the sanctity of marriage. In OJ's defense, though, the entire game was extremely sloppy and both teams combined for an astounding 40 turnovers (for all you math majors, that's one TO per minute).

OJ aside, how did the rest of the Grizzlies do? Second-year guard Sam Young played a great game, scoring 19 points (on 6-11 FG, 1-2 3-pointers and 6-6 FT). Power forward Darrell Arthur, who missed most of last season, was impressive as he tallied 17 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in just 25 minutes of play. Rookie point guard Greivis Vasquez played so-so (4 assists, 3 turns), but gelled well with backcourt teammate Mayo. Fellow rookie Xavier Henry did not play since he has yet to sign a contract with the Grizzlies. The minor contract dispute should be settled soon and I look forward to seeing him compete.

All in all, it was a good summer league game: it allowed the coaching staff to evaluate Mayo and allowed all of our young players (save Xavier) to get more experience.

The Grizzlies next game is tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Keep it real out there,
Owen

Watch Grizz Summer League

2010-07-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

If you want to watch the Grizzly cubs in their Summer League games, go to www.channelsurfing.net and scroll down to near the bottom. I can't guarantee they will have it, but the website has had most of the Summer League games thus far.

Keep living the Grizzlife

Summer League Preview

2010-07-12T07:02:00.000-07:00

Although it is often dismissed as a series of meaningless exhibition games, the NBA summer league is actually crucial to young player development and provides fans a glimpse of what the team's younger players will do in the regular season. The Memphis Grizzlies' 2010 Summer League is no different.

Before we go any further, let's go over who will be suiting up for the Grizzlies in Vegas. OJ Mayo and Sam Young will join recent draft picks Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez in the backcourt while Darrell Arthur, Hasheem Thabeet, Hamed Haddadi and DeMarre Carroll will patrol the frontcourt. Undrafted rookies Jeff Adrien and Patrick Sullivan will round out the Memphis roster.

The major storyline of the summer league is that third-year veteran Mayo will be playing point guard. OJ has expressed interest in running the point this year and the summer league will give the Griz coaching staff a good idea of his readiness to do so. With the Grizzlies' point guard position in flux, OJ's performance will go a long way in determining who will log regular season playing time at the point. If he performs well, he could supplant Mike Conley as the starter and allow Young, Henry and recent signee Tony Allen to rotate at the shooting guard position. If he plays badly, though, he would likely stay at the 2 and Conley would remain the starter at point.

I have been one of Conley's biggest supporters during his Memphis tenure, but even I now want a point guard shakeup. Conley is never going to get much better than he is right now, and if the Grizzlies are serious about making a playoff run, he needs to either step up or be replaced. Is OJ the right answer? Probably not. It remains to be seen whether he can run the point, but it would allow the Grizzlies' bevy of guards (Allen, Young, Henry and Vasquez) to see more playing time. If OJ does move to the point, it should only be for the short term and I would like to see us trade Conley and Thabeet/Carroll for a more proven point guard.

What about the rest of the summer league roster? Obviously, it will be Xavier and Greivis' first taste of NBA ball and I hope they perform well. It is easy to dismiss a poor summer league performance as not meaning anything, but these games do often serve as a good indicator of regular season performance. For example, we should have known something was up when Thabeet averaged just 45% FG, 0.8 blocks, 2 turnovers and 5 fouls per 25 minutes of play last summer. To play devil's advocate, though, don't be discouraged if the new guys (or OJ) don't dazzle in Vegas. It is just an exhibition league, after all.

Here is the Grizzlies complete summer league schedule:
-Tonight, vs. Atlanta
-July 13, vs. Milwaukee
-July 15, vs. D-League Select
-July 16, vs. Minnesota
-July 18, vs. San Antonio

Keep living the Grizz Life,
Owen

Some Tony Allen Highlights to get you Excited

2010-07-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

1. Tony teaches former Grizzly Pau Gasol what it means to block a shot. This was in Game 5 of the Finals.

2. Tony gives new meaning to the words "slam dunk." This was in Game 6 of this year's Cleveland series.

3. Tony creating on the defensive and offensive end.

4. Check the 0:45-1:08 mark, 2:50-3:00 mark of this video for some more of Tony's playoff chops.

5. Listen to the announcers here for a great summation of Tony Allen's game and career.

Did I mention that Allen is one of the more chisled players in the league? No? Well, he is.

If you want a good player profile on Allen, go here.

Finally, here is an ESPN.com report card on Allen done after this season. Pay attention to how a bench player (!!) gets credit for shutting down LeBron and Kobe in the playoffs.

I don't need drugs; I'm high on Tony Allen,

Owen

Tony Allen Signs with Grizzlies

2010-07-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Following up on a report Luke made earlier today, the Grizzlies have signed Boston guard Tony Allen to a 3-year/$10 million contract. The report comes from Yahoo.com and the Commercial Appeal.

Instant Analysis

I LOVE this signing. Repeat: LOVE! Allen will provide depth at both the point and shooting guard positions and will bring playoff experience to a Memphis team poised to make its first postseason run in years. While he does not bring much to the table offensively, he is a phenomenal defender and proved that by locking down superstars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in the 2010 playoffs. For the Celtics in 2010, he averaged 17 minutes and 6 points per contest while averaging the most steals-per-36-minutes (2.4). His offensive game consists mostly of drives to the basket (he shot just 5 3-pointers all season), but he converted over half of his shots (51%). But he has earned his keep on the defensive end, and will provide much needed veteran experience and leadership to the Grizzlies' second unit. Look forward to a great season from Allen.

With this signing, the Grizzlies 2010-2011 roster is likely complete. It seems that the starting unit will be Mike Conley (PG), OJ Mayo (SG), Rudy Gay (SF), Zach Randolph (PF) and Marc Gasol (C). Off the bench, Sam Young, Allen, Xavier Henry, Darrell Arthur, Greivis Vasquez, Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and Hamed Haddadi should round out the roster.

Can't wait for next season,

Owen

Free Agent Rumors

2010-07-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

Grizz Life sources are reporting that the Grizz are close to agreeing on a contract with Boston Celtics' free agent guard Tony Allen.

My personal feelings are that Tony would be a great addition to the bench. I hope this happens. Stay tuned...

Grizzlife Mailbag

2010-07-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

I'll be a junior in college this fall. I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I have no job prospects. But if I could be a journalist, and be relevant enough to have one of those electronic mailbag columns, than I'd be happy.

For now, I can only pretend.

"Grizzlife, thanks for your in-depth analysis of all things Grizz. The re-signing of Rudy Gay has caused alot of debate in Grizzlies' circles. Your thoughts?" -Brian, Collierville

Brian, thank you for your question, and your continuing interest in Grizzlife. Here are my thoughts: In alot of ways, the Grizzlies were in a no-win situation. Minnesota or the Clipshow or Nets owner Ivan Drago was going to give Gay at least a 65 million, front-loaded contract. If Memphis had let Rudy walk, it would have freed up a ton of cap room--money that could've been used to re-sign Ronnie Brewer, find a back up PG a la Luke Ridnour, and make a legitimate offer to O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol in the next couple of years. But it also would have been demoralizing to Grizz nation. Gay is the Grizzlies' most-familiar face; although he has only been in the league for four years, he has the longest tenure of any Memphis Grizzly. He is arguably the most well-liked member of the Grizz, and is the only thing we have resembling a seat-filler. Is he worth 84 million? No, especially if David Lee and Carlos Boozer are worth similar amounts. Could the Grizzlies have been wiser with their money? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, I'm okay with it. Ask me again next summer, when O.J. becomes a free agent.

"Jordan, back in February you predicted that Rudy Gay would be a member of the Washington Wizards. Having gone to Rudy's high school, you really got my hopes up. What do you have to say for yourself now?" -Darius, Baltimore, MD

Darius, my deepest apologies. I guess my 'sources' aren't as accurate as Broussard's. In my defense, I didn't know the Wizards would win the lottery and obtain John Wall. When Michael Heisley sells the team in the summer of 2012 (another prediction??), the overpaid Rudy will probably be on the trade block and you might get another chance.

"Grizzlife, when are you gonna start getting some real advertisements?"
-Julie M., Memphis

Julie, we are currently working on deals with Acura, Kroger Plus, and Drank Beverage Co.

"Jordan, did you really shave your head this summer?"
-Thomas I., Knoxville

Yes.

"What are your predictions for the 10-11 Grizz campaign?"
-Anonymous

I think that this will be the only year in the next five that Memphis has a legitimate chance at the playoffs. After next season, there is no way the current starting 5 will stay together, and we all know what the Grizzlies have beyond them...nothing.
Under the conditions that the Grizzlies sign one more legitimate free agent (whether it's Brewer, a PG, or another big) I predict a 47-35 season and a 7th place finish in the West. I also predict the Grizzlies WILL WIN their first playoff game in franchise history.
May all those who say I'm a pessimist be silent.

"Do you believe the Grizzlies will be in Memphis in 5 years?"
-a concerned 7 yr. season-ticket holder

To whomever it may concern that is concerned,
I believe that one of two things has to happen for the Grizzlies to remain in Memphis once the initial lease on the FedExForum runs out: 1) The Grizzlies have to become a perennial top-6 team in the West, to the point where Heisley believes they have a future as a franchise, or 2) A local ownership group has to come out of left field. (Maroda(s)?) Thanks for your support of Memphis' only major professional franchise. You're becoming an endangered species.

"Is Michael Conley, Jr. a legitimate starting point guard in the NBA?"
-MC Sr., Ohio

Of course...

"Is Michael Conley, Jr. a legitimate starting point guard in the NBA?"
-everyone else

Not.

"What will Rudy average in pts. and rebounds in the upcoming season?"
-Goat 5, Memphis

An interesting question. Much has been made over the fact that Rudy showed marginal improvement during a contract year last season. I think this is a valid point. I

want to think that Rudy will average 23 and 8, but I believe he will have similar statistics as last season.

"Rumor has it that your allegiance to the Golden State Warriors is starting to rival your love of the Grizzlies. Is that true?"
-Anonymous, Jackson, MS

D-Lee, Stephen Curry, and your boy Monta are three of my favorite players in the league. The Warriors are now easily my second favorite team, but that is all.

"Who is the Grizzlies biggest rival?"
-Eliot W., Portland, OR

The Blazers. Look up 'Darius Miles'. Heisley don't back down to no northwest fools.

A Textual Look at "The Decision"

2010-07-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week, you know that LeBron James will announce his new team in a primetime ESPN special tonight. While sitting at work, Big Shot Bob and I started exchanging texts about what the announcement means for LeBron's legacy, his image, the type of player he is, the Heat's chances next season, etc. I'll let the texts explain themselves.

Owen (9:18 am): ESPN reporting that sources (who are mentioned 8 times) say that LeBron is leaning toward Miami. Funny thing is, no one has any idea who these sources are. I hate ESPN.
Robert (9:19 am): Haha, I saw that this morning and knew you'd say something.
Robert (10:11 am): Simmons has a LeBron column up. I assume it's gonna be gold.
Owen (10:11 am): It is. I'm just about done reading it. I agree with a lot of what he says.
-Point of information: Bill Simmons predicts that LeBron will go to the Heat in the column.-
Robert (10:41 am): I just want Chicago so badly. Can we have a do over on this? This is what happens when you have guys that never graduated from college deciding these things. I'm depressed and have a tiny amount of hope left in me, and I think it's small enough not to hurt. But when LeBron officially causes me to miss out on a once-in-a-generational team, I know it's going to crush me.
Owen (10:49 am): I honestly don't care where he goes. I just want it to be over. You can sleep soundly tonight knowing that he will never approach Jordan. I want to see him get there too, but he's proven time and again he's not about winning. He's all about his image and about goofing off. The NBA is just a big game to him.
Robert (10:50 am): I don't know if I'll ever be able to root for him again. When he picks someone other than the Bulls, consider me securely seated on the Kevin Durant bandwagon.
Owen (10:52 am): Oh I'm already there. And somehow, through all of this, I'm a much bigger Kobe fan. He never would have done this.
Robert (10:53 am): Kobe still sucks.
Owen (10:53 am): You can't deny that he gets it and LeBron doesn't, though.
Robert (10:54 am): No, but I still despise him. Is he a better player? Maybe. Is he easy to hate? Definitely.
Owen (10:57 am): Well sure he's easy to hate. Definitely. But in 15 years I will say that, with the exception of MJ, Kobe was the best player I ever saw.
Robert (10:59): I want to be able to say Durant, and it's not over yet on the other guys. Kobe's been in the league, what, 15 years? There's time for others to emerge.
Owen (11:00 am): Well sure, I'm just guessing. What I'm saying is that, based on what I've seen, LeBron won't come close to Kobe or Michael.
Robert (11:01 am): No, he won't. He doesn't have the mentality.
Owen (11:05 am): I bet when he retires, he'll have won 5 MVP's and a max of 1 title. Sad. Of course, if he chooses Chicago tonight, then you can erase our last 10 texts.
Robert (11:05 am): But he won't because he sucks.
Owen (11:07 am): I agree. If you call yourself an NBA fan, you have to want him to go to Chicago and fulfill his potential. If not, you've been fooled by the smoke and mirrors.
Robert (11:12 am): ESPN trying to sell Miami as a super-team is going to be just as miserable as this whole debacle has been. F. If Chris Paul goes, then I'll be interested. As is, they're not going to be that good.
Owen (11:19 am): True. I completely agree with Simmons. You can't build a championship around just 3 guys, even if those 3 are really good. It's going to be the '04 Olympic team all over again. Yeah, they'll win alot of games because of the big 3 but they'll be too selfish to play as a team.
Robert (11:20 am): Well, maybe Derrick Byars and Shan can finally make a team; they need minimum contract guys.
Robert (11:21 am): Hell, maybe AJ has a spot in the league there.
Owen (11:22 am): Yeah, I guess that's the silver lining. But Simmons is right, where are they going to get a PG and a C??
Robert (11:23 am): Trade Beasley or put Bosh at center. Jermaine Beal?
Owen (11:23 am): Mario Moore??
Owen (11:23 am): E Cole??
Robert (11:24 am): I like it. Let's make a running joke on GrizzLife about getting Ross on the Heat as Wade's backup.
Owen (11:31 am): We need video of the intramural dunk to give the story life though. But something I realized: the Heat have a better chance of winning a title if LeBron doesn't go there. Cause they could use his money to sign good role players to complement Wade and Bosh. You can compete for a title with Wade, Bosh, Beasley, Chalmers and some glue guys.
Robert (11:34 am): We've got the dunking highlight tape with Rachel in it, almost works better. I agree, as is they'll sell out all their season tickets and be a top 3 team in the East.
Owen (11:37 am): Agreed. Maybe whatever scrubs they pick up turn out to be OK and they actually advance to the East finals... But I'll be damned if they go further than the Magic, Celtics or Bulls. Their ceiling is the East finals and that's generous.
Robert (11:39 am): Completely agree. If LeBron and scrubs can't beat high school players, there's no way that team can win a championship.
Owen (11:56 am): Well they weren't exactly trying that hard in the camp game. I'm posting this entire conversation on the blog by the way.
Robert (12:24 pm): True. Jordan never would have lost to high schoolers.

LeBron, despite what you just read, I really do want to see you fulfill your potential. I want to "witness" greatness. I want the Jordan or LeBron argument to become a legitimate one. So, please, don't go to Miami to play streetball with Wade and Bosh. That won't do you any good. And don't go to New York just to boost your image; you won't win there either. Go to Chicago, team up with Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah and win as many championships as you want.

Or you can come to the Griz and play for cheap,
Owen

Sources: ESPN Practices Horrible Journalism

2010-07-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not ashamed to admit it: I'm a huge NBA fan. While the Memphis Grizzlies are by far my favorite team, I follow closely the other 29 teams in the league and am enthralled by the playoffs every summer. However, the recent NBA free agency period, and the media's coverage of it, has made me seriously reconsider my fanhood.

As the playoffs drew to a close, I was sad to see actual gameplay end. I wasn't that upset, though, because I knew I would be treated to free agency news for the next month. It was the summer to end all summers for the NBA; Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, David Lee, etc. were going to be free agents and the entire league would be bidding on their talents. For years (literally), teams had been dumping players so that they would have cap space to sign one or two (or three) of these free agents and immediately compete for a championship. Everyone knew that the entire NBA landscape would be altered by the events of June and July 2010. I was ready to follow it all. I felt that it, as an NBA fan, it was my duty.

Fast forward to 20 minutes ago, noon on July 7. I was finishing my lunch break at work and had spent the last hour flipping between ESPN and ESPN2 as they devoured the news that Wade and Bosh would be joining forces to play for the Miami Heat. How would this affect LeBron's decision?? Will he stay in Cleveland?? Would he join Amare with the Knicks?? Does this make the Heat a legitimate Finals contender??, etc. etc. etc. It was at this point that I sent the following text message to a couple of friends: "All this free agency news, rumors and reports are literally making me sick. Everyone is saying the exact same thing and no one knows anything about LeBron." Whoa. I felt weird as I was typing the words, as if I was turining my back on the sport. But the words are true.

How, in a span of three weeks, did I go from being excited about the start of free agency to feeling sick (literally) while watching the greatest channel in the history of television? The answer: ESPN's (and other media outlets') shameful reporting of the free agency period.

Throughout the last 3 weeks, a story about LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh has appeared on ESPN more often than Stuart Scott's lazy eye and Scott Van Pelt's bald dome combined. And that's saying something. Every story had the same format: Sources: (Insert Player Name) Talking with (Insert Team Name). What followed was ten minutes of discussion about what might happen, what could happen and how the report affected LeBron's decision. Chris Broussard became a household name by breaking these so-called reports and then rambling about how they were huge news. (I have to say this, too. LeBron is pronounced "Luh Bron," not "Le Bran") You may have fooled some people, Chris, but you didn't fool me. Since July 1, you have not reported one useful bit of information. According to you, Chicago was in the lead to land LeBron one minute, Miami the next, New Jersey the next, Cleveland the next and New York after that. FACE IT, CHRIS: YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!! None of your band of insiders do either. If I was the President of Journalism, Broussard, Chad Ford, J.A. Adande, Marc Stein and Michael Wilbon would have their credentials repealed immediately. You know what, the entire ESPN network should have theirs revoked too. Until this morning, when Wade and Bosh announced that they were going to the Heat, a grand total of zero ESPN reports had been official and correct. They were all brought to us by "sources," "sources close to the situation," "people with knowledge of the situation," "unnamed team officials" and "insiders." Who the hell are these sources!?!?!? Show your face, you cowards. Actually, I take that back. You'll just be ridiculed for leaking completely false information. In the past three weeks, sources have told us that LeBron is going to Cleveland, New York, Miami, Chicago, New Jersey AND Los Angeles and that he will play with Wade, Bosh, Amare, Johnson and Rose. Wow, sources... I didn't know it was possible for one player to play for six different teams and play with 20 different players. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see this story flash across ESPN's ticker this afternoon: Sources say that LeBron James will be player-coach for the Golden State Warriors.

I have absolutely no faith in ESPN to practice quality journalism anymore. Sportscenter has been reduced to a series of rumors and speculation and has been robbed of whatever journalistic qualities it had.

To sum up my thoughts on the reporting of the LeBron Sweepstakes, I would like to share a quotation found in this morning's Commercial Appeal. It was in a story about LeBron landing a 1-hour special on ESPN to announce his decision and his making an appearance at his basketball skills camp. After the author speculated about whether or not LeBron was any closer to making a decision, he or she (I don't know, because the byline was "from our press services") said that LeBron seemed cool as he walked into the camp, where he promtly sat down on a courtside chair. Here comes the quotation... "Later, one of James' bodyguards brought in a bag believed to contain the star's workout gear." Wow, so one of his friends bringing him a duffel bag is now considered news and could have some bearing on where LeBron goes... Unbelievable.

Going back to the text message I sent to my friends, here is the second part of that message. I mean this sincerely: "I want to fall asleep and wake up in a month when everything is decided and official. ESPN and ESPN2 are reporting the exact same thing and running the story into the ground. This whole saga is a cautionary tale in bad journalism."

Sorry if this rambling post is boring, I just had to say this stuff,
Owen

Rudy Re-signs

2010-07-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Article by John Hollinger on ESPN Insider. I think it's the best I've read about the Rudy signing.

July 1: Gay rejoins Grizzlies for $80 million

So the first of the big free-agent dominoes has fallen, and surprisingly it's Memphis' Rudy Gay Even more surprising, he's staying a Grizzly. With a five-year, maximum deal worth more than $80 million that no suitor could match, the Grizzlies comfortably won the rights to retain Gay's services.

Gay's return comes as a surprise because of the penny-pinching ways of Memphis owner Michael Heisley, but there's always been a madness to his method. This is the same guy who traded Pau Gasol in a pure salary dump and yet has paid the same money to visibly inferior players in Zach Randolph and now Gay. In this instance, keeping Gay now rather than matching another offer prevented the likely outcome of having to match a heavily front-loaded offer sheet from another club for similar overall dollars.

Nonetheless, Gay is now grossly overpaid. No other Grizzly besides Randolph will make more than $5 million this year, but Gay is on the books for more than double that despite the fact that he's probably only the team's third-best player. While he's an impressive scorer, his game is completely one-dimensional and he's shown no improvement whatsoever in the past two seasons.

It's certainly possible he could do more -- Gay is only 23 and has enviable physical talents that could allow him to improve his game in several directions. But the thing he seems to need most is a change of scenery and a winning environment where more is demanded from him. That's the one thing he won't be getting for the next half-decade.

For Memphis it's a mistake contract, but it could have been worse. The Grizzlies will still be far below the cap in 2011 when Zach Randolph and the long-departed Marko Jaric come off the books, so Gay's deal needn't be a cap-killer even with Memphis' tight budget. Additionally, he's young enough that he should still be tradable if the Griz decide to shift gears in future years.

The fact Memphis kept Gay also lends a clue to one other oddity -- the decision not to make a qualifying offer to Ronnie Brewer (Warning: Conjecture coming.) The Grizzlies drafted Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez in the first round; combined with keeping Gay, it means their roster is already at 12 players. Memphis will almost certainly keep the minimum 13, which means the Grizzlies have one more spot to fill ... which they could have filled by making a qualifying offer to Brewer.

However, by far the more palatable option for Memphis would be signing a frontcourt player with its midlevel exception (or a portion thereof). Obviously, it's going to be tough to get a quality player to come to Memphis without a bowl-me-over offer, and the Grizzlies aren't going to be making one.

But given the glaring need, it at least helps to keep the option open. Memphis needs a big body a lot more than it needs another wing player right now, and my guess is that Heisley will pick only one.

Grizzlies Sign Gay to 5-year/$82 million Contract

2010-07-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Multiple sources are indicating that the Grizzlies have reached an agreement with small forward Rudy Gay on a 5-year/$82 million contract. This move comes as a surprise, since Gay was prepared to meet with multiple teams regarding a contract. According to Memphis management, the decision was made to re-sign Gay before another team could make him a bigger offer, thereby committing the team to even more money.

More details and analysis to come,
Owen

More Rudy Gay Thoughts

2010-07-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

With the entire basketball universe losing its collective head over the free agency period, it feels good to take a few minutes off from the insanity and think about something else. Unfortunately, I can't do that. This free agency period means too much to the NBA (and the Grizzlies) and I couldn't look at myself in the mirror if I didn't digest every morsel of news and rumor.

As far as the Grizzlies are concerned, Rudy Gay's negotiations with the Grizzlies and other teams are front page news. While scouring the Internet for news and analyzing whether or not keeping Rudy Gay would be a good idea (I'll publish my theories on that in a couple days), I have read many different sports blogs trying to get more information on Rudy and the Griz. Then I remembered a GrizzLife post from February that goes a long way in explaining things. The following is an edited-for-space version of Jumpshot Griesbeck's post "Why Rudy Gay will play for the Washington Wizards next season, and why I'm okay with it:"
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It is no secret that this summer's free agent market is the biggest in NBA history. Now, obviously, this summer is really about LeBron and everyone else. But that "everyone else" is pretty good. Some teams, as much as they'd like to think they have a chance at one of the superstars, just don't...So what are those teams going to do? Most people think that these teams are going to get desperate and offer a huge contract to a second-tier player.

Now, let's talk about the Grizzlies and Rudy Gay. Gay is a restricted free agent, meaning that, at the end of the day, if the Grizzlies want Gay to stay in Memphis, they can have their way. But the cards point toward another outcome. Michael Heisley has made it very clear that he is not looking to spend alot of money. He is not going to go out and sign free agents that will put the Grizzlies near the NBA's highest payrolls, and then watch the team get swept in three straight playoff series, again. And with the recent signing of Ronnie Brewer, I don't care how much Heisley and Wallace deny it...it does not look like Rudy Gay will be in Memphis next season.

Fearless prediction: Rudy Gay will play for the Wizards next season. Why I am okay with it: Right now, the Grizzlies have 5 legitimate players--players that other teams might actually want. Those players are Gasol, Mayo, Randolph, Gay, and Brewer. Of those five, I believe Rudy Gay is the most dispensable, and I will tell you why.

Reason #1: There are other Rudy Gays in the NBA. Athletic 6-8 swing men aren't exactly going out of style. In contrast, Marc Gasols are hard to find.

Reason #2: (Get ready...) Rudy Gay is a lackluster defender. This is a shock to...no one. Did you see Rudy's defense on the Kobe game-winner the other night? He handled that screen for Kobe about as well as JP handles cars in 'Angels in the Outfield'.

[Note: Since Ronnie Brewer is no longer a restricted free agent, take the following points with a grain of salt. The Grizzlies can still sign Brewer, of course; he is just not a restricted free agent.]

Reason #3: Not re-signing Rudy Gay means the Grizzlies will keep Ronnie Brewer. Unfortunately, Ronnie was hurt in his Memphis debut last week. But in the long run, I think that injury will work out for good. Ronnie gets less time to prove himself, and less time to tempt possible suitors into offering him a big deal this summer. It makes it easier for Memphis to re-sign him, and, like Gay, he is restricted (if we want him, we can have him).

Reason #4: Ronnie Brewer works into the Grizzlies future better than Rudy Gay. He is still young, he brings local interest, and he is one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA. (If Brewer is on Kobe the other night, that shot might not go in...) At 6-7, Brewer is versatile, can play the 2 or the 3, and gives the Grizzlies the option to move O.J. to the point and put Ronnie at the 2. He can slash, and he is not a black hole. He is not a franchise player, but he doesn't have to be paid like one either.

Reason #5: Keeping Brewer, and not Gay, gives the Grizzlies more space to re-sign Randolph and O.J. If you think that this summer is critical for the Grizzlies, think about the summer after. Gasol, Randolph, and Mayo are all free-agents--the three most valuable assets in our franchise right now. To think that 1 or 2 of these could be gone is scary...

So there you have it. Gay brings local flare to the East Coast, and Brewer brings it to the Mid-South. Washington gets their scorer, Memphis gets some flexibility.Down the road, a legitimate-point-guard-not-named-Michael Conley, O.J. Mayo, Ronnie Brewer, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol sounds like a pretty good starting five to me.
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Like I said, Griesbeck's analysis isn't perfect. The Ronnie Brewer situation has changed drastically since February. But his thoughts about Rudy Gay still hold a lot of water. Should we re-sign Gay? My answer right now is maybe. In a few days, I'll post my complete thoughts.

I've been thinking a lot of Gay thoughts lately,
Owen

T-Wolves to Meet with Gay Tonight

2010-07-01T07:29:00.001-07:00

Accroding to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Minnesota Timberwolves have contacted Memphis small forward Rudy Gay and will have a face-to-face meeting with him tonight. This information comes from "sources close to the situation." Remember that no contracts can be signed until July 8 and that the Grizzlies have the option of matching whatever contract is made to Gay.

Look for an update on this meeting tomorrow,
Owen

Griz Extend Qualifying Offer to Gay (But not Brewer)

2010-07-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

On the eve of the biggest free agency period in NBA history, the Memphis Grizzlies chose to extend a $4 million qualifying offer to small forward Rudy Gay, officially making him a restricted free agent. The Grizzlies now have the right of first refusal in his contract negotiations. However, the team did not extend an offer to guard/forward Ronnie Brewer. He is now an unrestricted free agent. Why didn't we make Brewer an offer? What does all this mean? What happens now? Hold you horses, Griz fans, we're getting there.

Let's talk about Brewer first. Do you remember in February when the Griz traded a 2011 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz ion exchange for Brewer? Do you remeber GM Chris Wallace talking about how Brewer was "a winning basketball player" and would be a great addition to the team? Do you remember how, thanks to a groin tear, Brewer appeared in just 8 games for the Grizzlies? If you remember all of those things, then you will realize how ludicrous it is that the Grizzlies did not make Brewer a restricted free agent. If he does not re-sign with the team, we will have traded a first round draft pick for 80 minutes, 3-13 shooting and 8 points. Wow. Not even the Pau Gasol trade was that lopsided. Now, I know it is no fault of the Grizzlies that Brewer got injured. But the fact that the team is now kicking him to the curb is astounding. Heisley, you of all people should know that you'd want to get some sort of return on your investment. But this? I didn't even think you were capable. The funniest part of the whole thing is that the Grizzlies insist that they will try to re-sign Brewer. Why in the world would he want to come back to a team where he was relegated to a backup role, got injured and watched his new team collapse at the end of the year? No one can blame you if you head for greener pastures, Ronnie.

How, then, does this decision affect the re-signing of Rudy Gay? According to Heisley and Wallace, it means that the Grizzlies will now have even more money to match any offer Gay might receive. For the past 6 months, Michael Heisley has been saying to anyone that will listen that re-signing Gay is the team's number one goal this offseason. For the first time, I actually believe Heisley on this. It would be too big a hit on his pride to let Rudy walk after declaring for so long that he would remain a Grizzly. He isn't going to want to match the big contract offer Rudy will receive (likely from the Minnesota Timberwolves), but he really isn't going to have a choice. If Rudy were to leave Memphis, the team would lose more than just its star player. Fans would disown the team and the city would lose arguably its most popular player. Like it or not, Rudy has become the face of the franchise. Losing him would be a huge hit.

There is one situation in which I would be OK with Rudy leaving, however, and that is if a team offers him a near-max contract of something in the area of 5 years/$65 million. Sorry, Rudy, but that's just too much to pay. We have to think about the long term here and if we sign you to that huge contract, that cripples us in negotiating with Zach Randolph, OJ Mayo, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley in the next few years. Numerous NBA teams have been ruined because they gave a max contract to a player who wasn't worth it. I don't want that to be the Grizzlies. If a team did offer Gay $60-70 million, I would be fine with us letting him go and pursuing another small forward and building around our other four starters.

So, now that free agency has begun, what do we know? First, and most importantly, we know that the Grizzlies brass will do everything they can to re-sign Rudy Gay. Second, we know that Ronnie Brewer's days in Memphis are likely over. Third, we know that, with Brewer gone, the pressure on Xavier Henry, Sam Young and Darrell Arthur to perform just got much bigger.

Where do we go from here? Well, teams can begin talking to Gay today about signing with them. There are no official plans for him to meet with any team, but talks with the T-Wolves appear likely. Also, any team that loses the LeBron/Bosh/Wade sweepstakes (Knicks, Nets, Clippers and Cavaliers, possibly) might target Gay as a Plan B. Contracts cannot be signed until July 8, so it will be at least a week before anything is made official. If a team does make an offer to Gay, the Grizzlies will have the opportunity to match the deal. If they do, Gay remains a Grizzly. If not, it's bye bye Rudy.

Stay with GrizzLife for updates,
Owen

The Draft: Analysis

2010-06-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

#12: Xavier Henry, SF: B
I like this pick but don't love it. Henry should provide the bench scoring the Grizzlies are looking for and is a very smart basketball player. He is a great shooter and will bring the house down at FedEx Forum next year when he buries back-to-back treys. He isn't the most athletic player ever, but that's ok; he's very strong and uses his body effectively. I think he will develop into a very solid 6th or 7th man for the Griz. His problem is that he is not a very good defensive player, something the Grizzlies need. In my opinion, this pick should have been Patrick Patterson. He is NBA-ready, plays good defense and is extremely effecient. I can see Patterson being an impact rookie and a bona-fide starter a few years down the road. I just really hope this pick doesn't come back to bite us...

#25: $3 Million from Dallas in exchange for Dominique Jones: C
If this trade helps us re-sign Rudy Gay or grab a high-quality free agent, then this move gets a B. If not, it makes Michael Heisley the cheapest owner in NBA history and gets an F. The Grizzlies have said all along that keeping Rudy is the team's biggest priority this offseason. Well, if an extra $3 mil can keep him here, I'm all for it. If he does leave, we'll be up a creek without a small forward and things will be very bad.

#28: Greivis Vasquez, PG: D
A lot of people I've talked to love this pick. I'm not sure why. Let's go over the good things that Vasquez brings to the table: size, passing ability, decent scorer and a passion to play for the Griz. At 6'6", he is tall for a point guard and uses that height advantage to see plays develop. That leads to the best part of his game: passing. He is good at creating for teammates and sees intricate passing lanes. He is also a decent scorer (at the college level, at least) who finds a way to score and can knock it down from the charity stripe. The most interesting thing about him is his genuine excitement about playing for Memphis. He celebrated wildly when his name was called and is sure to work hard to do well.

Now let's examine why Vasquez is a bad pick. At the NBA level, he is unathletic. He will not be able to keep up with quicker guards and will not be able to finish inside against faster opponents. His lack of athleticism leads to the worst part of his game: he plays terrible defense. After watching his pre-draft workout, the Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery described Vasquez eloquently: "he struggled with on-the-ball defense." According to nbadraft.net, Vasquez "does not project well as a defender at the next level" and "does not put forward much of an effort on that end." Is anyone else seeing a pattern here? The man wouldn't make All-Defense in a wheelchair basketball league. The Grizzlies are just fine offensively. Defense is where we need help. We were one of the worst teams in the NBA on the defensive end last season, giving up a 6th-worst 104 points per game. Bringing in a backup point guard who can't play defense is asking for trouble.

Overall, I'm in "wait and see" mode with this draft. I think Xavier can (and will) become a solid NBA player. If we can parlay the $3 million we got from Dominique Jones into signing Rudy Gay, then it was a good move. And if Greasy Vasquez can learn to play D, then great. I really hope I'm wrong about Vasquez. I would love for him to develop into an effective point guard and I hope his great passing overshadows his shaky defense. I just don't think it will. Finally, I wish we had been more agressive in trade negotiations. I wish we had dealt the 25th and 28th picks to Sota for the 16th and picked up Eric Bledsoe. But, alas, we didn't.

I thought I would wake up this morning much happier than I am. We had such high hopes and seemed so confident.

I hope this draft turns out well,
Owen

Grizzlies Take Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez

2010-06-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a rundown of the Grizzlies picks last night. I'll be back with analysis in just a little while.

#12: Xavier Henry, 6'6", SG, Kansas

#25: Dominique Jones, 6'4", SG, South Florida (This pick was later traded to Dallas for $3 million)

#28: Greivis Vasquez, 6'6", PG, Maryland

Owen

The Draft: It's Here

2010-06-24T06:05:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Flight 2010 of Grizzlies Airlines. This is your captain, Michael Heisley, speaking. Assisting me in the cockpit today is GM Chris Wallace. Before we depart, please make sure you have checked all preconceived notions about the Memphis Grizzlies and have stowed all personal vendettas against myself and the co-pilot. We have evaluated many destinations and will be prepared to choose the right one. We've got this flight under control (I hope). While we're waiting to take off, I would like to apologize for last year's flight. For some inexplicable reason, we flew all the way to Tanzania when we should have just stayed in Memphis (or maybe flown to Italy). And don't worry about that detour to Missouri, either; that's in the past. We're using this flight to get better immediately.

I want to let you know that we're the 12th plane in line to take off, although that could change by tonight. We're also slotted at 25th and 28th, but I'm hoping to trade those positions for something better. I don't know if some of you heard a rumor in the terminal last night about our sending Zach Randolph to the Minnesota flight team in exchange for Al Jefferson, but those talks are now dead. However, we still might work something out with them regarding our positions.

I'm getting different signals from the control tower about our first stop today, ladies and gentlemen. Depending on where the other planes go, we might fly to Kentucky to pick up Patrick Patterson, out to Kansas to get Xavier Henry or to Texas for Damion James. Indications are that a plane before us will have already been to Fresno to add Paul George, but you never know. There are 6 or 7 destinations on the radar right now.

GrizzAir has interviewed all four, as well as many other candidates, and they were all very impressive. Patterson can contribute right away and reminds many in the business of a seasoned flight attendant. Henry would really aid us on our longer flights; as a crew, we only reached 34% of our long-range destinations last season. While with Kansas, he reached 42% of his. After an impressive emergency interview yesterday, we think James could also work for the team. He has all the physical tools to be a great contributor, but questions linger about whether or not he can channel those tools into basketball success. George can fill a couple different roles for us; he can be our #2 man (as he proved in his interview) or could play the #3 spot if passenger-favorite Rudy Gay leaves.

As a reminder, flights are going to be trading and shuffling all night. There's no telling who will get picked up where. The only sure thing is that the Washington flight has already landed in Kentucky and will pick up John Wall. Regardless, wherever we land, we will be a better team next year. We might even be one of the 16 teams who qualify for flights after the regular flight season. We have to stay optimistic.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's time. If you could, please turn on any cell phones, laptops or HD-TV's you may have. For your entertainment, our in-flight movie today is made by ESPN. Prepare to be overwhelmed as co-hosts Stuart Scott and Jay Bilas guide you through the evening's flights. I'm now getting word from the control tower that we're about to begin, so if you could please fasten your seatbelts, we'll be ready to go.

See you when we land,
Owen

1st Annual GrizzLife Mock Draft

2010-06-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

What you're about to read is by no means correct. There are way too many variables to account for when making a mock draft for it to turn out correctly. I have not accounted for trades (there will no doubt be many) and have probably insulted someone with my projections. But that's what they are: projections. It's what I think might happen. Use this to gain familiarity with some of the prospects and feel free to comment with your input.

Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado: the 1st Annual GrizzLife Mock NBA Draft

1. Washington Wizards- John Wall, PG, Kentucky
Simply put, he's the best draft prospect since Kevin Durant in 2007. He reminds scouts of Derrick Rose with his jaw-dropping athleticism, superior finishing ability and endless motor. He is a perfect fit for the Wizards, who are eager to distance themselves from gun-wielding Gilbert Arenas and his massive contract. Look for Wall to make an immediate impact in the NBA.

2. Philapelphia 76'ers- Evan Turner, SG, Ohio St.
The 2010 NCAA Player-of-the-Year is far and away the best ball-handler in the draft. That, coupled with his scoring ability (20.4 ppg) and athleticism, make him a leading candidate for 2011 Rookie-of-the-Year. He should start immediately for the Sixers, despite the presence of Andre Iguodala at SG. Turner is too good not to start.

3. New Jersey Nets- Wes Johnson, SF, Syracuse
Sources are now indicating that the Nets will use this pick for Johnson. His athleticism and offensive versatility make him too good to pass up and he could start immediately over Terrance Williams. Johnson has one of the best jump shots in the draft and uses his quickness and leaping ability to finish from virtually anywhere on the floor. Additionally, he is a tenacious rebounder and provides energy on the defensive end.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves- Derrick Favors, PF, Georgia Tech
Favors has scouts giddy with his rare combination of size (6'10"), strength (245 lbs.), wingspan (7'4") and defensive ability (8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per-game at Tech). He has a solid post game, a great work ethic and probably the highest ceiling of any prospect this year. Since the T-Wolves' frontcourt is crowded with Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, Favors will have time to develop his game.

5. Sacramento Kings- DeMarcus Cousins, C, Kentucky
Cousins' stock has fallen in the last week as concerns over his work ethic and perceived character issues mount. However, I believe that the Kings will find him hard to pass up at the #5 slot. Cousins is superior to most prospects in terms of rebounding (best in the draft) size, strength, length and offensive ability. If he can add some muscle and develop a strong work ethic, he is a threat to average a 20-10 in the NBA.

6. Golden State Warriors- Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown
With Cousins off the board, the Warriors will likely settle for the 6'11" Monroe. He posesses a very effective post game and is the best interior distributor in the draft (averaged 4 assists-per-game in 2010). Additionally, Monroe clogs up the paint on defense and is an above-average rebounder and shot blocker. He should fit in well with (and possibly supplant) starting PF Anthony Tolliver immediately.

7. Detroit Pistons- Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina
The Pistons crave a big man in the draft, and with Favors, Cousins and Monroe off the board, the Pistons will likely go with the next best thing. In Davis, they get a hard-working, efficient forward who can score in a variety of ways and plays great defense. He doesn't have the highest ceiling in the draft, but would immediately become a force for the Pistons.

8. Los Angeles Clippers- Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest
With the exception of John Wall and Terrico White, Aminu is the most athletic player in the draft. His offensive game needs some refining but his size, length and quickness make him a defensive stopper. His versatility allows him to guard most any opponent he faces. Once last year's #1 pick Blake Griffin comes back, the Clippers will have one of the league's more formidable frontcourts. [Jumpshot Griesbeck, who lived on Aminu's freshman hall, believes that Aminu "will become a flourishing role player, if not a star."]

9. Utah Jazz- Ekpe Udoh, PF, Baylor
With Carlos Boozer becoming a free agent July 1, the Jazz will likely be in need of help down low. The 6'10", 237 lb. Udoh would be a great complement to Paul Millsap. He is one of the best defenders in the draft and is also a great rebounder. His lack of a fully developed offensive game works well with the Jazz, who feature scorers in Deron Williams, Millsap, Andre Kirilenko, etc.

10. Indiana Pacers- Luke Babbit, PF, Nevada
Pacers director of basketball operations Larry Bird loves his white players and Babbit would fit right in. Babbit, who has seen his draft stock rise this month, is one of the best shooters in the draft and would add a solid scoring punch off the bench. His lack of quickness on the defensive end makes him a defensive liability, but his offensive versatility and high basketball IQ make him an attractive pick at #10.

11. New Orleans Hornets- Paul George, SF, Fresno State
The Hornets are needy at small forward and George would be a great fit for them. At 6'9", he is a big small forward and his super athletic ability makes him an attractive NBA prospect. George has an above-average jump shot and can score from anywhere on the floor. Defensively, he needs to develop some, but his versatility should help him do so. He has been compared to the Pacers' Danny Granger.

12. Memphis Grizzlies- Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky
Patterson is possibly the most NBA-ready player in the draft, which fits perfectly with the Grizzlies, a team that is looking for immediate spark off the bench. His size and strength make him an ideal forward and he uses his body well when playing defense and rebounding. Offensively, he has a handful of post moves but also possesses a smooth mid-range game and even has a decent outside shot. It is interesting to note that he is a former high school teammate of OJ Mayo.

13. Toronto Raptors- Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas
By no means is Aldrich the most exciting player in the draft. However, he has the body of a center (6'11" 236 lb.), plays good defense, rebounds well, blocks shots and has an efficient post game. He would be a good sidekick for Andrea Bargnani and could play power forward when Chris Bosh leaves.

14. Houston Rockets- Xavier Henry, SG, Kansas
Henry is one of the strongest players in the draft and also possesses one of the best jump shots. His 6'6", 210 lb. frame is built for slashing to the basket, but he is also skilled enough to pull up and shoot. When he gets to the free-throw line, he is more than effective (78%). Defensively, he disrupts passing lanes well and can also rebound. He is an extremely hard worker and could develop into an NBA star. He would be another servicable role player for the Rockets, who love a scoring guard or forward.

15. Milwaukee Bucks- Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler
Thanks to his epic performance in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, the smooth-shooting Hayward saw his draft stock rise and then rise some more. Some mock drafts have him going as high as #7, but I think that is too much of a reach. He fits here because the Bucks are likely to lose shooting guard John Salmons to free agency and the trade for Chris Douglas-Roberts only cures some of their woes. Hayward, at 6'8" 211 lbs., is a prolific scorer and uses great basketball instincts to create shots for himself. He is weak on the defensive end, however, and will likely be no more than a solid role player in the NBA.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves- Hassan Whiteside, C, Marshall
For now, let's assume that the T-Wolves keep this pick; no one knows yet if it will go to the Grizzlies. Whiteside was originally projected to be a top-10 pick, but teams are questioning his passion and work ethic and he is now likely to fall out of the lottery. The 7-footer from Marshall blocks shots like it's his job and is one of the better defenders in the draft. The problem is, virtually everything about his game is a work in progress and he will need some time to develop. But with Ryan Hollins the only servicable center assured to be around next season, the Wolves need someone to put down low.

17. Chicago Bulls- Avery Bradley, SG, Texas
With the Bulls dumping contracts left and right to make room for LeBron James, they're not looking for a savior in this draft. They're just looking for a role player to come off the bench and play quality minutes. Bradley can do that for them. At 6'3", he is undersized for a shooting guard, but makes up for it by playing great defense and shooting the ball well.

18. Miami Heat- James Anderson, SG, Oklahoma State
With Dwyane Wade not guaranteed for next season, the Heat would be wise to draft a shooting guard. At #18, Anderson will likely be the best available 2-guard. He can drive to the basket and finish but can also score from outside. Simply, he can score in bunches. He is a solid rebounder and plays adequate defense.

19. Boston Celtics- Daniel Orton, C, Kentucky
With Kendrick Perkins the only center likely to remain on the Celtics roster, they will need to pick up another one in either free agency or the draft. The free agent class lacks in centers, but Orton would be a good pick up at #19. He was overshadowed by DeMarcus Cousins last season but does have the attributes to be a good center. He is a bit raw offensively at this stage, but would benefit from playing with the veteran Celtics.

20. San Antonio Spurs- Elliott Williams, SG, Memphis
There are concerns mounting over the severity of Williams' foot injury, but he insists it's nothing. Who knows how serious it is, but the fact remains that he has only worked out for two teams (the Spurs and Rockets). San Antonio seems to be confident about his condition and is excited about his athleticism and almost limitless potential. A great finisher, Williams would inject much-needed youth into an old San Antonio roster.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder- Eric Bledsoe, PG, Kentucky
The Thunder aren't particularly needy at any position, so they will likely just draft the best player available. At this point, that is Bledsoe. Like Orton, he was lost in the shuffle behind Wall and Cousins, but that doesn't mean he can't play too. He is extremely athletic and quick, and can score easily. His height (6'1") and lack of refined talent are the only things keeping him from being a lottery pick.

22. Portland Trailblazers- Larry Sanders, C, VCU
Portland can't wait around for 2007 #1 pick Greg Oden to develop. He becomes a free agent next summer and is already well on his way to becoming the next Kwame Brown. By picking Sanders, the Blazers can start over at center. He plays great defense, rebounds well, has huge hops, can finish around the basket and has shown marked improvement during his VCU career.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves- Devin Ebanks, SF, West Virginia
At 6'8" 208 lbs, Ebanks has great size for a small forward. That, combined with his superior athleticism, quickness, wingspan and potential, makes him an intriguing prospect. While he lacks an offensive game, he is a tenaciuos rebounder and plays hard-nosed defense. If he commits himself to improving his offensive game, he could be a very good NBA player.

24. Atlanta Hawks- Kevin Seraphin, C, France
With Josh Smith likely to be moved in free agency, the Hawks will have a void to fill down low. Although Seraphin is technically a center, he could play power forward in a pinch. In many ways, he is the prototypical foreign center prospect: still a project but brimming with potential. At 263 lbs. he is very strong for a big man and can easily bang with NBA big men. His other standout feature is that he is a great rebounder. His offensive game is very weak, however, and will take some time to develop.

25. Memphis Grizzlies- Armon Johnson, PG, Nevada
With Mike Conley likely to be the lone point guard under contract after free agency this summer, I expect the Grizzlies to draft a 1 here (if we keep the pick). Johnson had an impressive workout for the Griz and would be a solid backup for Conley. He can distribute the ball well but isn't afraid to create for himself. His athleticism and quickness make up for the holes in his game (somewhat turnover-prone and a shaky jump shot).

26. Oklahoma City Thunder- Terrico White, PG, Ole Miss
White is arguably the most athletically gifted player in the draft, with a 40-inch vertical leap, the lowest body fat in the combine and superb ball-handling skills. Additionally, he has the ability to score from anywhere, but is particularly adept at finishing inside. At 6'5", he has great height for a point guard and could even play shooting guard. He needs to improve his court discipline, however, to become a legitimate NBA player. He is a great late-1st round pick, though, thanks to his tremendous upside.

27. New Jersey Nets- Damion James, SF, Texas
At 6'7" 227 lbs, James has the build of a small forward. He is athletic, quick, agile and can jump out of the gym. He is a great rebounder and plays solid defense. The problem is, he hasn't been able to translate his superior physical gifts into superior basketball talent; at this point, he is still a project. James is too good an athlete to slip into the 2nd round, however, and the Nets will benefit from his presence.

28. Memphis Grizzlies- Lance Stephenson, SG, Cincinnati
Again, Memphis may or may not keep this pick. If we do, Stephenson would be a decent selection. He is very strong, is a superb ball-handler and can knock down a jump shot from all over the court. He also looks to attack the basket in his quest to score. Defensively, he is a bit of a liability, but would procuce immediately for the Griz. The major drawback here is his serious character issues. He had an assault charge in high school and is the antithesis of a good teammate. He's worth a late-1st round flyer pick, though.

29. Orlando Magic- Craig Brackins, PF, Iowa State
Brackins is an above-average big man offensively and possesses a variety of post moves. He is a solid rebounder and can run the floor well. He has been given the dreaded "soft" label, however, and will have to toughen up in order to be effective in the NBA. Learning under Magic center Dwight Howard would help that.

30. Washington Wizards- Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State
If size alone was an indicator of NBA success, then Alabi would be an All-Star. He is 7'1", 237 lbs. with a huge wingspan. Thanks to his height and length, he is a prolific shot-blocker and could make an instant impact for the Wizards thanks to his defense. His lack of offensive skills, however, make him just a backup right now. But with some practice and focus, he could become a force.

There you have it, Grizzlies fans; the 1st Annual GrizzLife Mock Draft. Check back with GrizzLife tonight and tomorrow for continued analysis of the upcoming draft. Also, think good thoughts about the draft; this is a very deep one and we can come away a better team! Believe!

Good night and good luck,
Owen

The Draft: T-Minus 1 Day

2010-06-23T06:11:00.001-07:00

There are many things to discuss regarding the upcoming NBA Draft. Let's get right to them.

The trade between the Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves (swapping our 25th and 28th picks for their 16th) has not been finalized yet and may not happen at all. According to multiple sources, the Grizzlies are weighing multiple offers to trade their draft picks and will likely not make a move until the night of the draft. Other trade in the works is a deal with the Portland Trailblazers that would give the Grizzlies the 34th overall pick and cash considerations in exchange for either the 25th or the 28th pick. Memphis GM Chris Wallace has steadfastly affirmed that the team is keeping all options in play and has not committed to anything yet. I believe him. Nothing will be clear until Thursday night, and even then details will probably be muddy.
In an "emergency" workout yesterday, Fresno State small forward Paul George showed the Grizzlies that he is fully capable of playing shooting guard in the NBA. In a workout that the Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery described as "impressive," the 6'9" George ran seamlessly through a variety of shooting guard drills and game situations. Tillery said that he created a buzz with his performance and that he "more than held his own" when guarding smaller guards. George initially cancelled a workout with the Grizzlies, since the presence of Rudy Gay would demote him on the depth chart. However, he showed that the Grizzlies would benefit from selecting him, since he can play either the 2 (as OJ's backup if Rudy stays) or the 3 (if Rudy leaves).
In a final emergency workout today, the Grizzlies will evaluate Damion James, the 6'7" small forward out of Texas. James is among a long list of players the Grizzlies are considering with either the 25th or 28th picks (if they keep them).
Every sign points to the Grizzlies keeping at least the 12th overall pick. While we are involved in numerous talks regarding our two later picks, it appears that we will keep the 12th pick. Patrick Patterson, Paul George, Xavier Henry and Luke Babbit are all options there. However, with the draft featuring many high-quality players, it's anyone's guess as to who we'll take.

Merry Christmas Eve,

Owen

Grizzlies, T-Wolves Trade Picks [UPDATE]

2010-06-22T11:26:00.001-07:00

According to ESPN.com's Andy Katz, the Memphis Grizzlies are close to trading their 25th and 28th picks to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 16th pick. This news comes from "source with direct knowlege of the situation." We at GrizzLife will let you know if (and when) the deal is finalized.

UPDATE: Not so fast. Sources are indicating that the deal has not been finalized yet. If it does go through, it likely won't happen until draft night.

The Draft: T-Minus 2 Days

2010-06-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

With just over 48 hours remaining before the 2010 NBA Draft, there is excitement, trepidation and speculation over what the Memphis Grizzlies will do and how those decisions will affect both the 2010-2011 roster and the 2010-2011 payroll.

First, some draft analysis. The Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillery reported this morning that OJ Mayo was never included in trade talks with the New Orleans Hornets regarding a Chris Paul trade. Owner Michael Heisley called the accusations "unequivocally not true." Furthermore, he stated that he did approach the Hornets about dealing for Paul, but that he is not trying to deal any of the team's starting 5 (Conley, Mayo, Gay, Randolph, Gasol).

Tillery stated that the Grizzlies are putting forth an "exhaustive effort" to deal all of their first round picks. Whether or not those efforts come to fruition remains to be seen. However, I believe that the Grizzlies will keep the 12th pick and use the 25th and 28th picks to trade for a bench player (the list of possible players there is too long to list). There are also rumors that Heisley, Wallace and company are interested in trading up in the draft to grab Syracuse's Wes Johnson. The 6'7" swingman is expected to be taken either 4th (by Minnesota) or 5th (by Sacramento) overall.

Another wrinkle in the Grizzlies' draft preparation comes with the announcement that Fresno State small forward will participate in a workout for the Grizzlies. He snubbed the team in a workout earlier this month, frustrated that, if picked by the Grizzlies, he would be a backup to Rudy Gay. The Grizzlies will be evaluating him at shooting guard in this last-minute workout. Many prognosticators have George selected between the 10th and 15th picks.

Stay tuned to GrizzLife for last-minute draft analysis and team news. Tomorrow, we will provide you with the first annual GrizzLife Mock Draft and on Thursday, look for an analysis of the 2010-2011 payroll and how it will affect our draft and offseason moves. Of course, on Friday, GrizzLife will be your home for a draft recap and an analysis of the Grizzlies' selection(s).

Go Grizz!
Owen

The Draft: T-Minus 3 Days

2010-06-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

Well, Grizzlies fans, we're on the home stretch. Only three days remain until the (crucial) draft. After a weekend of workouts and contract extensions, however, we are still left with much speculation. Neither GM Chris Wallace nor anyone else in the organization has tipped their hand about a possible trade and the list of players the Grizzlies might select in the draft grows with every workout. Although we don't know much, let's go over what we do know.

Patrick Patterson is now a frontrunner to be selected with the 12th pick. The 6'9" power forward from Kentucky impressed Griz management in Sunday's workout and possesses all the skills the Grizzlies are looking for. By simply showing up to the workout, Patterson did better than many other prospects (who have stood up the Memphis workout). Once play began, he was even more impressive. "We wanted to see him go out on the perimeter and guard people," said Tony Barone, director of player personell. "We wanted to see him take advantage of size mismatches. I think we got that accomplished today." Patterson is an excellent blend of size, strength and athleticism. He is a burly 240 pounds and can bang with bigger forwards down low. Offensively, he has both a post game and a mid-range game, and even developed an outside shot this season. His offensive versatility would make defenses stretch the floor, opening up opportunities for other players. Defensively, he is smart and uses his size and length well. He averaged 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks this season. Overall, he is a hard worker, understands the game and would make a great pick at #12.

The "trade" door is wide open. Regarding a possible trade, the only thing we know for sure is that we don't know. Wallace, Heisley, et. al are mum on any possibilities, stating only that "there's possibilities out there on the trade front and an almost unlimited number of players with these three picks... There's still a lot of ground to be covered." Maybe Grizzlies management will give a better indication of their intentions closer to Thursday, but don't count on it.

This is going to be a crazy summer. Between the draft and the most anticipated free agency period ever (which begins July 1), the biggest summer in NBA history is heating up. When the dust settles, the entire landscape of the league will likely be different and it's anyone's guess as to what that landscape will look like. Hopefully, the Grizzlies will emerge a better team, one ready to challenge for a playoff spot.

I'm excited about the possibilities,
Owen

Same Story, Different Chapter

2010-06-20T21:06:00.001-07:00

Yet again, another outsider is hating on the city of Memphis. It’s no surprise to me and shouldn’t be to you. According to Forbes and John Hollinger, Memphis sucks. I beg to differ. I take pride in our city and in the Grizzlies. My love for the city is another topic and another post. I wanted to share what John Hollinger wrote on ESPN.com. He ranked the best to worse NBA franchises, and he put the Grizz dead last. Here’s what he had to say:

“Well, somebody has to be the league's most forlorn franchise, and it turns out that somebody is the Grizzlies. Winning an average of just 27 games a season in 15 years of tenuous NBA existence, this is a team that has managed to scale the lofty 25-win mountain just five times.

The Grizzlies also switched cities -- and countries -- after just six seasons in Vancouver, opting to bolt for Memphis despite the city's questionable economic base. They're the second-most popular basketball team in their own city, and might have the second-largest payroll too. Being run on the cheap to offset poor crowds has turned into a vicious cycle -- there's no reason to care so nobody comes, which only further discourages spending on a winner.

Cost concerns prompted the team to trade All-Star Pau Gasol in a sweetheart of a deal for the Lakers, and after three straight playoff seasons in Memphis earlier this decade the Griz returned to near the bottom of the NBA heap. Even those three years come with an asterisk -- though Memphis made the postseason three times, it has never won a playoff game.”

We true Grizzlifers may have a different spin on Hollinger’s story, but even the most optimistic fan can’t deny some truths in the story. But here is to hope and a future. Let’s pray the Grizz get lucky and land a future star. I believe in Memphis and the Grizzlies, and hopefully in a few years, John Hollinger and the rest of the country will too.

Grizz for Life

Griz Give Wallace Extension

2010-06-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

The Grizzlies officially announced on Sunday that general manager Chris Wallace has signed a multi-year contract extension. Although the exact terms of the deal have not been disclosed yet, it is likely to keep Wallace in Memphis for at least the next three years. The deal is a vote of high confidence from owner Michael Heisley, who has given Wallace control over many aspects of the Grizzlies organization.

Is this contract extension a good thing for the Grizzlies? In my opinion, yes and no. I say yes because, despite his oft-ridiculed decisions, Wallace has turned the Grizzlies from Western Conference doormats into contenders. The Pau Gasol trade, his most widely publicized transaction, has actually proved semi-fruitful for the Griz. Marc Gasol, acquired in the trade, has developed into one of the NBA's top centers and the Grizzlies own the Lakers' first round pick in this year's draft. Additionally, he spearheaded the trade of Kevin Love for OJ Mayo.

However, I say it's a bad thing because part of me wants some new blood. The Grizzlies are 86-160 under Wallace and he made the brilliant decision to fire the team's scouts. He lets Heisley weild WAY too much influence in the team's basketball decisions. I hope that he addressed that in the contract negotiations. The horrible decison to draft Hasheem Thabeet was engineered by Heisley; Wallace and the other basketball minds in the front office should have stopped that.

Overall, I'm lukewarm on Wallace. After this draft, I'll have a much stronger opinion. A lot will change in the next week.

Can't wait for the draft,
Owen

The Draft: T-Minus 6 Days

2010-06-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, again, Grizzlies fans. I hope this post finds you well. With an NBA Finals Game 7 and the NBA Draft in the same 7-day span, I sure am feeling good. As a Grizzlies fan, however, my focus is more on the Draft than the playoffs. Will we trade all (or any) of our picks? If we keep the 12th pick, who will we take? Will potential first-rounders keep snubbing our workouts (see: Hayward, Gordon; Bledsoe, Eric; George, Paul; Udoh, Ekpe; Sanders, Larry)? Thanks to GrizzLife, however, you have answers to those questions. Are they the right answers? Who knows...

Will we trade our picks?

For weeks, basketball insiders have quietly assumed that the Grizzlies would likely keep the 12th pick and package the 25th and 28th picks in a deal. Sources close to the team have indicated, however, that if the Grizzlies front office finds a player they truly like at any of those positions, they will keep the pick. I agree.

Owner Michael Heisley and GM Chris Wallace have indicated that the 12th pick would be used to draft either an athletic forward or a scoring guard. With the 25th and 28th picks, the Grizzlies are searching for a 1) backup to point guard Mike Conley and 2) a wildcard player that team executives like.

Bottom line: I bet we keep the 12th pick and trade either the 25th or 28th pick. Who would we package in that trade? That's difficult to say, but Carroll or Thabeet are certainly options. This morning, Commercial Appeal reporter Ronald Tillery reported that the Grizzlies are in talks with the New Orleans Hornets about a possible trade involving Hornets' point guards Chris Paul or Darren Collison. It is not clear who or what the Grizzlies would give up to get these players, but I would be thrilled with either one.

If we keep the 12th pick, who will we take?

All the evidence points to the Grizzlies going after an athletic forward or an electrifying guard with the 12th overall pick. Regarding my previous post, the Grizzlies are unlikely to take Baylor's Ekpe Udoh. He snubbed the Grizzlies in a June 16th workout and is falling on many draft boards. Additionally, Nevada's Luke Babbit, once thought to be the frontrunner for the 12th pick, is not so anymore. A colleague who attended Babbit's workout for the Grizzlies said that he seemed lazy and disinterested. Additionally, he was the first one in the group to run out gas. However, that will likely not deter the Grizzlies from taking him, since he compiled an outstanding season for Nevada.

That said, who is on the Grizzlies' radar now? Two shooting guards who worked out Sunday, Kansas' Xavier Henry and Oklahoma State's James Anderson, were very impressive in their workouts and Memphis management was excited about both of them. "We were pleased with what these guys did," said Tony Barone, director of player personell.

And although they have snubbed the Grizzlies in recent workouts, Gordon Hayward and Paul George are thought to be good fits for the Grizzlies at the small forward position. Despite his unwillingness to work out for the team last year, Hasheem Thabeet was still selected by the Grizzlies. The lesson, as always, with the Grizzlies: don't count anything out.

Will potential first-rounders keep snubbing the Grizzlies in workouts?

After several private workout sessions, the number of players refusing to work out for the Grizzlies is growing: Gordon Hayward, Eric Bledsoe, Ekpe Udoh, Larry Sanders and Avery Bradley have all pulled out of workouts for various reasons. Hayward cited a staunch refusal to play for the team while Bledsoe, Udoh and Sanders provided weak "medical" excuses for their absence. Only Bradley seems to have a legitimate ailment (an ankle injury).

With only one workout remaining before Thursday's draft, all indications are that those players will participate. Kentucky's Patrick Patterson (who is a viable option at the #12 spot), West Virginia's Devan Ebanks and Ole Miss' Terrico White (who happens to hail from Memphis) are the players featured in Sunday's workout.

Hopefully they do participate and the Grizzlies will be able to make a more informed decision about their three picks. This is an important draft for a young, rebuilding team and it would be devestating if we blew it.

Here's hoping we don't,
Owen

The Draft: A Letter to Michael Heisley

2010-06-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

To: Michael Heisley
From: Owen Mercer
CC: Chris Wallace

Dear Michael,

You don't know me. I'm just a common man with an uncommon passion for the Memphis Grizzlies. No, I'm not a season ticket holder and no, I don't buy merchandise in the Grizz Den (or whatever the team store is called). You won't make much money off of me. I only come to games when I'm home from college and then only buy the Sonic Saver tickets.

What I lack in revenue, I make up for in passion. I come to every game I can, I follow the team colsely and engage in heated debates with friends about the Grizzlies and the NBA. To put it bluntly, being a Grizzlies fan has been a struggle. The elation of three straight playoff appearances was quashed by our failing to win a single postseason game. The next three seasons were downright miserable. Last season renewed hope within me. That we can be a successful franchise; that we can be a marketbale team; basically, that we can matter in the NBA. Now it is time to improve on the strides made last season.

That is why I am writing you; to discuss the NBA Draft. As you (hopefully) know, the Memphis Grizzlies are owners of the 12th, 25th and 28th overall picks in this year's draft. You have often said that the draft is one of the best ways to improve the team. Well, Michael, now is the time to put your money where your mouth is. I know that will be difficult for you, to put your money anywhere. You're about as free-spending as an 85-year-old on a fixed income and seem to look everywhere to cut spending. I say that to say this: please don't trade the picks for overpriced players just to save a few bucks. The payroll for the 2011 season is already $10 million less than 2010. There is value to be had in the draft.

After last season, I see two main areas that we need to improve: bench production and defense. With three first round picks, surely we can adequately address those needs. Also, Rudy Gay and Ronnie Brewer may not be around next season (althought that's another story) and we need to consider that when drafting.

Just because we don't own a high (aka top-10) pick doesn't mean we can't have a successful draft. Recently, a large number of NBA stars have been drafted later in the first round: Rajon Rondo, Danny Granger, David West amd Gerald Wallace to name a few. Does this mean we will get players like these? Not necessarily. But it does mean that we can. This may not be the deepest draft in history, but there are always diamonds in the rough waiting to be uncovered. Based on draft projections, what players might be around at 12, 26 and 28? At #12, I think Ekpe Udoh or Luke Babbit would be great selections.

Udoh is a 6'10" 237-lb. power forward who just completed his junior season at Baylor. Size-wise, he is very similar to Kevin Durant (just add 1" of height, 1/2" of wingspan and 7 pounds). Although he is nowhere close to elite as an offensive player, he has the makings of a star on the defensive end. Last season, he averaged an astounding 3.9 blocks per game. In watching film of him, you notice that he uses his length extremely well and keeps his blocked shots in play.

Additionally, he rebounds extremely well (9.8 per game), something that would fit well with the Grizz, who were one of the NBA's best rebounding clubs last season. Udoh uses his quickness to gain an edge on the defensive end, where he would make an immediate impact for the team.

His quickness also aids his otherwise-weak offensive game. He is awkward and indecisive in the post and lacks a consistent repitoire of moves. That noted, he has vastly improved his offense throughout the past few seasons and emerged as a legitimate scoring threat for Baylor (14 points per game). It is likely that he will continue his offensive development in the NBA.

Overall, Udoh is a lanky, above-average defender whose offensive misgivings will greatly improve in the NBA. Where would he fit on the Grizzlies? He would replace Captain Inept (Hasheem Thabeet) and his sidekick Lieutenant Useless (DeMarre Carroll) as a spell for Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph and would provide a positive spark off the bench. If he's around at #12, I would applaud if we took him.

If Udoh doesn't excite you, how about Luke Babbit at #12? The 6'9", 218-lb. forward from Nevada would be a great pick as well. Simply, he is one of the best scorers in the draft. Last season, he averaged 22.1 points per game (8th in the nation) while shooting 43% from downtown and 91% from the charity stripe (5th in the nation). Besides a great jump shot, he has also developed a smooth post game. Thanks to a 37.5" vertical, he's not afraid to throw down a dunk either.

Moreover, he averaged an impressive 8.9 rebounds per game last season. He uses high energy to gain the rebounding edge over bigger or faster opponents. That energy makes him effective at both ends of the floor and he would definitely bring added tempo to the Grizzlies.

What's wrong with him? He is a defensive liability due to his lack of quickness and strength. When guarding quicker small forwards, he would likely get beaten more often than not. Additionally, he may not do well down low offensively when guarded by big 7-footers.

Overall, though, he would be a phenomenal pick. His scoring, energy and high basketball IQ make him a fun player to watch and Grizzlies fans would likely take to him quickly. If Rudy Gay or Ronnie Brewer were to leave Memphis, I believe he could jump into the starting rotation right away.

Now, Michael, don't forget about our 25th and 28th picks. I know you'll probably end up trading them to save yourself some money, though. Although there is no way to tell who will be around late in the first round, here are four solid players who might be: Damion James, Elliott Williams, Armon Johnson and Quincy Pondexter.

James is a 6'7", 227-lb. small forward who just finished a stellar 4-year career at Texas. He is a top-of-the-charts athlete (3rd in the combine in the lane agility drill, 7th in the combine in the 3/4 court sprint) and uses that athleticism to guard virtually any opponent he is matched up against. Did I mention that he is one of the best rebounders in the draft? He is the Big 12's all-time leading rebounder and uses his 7-foot wingspan and 35" vertical jump to reach any ball that comes near him. His negatives are poor ball-handling, the lack of a consistent jump shot, horrible free throw shooting (63% for his career) and age (he'll turn 23 in October). However, if available, his athleticism and marked offensive improvement through college (18 points per game in 2010) may make him too sweet to pass up, especially if Rudy heads out of town.

Elliott Williams is another solid option at either #25 or #28. The 6'4", 180-lb. shooting guard from Memphis and Duke is long, athletic and quick. Offensively, the lefty is extremely effective in traffic close to the basket. He is better-suited for a shooting guard, but could run the point in a pinch. However, he is not a very good jump shooter, 3-point shooter or free throw shooter. Basically, his offensive game is limited when he's away from the basket. Defensively, his athleticism, length and quickness make him an above-average against both smaller and bigger opponents. Additionally, he has a high basketball IQ and possesses loads of potential (especially if he develops a consistent jump shot).

If he is around, I would be happy if you took Armon Johnson. As Babbit's teammate at Nevada, the 6'3" point guard averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 assists per game. He is extremely athletic and has great size for a point guard. He is not exactly a pass-first point guard, but has greatly improved at creating shots for teammates. He is a solid finisher and has a decent jumper. Picking him would also address our need at the point guard position. Mike Conley has been good but seems to leave something to be desired and Jamaal Tinsley is getting old. Johnson's drawbacks are a lack of point guard-specific skills (which is what the Grizzlies need), poor leadership skills, prone to turnovers and a shaky 3-point shot. He has potential, though, and would be a good late-1st round pick.

Finally, another good late-1st round choice would be Quincy Pondexter, a 6'7", 215 lb. small forward from Washington. He is an impressive athlete and is very strong for his size. His offensive game, which improved steadily throughout his collegiate career, consists mostly of slashing to the basket and finishing inside. He uses above average quickness and explosiveness to make up for below average ball-handling skills. His mid-range game is effective but he has an inconsistent 3-point shot. His free throw shooting (84%) is solid, which is good considering how often he gets to the line. (He finished 24th in the country last season with 178 made free throws). Defensively, he is very good and exhibits tremendous hustle in both guarding opponents and rebounding. He could effectively guard a smaller guard or a bigger forward. Overall, he is an effective scorer (19.3 points per game), practices and plays hard, defends well and would inject athleticism into the Grizzlies roster. As with James, he would also be good Rudy Gay insurance.

Well, Michael, there's my advice. Take it or leave it (you'll probably leave it). I have confidence in our scouts' ability to evaluate players and I'm sure we'll be well prepared come June 24th. Wait...what's that?? We don't have scouts?? Oh yeah, that's right. You fired them last summer. I know you're always looking to save a buck, but when we are the only team in the NBA without full-time scouts, something's wrong. It's not an accident that the NBA's playoff teams all employ several scouts.

Do you truly want to be part of a playoff team? Yes? Then start acting like it. Hire a few scouts, execute a smart draft and don't be afraid to be agressive in this offseason's negotiations. If we start winning consistently, fans will come. And those fans will bring money.

Sincerely,
Owen Mercer

The Zach Randolph Drug Story, Day 2

2010-05-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Less than 24 hours after an Indianapolis news station reported that Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph was implicated in a recent drug bust, Randolph, and Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace, responded with official statements claiming innocence and a commitment to the Memphis community. These two statements follow reports that the initial story as reported last night was not entirely true.

In a statement released to the media Thursday afternoon, Randolph claimed that he "was not involved in any of the allegations" brought forth by Channel 6 News in Indianapolis. Furthermore, he noted that the "IMPD made an official statement around 6p EST stating that I am not a suspect in any current narcotics investigation." Throughout the statement, Randolph emphasized that he has learned lessons from his past mistakes and has worked hard to rebuild his public image. The full statement can be viewed here.

Zach, I truly do want to believe you. I believe that you have worked hard to repair your once-tarnished image and I believe that you fully demonstrated that commitment throughout the past season. Do I believe you? Mostly. I doubt that you had anything to do with drug dealing or the financing of drug dealing. That said, I believe that you have friends with cars and houses in the past. When those friends get caught up in illegal activity, you are going to be questioned, regardless of whether or not you were involved.

In a bland, by-the-books statement, Memphis GM Chris Wallace declined to comment on the ongoing investigation but stressed that Randolph has been a valuable contributor to the team and to the community. His statement can be viewed here.

What does all of this mean? It sounds like the initial allegations were way too broad and that Randolph legitimately was not involved in any illegal activity. Did he know of any illegal activity? That remains to be seen. For now, Randolph is essentially in the clear and can get back to focusing on basketball. Good.

Stay tuned to GrizzLife,

Owen

Zach Randolph Implicated In Indy Drug Bust

2010-05-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

Well, you can store this one under your "I should have seen this one coming" file, Grizzlies fans. Although official details are still hazy, here is the story so far. (All of this information comes from Jack Reinhart of Channel 6 News in Indianapolis.)

Two weeks ago, Indianapolis police were performing a stake out on a suspected drug house. After observing a Cadillac Escalade leaving the residence, police pulled the SUV over. The driver of the vehicle was Arthur Boyd, 32. Upon searching the car, police found marijuana and ammunition stored inside hidden compartments. Guess who the car was registered to? That's right, All-Star power forward Zach Randolph of the Memphis Grizzlies, who has a long history of trouble with the law.

Today, apparently, police raided a storage facility where Randolph had rented four storage units. In two of those units, police found narcotics. I all four units, police found more cars that were also outfitted with secret storage compartments.

Randolph's attorney, John Thompkins, asserts that Randolph is not involved in any drug activity. According to "a trusted police informant," however, Randolph is a "major" marijuana supplier in Indianapolis. Also according to the informant, Randolph provides cars and houses for certain individuals, including Boyd.

As of this writing, Randolph has not been arrested or charged with a crime. "Looking at his ownership of the vehicles, he should be aware of who's driving them and possessing illegal narcotics in them," said Lt. Jeff Duhamell of the Indianapolis Police Department. "That in and of itself brings up questions."

Over the next few days, this story will certainly clear up and hopefully, facts will become available. If Randolph is dismissed as a suspect, great. Let's move on and pretend like nothing ever happened. But these are serious allegations and will likely not go away easily. An arrest or trial here would be a crushing blow for Randolph, who is coming off a career season and had seemingly turned the corner regarding his behavior.

But I don't want to speculate or jump to conclusions. This investigation could be much ado about nothing. However, given Randolph's track record, it may prove to be more serious. Here's hoping it's the former.

The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to release a statement tomorrow in support of Randolph, and we will provide a copy of that statement as soon as it becomes available. As always, stick with GrizzLife for all your Grizzlies needs.

I support you Zach!!,

Owen

Draft Rater

2010-05-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

This is some of Chad Ford's Insider article. It ranks players based on The Draft Rater, which produces a projection of a player's "peak" PER in Years 4-5, something that might not be apparent from looking at the rather underwhelming numbers next to each name. The Draft Rater has yet to miss a lottery pick who became an All-Star in its top 12 collegians list.

Chad Ford has been saying for a long time that the Grizzlies love Luke Babbitt. Babbitt's draft status has been rising as of late and The Draft Rater has him at #7. Below is the list of top Draft Rater players in the draft

Rank	Player	Team	Projected PER
1	DeMarcus Cousins	Kentucky	16.14
2.	Evan Turner	Ohio State	14.79
3.	John Wall	Kentucky	14.68
4.	Greg Monroe	Georgetown	14.39
5.	Derrick Favors	Georgia Tech	13.98
6.	Xavier Henry	Kansas	13.52
7.	Luke Babbitt	Nevada	13.35
8.	Al-Farouq Aminu	Wake Forest	13.30
9.	Wes Johnson	Syracuse	13.03
10.	Greivis Vasquez	Maryland	12.97
11.	Sylven Landesberg	Virginia	12.52
12.	Omar Samhan

Here's a highlight film from his college career

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0_PCqoB0aI

Let's just hope the Grizz don't draft a project or on position. Let's draft ability and see what happens.

Go Grizz!

Grizzlies Land #12 Pick

2010-05-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

I went into the official draft lottery watch party last night with high expectations. I thought that the city would respond to a (comparatively) successful season and show up in full force to Jason's Deli at the corner of Poplar and Highland. I expected to see rabbits' feet, lucky pendants and more replica jerseys than I could count.

Additionally, I expected the Grizzlies to get a fairly high selection in the lottery. How hilarious would it be that the one year we aren't favored to get the #1 pick, we get it (or a high pick)? I thought, for some reason, the stars had aligned and we were finally going to get lucky. Don't ask me why I thought this; I don't know. Something just felt right.

What happened? I was wrong, very wrong, on both counts.

First, the watch party was more disappointing than the Grizzlies bench. That crowd I expected was merely 50 people small and there was no common connection between fans. Everyone basically just sat there. It wasn't a total loss, though, as attendees included a few titans of Memphis sports media (Geoff Calkins, Jarvis Greer, Eric Hasseltine, etc.) and Grizz. Oh, and I got a free Grizzlies flag (with 888-HOOP printed on it, just in case I had forgotten the ubiquitous season ticket hotline). Overall, however, it was an underwhelming experience and showed me that the city has yet to truly get behind the team.

I know, there wasn't much reason to come out to a watch party. We had only a 0.7% chance of landing the #1 overall pick and there were 11 teams with a better chance of winning the lottery. But, still, I thought the fans would come out. I guess I was wrong.

I was also wrong about the lottery itself. We didn't get the #1 pick, or a top pick that matter. We didn't move up at all. We got the #12 pick. Whatever. Honestly, I like this. It won't look as bad when we screw up the #12 pick as it did when we screwed up the #2 pick last year.

I can't wait to see what happens,

Owen

Draft

2010-05-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you without NBA Insider, Chad Ford has the Grizz taking Paul George out of Fresno St in the late first round. Who knows whether or not we'll keep those late picks, but the article Ford wrote on him is pretty impressive. Here it is:

Paul George If you want the upside sleeper of the first round, look no further than George. He is a 6-foot-8 wing whose silky smooth play has drawn comparisons to everyone from Tracy McGrady to Wilson Chandler

George is closer to Chandler than McGrady at the moment, but it's clear that he's the type of player who could explode with a little coaching. He's been in the gym with former NBA big man Don MacLean for the past three weeks working on the little things that separate the good wings from the great wings. Specifically, he's working on creating his own shot -- ball handling, first step and getting separation off the dribble.

In the workout we saw, George was terrific. He showed deep range on his jump shot, exploded to the rim and had terrific quickness. Scouts have had questions about his consistency and toughness. They've also worried about his love affair with the 3-pointer. But it was also clear that he was rarely pushed at Fresno State.

In this environment, playing alongside other NBA prospects, he looked much sharper and more focused. He needs to get stronger and improve his motor (something he admitted to me when we chatted) but MacLean told me George has been a sponge since coming into the gym.

George believes he may be more of a 2-guard than a 3. Some NBA teams agree. In fact his first workout is in San Antonio on Thursday. His workout partner: Kansas shooting guard Xavier Henry.

Whether or not we keep the pick, I like this guy's upside.

Grizzlies Will Play on ESPN Tonight

2010-04-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

After playing just one nationally-televised game all season, the Grizzlies' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder will be broadcast on ESPN. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. EST. Tune in to see if the Griz can end the season at .500. A win tonight would do that. Now, I know that ESPN is only airing this game because the Thunder's Kevin Durant is closing in on the scoring title, but the Griz are on national TV nonetheless. I know I'll be watching...

Owen

Magic, Rockets Thwart Grizzlies

2010-04-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

Since being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs two games ago (after a win, ironically), the Memphis Grizzlies have lost two straight games, to the Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets. Both losses were tough to swallow and showed Grizzlies fans that they can start looking forward to the draft.

Against the Magic, the Grizzlies played well enough through the first three quarters to stick with the defending Eastern Conference champs. The game fell apart in the 4th quarter, however, as the Magic outscored the Griz 32-23 to secure a 107-92 win. As a team, the Grizzlies shot just 40% for the game, missed nine free throws and turned the ball over 15 times.

There were a few bright spots though. Center Zach Randolph came roaring back after a poor performance against the Hornets. Against the Magic, he scored 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. Additionally, the Grizzlies hit just three 3-pointers (Orlando hit 13). Going into the 4th quarter, I honestly thought we might win the game. Then the Magic woke up and put the game away. Oh well...

After the disappointing loss to the Magic, the Grizzlies returned to FedEx Forum for a clash against the Houston Rockets, a team that had thwarted the Grizzlies three times already this season. Last night's matchup was no different. Houston guard Kevin Martin poured in 29 points and the Rockets used a strong 3rd quarter to take a commanding lead. This was a tougher loss than the Magic because the Rockets are not a playoff team. If there's a team the Grizzlies can handle, it's one that can't make the playoffs either. But the Grizzlies couldn't do it and now have just one home game remaining.

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizzlies 107, Hornets 96

2010-04-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Like Moses entering the promised land, I returned to the FedEx Forum tonight after a three-and-a-half month absence. When watching Grizzlies games on NBA TV, you don't have the same experience as at the Forum. There are no Grizz Girls, no Neely's BBQ and definitely no "get on your feet, Grizzlies fans!" 4th-quarter intro videos. There's nothing like watching a game at the Forum. And tonight was no different.

In a game that was never very close, the Grizzlies gave their fans plenty to cheer for. In the first half, Rudy Gay threw down a monstrous 360º dunk on a fast break. In the second, Sam Young leapt over James Posey to slam home a missed jump shot. Later in the half, Young drove down the lane, faked a pass and laid in a layup, completely fooling the New Orleans defense. See all the highlights here.

The Grizz didn't just use flashy plays to put away the Hornets, however. We out-rebounded New Orleans by 15 and had 24 fast-break points. OJ Mayo had 27 points on 50% shooting in arguably his best game since the All-Star break. Young also had a phenomenal game, coming off the bench to score 19 points and grab 7 rebounds.

It was not a perfect game though. Zach Randolph picked up two early fouls and played one of his worst games of the season, scoring just six points while playing only 22 minutes. Additionally, the Grizzlies allowed the Hornets to creep back into the game in the 4th quarter after being up 18 earlier in the game. With 2:32 remaining, the Grizzlies were only up by 9. Thanks to clutch play by Mike Conley and Gay, however, the Grizzlies put the game away.

Tonight's game gave me hope that the Grizzlies can make a playoff run. No, that won't happen this season. But with the foundation this year's team has built, there is no reason why we can't make that leap to the playoffs next season.

This season isn't over though. We have seven games remaining, including home contests against the Rockets and the 76'ers. Let's get out there and support our team, Grizzlies fans!

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz vs Mavericks Preview

2010-03-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Grizzlies put their 3 game home winning streak versus the Mavericks on the line tonight. Yes, you read that right. The Memphis Grizzlies have beaten the Mavs three straight times in the FedEx Forum. That's not a small accomplishment considering the Mavs are one win away from their 10th straight 50 win season. As impressive as those 10 straight seasons are, the Mavs still don't have a championship. Dallas is fighting for the 2nd spot in the Western Conference. The Mavs' run towards the 2nd spot is largely because of the play of their trade deadline pickups of Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood.

The key match-up of tonight's game is Zach versus Dirk. There could not be two different PFs in the league. Dirk is finesse, loving the outside shot, while Z-Bo loves to bang down low and hit the glass. Dirk has been struggling the last 4 games averaging just 15.5 ppg, but he broke out with a triple double of 34-10-10 versus Denver. Look for both players to have big nights tonight.

Rudy Gay needs 26 points to pass Mike Miller (5403) for 3rd all time in Grizz history.

Tonight has huge importance for the Mavericks' playoff seeding but is only about pride for the Grizz. Hopefully the Grizz will have some pride, play hard, and continue developing.

On another note, Grizzlife will need to be at the Forum for the Grizz vs NOLA on Friday. We'll all celebrate the season together.

Grizz at Bucks- Keys to the Game

2010-03-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

Well Grizzlife, as much as it hurts me to say this, the Grizz are out of the playoff hunt. I want the Grizz to keep playing hard and keep developing our young team. To me, development in the last 10 games is as important as wins and losses. The last games tell me a lot about how our young team will look next year. In my opinion, we need to make some moves in the off-season and don't need to get any younger. I could write a whole article about the off-season, but that's for another time. I'll preview today's game:

My keys to the game are development, effort, and desire.

I know I'm not giving any tangible ideas for a Grizzlies' win, but it's not about that to me. I'll be happy regardless of the result if the Grizz hustle, play hard, and get better.

Go Grizz!

Playoff bound 2011

Grizz at Warriors- Keys to the Game

2010-03-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

For the second time in 5 days the Grizz will face the Warriors. The Grizz will be looking for a must-have win to stay in the playoff hunt, while the Warriors are looking for only their third victory this month. A Grizzlies' loss tonight would pretty much eliminate their playoff hopes. I guess it's good news the game tonight is on the road because the Grizzlies are 8-3 since February 1st on the road. That makes the Grizzlies 16-18 on the road for the season and winning on the road is one of the first signs that a team is becoming competitive. If the Grizzlies win tonight they will join the 8 Western Conference playoff teams and only 4 Eastern Conference teams with that many road wins. The 16 road wins has already doubled last seasons road win total for the entire season.

The Grizzlies are obviously the favorites in tonight's game, and here's how they get the W:

1. Win the first quarter. The Grizz need to start hot and squash the Warriors hopes. The Warriors have lost a lot of games this year, so the Grizz need to get a lead early and make the Warriors lay down.

2. Rudy Gay vs Reggie Williams. Who is Reggie Williams? He is a rookie from VMI that got called up from the D-League on March 2. Rudy has more than excelled sub par players' guarding him, so tonight should be a big night tonight. The Grizz need Rudy to go for 25+ points tonight.

3. Bench play. Due to injury, the Warriors bench is basically non existent. DA and Marcus Williams have been playing better for the Grizz, which has lead to our recent success. The Grizz bench needs to outscore the Warriors' bench tonight for us to win.

Those are my 3 keys to a Grizzlies' win tonight. Let's keep the ball rolling tonight and keep our playoff chances alive.

Also, MAKE SURE YOU READ THE STALEY CATES INTERVIEW IN THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL TODAY!

GO GRIZZ!

Grizz vs Warriors- LJ's Keys to the Game

2010-03-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'd like to apologize for my absence from the Grizzlife. I just spent this last week in Colorado skiing for Spring Break. I was unable to blog, but I watched the games on everybody's favorite NBA League Pass account. I'm back for good now, and living the Grizzlife all out.

Time is running out on Grizzlies' playoff hopes, but they have a chance to make up ground with a favorable schedule over the next five days. That stretch includes two games against the short-handed Warriors who have lost 12 straight on the road and one against the Kings. The Grizz must keep winning, and they desperately need some teams from ahead of them in the playoff race to fall back.

The Warriors are a team built for speed and perimeter play and have almost no interior presence at all. The Warriors lack a low post presence and defense. The Warriors haven't held an opponent under 100 pts in March and only 5 opponents have failed to cross the 100 pt plateau since the start of the year. Also, Marc Gasol has missed the past two games with a strained neck muscle. His status is uncertain as Memphis tries goes for its fourth win in five games at the Forum, following an eight-game slide there.

Tonight is a must win for the Grizz, and here's how we get it done:

1. No Stephen Curry- The Warriors are most likely without Curry tonight because of a sprained ankle. His absence would take away the Warriors' second scoring option and will leave a big hole in their line-up. The Grizzlies need to expose his absence and keep his replacement CJ Watson from having a big night of scoring.

2. OJ vs Montae Ellis- If there is a big time matchup in this game this is it. Mayo and Ellis were rumored to be involved in discussions around the trade deadline but nothing ever came of it. This would be a great opportunity for both players to show which side was right and which made a mistake. Ellis may play all 48 minutes tonight, so OJ and the bench need to wear him down. Ellis will probably be the leading scorer for the Warriors, but if the Grizz keep him under 25 pts, our chances of winning will skyrocket.

3. Race to 110 pts. I think whoever reaches the 110 pt plateau will win this came, plain and simple.

Let's Go Grizz!

Nuggets 125, Grizzlies 108

2010-03-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

End of the first quarter: 33-24 Memphis. Halftime: 63-57 Memphis. End of the third quarter: 85-85 tie. Final score: 125-108 Nuggets. That's right, the Nuggets scored 40 points in the 4th quarter. 40! Last night against the Knicks, the Grizz gave up 39 in the final period, their worst 4th quarter defensive performance of the season. Tonight we gave up 40. As a Grizzlies fan, that stat really scares me. We cannot play any defense late in the game. The Nuggets went on a 12-0 run to start the 4th quarter and the only reason we were able to pull out the win against the Knicks was because we were up by 21 and had enough of a cushion to win. But when it comes to the 4th quarter on defense, we have been inept lately.

Why can't we play defense late in games? Who knows? One reason is that we rely too much on our starters, a common theme this season. The Denver bench played 101 minutes. The Memphis bench played just 66. I wonder which team will have more gas in the tank at the end of the game? We can rely on our starters for three quarters (or all game against bad teams), but then they run out of steam. We just don't have enough depth. Until that problem gets solved (hopefully with the return of Ronnie Brewer), we won't be able to put ourselves into playoff contention. Interestingly, we have lost eight straight home games against teams with winning records. Not good.

A few other bad things: we had just 9 fast break points while the Nuggets had 26. We were outrebounded by 8. Denver's JR Smith played just 28 minutes yet scored 30 points and hit 7 of 10 threes.

Even in a 17-point loss, there are a couple of bright spots. First, we shot 50% from the field (too bad the Nuggets shot 58%) and 78% from the free-throw line. Second, we had 58 points in the paint, 2 more than the Nuggets. That's about it.

This was a tough loss and doesn't bode well for our playoff hopes. Hopefully we can turn it around against the Bulls.

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizzlies 119, Knicks 112

2010-03-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the late post, GrizzLife readers. Spring Break 2010 got in the way of my blogging aspirations. Nevertheless, last night's game was an interesting one. The Grizz exploded for 119 points and had six players score in double figures. As good as the offense was, our defensive performance left much to be desired. The Knicks scored 112 points (a lot even for a Mike D'Antoni-coached team) and, thanks to a 4th-quarter rally, almost came back from a 94-73 deficit at the end of three quarters. Their 70 second-half points were the most scored in a half against the Grizz this season. But a win is a win and I'll take it. I just want to point out three things from the game.

1) The Grizzlies shot 91% (30-33) from the free-throw line. For a team that has shot a dismal 73.7% on the season, last night's performance was impressive. Also, the Knicks shot a red-hot 86% (25-29). Some good air must have been floating around the Forum...

2) The win gave the Grizzlies their third straight victory. That marked the first time since January 27 that the Grizz won three in a row. The win now puts us four games out of a playoff spot.

3) Three Grizzlies bench players (Sam Young, DeMarre Carroll, and Marcus Williams) played 15+ minutes and scored a combined 23 points. It's been good to see some sort of bench production from the team over the past few games.

Stay tuned for a recap of the game against the Nuggets. Hopefully we can pull out the W.

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz vs Nuggets- LJ's Keys to the Game

2010-03-13T09:43:00.001-08:00

The Grizzlies could actually be looking at the biggest game of the season when they play Denver tonight. Sure that sounds dramatic, but it still may be true. A victory over the Nuggest could propel the Grizzlies to a long winning streak at the absolute right time to put pressure on Portland and San Antonio for the final playoff spots. The good news for the Grizzlies is that Denver played New Orleans on the road last night and their legs may be a tad bit weary. This is the 3rd game in 4 days for the Nuggets with all of them being played on the road. The fact that Denver has won 5 consecutive games and are still losing ground in the conference standings should say enough about how difficult the conference is this season. Denver (44-21) is ranked second in the league in scoring, averaging 107.6 points, but it has been even better during its winning streak, posting 114.2 per contest.George Karl's absence has been a significant loss for the Nuggets. He will miss this entire five-game road trip to adjust to a feeding tube that was placed into his stomach as part of his cancer treatment.

1. Carmelo Anthony- Melo is one of the biggest superstars in the NBA. His style is not flashy like Kobe's or LeBron's, but Melo gets the job done. He's averaging 28.5 ppg, 6+ rpg, and 3.5 apg. He's a quiet, steady assassin that during a game you don't really know, and then you look up and he has 30 points. The Grizzlies need to keep Melo below his points average tonight to have a chance to win.

2. 80% from Free Throw line. Grizz shot 90.9 percent (30 for 33) from the line Friday vs the Knicks, and they'll need to keep that up tonight versus a much better opponent in the Nuggets. In a high scoring game, the Grizz don't need to give up any freebees.

3. Keep the Nuggets under 105 points. I think if the Grizz can keep the Nuggets under their season average of 107 ppg, they will have a great chance to win tonight.

Go Grizz! Let's win this huge game and keep marching towards the playoffs.

2010-03-13T09:43:00.000-08:00

Grizzlies 111, Celtics 91

2010-03-10T23:40:00.000-08:00

Read the title of this post again. That's right, Grizzlies fans, we beat the Boston Celtics by 21 points. And the game was in Boston, no less! Behind Rudy Gay's 28 points and 8 rebounds, the Grizzlies used a 22-point halftime lead to put away the once-mighty Celtics. The game also saw the return of forward Zach Randolph, who tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds. It was great to see him back. Celtics star Kevin Garnett described the game the best: "They just came in and totally annihilated us." Wow; a future Hall-of-Famer just said that about our team. I love it. Although there are so many things one can say about tonight's game, I would just like to point out a few.

1) The Grizzlies have now won a franchise-record seven straight road games. I don't know what it is about playing on the road, but we have been unstoppable away from the Forum over the last couple of weeks. I wish we could play at home, though. We've only won one home game since February 2. Whatever, I'm happy with this win.

2) KG was right. We completely annihilated the Celts tonight. We shot 55% (including a sizzling 56% from 3), won the rebounding battle by 19 (48 to 29), and had a 29-point lead at one point. Sounds like annihilation to me.

3) Hasheem Thabeet played great in his return to the Grizzlies after the D-League stint. He logged 26 minutes, scored 7 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked a shot. Tonight was arguably his best game of the season and I hope he can continue to provide strong bench play until Ronnie Brewer returns.

4) The Memphis bench as a whole played great. Marcus Williams had 16 points, Sam Young had 11, and Thabeet had 7. The bench was a combined +36 on the +/- scale (which denotes the team's net points while a player was on the court) and three players played over 20 minutes (Young, Williams, and Thabeet). Take some time to let that hamstring heal, Ronnie. We're just fine. (That was a joke by the way; we need Ronnie ASAP).

5) The Celtics' 33 first half points were the fewest they had scored all season. This was the first time since 2006 that the Grizzlies had beaten the Celtics. Do those two things really mean that much? Not particularly. Are they cool? You bet.

Phenomenal win tonight, Grizzlies. Now we're only 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. Let's keep it up. Knicks at home on Friday.

Protect the Forum and go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz at Celtics- Keys to the Game

2010-03-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

The Celtics' home problems this year are very surprising and so is the Grizzlies' road winning streak. The Grizzlies put their 6 game road winning streak on the line tonight. A win against the Celtics could reignite the Grizzlies fading playoff hopes and continue the Grizzlies franchise best road winning streak. It would seem appropriate if the Grizzlies break the winning streak the first game after breaking the losing streak on Monday. The Celtics are a bit confusing this year. Last month, they beat the Lakers at home but lost to the Nets too. Most blame fatigue and injury for the inconsistency, but everyone knows the Celtics are aging and time is almost up on the Big 3 of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett. Memphis is undefeated (4-0) versus the Atlantic division and look to complete the division sweep tonight versus the Celtics. Here's how I think the Grizz do it:

1. Conley vs Rondo- Two of the fastest PGs in the league today square off in this battle. However only one of them plays like it every night. Rondo is averaging 14.1 ppg and 9.9 apg this season. Conley is averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.3 apg. Conley needs to be extremely careful with the ball around Rondo who is one of the best defensive PG's in the league. I don't expect Conley to match Rondo's numbers, but the Grizz need him to be close to Rondo's numbers and to make life difficult for Rondo tonight.

2. Zach Randolph. Z-Bo will be returning tonight after missing the Nets game with a sore back. He will be matched up against Kevin Garnett who has been slowed down by knee problems. Zach should be able to get 20+ points tonight and 12+ rebounds. If Zach doesn't win this match-up tonight, the Grizz chances decrease significantly.

Also, if the Celtics build a double digit lead, don't be discouraged. They have many melt downs this year, blowing plenty of double digit leads.

Tonight would be a momentous win. The Grizz nation wants it, so let's hope the Grizz get it done. Reminder, the game starts at 7:30 EST and 6:30 CST.

Grizzlies 107, Nets 101

2010-03-09T16:19:00.000-08:00

Although they were without All-Star forward Zach Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies still downed the New Jersey Nets 107-101. Since the Nets were 7-55 heading into the game, that's not saying much. A loss last night would've been a huge blow to a team fighting to make the playoffs. But thanks to 61 combined points by Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies got the win. It was closer than it should've been, however...

After taking a 16-point lead into the locker room at halftime, the Grizz watched that lead evaporate to 2 heading into the game's final period. With 3:09 left, the Grizz were only up by three. They were able to close out the win, their first at home since the win over the Lakers on February 1. "We made just enough plays at the end to win the game," said Head Coach Lionel Hollins.

Let's review Luke's keys to the game: 1) Rudy Gay vs. Trenton Hassell. This was never really a matchup. Gay played 38 minutes, scored 21 points on 7-18 shooting, and grabbed 10 rebounds. Hassell played 18 minutes, scored 0 points and had 3 fouls. Advantage: Gay. 2) Win the first quarter. After one quarter, the Grizzlies were up 32-27. Although that lead evaporated later in the game, it was a good start. Advantage: Grizzlies.

Good win at home (finally), Grizzlies. Let's keep the mo rolling against the Celtics tomorrow night.

Go Grizz!

Owen

Thabeet Recalled from D-League

2010-03-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

After playing for the NBA D-League's Dakota Wizards for less than two weeks, Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet has been recalled back up to the Memphis Grizzlies. Thabeet averaged 13.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.17 blocks per game in six games for the Wizards. Hopefully his D-League stint lit a fire under the 7'3" rookie, who has played very inconsistent basketball for the Grizzlies so far this season. We'll see what happens...

Nets at Grizz- Key to the Game

2010-03-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

The Grizz haven't won at home in 5 weeks, and as weird as this is to say, the Nets have had success on the road as of late. Facing the Nets (7-55) would seem to be a good opportunity to snap that skid, but New Jersey has won three straight on the road. The Nets won 113-93 at New York on Saturday, and defeated Boston and Charlotte in their previous two road games. A loss Monday would give the Grizzlies their longest home slide since dropping a franchise-record 11 in a row from Feb. 16-March 31, 1996, when the team was based in Vancouver. All that I have written seems pretty negative, but let's remember that the Nets have only won 7 games and are the NBA's worst team.

The Grizz are favorites tonight and need every win they can get as the playoffs draw nearer. A loss tonight to the lowly Nets, and I don't see how the Grizz can bounce back. I think we win handily tonight, and here's how we get it done:

1.Rudy Gay vs Trenton Hassel- I follow the NBA every single night, and I have never heard of Trenton Hassel, the Nets' starting SF. Hassell is a defensive specialist who is 31 yrs old and losing a step. He's also very undersized to play SF and will very outmatched by Rudy Gay in almost every way. Rudy hasn't gone for 20 yet in March, but look for him to get above that threshold tonight.

2. Win the first quarter. Last game vs the Nets, the Grizzlies got off to a slow start and barely squeaked out a win. Tonight, the Grizz need to play well early, and put the Nets away. The Nets are used to losing, and tonight is no night to let them hang around and have their confidence build.

A couple side notes: Yi will not play for New Jersey tonight. Make sure you read Ron Tillery's interview of Heisley and Calkins' thoughts on Heisley in today's Commercial Appeal. Both articles are very insightful.

Grizz Straight!

Grizzlies Cruise on the Road

2010-03-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened since we last spoke, Grizzlies fans. For starters, the boys in blue have won 3 of 5 games and just set a franchise record with their sixth straight road win. They have knocked off the Knicks, Hornets and Bulls and have lost to the Bobcats and Trail Blazers. Zach Randolph has scored 131 points and grabbed 71 rebounds. I have taken three midterms and written four papers, which explains my absence from the blogosphere. For that I apologize.

I would like to point out a few things from the past week in Grizz country. First, Randolph pulled in a mind-boggling 25 rebounds against the Knicks. That was the most rebounds in a game by a Grizzly since Lorenzen Wright hauled in 26 against the Mavericks on November 4, 2001. Second, the Grizzlies have moved to two games above .500, their best mark since after the loss to Minnesota on February 6. So we're playing our best basketball in a month; I like the sound of that. Third, Mike Conley had a career game against the Hornets last night. Let this stat line blow your mind: 26 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals and 11-18 FG. Is it coincidence that I put a bobblehead of him on my desk that morning? I don't think so. It was great to see a player who has struggled at times this season come out and play a great game. Hopefully he can continue to provide spark for a thinly-stretched team. Finally, a fan hit his head on the rim in a halftime trampoline stunt at the Forum. Check out the video here. Now there's a true Grizzlifer...

Great play the past week, Grizzlies. Let's keep the momentum up against the Spurs on Saturday. We're only 4 games out of a playoff spot. Anything can happen...

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz at Bulls- LJ's Keys to the Game

2010-03-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Grizz have another back to back series and this one could be the most difficult they have faced since the All-Star game. New Orleans and Chicago are both fighting for their playoff lives right now and Memphis will have to give a maximum effort to avoid losing in front of our beloved owner Michael Heisley who still owns front row seats to the Bulls games. The win in New Orleans ended a long drought there and the Grizzlies are now looking to sweep back to back games for the first time since the 2004-05 season when both games were on the road. The Bulls have won their last five meetings with the Grizzlies (31-30) at the United Center, and the home team has taken the last nine games in this series

The Bulls have lost two straight games but are 12-11 against the Western Conference. The Bulls will be without Joakim Noah and could also be without Luol Deng and Derrick Rose, both with ailing knees. Rose has battled minor injuries all season and was held out of practice on Wednesday but is expected to play.

Last night was a huge win, but every night from here until the end of the season is an extremely important game. Needless to say, tonight is a must win. Here's how we get it done:

1. Rudy vs Deng. Deng is alot like Rudy. He averages 18.2 ppg and 7.5 rpg. He's an athletic freak with a long body that somehow doesn't translate into a good defensive player although the skills are there to be better. Rudy and Deng are very similar players in size and stats. The Grizz need Rudy to win the points battle with Deng tonight.

2. Confidence. After setting the franchise record for consecutive road wins, the Grizzlies look to extend that record tonight. They have an extremely high confidence on the road right now, and that confidence needs to continue and translate to the home floor where they face the Spurs this weekend. The Grizz think they can beat anyone on the road right now, and they can. They'll need that confidence to continue tonight to get the win.

If the the Bulls are without Noah, Deng, and/or Rose, the Grizzlies will have a large advantage. The Grizzlies need another huge road win tonight, and I'll believe they'll get it.

Grizz Straight!

Grizz at Hornets- Keys to the Game

2010-03-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, tonight is the breaking point of the season for our beloved Grizzlies. We are currently 30-30 and 4.5 games out of the playoffs in the Western Conference. The Grizz match up against the New Orleans Hornets who are in a similar slide out of the playoffs. NOLA is 1-4 in their last 5 games and are 31-30, 4 games out of the Western Conference playoffs. Tonight is a must win for both teams if they want to continue a push towards the playoffs. If the Grizz lose tonight, we will be under .500 and headed for another lottery pick. I hate to say it, but tonight is do or die for the Grizzlies.

NOLA is looking for its 10th straight home win versus the Grizzlies while the Grizz are looking to set a franchise record with its 5th straight road victory. The Hornets will be without Chris Paul tonight who has missed the last few weeks with a knee injury. Road wins have come easier than home wins for the Grizz lately, but tonight will be as tough as any. Here's how I think the Grizz get it done:

1. Collison vs Conley. Collison had to step in the fill some big shoes that CP3 left when he went down with an injury, but Collison has done quite well. He has averaged 20.5 ppg and 9.2 apg since Paul's injury. Pretty stout numbers for the Western Conference's February Rookie of the Month. Conley has been up and down all season and especially lately. He's gone multiple games without turnovers then he'll have a game like Monday's with 7 turnovers. The Grizz need to limit Collison, but it all depends on which Mike Conley shows up.

2. Marc Gasol. During the home losing skid, Marc has played much better on the road. He was just 2 assists shy of a triple double versus the Knicks on Saturday. Gasol will match up against Omeka Okafor who has struggled this season to guard Gasol. Marc will need to defend Okafor well because in the last meeting, Okafor went 10-14 from the field with most shot's being easy dunks.

3. Desire. The Grizzlies must show up tonight with desire to win and get back in the playoff race. I think we'll see very early whether or not the team is ready to call it quits for the season, and grind on. They'll need energy, focus, and most of all a desire to not give up tonight in order to get the W.

On another note, watch out for NOLA's bench tonight. James Posey had a game winner on us earlier this year, and we all know of what he's capable. Also, rookie out of LSU, Marcus Thornton has played well lately averaging 26.2 ppg on 53.8% shooting in the last 5 games.

Tonight is make or break for the Grizzlife. Let's Go Grizz!

Blazers at Grizzlies- LJ's Keys to the Game

2010-03-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

The 6 game home losing streak of the Grizzlies is a perplexing but important issue. That issue is extremely important tonight, especially because the Grizz haven't won at home in a month and the Trailblazers are coming into FedEx forum having won 3 of 4 on their current road trip and 6 straight at the Forum. Granted, the Blazers have faced New Jersey, Chicago, Toronto, and Minnesota on this current road trip which is not exactly top tier opponents. Regardless, the Grizzlies need to win tonight to end the home losing skid and gain a game on the Blazers in the playoff standings.

The Blazers are what many Grizz fans hope to be in a year or two. The Grizz and Blazers have a lot of similarities. They are both full of young talent and have tremendous upside. Also, both teams have a young center in Oden and Thabeet on whom they spent a top draft pick. Thabeet and Oden have underperformed, and both teams have taken criticism for taking them over picks like Durant and Tyreke Evans. The underperforming centers won't be playing tonight given Oden is yet again out with injury, and Thabeet is in the D-League.

If the Grizzlies want to make a push towards the play-off, they must beat times like the Blazers who are within reach in the standings. Here's how I think we do it:

1. Early confidence and momentum. The Grizz need to start well, and win the first quarter. The Grizzlies have struggled when they don't start well, and versus a equal or better team tonight, they have to get hot early.

2. Mayo vs Roy. In my opinion, Roy is one of the must underrated superstars in the NBA. I like every bit of his game and think he is a star. Mayo has scored double digits every game since the Lakers win and has provided defense and hustle stats all season. I don't think Mayo needs to match Roy point for point, but Mayo will have opportunities to score tonight and needs to fill up the rest of the stat sheet for the Grizz to win tonight.

3. Bench play. I know I have been harping on the bench lately, but they have been playing better lately. At the beginning of the season, the Blazer's bench was one of the deepest in the NBA, but with injuries (Oden and Pryzbilla) and trades (Blake and Outlaw), the talent on the bench is close to that of the Grizzlies. I think the Trailblazers have a small advantage because their bench play has been more consistent, but to win tonight, the Grizz bench needs to match the Blazers' bench.

Those are my keys to the game, but I think there are a few more points to notice for tonight's game. The Andre Miller vs Mike Conley match-up will be key because Miller is a bigger, physical point guard, and Conley has struggled versus that body type. Marc Gasol has had double doubles in the last 2 games versus the Blazers, but the Blazers traded for Marcus Camby who will be able to guard Gasol better. Gasol has struggled at home during the losing streak averaging only 9.1 ppg down from his 15 ppg average.

Go Grizz!

Grizz at Knicks- Keys to the Game

2010-02-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

Since the All-Star break, the roles of the Grizzlies have changed. After being dominant at the Forum, we've lost 6 straight at home. The first half of the season, the Grizz struggled on the road, but tonight they are looking for their 4th straight win on the road. The Grizzlies haven't won four straight away from home since Jan. 1-19, 2005. Losing 10 of the last 14 has dropped the Grizzlies into 11th place in the Western Conference, 3 1/2 games behind Portland for the eighth and final post season berth.

New York is 5-17 since Jan. 8, but thumped Memphis by a combined 49 points in last season's meetings, including a 108-88 victory at Madison Square Garden. New York seems to have decided to play for lottery position the rest of the season as Chris Duhon was sent to the end of the bench and Sergio Rodriquez was inserted in the starting lineup. Rodriguez averages only 9 ppg and 4.3 apg.

Even though the Grizz are a more talented team, a win on the road at MSG is no easy task. Here's how I think we get it done:

1. OJ vs T-Mac. The Knicks picked up McGrady's expiring contract right before the trade deadline in order to clear more cap for the LeBron sweepstakes. McGrady sat out in Houston, so now he has something to prove if he wants to get another contract this summer. Mayo has elevated his game on the offensive end lately and should continue to demand more time on the ball. T-Mac's defense should only continue that trend. OJ needs to match McGrady's scoring and win the other offensive categories.

2.Lee vs Gasol. Lee could provide match-up problems for Marc, and Marc will provide those same problems for Lee on the other end of the floor. Lee is quick PF who knows how to use his body to get rebounds against bigger players. Gasol's sweeping hook shot will drive Lee crazy so the Grizzlies should go to Gasol early.

Both my keys to the game are match-ups today, but I think those two are the most important. We obviously will need energy and bench production tonight. By the way, for the first time I've seen this year, 3SOB's preview of the game says the Grizzlies' bench has the advantage over the Knicks' bench. We'll see what happens.

Go Grizz! and don't forget to tune in to USA vs Canada in the gold medal hockey match tomorrow.

Why Rudy Gay will play for the Washington Wizards next season, and why I'm okay with it

2010-02-26T11:05:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that this summer's free agent market is the biggest in NBA history. Bron Bron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare, and possibly Kobe will all be up for grabs. Most sources list 8 teams with enough cap space to go after one of these superstars and offer a maximum contract this summer: Miami, New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington, Sacramento, Minnesota and the L.A. Clippers.

Now, obviously, this summer is really about LeBron and everyone else. But that "everyone else" is pretty good, and some of the above teams will be significantly better come next November. But let's be honest: LeBron isn't heading north to Minnesota, and D-Wade isn't trying to take his flash out to Sacramento. Some teams, as much as they'd like to think they have a chance at one of the above superstars, just don't...

So what are those teams going to do? Let's assume that LeBron stays in Cleveland, or goes to New York. Wade stays in Miami, and the Heat pick up another big-time player (think Amare or Joe Johnson). There are still alot of teams out there, and most people (i.e. Bill Simmons) think that these teams are going to get desperate and offer a huge contract to a second-tier player.

Now, let's talk about the Grizzlies and Rudy Gay. Gay is a restricted free agent, meaning that, at the end of the day, if the Grizzlies want Gay to stay in Memphis, they can have their way.

But the cards point toward another outcome. Michael Heisley has made it very clear that he is not looking to spend alot of money. He is not going to go out and sign free agents that will put the Grizzlies near the NBA's highest payrolls, and then watch the team get swept in three straight playoff series, again. And with the recent signing of Ronnie Brewer, I don't care how much Heisley and Wallace deny it...it does not look like Rudy Gay will be in Memphis next season.

So where will he be? Washington.

With all the recent uncertainty and negative publicity surrounding the Wizards, I have a hard time seeing Bron Bron, Bosh, D-Wade, or Amare going there next season. I believe the Wizards will be one of those teams on the outside looking in. It is going to be one of those situations where they have money, and will need to spend it to show the fan base they are trying. They will spend an absurd amount of money on a Rudy Gay or a Joe Johnson.

Rudy Gay grew up in Baltimore. Baltimore is not far from Washington. All you tweeters go back and look at Rudy's tweets from the recent trip to Washington. He talk about how great it was to be back close to home, how he loved having all his fans there. How would it feel for Rudy to have that every game?

The Wizards just traded Antawn Jamison, and they are unlikely to re-sign Josh Howard. Agent Zero is behind bars, where are the points going to come from for the Wiz? Al Thornton? Andray Blatche? Randy Foye?

The Wizards will want offensive firepower. Rudy Gay averages 20 a game, more than any current Wizard. Rudy Gay can bring local interest. Fearless prediction: Rudy Gay will play for the Wizards next season.

Why I am okay with it:

Right now, the Grizzlies have 5 legitimate players--players that other teams might actually want. Those players are Gasol, Mayo, Randolph, Gay, and Brewer. Of those five, I believe Rudy Gay is the most dispensable, and I will tell you why.

Reason #1: There are other Rudy Gays in the NBA. Athletic 6-8 swing men aren't exactly going out of style. In contrast, Marc Gasols are hard to find.

Reason #2: (Get ready...) Rudy Gay is a lackluster defender. This is a shock to...no one. Did you see Rudy's defense on the Kobe game-winner the other night? He handled that screen for Kobe about as well as JP handles cars in 'Angels in the Outfield'.

Reason #3: Not re-signing Rudy Gay means the Grizzlies will keep Ronnie Brewer. Unfortunately, Ronnie was hurt in his Memphis debut last week. But in the long run, I think that injury will work out for good. Ronnie gets less time to prove himself, and less time to tempt possible suitors into offering him a big deal this summer. It makes it easier for Memphis to re-sign him, and, like Gay, he is restricted (if we want him, we can have him).

Reason #4: Ronnie Brewer works into the Grizzlies future better than Rudy Gay. He is still young, he brings local interest, and he is one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA. (If Brewer is on Kobe the other night, that shot might not go in...) At 6-7, Brewer is versatile, can play the 2 or the 3, and gives the Grizzlies the option to move O.J. to the point and put Ronnie at the 2. He can slash, and he is not a black hole. He is not a franchise player, but he doesn't have to be paid like one either.

Reason #5: Keeping Brewer, and not Gay, gives the Grizzlies more space to re-sign Randolph and O.J. If you think that this summer is critical for the Grizzlies, think about the summer after. Gasol, Randolph, and Mayo are all free-agents--the three most valuable assets in our franchise right now. To think that 1 or 2 of these could be gone is scary...

So there you have it. Gay brings local flare to the East Coast, and Brewer brings it to the Mid-South. Washington gets their scorer, Memphis gets some flexibility.

Down the road, a legitimate-point-guard-not-named-Michael Conley, O.J. Mayo, Ronnie Brewer, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol sounds like a pretty good starting five to me. Maybe by that time, the (Bismarck) Wizards will have sent us a valuable asset in return...Mr. Thabeet.

Viva los underdogs, and viva la vida de Grizz.

Jordan "Jumpshot" Griesbeck

Grizz vs Bobcats- Keys to the Game

2010-02-26T10:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the night the Grizz need to end the 5 game home losing streak, and there is no better team to do it against than the struggling Bobcats. The Grizzlies are 8-0 at home against opponents with losing records. Charlotte is 0-3 on a four-game trip and 7-22 overall on the road. With the last second loss on a tip in by Gerald Wallace still looming in my mind, I want this one for the Grizzlies tonight. Here's how I think we do it:

Randolph vs Diaw. Randolph is a 20-10 machine and has carried our team all year. When you think of a power forward, you think about Z-Bo. Boris Diaw is anything but a typical PF. At 6-8 and 235 pounds Diaw is outsized and out-bulked by Randolph, but Diaw is a surprisingly good defender just the same. Sort of a poor man's Shane Battier, Diaw does the little things to help his team win games. Z-Bo has a clear advantage but needs to win in all offensive categories tonight.

Bench play. There's no doubt the Grizz bench has been contributing more in the last few games. Haddadi has stepped up to be what the Grizz front office hoped Thabeet would be this season. "The last three games they've played well. Changing the rotation has helped us." -- Griz coach Lionel Hollins on the improved bench production. Charlotte's bench has been doubly decimated. First almost all the perimeter depth was lost in trades and then the front line was thinned out by injury.Theo Ratliff is now starting, but Tyrus Thomas is playing well, and he alone can outperform the Grizzlies bench. Grizz bench needs to match or win the production battle tonight versus the Bobcats.

We need some revenge tonight. Let's Go Grizz!

Grizzlies Send Thabeet and Hudson to D-League

2010-02-25T13:32:00.000-08:00

Less than one year after being drafted number #2 overall in the NBA Draft, Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet has been shipped to the Dakota Wizards of the D-League. The move is not official yet, but has been confirmed by sources close to the situation. If official, Thabeet will be the highest draft pick to ever be assigned to the D-League. Portland's Martell Webster, the #6 overall pick in the 2005 Draft, previously held the record. Ridiculous Upside, a D-League blog that first broke the story, is reporting that guard Lester Hudson will also be shipped to the Wizards.

Although Thabeet has shown flashes of defensive prowess throughout his rookie season, he has failed to develop a reliable offensive game. He has averaged just 2.5 points per game while playing 10.5 minutes. Despite logging significant minutes for most of the season, Thabeet saw his minutes dip over the month of February. He had played just 18 total minutes over the last 8 games.

Center Hamed Haddadi, who began the season third on the depth chart, had been receiving the bulk of Thabeet's minutes over the last two weeks and has replaced Thabeet as the backup to center Marc Gasol. After averaging around 2 minutes per game for most of the season, Haddadi has played over 11 minutes in each of the Grizzlies' past three games.

What does this mean for the young Thabeet? Well, it is not exactly a sign of good faith by the front office. This must be a tremendous blow to the Tanzanian, who is still learning the game after playing just three seasons at Georgetown. However, I think this will prove beneficial to Thabeet in the long run. He will have the chance to hone his offensive skills (and refine his defensive ones) against lesser competition and, hopefully, emerge from his D-League stint as a much stronger player ready to live up to his big NBA expectations.

Go Hasheem, Lester, and the Grizzlies!

Owen

Thabeet to the Wizards...

2010-02-25T13:10:00.000-08:00

...Dakota Wizards that is. ESPN just broke the news that Memphis Grizzlies' No. 2 overall draft pick Hasheem Thabeet is soon to become the highest drafted player ever to serve a sentence in the NBA D-League. Thabeet who has averaged 2.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 1.2 BPG this season through the first 57 games has not quite made the impact Coach Hollins and the Grizzlies' front office were expecting from the 7'3" Center.

"Hasheem the Dream" (his Twitter alias) has produced many memorable "altered shots" so far this season, prompting a contingent of Grizzlifers to keep track of his electrifying, jumping jacks that have successfully prevented a bucket, in a new statistical category: ASPG (Altered Shots Per Game). He leads the NBA this season in ASPG. *He is the only player currently being monitored.

One thing is for sure, Thabeet lives the Grizz Life. We wish him the best in this seeming hurdle in his blossoming career. Hopefully, his upcoming journey to the hinterlands of North Dakota can hone his offensive skills, conjure up his leadership abilities, and develop in this young ballplayer a hunger for the game that many coaches around the league did not see in the Tanzanian native on draft day. In the meantime, Iranian basketball sensation Hamed Haddadi, who himself played in the D-League in '08, will step in at the backup C position.

Could the trend of Memphis' big men tasting the D-League only to return with improved touch around the rim and a higher basketball IQ prove true in Thabeet's case?

We can only hope Thabeet returns as an "Abdur-Rahim" and not a "Trybanksi".

Livin' the Grizzlife in North Dakota.

Grizzlies 99, Wizards 94

2010-02-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

These are the Memphis Grizzlies I remember from the past few months. The Grizzlies that win 3 out of 5 games. The Grizzlies that avoid the "bad quarter." The Grizzlies that got balanced production from most if their starters. These are the Grizzlies that I like. Tonight's win over the Wizards was crucial for the team. We pulled our record back over .500, secured a much-needed road win and actually won the second game of a back-to-back.

You know your team has played well when it's hard to pick an MVP. Is it Zach Randolph, who scored 22 points and grabbed 9 rebounds? Is it Marc Gasol, who scored 20 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and hit 10 of 11 field goals? Is it Rudy Gay, who scored 20 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and scored 7 of the Grizzlies' last 11 points to put the game away? Is it OJ Mayo, who scored 17 points (15 in the 2nd half) and dished out a game-high 8 assists? It's hard to choose. That is a sure sign that we played as a team tonight.

LJ's keys to the game were to 1) have OJ score more than Mike Miller and 2) play with energy. He nailed both. Mayo netted 17 points while Miller managed just 6. Figuring out energy is slightly more difficult, but I'll try. The Grizzlies finished with a +3 rebounding margin. Our top three bench performers, Marcus Williams, Sam Young and Hamed Haddadi, were a combined +37 on the +/- scale (which measures the team's net points while a the player was on the floor). Do those two numbers definitively say that we played with energy? Maybe; maybe not. But since it's my blog, I'm going to say yes. Deal with it. So there you have it, we fulfilled both of Luke's keys to the game.

Great win tonight, Grizzlies. Let's keep the momentum rolling when we play the Bobcats on Friday. Go Grizz!

Owen

Lakers 99, Grizzlies 98

2010-02-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

Two straight wins over the Lakers would've been too much to ask, wouldn't it? I should have been thankful for the first win earlier this month and not expected too much from the Grizzlies in subsequent games against the Lakers. Asking for a win last night would've been greedy, right? The Lakers were, after all, the best team in the Western Conference and superstar Kobe Bryant was returning to the team after a five-game hiatus.

As I followed the game, however, I found myself expecting us to win. I can't really explain why; something just felt right. We were up five heading into the 4th quarter, we had neutralized the Laker bench, even Hamed Haddadi was playing decent! Up 95-90 with just under 3 minutes remaining, it actually looked like we might pull out a win. Then Kobe Bryant happened...

With 2:23 remaining, he hit a jumper to cut the Memphis lead to 3. After a Rudy Gay free throw, he hit a technical foul free throw to bring the lead back to 3 . Then he hit a three-pointer to tie the game with 0:54 left. After a short jumper by Gay put the Grizzlies back on top by 2, Bryant got the ball with 8 seconds remaining and a chance to hit his umpteenth game winner of the season. Naturally, the shot with 4 seconds remaining went in.

Of course it did. Kobe Bryant is arguably the best basketball player alive and has made enough game-winners this season to make a highlight reel. Even though he is over 30, he consistently performs at an elite level and has been doing the NBA's best Michael Jordan impression over the last 12 years. Memphis Head Coach Lionel Hollins said it best, using one of my favorite sports cliches: "Great players make great plays."

Since there is no such thing as a moral victory in deciding who will make the playoffs, what does this loss mean for the Memphis Grizzlies? I think it has both bad and good meaning. Let's look at the bad news first. The loss drops us back to .500 on the season and 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. Also, the Grizzlies missed 3 out of 4 free throws in the game's final 2:06 (bringing our season percentage to a 23rd-best 73.8%). Alas, there is good news. This close loss showed that, despite a recent slump, we can still compete with the cream of the NBA crop. With a manageable schedule coming up, I think we will be just fine. Additionally, Zach Randolph broke the franchise record (set by Pau Gasol) for offensive rebounds in a season. Finally, the last night's game was the third sellout of FedEx Forum this season. That shows that fans still believe in this team (although they may have just wanted to watch Kobe).

I still believe in this team; you should too. Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz at Wizards- Keys to the Game

2010-02-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

No one can deny that last night's loss was tough, but it's not a reason to have a let down tonight versus the Wizards(20-28). With the Gilbert Arenas problem behind them and the addition some new faces at the trade deadline has the Wizards playing their best basketball of the season. They traded Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison and received Al Thornton and Josh Howard, who recently suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Those new additions seemed to revive the struggling club as it's topped 100 points in four straight games and have won 4 of 5. The Grizzlies have split their past six games at the Verizon Center but won 113-97 in their only trip there last season.

The Grizzlies no doubt have more talent than the Wizards, but the Grizz have been struggling lately, and the Wizards have momentum on their side. Tonight is by no means an easy win for the Grizz. We'll have to earn this game on the road. Here are my keys to success:

1. OJ vs Mike Miller. Miller and Mayo will always be referenced together since the big trade that sent OJ Mayo to Memphis and Mike Miller to Minnesota. Mayo has played every game since the trade and is a model of consistent contribution. Miller has battled injury and missed many games but is a crowd favorite who can score from anywhere on the court and gives his all every night. Miller's size is both an advantage and disadvantage. It's an advantage because he can get his shot off with ease over Mayo. It's a disadvantage because Mayo can generally get him out of position and drive or shoot as he pleases. OJ has been hot lately, and the Grizz need him to win the scoring battle tonight.

2. Energy. With a tough loss last night and tonight's being the second night of a back to back, our starters may be out of gas. We will not only need energy from the starters, but also the bench has to play a huge roll tonight. Even if they don't provide 20+ points, the bench must provide energy and rest for the starters.

Those are my two keys. It's hard to come up with more because all I can think about is last night's loss. It hurts to see

Kobe's game winner as ESPN's Top Play #1. Last night's loss is not an excuse to have an off night versus a team with less talent. Let's hope the Grizz show up ready to compete and get back about .500.

Go Grizz

Grizz vs Lakers- Keys to the game

2010-02-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

It's a story of Grizzlife that the Grizzlies struggle to catch breaks. Tonight is no exception. After missing 5 games with a bum ankle, Kobe Bryant is set to return tonight at the FedEx Forum. The Lakers were just fine without him winning 4 of 5 while Bryant was out. Pau Gasol stepped up while Kobe was out averaging 18.4 ppg and 12.4 rpg. Let's hope Pau and the rest of the Lakers are a bit out of sync tonight with Kobe's return.

The Grizzlies have lost 4 straight at home and have only won 1 of the last 6 at home averaging just 92.7 ppg, but another win versus the Lakers would right all that wrong. Rudy has led the Grizz in scoring the last 2 games versus the Lakers averaging 23 in the 2 games, but it will take production from all 5 starters and the bench to be victorious.

With the loss of Brewer and the fatigue of the starters, a win tonight would be epic, but part of living the Grizzlife is believing in the miraculous. I've come up with a few keys to victory tonight:

1. Marc Gasol vs Andrew Bynum. Gasol and Bynum are two of the best up and coming, young centers in the NBA. Their numbers mirror each other (Gasol 15 ppg 9.4 rpg. Bynum 15 ppg and 8 rpg) with Gasol having a 1.4 rpg advantage. The Grizz need Gasol to win this match-up by 6 points and 4 rebounds.

2. Bench play. The Lakers' bench is one of the deepest in the NBA, but their production has been down this year. But the Lakers' bench down year is still far and above our bench's production, especially without Ronnie Brewer. It's unrealistic to ask our bench to match theirs, but our bench must contain the Lakers'.

Those are my two keys to the game. As always, let's hope Kobe has an off night. Last time Kobe played at the Forum, he passed the Logo for all time Laker scoring leader, and now he needs 34 points to pass Reggie Miller on the all-time scoring list. OJ and the Grizz need to keep him under that mark to have a chance tonight.

Let's win a big one and get back into the picture.

Go Grizz! Go Team USA!

Grizzlife on Twitter

2010-02-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

Grizzlife is now on twitter! You can follow us by the username grizzlife or you can see our tweets on the side of the blog.

Just another way to live the Grizzlife!

Grizzlies 104, Nets 94

2010-02-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

You can breathe easy, Grizzlies fans. We didn't lose to the lowly Nets. Although it was definitely too close for comfort...

After being down 18 points in the first half, the Grizzlies rallied in the second to put away the 5-51 Nets by 10 points. Thanks to a big game by guard OJ Mayo (24 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals), the Grizzlies avoided becoming just the 6th victim of an infamously bad Nets squad. Rudy Gay poured in 29 points to help the Grizz secure the win. "Sometimes when you play a team with a record like the Nets, you feel a little bit of pressure," Mayo said. That pressure didn't really seem to affect the team in the first half, as they were out of sync and allowed Nets center Brook Lopez to dominate inside. Thankfully, Memphis controlled the second half and pulled out the win, the team's third in the past eleven games.

I don't want to even think about what would've happened if the Grizzlies had lost to the Nets, but I'm glad we didn't. We needed this win to try to regain our winning ways and push toward a playoff spot in the West. With games against conference foes such as the Lakers and Trail Blazers looming, let's hope that we can regain those winning ways quickly.

Keep living the Grizz life,

Owen

Grizz at Nets- Keys to the Game

2010-02-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

Needless to say, tonight is a must win. The Nets have only won 5 games, and the Grizz must not be #6. The Grizzlies have dropped eight of 10 to fall out of playoff position after a 15-4 run. They have endured a drastic decrease in offensive production over that 10-game span, scoring 95.3 points per game after averaging 106.7 in the previous 19. The Grizzlies may have an ideal chance to regain their offensive spark against New Jersey, which has dropped six in a row at home and is giving up 101.2 points per game.

There is no doubt the Grizz are the better team and are supposed to win the game. Therefore, my keys to the game are simple:

1. Score 100+ points. The Nets are giving up 101+ a game, and we need to get our offense back on track. Tonight is the night to do it

2. Defensive energy. The only way to lose this game is to not play any D and let the Nets score in the 100's.

Those are my two keys. Let's hope the squad doesn't have a melt down after the tough loss at home Friday. We need a win, and there is no better team to get one versus than New Jersey. The Grizz need to show some maturity and take care of a team that isn't on the same level.

Let's Go Grizz!

One Night, Two Losses

2010-02-20T12:22:00.001-08:00

Last night was a bad one for Grizzlies players and fans. During the team's 100-87 2OT loss to the Miami Heat, newly acquired swingman Ronnie Brewer strained his right hamstring and is expected to miss at least 3 weeks. Awesome.

Let's talk about the loss of the game first. How pitiful is it that the Grizzlies couldn't beat a team whose biggest name was Michael Beasley (D-Wade sat out with an injury)? After rallying from a 15-point halftime deficit in the second half, the Grizz squandered the game in the second overtime, getting outscored 15-2. "We had no more left in our tank," Coach Lionel Hollins said. Of course we didn't, Lionel. Four of our five starters played 50+ minutes. Only two Heat players played more than 40. We had a combined 43 bench minutes (out of 290 total minutes; 15%) while the Heat had 106 (37%). It's common sense that we would be the team to run out of gas. This problem has plagued the Grizzlies all season long. We often run out steam at the end of games and we don't have a good enough bench to spread the minutes around and keep everyone fresh. That is precisely why we traded for Ronnie Brewer: to give our bench more quality and depth.

And what happened to Brewer last night? He got hurt. After playing 12 minutes through the first three quarters, he went down with 9:27 left in the 4th (on his way to a fast break dunk, no less). Going down with him was any chance of an increased bench production for the Grizzlies over the next month. Combined, Sam Young, Jamaal Tinsley, Marcus Williams, et al. just don't have enough talent to spell the starters. Brewer does. However, Grizzlies fans will have to wait a while to see him bring a spark to the bench. For now, the starting five will have to summon huge amounts of energy in order to keep the team in playoff contention. If not, things could get really bad really fast for the Grizzlies. We've already lost 8 of 10 and are dropping further and further off the playoff radar (now 3.5 games out of 8th place).

Here's hoping that these last few weeks have just been a fluke. I know we can win games with a limited bench; we did it throughout December and January. The question is, can we again?

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizzlies Acquire Brewer from Jazz

2010-02-18T13:51:00.000-08:00

In a deal that came together minutes before the 3 PM trade deadline this afternoon, the Grizzlies traded a protected 2010 first-round draft pick to the Utah Jazz for guard Ronnie Brewer. Brewer, the Jazz 2006 first-round pick out of Arkansas, is set to make $2.7 million this season and will become a restricted free agent after this season.

What does this trade mean for the Grizzlies, then? In my opinion, it's huge. Brewer adds firepower to a very thin Grizzlies bench that has been disappointing for most of the season. He is currently averaging 9.5 points-per-game while shooting just below 50% from the field goal. His slasher style of play definitely conforms to that of the rest of the Grizzlies (one that is last in the NBA in unassisted shots). Additionally, Brewer will be an attractive local draw since he played college ball at nearby Arkansas.

It is too early to tell exactly how Brewer will fit into the Grizzlies' rotation, but I imagine he will immediately become the leader in bench points and minutes. Also, he could easily spell Rudy Gay or OJ Mayo in the starting lineup if (God forbid) either were injured. I applaud the Memphis front office for having the guts to make a trade (even at the eleventh hour) and take steps to improve what has been a woefully underperforming bench.

Go Ronnie and go Grizz!

Owen

HUGE WIN to end losing streak!

2010-02-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

Forgive me for not providing my keys to the game today. With a load of 3 tests in the next 5 days, I haven't had time for much except for hitting the books, but I did manage to catch the 4th quarter and overtime of the Grizz at Raptors, and what a ending it was. Down 5 inside a minute, I had a text typed out to Griesy saying "1-8 in the last 9. Looks like we're headed for another lottery pick." But something told me to not send it just yet. Out of the timeout, a clutch 3 by OJ (I'm becoming used to Juice hitting a shot whenever we need one), then a stop and fast break lay-up by Z-Bo, and we are tied. The Grizz stayed hot in O.T., going on to a 7 point victory in Toronto, who had won 8 straight at home. The surprising heroes of the 4th and O.T. were Conley and Gay. Conley looked like an All-Star point guard, getting into the lane and throwing dimes. The announcers on League-Pass were singing his praises, and for the first time in a while, I agreed with them. Rudy in O.T. couldn't be stopped. We ran the same play four times in a row, and Rudy converted on 3-4 chances. With Rudy's size and length, the Raptors had no one to guard him, and we cruised to a win.

If you had told me that Rudy would be the go-to, clutch performer in O.T. and Mike would look like an All-Star when it came down to crunch time, I would have called you stupid. I'm happy to be wrong and hope this huge win will propel us on.

Let's get this ball rolling again and string a bunch of victories together.

Go Grizz, Go USA