Ball on Beale

The Rudy Gay Dilemma

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:14:00 -0500

Let me start off by saying this: There is absolutely nothing wrong with having Rudy Gay on your team. He’s a talented wing who can create his own shot, collect rebounds, stretch the floor, and block shots. This season he averaged 19.0 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and just under one block. These are perfectly respectable numbers. In fact these are really great numbers. Any team would love to have a sidekick with those numbers. Yes, a sidekick.

Couple those numbers with a Durant or a Lebron or a Kobe and you’ve got yourself a great tandem that can take you far. But what this franchise is asking of Rudy Gay might not be within his reach. They are looking for a 24 point, 8 rebound, 1.5 block per game type player. They are looking for a superhero, not a sidekick.

But for a player that’s 6’9” and can do the things he does on a basketball court, it’s frustrating to watch his apathetic play as he floats outside the three point line and takes bad shots. The guy is automatic with his back to the basket when he goes for the jumper over people. Put him at 15-17 ft and watch him shoot over helpless defenders that reach at the ball like a child trying to grab a cookie from the top shelf. You see him cut off the ball and receive a pass in full stride that quickly morphs into a thunderous one hand dunk or an acrobatic layup that ends up in an and-one situation. This is the dream of Rudy Gay. A player that can dominate the game without dominating the ball. But after last night, that dream is at least cracking, if not already shattered.

In one of the late game possessions last night, a headache for the Grizzlies this entire series, Gay grabbed a rebound and continued his maddening habit of taking the ball up the court by himself. (This could be another post by itself.) He didn’t probe the ball into the paint, and he didn’t back his man down. He just floated around the wing area until there was 8 seconds left on the clock and passed it to Mike Conley. I’m fine with Gay taking it up. He’s an impressive ball handler for such a big guy, but to drain 2/3’s of the shot clock before giving it up is absurd. I’m not here to say that he is a selfish player. I really don’t think he is. I think he knows how good he is, he just doesn’t have the drive to put it all together.

Think about this: Tony Allen averaged 10 points per game this season on half the shots of Gay. Allen didn’t control the ball. Tony found points by running as fast as he could down the court. He got his by cutting and collecting offensive rebounds and scoring off of his defense. Allen found around ten points every night by doing this. Now this isn’t to say that Allen is an offensive wonder, no one would go that far. It is to say that he gets his points through hustle.

Now imagine if Rudy played with that same ferocity. If he was getting offensive rebounds. If he was streaking down the court and creating offense by moving without the ball. This is the conundrum that is Rudy Gay. A max contract player with max contract potential who plays with apathy and lethargy. He’s the Grizzlies’ 15 million dollar man who consistently gets outworked by guys on veteran minimum contracts. He’s their ace that plays like a sidekick.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of him. If he stays or if he goes. It’s hard to see them keeping Randolph and Gay for the remainder of their contracts. It’s tough to see the numbers working out. With questions surrounding Zach’s knee, the Grizzlies’ might have to keep this well of potential. Now they’re stuck trying to change a player’s work ethic half way through his career.

Trade Speculation As Deadline Draws Near

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:37:00 -0600

As far as this Memphis team goes, there’s not a whole lot it needs. It has its main core in Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley. It has good role players in Tony Allen, OJ Mayo, and Marreese Speights. Based off talent alone, there aren’t a lot of changes that they need to look at as they move forward into the season. The only changes that could take place would revolve around money.

More specifically, the money tied to OJ Mayo, for now and for the future. Mayo has one year left and his current contract is making him $5,632,637. The team has tried to dump him in the past, but have failed every time. It’s not that Mayo is bad value for what they are paying him, but that it is going to be tough to keep him in the years to come.

You don’t want to let him leave at the end of the year and get nothing back. So what could they do?

In the past, two teams involved in Mayo talks have been Indiana and New Jersey. I prefer what the Nets have to offer. If Grizzlies’ GM Chris Wallace could swing a deal that involves sending Mayo and seldom used Sam Young to Jersey in return for a package including Anthony Morrow and Jordan Farmar, that would be ideal. Morrow has never shot below 40% from the arc in his time in the NBA, and three point shooting is a need for this team. Farmar is a solid back up point guard, and a definite upgrade over Jeremy Pargo or Josh Selby.

Both of those players coming in carry 2 year contracts, which is also better than Mayo’s one year deal. Sam Young became obsolete the day the team acquired Pondexter, and hardly gets minutes. The only troubles I could see the team running into with this one is having to give up another player, maybe a Darrell Arthur. If that’s a requirement, then the Grizzlies would have to get back a pick to make the deal worth while.

Now for Indiana, the team that Mayo was traded to for about 15 minutes. The Grizzlies two needs are three point shooting and a back up point guard. Indiana can’t offer much in terms of sharp shooters, but they do have back up point guard George Hill.

Hill is a definite upgrade over Jeremy Pargo and Josh Selby at backup point guard, and could also play some time at the two while on the court with Michael Conley. If the Grizzlies could send the same package (Mayo/Young and maybe Arthur) and get back Hill and a first rounder, that would be acceptable.

The upcoming draft is extremely deep, and the more picks you can have in it the better your team will be in the future. If the Grizzlies could get a combo along the lines of Fab Melo and John Jenkins, that would be work wonders

. Either way, this is only speculation. These trades normally come out of no where and there is no promise that Mayo won’t just finish the season with the Grizzlies. The deadline is March 16, so the team has plenty of time. Expect to hear a lot of chatter in the coming weeks, but for the most part it will be just that, chatter.

Happy All Star Weekend to all! I’ll be out of pocket all...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:38:38 -0600

Happy All Star Weekend to all!

I’ll be out of pocket all weekend, but enjoy the big man’s moves Saturday. Here’s a six minute silent video of Marc hitting shots in every way possible. Enjoy!

At The Midpoint Of The Season, Let's Take A Look At The Grizzlies Playoff Hopes

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:51:00 -0600

All in all, the Grizzlies are doing well when you take into account the history of this franchise at this point in the season. Sitting at 18-15 and 7th place in the Western Conference, Memphis is in position to make a late push, and even has a chance to climb into that top four if a member of the old guard falters down the stretch.

First, lets go over the Western Conference playoff picture as a whole. You’ve got the untouchables: Thunder, Spurs, Clippers. These teams won’t drop, pending an injury, and with the aging Spurs, that is always a concern. Right now the Mavericks are ahead of the Clippers, but based on a weaker division and younger legs, I don’t think the Grizzlies should worry about catching up with the Clips at this point.

After those three teams, it’s basically wide open. You’ve got eight teams fighting for those 5 spots. Eight! The East can’t even get 8 teams over .500, but I digress, that is a different argument for a different day. Those eight teams are: Mavs, Lakers, Rockets, Grizzlies, Trail Blazers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Jazz.

Besides the Mavs, all of those other teams are within 3½ games of each other. I put Dallas into that group because of age. Call me a doubter, because I am. They could very well prove me wrong and have been as of late. Dirk finally looks to be back to where he was last year, but we’ll see if he can keep it up over the stretch.

Now where do the Grizzlies fit into that jumbled group. If I had to pick a goal for this team (with Randolph back), 6th place would be a good landing spot. That spot could end up placing them in a series with the Clippers, who I think they match up well with.

The game slows down in the playoffs, and it becomes more about efficiency and grit than high fliers and alley oops. The Clippers have the talent to pile up wins in the regular season, but could be an easy out when matched up against the grounded game of Randolph and Gasol.

Fourth place is definitely a spot that the team could get with a little help, but I’m not sure they would want it. I think the team is going to want to stay as far away from the Thunder as possible, giving them chances to get knocked out or bumped around before the Grizzlies would have to play them.

The sixth and seventh place would be much better for their chances to make it to the Conference Finals, matching them up with the Spurs, Clippers, or Mavs.

Any way you look at it, this a team that should boost its place in the standings over the last half of the season. The team looks to get Zach Randolph back soon after the All Star break, and should get at least 22 wins down the stretch, getting them to 40-23. I think that is the baseline for where they should shoot. Anywhere above that is gravy.

Now about getting back that big man. As I said after the game last night, Randolph was seen shooting on the court before the game. This isn’t the first time this has happened, and it’s exciting to see that he is traveling with the team and taking part in work outs. Integrating him back into the system might be hard, but I don’t believe it will be as hard as some are making it out to be.

Randolph brings back what the Grizzlies need, a second option to get big buckets down the stretch. Rudy Gay provides matchup problems for many teams, but last night against the Rockets, Gay went cold down the stretch. It would have been nice to hand the ball over to Randolph and let him go to work against a young Patrick Patterson. Gasol, Conley, and Mayo all get buckets, but none of those players have shown the ability to take the brunt of the load down the stretch and single handedly win a game, which Randolph showed he was more than capable of in last year’s playoffs.

With that extra firepower and a bench with front court depth (!!!), that win total is easily achievable as long as the team plays to its level, instead of playing to the level of the opponent.

After all those words, the first half of the season can be summed up with this: be happy and confident Grizz fans, this a team that should be right back where it was last year in May.

Grizzlies Fall To Rockets, 97-93

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:12:00 -0600

In what could end up being a big game in the scope of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies fell to the Houston Rockets on Monday night. The Grizzlies and Rockets were tied in the Western Conference standings, both with an 18-14 record. The Rockets now move ahead of the Grizzlies to 6th place, and take a step towards getting the tie breaker back from the Grizzlies.

Memphis struggled down the stretch, not making a field goal until over half way through the fourth. By that point it was too little too late as Houston converted on all six of their free throws in the final 30 seconds.

Kyle Lowry, the former Grizzlies’ point guard who continues to be a Grizz killer, paced the Rockets with 24 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds. Kevin Martin added 22, including 3 triples.

Rudy Gay led the Grizz with 23, but the numbers that affected the Grizzlies’ performance the most were found in Marc Gasol’s stat line. The big Spaniard only took 8 shots against a team that lacks depth and height. For a team to not feed its only All Star against a team with only one player within 4 inches of said All Star is poor execution. That should have been a weakness that the team exploited all night instead of only 8 times.

The Grizzlies take the court again tomorrow night with a game against the Philadelphia 76er’s and are counting down the games until they get back Zach Randolph. Randolph has been taking part in light work outs and is now traveling with the team. He was seen on the court at the Toyota Center before the game shooting around. Randolph coming back will be a huge lift to a team whose goal has been to tread water until the big man can make it back.

How One Play Can Define a Team

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:16:00 -0600

In a league that revolves around big names and even bigger egos, it was refreshing to see the way the Memphis Grizzlies played Saturday night.

The game culminated into one big defensive stop, where Mike Conley came off of his man, Stephen Curry, to take a charge and seal the game. Conley left Curry, who had 36 points and 6 three pointers, wide open in the corner. I asked Conley how he was able to leave that hot of a shooter wide open in crunch time and he answered with a smile,”That’s just how far we’ve grown as a team. Understanding that I have to commit to helping my big fella on this drive, and somebody is going to commit to helping me and you have no doubt in it. That’s the way you win games, if you go out and play off of one another, and I think that trust really showed there on that last play.”

Conley and his teammates have bought into the system that got the Grizzlies to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs last season. Five people on the court at one time, working as one, and doing what takes to win, with utter faith that if you mess up, your teammate will be right there to back you up.

Two years ago, this might have not been the case. Two years ago, this team might have not won a game like that. OJ Mayo spoke to that, saying, “We lost a lot down the stretch two years ago, but we’re a much more mature team who has been in that position before and know how to close them out.”

That maturity starts with the coach. Lionel Hollins knows what it takes to win in this league, and he knows how much the players should enjoy it. ”The camaraderie, the caring for each other, the playing for each other, that’s the things they will remember when this stuff is all done,” said Hollins, “all the accolades and all that stuff, the trophies are in the attic, you get married and have kids, and you don’t even get to bring that stuff out, they talk about the latest and greatest. These are the moments they should live for.”

It is that mentality that Hollins brings to the table that allows this team to play like it does. It is a brand of basketball that does not necessarily need great talent, if you just have the right group that trusts in one another.

What he has been able to do at the helm of this team the past two years goes overlooked sometimes. Last year, it was Rudy Gay going out with a shoulder injury. Hollins did not give up or look to the future, he took what he had and changed the game plan accordingly.

This season brought a knee injury to Zach Randolph, whom many thought was the key to the Grizzlies success. Again, Hollins simply took the parts he had and made the team more outside oriented.

After the Grizzlies went 15-10 down the stretch without Gay, many pundits called for a trade of Gay, saying Randolph was more important to the team. You do not hear as many trade requests these days, as a Randolph-less team has gone 17-11.

The players are interchangeable, but the one constant is defense.

Led by Conley, the league leader in steals per game, the Grizzlies have three players in the top 11 of steals per game, and Marc Gasol is fifth in blocks per game. The team is in the top half of the NBA in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, and leads the league with over 10 steals per game.

This is why the team that everyone keeps counting out keeps chugging along. It’s not because of Rudy Gay’s late game heroics. Last year’s playoff run was not about Zach Randolph’s buzzer beaters. This team finds its resolve in the “gutsy” plays Coach Hollins preaches. They find it in the fact that there is no doubt in their teammates commitment. These Grizzlies just keep on going, playing for a coach who does the same thing.

Busy Day For Grizzlies Front Line And Front Office

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:26:31 -0600

It is currently 1:04 PM CT, and the Grizzlies have already had an incredibly busy day. First was the announcement that Zach Randolph would miss around 8 weeks with a torn MCL. Randolph was originally thought to just have a bruised knee, but after an MRI, the diagnosis became much worse. This news was quickly followed up by a three team trade, with the Grizzlies sending Xavier Henry, a 2010 1st round pick, to New Orleans, New Orleans sending two second round draft picks to Philadelphia, and Philadelphia sending Marreese Speights to Memphis.

Speights is a 6’ 10” forward who should be able to spend time at center behind Marc Gasol. He averaged 16.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per 36 minutes last year for the Sixers, and can also stretch the floor. He should work well in place of Randolph, especially if the team shifts more to a small ball, run and gun type team.

The loss of Randolph hurts a lot, but this team showed its resiliency last year when it lost Rudy Gay for the last part of the season. If he can make a healthy recovery and be 100% down the stretch, this is still a team that can make the playoffs in a so far crazy Western Conference.

Grizzlies Run Past Kings In Conley's Return

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:07:31 -0600

In what turned into a track meet in the second half, Memphis took it to the kings in the open court, winning by a final score of 113-96. This was not the same team that lost by 40 to Chicago two nights ago, and much of the difference can be attributed to Michael Conley’s return. Conley racked up 14 points, 7 assists, and 4 steals in only 23 minutes of play. While he did not start the game, he did start the second half, when the Grizz were only up 2. He provided a calming influence and mechanical efficiency to a team that looks a little lost when run by Jeremy Pargo.

Rudy Gay also looked good after struggling offensively early on. He got back to doing what he does, which is attacking the rim and getting to the free throw line. Gay ended with 23 points on 62.5% shooting, with 19 of those points coming in the paint or at the free throw line. Also coming up big was Marc Gasol, with 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Sam Young, with 20 points and 7 rebounds.

It was an all around good night for a Randolph-less Memphis, who has another game tomorrow night in Minnesota against the up and coming Timberwolves.

Well, there’s that.

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:31:56 -0600

Well, there’s that.

Greivis Vasquez Traded To New Orleans

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:26:00 -0600

In a surprising move, the Grizzlies have traded Greivis Vasquez to the New Orleans Hornets for Quincy Pondexter. Pondexter, at 6’6”, spends most of his time on the wing, but rebounds well for his size. In the two preseason games, he averaged 13 points and 8.5 rebounds, recording a double-double in the first game. While it is not clear how this solves the Grizzlies front court problems, it does indicate that the franchise has full faith in Jeremy Pargo as a back up point guard for Michael Conley. If I had to guess, I would think that this will end up being a predecessor for another move that will bring more size to Memphis.

Memphis Extends Offer Sheet To Cunningham

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:25:33 -0600

The Grizzlies have made their move to fill part of the void in the front court. The team has given an offer sheet to Dante Cunningham, formerly of the Trailblazers and Bobcats, which Cunningham has signed. The Bobcats now have 3 days to match, but with their recent front court additions, that probably will not happen. Cunningham is a poor man’s Darrell Arthur of sorts, while not as strong, he gets up and down the floor well, and likes to use his jump shot to score points, with 2/3 of his points coming that way. He is tall and athletic, but played most of his time at the small forward position for the Bobcats. He’ll have to fill in more at the power forward position for this to be a good acquisition for and already thin team.

Arthur Possibly Lost For Season

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:38:00 -0600

Darrell Arthur reportedly limped off the court during practice yesterday, and has a “serious achilles injury”, according to The Commercial Appeal. This is a big blow to an already thin Grizzlies front court, and It will be interesting to see what develops. @CAGrizblog is reporting that Arthur will have an MRI this afternoon to determine the extent of the injury, and I will update this post then.

Grizzlies Drop Preseason Opener

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:13:27 -0600

In what ended up being more of a training camp scrimmage, the Grizzlies lost to a rag tag group of New Orleans Hornets players, 97-90. The story of the game was so much in the final score, but the postion battles that were taking place on the Grizzlies roster. With no Marc Gasol, Darrell Arthur, Michael Conley, Sam Young, or Xavier Henry, Josh Davis, Brian Skinner, Walter Sharpe, Jeremy Pargo, and Josh Selby all saw extended playing time.

The Grizzlies will most like keep one of Davis, Skinner, and Sharpe, and last night gave them an opportunity to see what they looked like against another team. Davis impressed with his hustle, which you will not find in the box score. Several times he dove out of bounds to save a ball and brought back images of a young Brian Cardinal. Skinner played well, but looked a little slow and out of place on his way to 9 rebounds and 4 points. Walter Sharpe was definitely the most athletic of the bunch, but got few minutes, which leads me to believe he probably will not make the cut.

On the perimeter, Selby and Pargo played most of the second half. Jeremy Pargo looked very good, hitting open shots and using his quickness to his advantage on defense. Pargo ended up with a good stat line, scoring 17 points on 6 of 12 shooting along with 7 assists and no turnovers. Selby, on the other hand, went 1 for 5 and had 2 points to go with 2 turnovers. After the game, Hollins pointed out that it was learning experience for young Selby, and he was finding out that an NBA game was not like the charity games he had played in over the summer.

Out of the regular rotation guys, you got about what you would expect out of Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, and Greivis Vasquez. Rudy Gay looked a little timid at sometimes when he had an open shot. That could be credited to rust, and should go away soon. O.J. Mayo did not have a great night, but did look in much better shape. I have a feeling that you will not see him have 7 turnovers in many more games.

Overall it was a good night to get some guys playing time, and try to figure out who is going to stay on the team at that post position. The Grizzlies wrap up their abbreviated preseason on Wednesday night against a Hornets team that will look much different, with the addition of the players they acquired from Los Angeles in the Chris Paul Trade.

Roster Breakdown: Front Court

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:56:00 -0600

Small Forwards

Rudy Gay- 19.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.7 stpg, 1.1 bpg (2010-2011)

Before going down with a shoulder injury right before the All Star break, Rudy Gay was having a career year. He had put up more points before, but his blocks per game, steals per game, assists per game, rebounds per game, field goal percentage, three point percentage, and free throw percentage were all career highs. A lot of this has been attributed to his time with Team USA and Mike Krzyzewski. While there, he learned to put more effort into all parts of his game, instead of just scoring, and provided a vital lift for the Grizzlies before the whole team got it going in the spring. Look for Gay to play even better this year, maybe even All Star caliber. He says his shoulder is completely healed, and has been playing well in exhibition games over the summer.

Sam Young- 7.3 ppg, 0.9 stpg, 2.4 rpg (2010-2011)

In Young’s sophomore campaign, he put up modest numbers in most categories. He will most likely never be anything more than a role player, but he can become a quality role player if he starts to shoot slightly better. He took a nice step last year, shooting 34% from the three point line, but more around 40% would make him a very valuable asset. Young can put the ball in the hole, and had several 20+ point outings, and needs to just be more efficient with his shots, cutting down on the pull up jumpers in transition.

Power Forwards

Zach Randolph- 20.1 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 50.3% FG (2010-2011)

What more is there to say about this guy? Since his arrival in Memphis, Randolph has completely changed everyone’s attitude towards him. Known as a cancer and a lazy player, Randolph has been anything but since being here. This summer was the perfect opportunity for him to show how lazy he was. Coming off a year where he was All-NBA 3rd team and was top 5 in every rebounding category, he received a big time contract and then backed it up with his work in the playoffs. He then went to work this summer, working out with Frank “The Life Changer” Matrisciano and changing his entire diet. Randolph has come back in the best shape of his life, and should be an All Star, without a doubt. Zach has finally found a home in the Bluff City, and he does not look like he wants to let it down any time soon.

Darrell Arthur- 9.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 81.3% FT (2010-2011)

Darrell Arthur proved invaluable down the stretch for the Grizzlies. He was able to give valuable minutes in place of either big man, and started to really catch the attention of everyone with his pick and pop game. Arthur’s mid range jump shot improved, as did his ability to get to the line and convert free throws. Arthur should see more minutes this year, and look for averages to take a slight bump because of it.

Centers

Marc Gasol- 11.7 ppg, 7 rpg, 52.7% FG (2010-2011)

Marc’s regular season numbers actually took a dip last year, dropping in points and rebounds per game. This could be attributed to less minutes, but his Per 36 Minutes numbers were not as good as the year before either. It was in the playoffs where Marc made his money, averaging 15 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. He became a dominant force with a flurry of post moves and mid range jumpers against bigs like Tim Duncan and Serge Ibaka. His PER also jumped 2 points, and I believe he can keep this up against the aging big men in the west.

Roster Breakdown: Backcourt

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:46:00 -0600

Point Guards

Michael Conley Jr.- 13.7 ppg, 6.5 apg, 1.8 stpg, .369 3pt% (2010-2011)

Conley took a big leap last year, especially when he got to the playoffs. Conley held his own against point guards like Tony Parker and Russel Westbrook, even outplaying them in some places. He was among the best in the league in steals, and when coupled with Tony Allen, they were a lethal turnover forcing duo. Conley also shines in transition and has great straight line speed. However, I would like to see him take a few more shots from behind the arc. The past three seasons, he has taken 2.6, 2.7, and 2.7 three’s per game, respectively, and he was a 40% shooter from there in his second season. Conley will never have the lateral quickness to shut down players like Westbrook, but as long as he keeps using his court savvy and quick hands, this should not be a huge problem for a team with good interior defense in Marc Gasol.

Greivis Vasquez- 3.6 ppg, 2.2 apg, .408 FG% (2010-2011)

Even more so than Conley, Vasquez was an entirely different player when it came to the postseason. While his usage rate rose, Vasquez’s turnover rate dropped, and his field goal percentage rose significantly as well (51%). All of this combined to give the rookie point guard a 18.8 PER in the playoffs, as opposed to a 9.4 in the regular season. Vasquez came in to the triple overtime game against Oklahoma City, and hit a couple of huge shots to keep the Grizzlies alive. Hopefully he can keep the momentum he gained in that series and become a solid back up to Conley. At 6’6”, he provides a change up to Conley’s quickness, and can guard the bigger point guards in the league, that Mike sometimes struggles with.

Jeremy Pargo- 9.3 ppg, 4.4 apg, .456 FG% (Career at Gonzaga)

Pargo, the 2008 West Coast Conference Player of the Year, was a late addition to the Grizzlies roster, replacing Ish Smith. Pargo is a 6’2” guard who has been playing for the past two years in Israel, for Maccabi Tel Aviv. Pargo should provide depth and quickness to the point guard position, and give the Grizzlies a second option if Conley or Vasquez sustain an injury.

Shooting Guard

Tony Allen- 8.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.8 stpg (2010-2011)

Where to begin with Tony. Allen came in and helped to completely turn around this team. Many people think the Grizzlies got hot when Rudy Gay sustained his shoulder injury. Nothing could be farther from the truth, though. The Grizzlies got hot when Tony Allen started getting more and more minutes. Going back to the game against the Wizards on January 29th, the Grizzlies were 8-2 until Rudy got injured. In that game, Allen played 34 minutes, and would continue to see play time like that for the rest of the season. Tony’s defensive intensity is a perfect match for Rudy’s offensive firepower, and it was showing in that ten game spread. Allen led the NBA in steal percentage, or the percentage of times the opponents possession ended with a steal from Allen, with 4.5%. He was also in the top five in steals per game, with 1.8, even though he saw limited action over the first half of the season. As long as Allen is here, I would not worry too much about our perimeter defense. He can lock down anyone, and his will power seems to spread to whomever is out there with him.

O.J. Mayo- 11.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2 apg (2010-2011)

Last year was a long one for Mayo. Between his PED suspension, which he claims was caused by an energy drink at a shady gas station, or his in transit fight with Tony Allen on a plane, I’m sure Mayo is happy to see a new season. O.J.’s numbers were down across the board last season. Everything from rebounds to FT% took a dip in 2010-2011. Look for Mayo to bounce back this year, though. He seems to have accepted his role as a Bobby Jackson type bench scorer, and seems to be getting along with his teammates as well. He will be valuable in some big games if he can fill it up when Allen needs a break.

Xavier Henry- 13.9 mpg, 4.3 ppg, 7.0 PER (2010-2011

Henry struggled with injuries his rookie season, and is not off to a great start in 2011. Henry sprained his ankle in practice and is expected to miss up to a month. When given quality minutes, he showed growth in the early part of last season, and had his best game of the season against Denver on December 5th, where he dropped 17 points on 8 of 12 from the floor. If he can put up more numbers like that, the Grizzlies might be more willing to place O.J. Mayo back on the trade block.

Josh Selby- 7.9 ppg, 2.2 apg, 2.2 rpg (2010-2011 @Kansas)

An exciting combo guard out of Kansas, Selby underachieved in his only year at the collegiate level. He came to school as what some considered the best recruit in his class, but struggled through suspensions and injuries and bolted early to the draft, where he fell to the Grizzlies in the second round. Since graduating, Selby has been tearing up exhibition games against NBA talent with high flying dunks and lightning fast cross overs. We will all be watching to see which Selby shows up this season, the top recruit who had NBA players in awe this summer, or the underachieving college player who could barely stay on the court.

Can we go ahead and start the season now? Yes, that is Mark...

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:49:53 -0600

Can we go ahead and start the season now? Yes, that is Mark “Big Spain” Gasol signing his four year contract with the Grizzlies.

Henry Out For Up To Four Weeks

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:25:00 -0600

Today’s big news in the Commercial Appeal was that Xavier Henry has torn ligaments in his ankle that are going to keep him out for up to four weeks. This, itself, is not a big deal. The big deal is that this means there is no way Mayo will be moved until the team is sure that Henry is healthy enough to take over his role. I think this has been the plan all along. They have a bevy of young guards including Henry, Sam Young, and Josh Selby who could all come in and take over Mayo’s role as a bench scorer and pure shooter, but Henry, the 12th overall pick of last year’s draft, is the optimal choice for the near future.

Mayo has never been a great fit with the Grizz, and all indications are that he won’t make it past the end of this year. The injury to Henry was likely a big factor in the Grizzlies pulling out of the proposed trade of Mayo to Indiana for Brandon Rush and Josh McRoberts. It would be tough to have a rookie second round pick as your back up shooting guard. This leaves the team without a reliable fourth option in the post that will surely need to be filled sooner, rather than later.

Last time Memphis was in a position to make a deep playoff run, they went out and found a quality big man in Brian Cardinal to fill in for Pau Gasol and Lorenzen Wright in spot duties. They are going to have to do the same thing this time around, but with less money. I think they will end up with one of the guys in their camp, maybe Mikki Moore, and go out and get one more big, like Leon Powe.

Getting The Bro's Back Together

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:29:00 -0600

Two days ago, the tweet went out from Marc Gasol’s account stating that he had reached a “tenative” agreement with the Grizzlies, and he would be back in Memphis. No one was happier than I, besides his running mate Zach Randolph. But, without a doubt, no one was happier than Randolph. Besides Tony Allen, who calls the younger Gasol “Big Spain.” Tony probably would have tweeted his joy, had he not just thanked OJ Mayo for his time in Memphis, before being corrected by his teammate Michael Conley.

The tweet served as assurance that Gasol would be back with the Grizzlies team we all grew to love over last years playoff run, but it was more than that. It showed a dedication by Michael Heisley to spend whatever was necessary (in this case, $57.7 million) to keep the young core together for the near future. No matter how many times anyone from the organization came out and publicly said that Heisley would match any offer, every fan and pundit had the suspicion that when it came time for Heisley to write the check, he might back out.

As an owner that has publicly been trying to sell the team for years, its sometimes hard to believe his devotion in this team. Now it’s unquestionable. Heisley has the pieces to win big and is willing to keep them together, no matter the cost. This continues to be a new feeling for Memphis fans.

The playoff wins, the national attention, and now a devoted owner willing to reach deep into his pockets all have the city in a furor that has not been seen since the Derrick Rose days. This time, I don’t think a falsified SAT is going to get in the way of Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, and the rest of the gang.