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Grizzlies players weigh in on state of franchise since team traded Rudy Gay

May 18, 2013 by Andre Johnson 1 Comment

The Grizzlies returned to work Friday afternoon for the first time since eliminating the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and punching their ticket to the Western Conference Finals.

THE DEBATE CONTINUES — Rudy Gay (right) spent six-plus seasons in Memphis after leaving UConn in 2006. Since his trade to Toronto on January 30, there has been ongoing debates as to whether the Grizzlies have become a better team since dealing their franchise player. (Photo by Chris Evans)

Still, despite all of the hoopla and the national buzz this small-market franchise has created this postseason, it seems that one proverbial topic continues to re-surface as Memphis prepares to take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of their best-of-7 series Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CST in the AT&T Center.

That is, are the Grizzlies a better team since trading franchise player Rudy Gay?

“We definitely are a better team,” said Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph, who has become Memphis’ leading scorer since the team dealt Gay. “This team is more together. We understand. Our confidence is up. We play for one another, so we’re definitely a better team.”

That certainly didn’t appear to be the case after the Grizzlies, Raptors, and Pistons agreed to a six-player trade on January 30 that sent the star swingman to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Ed Davis, Austin Daye, and Tayshaun Prince.

For some, trading Gay was befitting, considering the seven-year veteran, at least at the time, wasn’t performing like a player who signed a five-year extension with Memphis worth a reported $82 million in July 2010. For others, they sensed that moving Gay after the team had gotten below the dreaded luxury tax threshold — after sending reserves Marresse Speights, Josh Selby, Wayne Ellington to Cleveland eight days earlier — wasn’t consummate, given Memphis was deemed a legitimate title contender before the start of the season.

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, for instance, was among those who felt team officials’ decision to trade Gay was a questionable move. And, after a January 15 shootaround in FedExForum, Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who’s close friends with Gay, said “the Grizzlies would be crazy” for trading the former UConn star.

What a difference three-and-half months have made.

That’s because all the new-look Grizzlies have done since Gay’s exodus was emerge as arguably the hottest and most efficient team in the NBA, let alone pose as a serious threat to dethrone the Miami Heat in the coming weeks. Add to the fact that the Grizzlies have generated the league’s third-best record (34-14) since trading Gay and ousted two title contenders (the Clippers and Thunder) in eloquent fashion, and it’s no wonder why seasoned Grizzlies such as Randolph and Mike Conley don’t shy away from weighing in on a subject they believe is an afterthought at this stage in the season.

“We’re happy to be here.” Conley said of Memphis’ historical run to the conference finals. “But we’re focused on bigger things. You’ve

Among the reasons the Grizzlies have enjoyed success since trading Gay is that veteran shooting guard Tony Allen (right) has led a Memphis team that is considered among the NBA’s best defensive squads. Allen was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive first team last week. (Photo by Justin Ford)

got to have a vision. And even with Rudy being gone, it might have altered the vision a little bit, might have been a little bit tougher on guys to do it, but the vision stays the same. I still believed (after the trade) that we had a chance. I still believed that if certain guys step up, that we could be just as good, that we could be a good team.”

While Hollins publicly acknowledged he wasn’t in favor of the Grizzlies bargaining Gay, he said among the things he appreciates mostly about his team is the camaraderie his players have established in the aftermath of the trade, a key characteristic he feels has benefited the Grizzlies immensely in the playoffs.

“Well, that’s why they pay me the big bucks,” Hollins jokingly said. “That’s the hardest part of coaching…motivating, getting them to accept their roles, getting them to play together. You do those three things and you got talent, you have a good chance of winning. It’s a difficult proposition. There’s a lot of ways to go about it. I’m not going to tell you how I go about it because it’s not good for TV.”

The Grizzlies, appearing in the conference finals for the first time since the team’s inception in 1995 (Vancouver), have certainly been must-see TV this postseason, a trend this town has relished since Gay — whom many labeled an ambassador for the city of Memphis during his stint here — was sent north of the border.

As for whether Memphis is better off since trading Gay, it’s safe to assume the longest-tenured Grizzly is being careful to use his words wisely.

“I think it’s a different team without Rudy,” Conley said.

With a straight face.

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Also, follow him on Twiter @AJ_Journalist.

Lionel Hollins hints Grizzlies mirror 1977 Portland Trail Blazers championship squad

May 16, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

EARNING RESPECT — Grizzlies forward Tayshaun Prince soars for two of his eight points in Monday night’s 103-97 come-from-behind win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Memphis closed out the best-of-7 series Wednesday to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Lionel Hollins’ second year with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1976-77 is one in which he will forever cherish.

Coached by Hall of Famer Jack Ramsay, the Trail Blazers finished the regular season 49-33, a run that was comprised of a memorable postseason run and ended with the franchise’s first world championship after Portland’s defeat of the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the NBA Finals.

As Hollins found himself on Thursday harking back on the memories of his second professional season, the Grizzlies coach was ultimately brought to smiles. Hollins, in fact, hinted at the notion that he likens the Grizzlies to the Blazers’ championship team of the late 1970s, a squad that, like his Memphis team that advanced to its first Western Conference finals in franchise history Wednesday night after eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder, had to endure a cohesive mending process.

“I go back to when I came here in (2001) and then when I took over five years ago,” Hollins said. “The stands were empty. Nobody was talking about the Grizzlies. You didn’t see any Grizz apparel around town. Now you see flags on cars. You see posters in the windows of office buildings. You see signs up on office buildings. It’s wonderful. And as I told the team, we have to create the excitement. We create the excitement by going out and playing a brand of basketball they like to see. And when you do, the fans will definitely come out and take a part in it and embrace it.”

While the Grizzlies’ masterful display in recent weeks has made securing playoff tickets virtually hard to come by — there have been 14 consecutive postseason sellouts in FedExForum — and created a buzz throughout city that has been crippled by segregation since the 1960s, there are some who sense that Memphis’ historical run to the conference finals is erroneous, considering the Grizzlies emerged as favorites to beat the top-seeded Thunder after Russell Westbrook sustained a season-ending knee injury in Game 2 of the playoffs’ opening-round.

“Miami is the best team in the league,” ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd said Thursday on Mike And Mike In The Morning. “I don’t buy

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins on Thursday hinted with reporters that this year's Memphis team reminds him of the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers team that won the NBA championship. Hollins played for Portland from 1975-1980. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins on Thursday hinted that this year’s Memphis team reminds him of the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers team that won the NBA championship. Hollins played for Portland from 1975-1980. (Photo by Justin Ford)

into any of the teams in the West, the Spurs or Memphis. Memphis wouldn’t be here if not for injury to Russell Westbrook.”

Hollins discredited Cowherd’s comments, going as far as to compare the Grizzlies’ success to other teams who enjoyed lengthy postseason runs following the injuries to marquee players.

“If that’s the case, the Lakers’ series was flawed when Isaiah Thomas hurt his ankle and the Lakers won (NBA title in 1988),” Hollins said. “The Pistons have to say their championship (in 1989) was flawed because Magic (Johnson) and Byron Scott went down before the series started when both went down with hamstring injuries. Every year, every playoff, somebody gets hurt or doesn’t play as well as we expect them to, and you have to live with that, not being successful. And the winner, it doesn’t really matter.”

What’s essential in the meantime as the Grizzlies await the Golden State-San Antonio winner, Hollins said, is to ensure his players rejuvenate for the conference finals and, most importantly, refrain from becoming caught up in all the hoopla and national media attention they have acquired in recent weeks.

“I told them to stay focused,” Hollins said. “I told them, ‘You were the same person before they knew. You were the same team before they knew. So don’t get caught into what they’re saying.’”

Especially since they have proven on a national stage to be a team that’s destined to chase more history.

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Also, follow him on Twiter @AJ_Journalist.

Thunder star Kevin Durant on his mother: ‘I’m just happy to have her’

May 12, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

While addressing reporters in the Grizzlies’ practice facility Sunday morning, Kevin Durant tried his best to sum up Saturday’s Game 3 loss to Memphis, he felt the Oklahoma City Thunder “let get away.”

“I missed shots,” Durant said, who registered a game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds Saturday. “No excuses. I missed shots…shots that I have to make for my team. It doesn’t matter the lineup on the court. So I felt bad because I didn’t come through my team last night.”

MOM KNOWS BEST — Despite managing a double-double (game-high 25 points and registering 11 rebounds) Saturday’s 87-81 loss in Game 3 against the Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant said Sunday his professional career wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for his mother, Wanda Pratt, with whom Durant has a well-publicized close relationship.(Photo by Justin Ford)

Though the Thunder were held to their worst scoring and shooting performances of the postseason en route to an 87-81 loss to the Grizzlies in FedExForum in a game that wasn’t decided until the final minute, Durant seemed rather sanguine as he and the Thunder look ahead to Monday night’s pivotal Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals best-of-7 playoff series at 8:30 CST in Memphis.

Exhibiting a slight grin, Durant even took the time on Mother’s Day to acknowledge to his mother, Wanda Pratt, with whom the 24-year-old superstar has had a well-publicized close-knit relationship ever since he was born in the Washington, D. C. area in 1988.

“It’s bigger than basketball, man, I’ll tell you that,” said Durant, when asked to describe his relationship with his mother. “To have family around is the most important thing in the world.”

Like many of his peers who grew up in a single parent household, Pratt developed a commitment to steering Durant and his three siblings (two brothers and one sister) in the right direction. Even without a father around, Pratt consented to the slim, lanky Durant playing competitive basketball when he was 11 years. Even during that time, Durant had lofty aspirations of playing professionally although his mother was basically allowing him to shoot hoops as an outlet to stay out of trouble and, perhaps, earn a full-ride scholarship to college.

Fortunately for Durant, his craftiness on the court didn’t go unnoticed by a neighborhood recreational center coach, who was responsible for helping steer him to the University of Texas and, ultimately, green pastures of the NBA.

While Durant spent countless hours in the gymnasium upgrading his mechanics, his mother for years worked the graveyard shift, loading heavy bags of mail onto postal trucks so she could care after her children. While at work, Durant’s grandmother and aunt looked out for him and his siblings.

As Durant, a three-time NBA scoring champion and four-time All-Star, tells it, witnessing the sacrifices his mother made to ensure her children’s needs were met and that they would be raised in a carefree environment prompted him to work harder to achieve his dream. There were times, in fact, that Durant admittedly wanted to skip practice and give up basketball all together. But Pratt, who didn’t allow Durant to go to movies and hang out with friends much, didn’t make quitting hoops easy for him.

It’s a good thing she didn’t.

The NBA’s second-leading scorer, Durant is considered one of the best basketball players in the world for a Thunder team is caught up in a brutal, physical series with the Grizzlies. Whether shorthanded Oklahoma City — which lost point guard Russell Westbrook to a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago — will reach the NBA Finals for a second consecutive year remains a mystery, although Durant said he is eager to get back on the court for Game 4.

Still, on Sunday, while trying his best to assess how Game 3 slipped away in the waning moments of regulation, Durant made it a point to pay homage to the woman whom he deems the mastermind behind his celebrity.

“Every step of the way, it’s such a blessing,” Durant said. “And I’m just happy to have her.”

A close-knit bond that, as Durant said with a smile, is bigger than basketball.

That’s for certain.

Andre Johnson covers the NBA for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Also, follow him on Twiter @AJ_Journalist.

Even without Westbrook, Thunder are a dangerous foe, Lionel Hollins says

May 4, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

The Memphis Grizzlies won two of three meetings this year against the Oklahoma City Thunder with point guard Russell Westbrook in the lineup.

Though the three-time All-Star is less than two weeks removed from a season-ending knee injury he suffered in Game 2 of the Thunder’s opening-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said he isn’t buying into the notion that his team has emerged as the favorite to knock off the Western Conference’s top-seeded team in a series that starts Sunday in Oklahoma City at 12 p.m. CST.

Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies will likely have their hands full trying to contain Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant (left), whose 28.1 points per game is second-best in the NBA. (Photo by Chris Evans)

“You know, you’ve got to go play,” Hollins said after the Grizzlies’ 118-105 closeout win in Game 6 over the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night in FedExForum. “That’s the thing everybody keep saying, ‘Oh you can beat them because he’s out.’ They just won a series with him out. They’re a good team.”

Like the Grizzlies, Oklahoma City needed six games to eliminate the Rockets in a series in which it seemed the Thunder would win easily before Westbrook’s injury. The Thunder, who own home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs, won Game 1 in a rout, 120-91, at Chesapeake Energy Arena, as Westbrook nearly registered a triple-double with 19 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds.

Then in the Thunder’s 105-102 win in Game 2, Westbrook and fellow star Kevin Durant each scored 29 points. A five-year veteran, Westbrook played 37 minutes in that game, but unfavorable news would follow for the Thunder although they had taken a 2-0 lead in the series. Team officials announced that Westbrook would miss the remainder of the playoffs because of a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. Westbrook went down in the second quarter of Game 2 when Houston Rockets rookie Patrick Beverley went for a steal and ran into his knee.

Despite squandering a 26-point first-half lead in Game 3, the Thunder eventually prevailed and took a 3-0 lead against the Rockets behind Durant’s 41-point outburst. However, over the next two games, the Thunder appeared affected by the absence of Westbrook, the team’s second-leading scorer who averaged better than 23 points per game during the regular season. Also, the former UCLA star accounted for roughly a third of the possessions for a Thunder team that advanced to the NBA Finals last year.

Houston won the next two outings, including a 107-100 win at Oklahoma City in Game 5 before the Thunder ended the suspense with a 103-94 road win Friday night to close out the series.

Against the Grizzlies, one of the NBA’s best defensive teams that won a franchise-record 56 games during the regular season, Westbrook’s absence would provide Hollins with more resources to throw at Kevin Martin, Westbrook’s replacement. Still, he said upending a Thunder team that is the league’s second-most efficient offensive squad (110.2 points per 100 possessions) won’t come easily, considering Durant, the NBA’s second-leading scorer (28.1 ppg), is capable of catching fire at any given moment.

“They’re not just a one-man team,” Hollins said. “They’re a good team and we have to go play and earn whatever we get in this series. I feel good about our team simply because where we’re at mentally and physically we’re in good health. And we’ve been playing pretty decent. That’s why I feel pretty good about my team. I’m not worried about who they have or don’t have. We have to go out there and play according to our abilities.”

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Also, follow him on Twiter @AJ_Journalist.

Filed Under: Grizzlies, NBA, The Big Features Tagged With: Daily Oklahoman, ESPN.COM, FoxSports.com, Kevin Durant, Lionel Hollins, Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA.COM, NBATV, Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, Western Conference Playoffs, Yahoo.com

Grizzlies hope Randolph’s assertive play is sign of things to come against Thunder

May 4, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

SHOWING OFF — The Los Angeles Clippers couldn’t find any answers for Zach Randolph (left), who led the Grizzlies to an opening-round playoff series win over the Clippers. Memphis, after dropping the first two games, reeled off four straight wins to take the series, 4-2. (Photo by Justin Ford

The Staples Center will be closed for business on Sunday.

Zach Randolph had much to do with it.

Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies’ leading scorer and go-to player throughout their opening-round Western Conference playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, continued to demonstrate why he is considered one of the NBA’s elite power forwards.

The 12-year veteran showed why earning his second All-Star appearance in February wasn’t a fortuity one year after battling back from a torn medial collateral ligament and witnessing his effectiveness significantly reduced in Memphis’ opening-round defeat to the Clippers.

The 6-foot-9 Randolph, to his credit, proved why many media pundits believe he’s still essentially in the prime of his career, considering his remarkable performance against the Clippers was reminiscent of his memorable postseason display two seasons ago.

So with Game 6 effectively out of reach with 1:57 remaining in the fourth quarter Friday night in FedExForum, Randolph, who had been involved in physical confrontations with Clippers power forward Blake Griffin throughout a majority of the series, was hit with his second technical foul for taunting, which resulted in his subsequent ejection.

“It felt good especially from last year until what happened to this year, so it felt good,” Randolph, exhibiting a smile, said when asked about his rare disqualification. “Like I said, it is over with. We won the series. Now we have to get back focused.”

Randolph, who staged yet another exuberant performance in what turned out to be a closeout game for Memphis, didn’t seemed bewildered that he was sent to the showers before game’s end. While walking off the court, Randolph removed his signature headband, hurled it into the stands behind the Grizzlies’ bench, then skipped through the tunnel as the raucous FedExForum sellout crowd cheered in wonderment.

For the first time in two years, the Grizzlies are headed back to the Western Conference semifinals, where they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder starting Sunday at 12 p.m. CST in a rematch of their 2011 postseason meeting. The Grizzlies, despite losing the first two games of the series against the Clippers, exhibited a wealth of poise and resilience in rallying to eliminate an L. A. team that won three of four meetings against them during the regular season.

The Grizzlies, in fact, ended the series with four consecutive wins, largely because the Clippers couldn’t find any answers for Randolph, who averaged 20.4 points and 8.6 rebounds in the opening round and scored virtually at will against the opposition’s post players. Memphis’ 118-105 win Friday not only erased the memory of last year’s playoff loss to the Clippers in seven games, but it denied L. A. a chance to host a decisive Game 7.

Yes, Staples Center will be closed for business on Sunday, and Randolph had much to do with it.

Randolph and Clippers power forward Blake Griffin had to be seperated after they were involved in a scuffled near the midway point of the third quarter Friday night. (Photo by Justin Ford)

“After the first game, we had to figure out that we were going to have to change where he was (on the floor),” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “They were doing a good job on double-teaming him. We showed him film, moved him to different spots, moved him to the elbow, moved him to the wing, and when he put the ball on the floor, he was able to see where they were coming from and that took the pressure off of him.”

That Hollins adjusted his offense after Memphis had fallen into an 0-2 hole in an attempt to get the 31-year-old Randolph more engaged ultimately proved perplexing to the Clippers’ post players. Such was the case Friday when Randolph and Griffin were involved in a third-quarter skirmish on a box-out underneath the basket with inside of seven minutes remaining. Griffin, who didn’t start and played less than 14 minutes because of an ankle injury coach Vinny Del Negro said was the “size of a grapefruit,” had a hand in Randolph’s face on the box-out, causing both players to become off-balanced. Randolph consequently broke the fall by hooking Griffin to the ground, but Griffin drove his elbow into Randolph’s throat before the players were separated.

The incident resulted in Randolph’s first of two technical fouls on the night. Still, the 260-pound Randolph admittedly welcomes the physicality, given he believes the Grizzlies will encounter similar rough play against Thunder, who ended Memphis’ postseason run two years ago.

“I don’t even know what happened,” said Randolph, when asked about his latest run-in with Griffin. “He was going down and tried to pull me down and I just tried to brace myself. (The Thunder) are a physical team. We’re just going to go out and play Grizzlies basketball and focus on ourselves and try not get into any altercations.”

If, by chance, Randolph and Co. find themselves quarreling with opposing players come Sunday, it won’t be in Staples Center, which will be closed for business.

The Grizzlies are moving on and Randolph had much to do with it.

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Also, follow him on Twiter @AJ_Journalist.

Chris Webber says Grizzlies-Clippers winner could be favorite to beat Thunder

April 28, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

BLOCK PARTY — If Tayshaun Prince (left) and Grizzlies advance to the semifinals of the Western Conference playoffs, TNT analyst Chris Webber believes Memphis could emerge as the favorite to upset Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are without point guard Russell Westbrook for the remainder of the postseason due to a knee injury (Photo by Chris Evans)

The season-ending injury to Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has changed virtually the entire landscape of the NBA playoffs, most notably the series between the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies.

At least that is how TNT analyst Chris Webber on Saturday assessed the injury of Westbrook, a three-time All-Star and one of the league’s premiere point guards.

The Thunder entered the postseason as the top-seeded team in the Western Conference and heavy favorites to make their second consecutive NBA Finals appearance. Such talks seem to have dwindled since team officials on Friday announced that Westbrook would be out for the remainder of the playoffs after a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee he sustained in Game 2. Westbrook went down in the second quarter of that game when Houston Rockets rookie Patrick Beverley went for a steal and collided into his knee.

The winner of the Clippers-Grizzlies series, which resume Tuesday night with Game 5 in the Staples Center at 9:30 CST, will play the winner of the Rockets-Thunder matchup. If Oklahoma City, which took a 3-0 lead in their best-of-7 series opening-round series, eliminates Houston, Webber said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Thunder become underdogs to advance to the Western Conference finals now that Westbrook is done for the season.

“You’ve still got to earn it, whether it’s San Antonio,” Webber said. “I do think that in the back of your mind, you’ve got to think you want to get out of this (Clippers-Grizzlies) series because you can believe you’re the favorite. It’s understandable. I mean, you had one of the best records in the league. And now you lose your point guard, so what you’re going to do?”

While the Thunder, who owned the league’s second-best record behind the Miami Heat, still boast the depth to make a run at the NBA Finals, Webber said it would certainly take some doing, given Oklahoma City is without Westbrook, its second-leading scorer who averaged 23.2 points during the regular season. The league’s sixth-leading scorer, the 24-year-old Westbrook had never missed a game during his five-year professional career, a streak that spanned 439 games before his injury.

“Yeah, it has brought more meaning to every series,” said Webber, who played 15 NBA seasons before retiring in March 2008. “When you lose one of the best point guards in the game, you’re going to have trouble shooting, scoring, facilitating, and doing a lot of things. So I feel bad personally for Westbrook, No. 1. But OKC is definitely going to be affected by it. How? It’s up to them to decide and make that point. When you lose a guy like Westbrook, you can’t be as good.”

In Saturday’s Game 3 at Houston, the Thunder didn’t appear affected by Westbrook’s absence until the third quarter. Behind Kevin

Chris Webber

Durant’s game-high 41 points, Oklahoma City led by as many as 26 points in the second quarter, but had to withstand a furious second-half rally by the Rockets before escaping, 104-101, to assume a three games to none lead.

The biggest concern at this point, Webber said, is whether Durant’s offensive prowess can be sustained without Westbrook in the fold.

“They’re going to have to figure out a way to get some scoring possessions,” Webber said. “I mean, (Westbrook averages) over 23 points. So how do you just find that? You can’t just say OKC is left for dead, but they’re nowhere near the explosive team they were when they had Westbrook.”

Zach Randolph (left) and Blake Griffin have been involved in a slugfest, of sorts, through four games of the Clippers-Grizzlies best-of-7 playoff series. Whichever team prevails could likely be the favorite to upend Oklahoma City following the season-ending knee injury to Westbrook. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Clippers veteran guard Chauncey Billups, meanwhile, contends the winner of the Clippers-Grizzlies series won’t necessarily have a clear-cut path to the conference finals. As Billups tells it, such talks are premature, given the Clippers and Grizzlies are deadlocked at two games apiece.

“(Westbrook’s injury) really has nothing to do with this series…nothing whatsoever,” Billups said. “I mean, I’m pretty sure if Russell was playing, whatever team gets through this (series) is going to fight just as harder. So that really doesn’t come to play in this series. When we get there, then we’ll talk about it. They’re obviously a different team without him. But we’ve got to worry about Game 5 to be honest with you.”

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Also, follow him on Twiter @AJ_Journalist.

Filed Under: Grizzlies, NBA, The Big Features Tagged With: BLAKE GRIFFIN, CHRIS PAUL, Chris Webber, ESPN LOS ANGELES, ESPN.COM, FoxSports.com, Houston Chronicle, Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Times, Los Angles Daily News, Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA Finals, NBA Playoffs, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, TNT Sports, Zach Randolph

Former Celtic Tony Allen among those affected by Boston Marathon bombings

April 18, 2013 by Andre Johnson 1 Comment

Grizzlies shooting guard Tony Allen (left) defends Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce during a March 25 game in FedExForum. Having spent his first six NBA seasons with the Celtics, Allen was among those affected by Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Tony Allen admittedly will always have a place in his heart for the city of Boston, largely because that is where he found his soulmate.

That’s why after learning of the Monday’s horrific explosions at the Boston Marathon, Allen, who spent his first six NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics, was among those affected by the deadly blasts that left three dead and more than 170 injured.

“First thing’s first, I instantly called my fiancée to make sure her people were cool because her family is from Boston,” said Allen, when asked what was his initial response after hearing of the explosions. “Secondly, I sent a prayer out via Twitter, and then I said a prayer to myself for the people who were lost and hurt. And I looked at the situation like tragic and very unfortunate. It was devastating. Whoever did it strategically did it and I hope they’re punished for it. It’s a rotten act.”

So disastrous were the two explosions, which occurred near the finish line at the Boston Marathon four hours after the start of the race, that they prompted Allen to assess just how precious, but fragile life is. Still, he was quick to say that his grandest event since he helped steer the Celtics to the NBA title in 2008 at TD Bank Garden will take place in Boston later this year.

“I’m having my wedding in Boston,” Allen said. “That’s something big that happened. It could have been not just on Patriot’s Day. It could have been the day I got married. It could happen at any time. So you’ve definitely got to take every day in stride and just thank God.”

While Allen wouldn’t say when his wedding to his longtime girlfriend will take place, he said the venue where they will exchange their nuptials is in close proximity of the site of the tragedy that affected not just Bostonians, but the local sports landscape.

One day after the explosions authorities deemed a “coordinated” terror attack, the NBA expressed sympathy to the victims by canceling Tuesday’s game between the Celtics and Indiana Pacers at TD Bank Garden. Also, the National Hockey League postponed Monday night’s game between the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins hours after the bombings. That game has since been rescheduled for April 28, one day after the league’s condensed, 48-game regular season was expected to conclude.

“Being an athlete who played in that city…I mean, if you look at all the events in the different venues in that city, it could have

Allen (left), sitting alongside Celtics star Rajon Rondo, was a member of the Celtic team that defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to win the 2008 NBA championship. (Photo by Dave Roback)

happened at one of my basketball games,” Allen said as his eyes began to tear up. “Somebody could have thrown (a bomb) in that stadium (Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots), it doesn’t matter. You’ve just got to be cautious and not take life for granted.”

After learning Monday afternoon his future in-laws weren’t in harm’s way, Allen then reached out to several of his former Celtic teammates.

“I called Paul Pierce,” he said. “I got his number. I texted him to see was everything cool. He was taken aback. He said it was wild up there. He said he never would have expected that to happen, but everything’s cool on his end. I prayed for everybody else.”

In the meantime, while Allen and the Grizzlies are preparing for their opening-round playoff series rematch against the Los Angeles Clippers, he and his fiancée also are going to great lengths to aid those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings. Boston on Wednesday was declared a public health emergency by local officials.

“I’m trying to set up something now where I can reach out and help the victims,”Allen said. “I’m in research right now of that with my fiancé. So definitely, I look forward to contributing in some type of way.”

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Follow him @AJ_Journalist.

Grizzlies hope to improve playoff seeding by ending years of frustration in Houston

April 11, 2013 by Andre Johnson 1 Comment

MEMPHIS MELTDOWN: Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin (left) drives past Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley during a December 22 game in the Toyota Center. Memphis hasn’t won in Houston since 2006, a streak that spans 13 games. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

HOUSTON — Grizzlies shooting guard Tony Allen on Thursday couldn’t begin to assess precisely what transpired in Memphis’ latest outing here against the Houston Rockets.

“I really can’t pinpoint,” Allen said. “I’ll have to watch the film and tell you what happened the last time.”

Grizz Center Marc Gasol, however, recalls all too well Memphis’ last visit to Houston, a 121-96 debacle against the Rockets that resulted in the Grizzlies’ 13^th consecutive defeat in the Toyota Center.

“It wasn’t a good game,” Gasol said. “We didn’t make anything good out of it, so I flushed that one down the toilet.”

The general consensus among the Grizzlies is that they have acquired what coach Lionel Hollins hopes is “selective amnesia” as visiting Memphis prepares to face the Rockets Friday night at 7 CDT. Among the reasons is that Friday’s game, which is the fourth and final regular-season meeting between these teams this year — both have clinched playoff berths — features serious playoff implications, especially for the Grizzlies, who are aiming to improve their seeding with four regular-season games remaining.

Memphis (53-25) is currently in fifth place in the Western Conference standings, one game back of the Los Angeles Clippers for the pivotal fourth spot. Houston (44-34), on the other hand, occupies the seventh spot in the West and will begin the postseason on the road regardless of how it fares over its final four regular-season contests.

Although the Grizzlies have won two of three meetings this year against the Rockets — both in FedExForum — their latest visit to the Toyota Center was the center of conversation following Thursday’s hour-long practice, a lopsided affair they found difficult to stomach, in large part because it continued a losing streak in Houston that’s on the brink of reaching seven years.

Memphis hasn’t won in the Toyota Center since April 15, 2006.

“Every time we’ve gone in there, we played with the mentality to win the game even though we got our butts kicked every time we went in there,” Gasol said.

The Rockets, by all accounts, controlled virtually every facet of the game against the Grizzlies when the teams met here December 22 in a game that was effectively out of reach by the end of the third quarter. Though both teams shot 53 percent from the field for the game, the high-octane Rockets managed to steamroll past Memphis, courtesy of its three-point barrage and highpowered transition offense.

Houston made 12-of-28 3-point baskets and registered 31 fastbreak points, while limiting the Grizzlies to just 2-of-13 shots from beyond the arc. It also didn’t help that Memphis couldn’t find any answers for guard James Harden, whose game-high 31 points on 9-of-13 field goals paced seven Rockets in double figures.

“That came into my mind,” Hollins said of Memphis’ last setback in Houston that snapped the Grizzlies’ four-game winning streak. “We had gone into that game and gotten blown out. I mean, we haven’t even had a competitive game in Houston in a while, so that has crossed my mind…not how many times we’ve lost or anything like that. I just remember the last few times, we haven’t kept it close.”

If the Grizzlies are to extend their undefeated streak to three games Friday and, most importantly, stay on the Clippers’ heels for the

The Grizzlies had no answers for Rockets guard James Harden when the teams last met in Houston. Harden registered a game-high 31 points to lead seven Rockets in double figures as they routed Memphis, 121-96. (Photo by Scott Hallerman)

The Grizzlies simply had no answers for Rockets guard James Harden when the teams last met in Houston. Harden registered a game-high 31 points to lead seven Rockets in double figures as they routed Memphis, 121-96. (Photo by Scott Hallerman/Getty Images)

race for fourth in the West, they must devise ways to slow down Harden and guard Jeremy Lin. Traded in the offseason after a memorable campaign with the New York Knicks last season, Lin seemed to have adjusted comfortably to his new role with the Rockets after scoring 15 points in 34-plus minutes against the Grizzlies when the teams last met here.

Having labeled their latest visit to the Toyota Center a “distant memory,” Allen is convinced the Grizzlies — given the assortment of midseason trades — have established a new identity since being dealt their worst road loss of the season, a correlation they hope will give way to a favorable outcome Friday night, especially with the Clippers awaiting Memphis in FedExForum on Saturday.

“What I can say now is the focus I see in this group is a lot different,” Allen said. “You can see it from guys coming in the locker room, to watching film, and practice (Thursday) was pretty intense for a game like this. It’s huge. We play the Clippers after that, so both games are much needed.”

Especially with home court in the playoffs’ opening round hanging in the balance.

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Follow him @AJ_Journalist.

Former Memphis Central star Danielle Ballard relishes Sweet Sixteen appearance for LSU

March 28, 2013 by Andre Johnson 1 Comment

LSU point guard Danielle Ballard is a big reason the Lady Tigers are back in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in five years. The former Memphis Central High star scored 16 points on 6-of-9 field goals in LSU’s NCAA tournament opening-round win over Green Bay. (Photo courtesy of Louisiana State University)

Moments after the LSU women’s basketball team had shocked Penn State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Tuesday night, Lady Tiger point guard Danielle Ballard wasted little time updating her Facebook status.

Said Ballard, a former Memphis Central High star: “Winning this game was the best moment in my life. Can’t no one take that feeling away from me. Good WIN tonight!! Nobody believed in us, not even the president (of the United States Barack Obama).”

After LSU’s 71-53 loss to nationally-ranked Georgia in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, the Lady Tigers essentially were on the outside of the NCAA tournament bubble looking in. But after earning an at-large berth to the field of 64 when the brackets were revealed last weekend, all the sixth-seeded Lady Tigers have done was make their presence felt during what undoubtedly has been a memorable freshman campaign for Ballard.

Playing in familiar territory in the Maravich Assembly Center, LSU built an 18-point second-half lead and withstood a furious late rally by No. 11 seed Green Bay in the opening round before hanging on for a 75-71 win behind Ballard’s 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Then against No. 3 seed Penn State in the second round, senior guard Adrienne Webb’s career-best 29-point outburst helped propel the underdog Lady Tigers to an emotional 71-66 win and a spot in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2008.

LSU (22-11) advanced to play No. 2 seed California (30-3) Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. CDT in the Spokane Region in Spokane, Wash. The LSU-Cal winner will play the winner of No. 4 seed Georgia versus top-seeded Stanford Monday night in the Elite Eight with a berth in the Final Four at stake.

According to Ballard, LSU’s win over perennial power Penn State erased the memory of Tennessee’s Bashaara Graves edging her in being dubbed SEC Freshman of the Year. Ballard, in fact, has publicly said in recent weeks that she believes she should have walked away with conference Freshman of the Year honors, given her assortment of accolades that includes being ranked second among SEC freshmen in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage. Additionally, the 5-foot-7 Ballard led the league in steals and became LSU’s all-time leader in steals in a regular season with 99.

“Yeah, it just shows I should have been Freshman of the Year, Ballard said earlier this week in telephone interview from Baton Rouge, La. “But going to the NCAA tournament, people are really getting a chance to look at me and have a second guess about me.”

Ballard, the Lady Tigers’ third-leading scorer, admittedly welcomes the challenge of playing on college basketball’s grandest stage. Among the reasons is that her entire high school career was spent starting for a Memphis Central team that was a fixture in the national rankings. Rated as the 25^th overall prospect and No. 7-ranked point guard nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz for the class of 2012, Ballard guided the Lady Warriors to the Tennessee Class AAA state championship as a junior.

If LSU and Georgia prevail Saturday in the Sweet Sixteen, Monday's Elite Eight matchup will feature Ballard facing former Bartlett High star Jasmine James (left) of the Lady Bulldogs.

If LSU and Georgia prevail Saturday in the Sweet Sixteen, Monday’s Elite Eight matchup in the Spokane Region will feature Ballard facing former Bartlett High star Jasmine James (left) of the Lady Bulldogs.

Fortunately for LSU, Ballard has been as good as advertised, given her contributions enabled her to rank among a number of key statistical categories this year for the Lady Tigers, most notably steals (first), rebounds (second), assists (third), and minutes played (third).

“She’s really stepped up this year,” Webb, LSU’s second-leading scorer, said of Ballard. “She didn’t play like a freshman this year. She’s been playing like she’s been playing college basketball for a few years now. She has come in and showed so much of what we haven’t seen in a while from a point guard. She plays on both ends of the floor. She has played a very big role. Without her, we wouldn’t be in this position.”

Now that LSU has reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in five years, Ballard is convinced anything can happen this weekend in the Pacific Northwest.

“Yes, definitely the sky’s the limit for this team,” Ballard said. “We have nothing to lose. We have to lay it all on the line.”

Even if the leader of the free world doesn’t give them a chance.

Andre Johnson is a senior writer for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Follow him @AJ_Journalist.

Filed Under: Basketball, Other News, The Big Features Tagged With: Cal Golden Bears, DANIELLE BALLARD, ESPN.COM, FoxSports.com, Georgia Bulldogs, LSU TIGERS, LSU.edu, NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, Pac 12 Basketball, SEC BASKETBALL, Spokane Region, Stanford Cardinal, WNBA, Yahoo.com

Grizzlies star Mike Conley having more of a vocal presence as postseason looms

March 24, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

As the longest-tenured player on the Grizzzlies' roster, point guard Mike Conley (right) has become more of a vocal presence of late, something that has benefited the team mightily since the All-Star break, coach Lionel Hollin said. (Photo by Justin Ford)

TAKING CONTROL: As the longest-tenured player on the Grizzlies’ roster, point guard Mike Conley (right) has become more of a vocal presence of late, something that has benefited the team mightily since the All-Star break, coach Lionel Hollins said. (Photo by Justin Ford)

When Mike Conley starts talking, his teammates make certain to listen.

Such was the case during the Memphis Grizzlies’ game Friday night at the New Orleans Hornets.

Conley, the Grizzlies’ point guard who, early in his professional career, had developed a reputation as one of the quietest players on the roster, surprisingly called out shooting guard Tony Allen during a pivotal stretch Allen described as a “shooting zone” for the five-year veteran.

“He told me to get my bleep (expletive) back,” Allen said.

When asked how he responded to Conley’s unorthodox command, Allen, displaying a smile, said, “Nothing…I got back. That kind of surprised me coming from Mike Conley. That goes to show he’s growing as a point guard and taking control of the team. I just like the feistiness he’s brought and I just want him to keep bringing it, man.”

Fortunately for the Grizzlies, Conley’s keen desire to refrain from remaining tight-lipped has proven beneficial to a Memphis team many essentially had written off before the All-Star break, given an assortment of midseason transactions that included trading former franchise player Rudy Gay to Toronto.

The 25-year-old Conley has since emerged as the catalyst of a Grizzlies squad that has generated an 18-7 mark, has twice gone from fourth to third place in the Western Conference standings and, in February, matched its season-best eight-game undefeated streak since the organization dealt Gay on January 30. His surge in recent weeks includes a season-high 24 points on 9-of-21 field goals in last week’s 90-89 home win against Oklahoma City.

“I think this is his best season,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said of Conley. “He’s grown in so many ways, as has our team. It’s just a normal maturation process that comes for good players. Every player doesn’t come in and become a Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. Some just have a nice career. You keep getting better and helping your team win. That’s what the NBA is about.”

The longest-tenured Grizzly, Conley, the team’s third-leading scorer, also has assumed a more assertive approach offensively. Since returning from the All-Star break, the former Ohio State star has managed to score in double figures in all except one outing (season-low five points on 2-of-13 field goals against Dallas Feb. 27) and has witnessed his scoring average increase to 13.9 points per game.

Add to the fact that Conley is second in the NBA behind Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul in steals (2.3 steals per game), and it’s no wonder he’s starting to earn mentions among the elite point guards in the league.

“In my eyes,” he’s a boarder-line All-Star,” Boston Celtics veteran forward Paul Pierce said of Conley following Saturday night’s 110-106 loss to Memphis in FedExForum. “He’s one of the most solid players in the league. He’s matured over the years and he’s shown he could be a leader of a ball club. It’s showing out there on the floor.”

Unlike in recent years, when Conley’s roles were comprised mostly of orchestrating the pick at roll offense and distributing the ball to the post players, the Fayetteville, Ark. native remains adamant his time has finally come to have more of an all-around impact for a Grizzlies team that clinched its third consecutive postseason berth with Utah’s loss at Dallas Sunday night.

“I think with the trades and everything that happened,” my roles changed,” Conley said after registering 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting in 37-plus minutes Saturday against the Celtics. “And I had to be a little bit more aggressive offensively. I have a little more responsibilities, a little more freedom. I had to become more confident and aggressive and so far, it’s working.”

Conley, Memphis' third-leading scorer, was one of seven Grizzlies players to register double figures in Saturday night's 110-106 win against the Boston Celtics in FedExForum. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Conley, Memphis’ third-leading scorer, was one of seven Grizzly players to register double figures in Saturday night’s 110-106 win against the Boston Celtics in FedExForum. (Photo by Justin Ford)

As Conley tells it, no one had to inspire him to assume the proverbial “marquee player” intellect.

“I kind of looked around (after the midseason trades) and I said, ‘Who’s going to do it?’ Conley said. “I knew JB (Grizzlies backup point guard Jerryd Bayless) has the talent to do it. I know I can do it, and I think as guards of this team, we have to pick it up in our backcourt and help the big guys out. I’ve been here the longest, so I feel like I’ve invested more to this team than anybody. You know, I speak my mind a lot more than I used to do.”

Allen, more than any other Grizzly, admittedly welcomes Conley’s newfound vocal approach. So much, in fact, that he hopes to see more of it as the postseason looms.

“Mike Conley has proven he’s in the discussion as one of the elite point guards in the league,” Allen said. “When you get through talking about (Chicago Bulls Derrick) Roses, (Brooklyn Nets) Deron Williams, Chris Paul, (Oklahoma City Russell) Westbrook, you’ve got to throw Mike Conley in there. I just like the fact that he has more of a sense of urgency, that he’s more of a vocal leader, more of a distributor and scorer.

“When he came back from the All-Star break, he was more of a dominant player guy. He was more in control, I believe, distributing the ball, getting Zach (Randolph) and Marc (Gasol) involved, g0t me involved. He’s talking on the bench. He’s vocal in the huddle. The quiet Mike that we once knew isn’t quiet anymore.”

Given his stellar all-around play of late coupled with his willingness to sound off, don’t expect Conley to revert back to mute anytime soon.

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.net. Follow him @AJ_Journalist.

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