MSL: 4.13.13

April 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

 

BOM MSL 2012

HOUR 1:

(Segment 1) Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter recap the week’s big stories during the Starting 5.
(Segment 2) Dustin Starr joins the guys in studio to recap WrestleMania 29.
(Segment 3) Jason Potter of the Memphis Grizzlies talks about the Tour De Grizz win streak.

MemphiSport Live

 

HOUR 2:
(Segment 1) Hang Up & Listen.
(Segment 2)  Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter preview next week’s return of Have Rick Trotter Say Whatever You Like. Plus, Marcus The Magnificent predicts what the future holds for Kobe Bryant and the NBA.
(Segment 3)  Woohoos and Boos.

 

MemphiSport Live

Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host MemphiSport Live (MSL) on Sports 56 & 87.7 FM every Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. MSL was voted 3rd Best Sports Radio Show in the 2010, 2011 & 2012 Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis poll.

Follow the MSL hosts on Twitter @cerrito & @MHUNTER_FOX13

Filed Under: Full Episodes, MemphiSport Live (MSL), The Big Features Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NBA players pay homage to Michael Jordan on his 50th birthday

February 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

HOUSTON — When Michael Jordan rejoined the Chicago Bulls in 1995 following his first retirement, Ron Harper was in his second season with

Michael Jordan, considered the greatest baskteball player to ever play the game, was honored by the media and the NBA days leading to Sunday's All-Star Game in Houston. The six-time world champion and Hall of Famer turned 50 Sunday. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

Michael Jordan, considered the greatest baskteball player to ever play the game, was honored by the media and the NBA days leading to Sunday’s All-Star Game in Houston. The six-time world champion and Hall of Famer turned 50 Sunday. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

the team. Still, that didn’t stop Jordan from singling him out upon his return to offer what Harper — who was coming off a tumultuous first year in Chicago — described as some much-needed counsel.

“He came to me and he said, ‘We work hard here every day,’” Harper, who retired in 2001, said before Sunday night’s All-Star Game in the Toyota Center. “He said, ‘We don’t take days off. We practice hard. We play hard. We work hard.’ It was amazing to see how great he was. It was an amazing run.”

For Harper, who had played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers prior to joining the Bulls, Jordan’s reuniting with the team essentially gave way to him resurrecting his NBA career. All he did over the final seven years of his career was win five world titles, including three as a member of the Bulls.

Jordan who, during the 1980s and 1990s, disseminated the NBA globally with his electrifying leaping, scoring, and dunking ability, turned 50 on Sunday, another majestic milestone for the Hall of Famer and six-time world champion that attracted national headlines and was commemorated by many throughout the league, most notably current and former players who were on hand here for the All-Star festivities.

From the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony on Thursday in the Hilton Hotel in downtown Houston, where the 12 finalists for the Class of 2013 inductees were announced, to after the West squad’s 143-138 win over the East All-Stars, Jordan’s legacy and awe-inspiring impact on the basketball world were reminisced by those who were mesmerized by his astounding achievements and contributions during his illustrious career.

“He’s one of the ones who changed the game with Earving “Magic’ Johnson and Larry Bird,” Harper said of Jordan, now the majority owner and chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. “When he came into the league, he took the league to new heights because he wasn’t a guy who was just another player. He was an extremely good basketball player. He worked extremely hard and he showed me what it’s like to be a real pro. It was a great experience playing alongside him.”

Jordan twice came out of retirement in 1998 and 2001, but not before manufacturing a career that prompted several of his peers and media pundits to label him “the greatest basketball player of all time.” Born in Brooklyn, N. Y. in 1963, Jordan was once told he was too short to play basketball as a slim, 5-foot-11 sophomore at Laney High in Wilmington, N. C. and eventually was cut from the team.

That Jordan was passed over by his high school coach only fueled his desire to master his mechanics. Having witnessed his height increase by four inches the following year, Jordan consequently made the varsity squad as a junior only to emerge as an instant star and arguably the team’s most prolific scorer.

From there, it was on to Chapel Hill, N. C., where he spent three seasons at the University of North Carolina, a collegiate campaign that was highlighted by Jordan making the game-winning shot, a baseline jumper from the left side against Patrick Ewing and mighty Georgetown, a perfectly executed play that, as Jordan has acknowledged time and again, was a pivotal turning point in his well-documented basketball career.

Jordan, who was a 14-time All-Star, hoists his last of three All-Star MVP trophies in 1998. (AP Photo)

Jordan, who was a 14-time All-Star, hoists his last of three All-Star MVP trophies in 1998. (AP Photo)

Selected with the third overall pick in the first round of the 1984 NBA draft, Jordan wasted little time making his presence felt as a rookie, averaging better than 28 points per game while shooting an astounding 51 percent from the field. Even before the season’s halfway point, he had become a fan favorite in opposing arenas, a trend that ultimately led to him controversially being voted as a starter for the 1985 All-Star Game. His first year in the league would end with him walking away with Rookie of the Year honors.

“I came (in the NBA) before (Jordan), so I’m one of the older guys,” said Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who played 15 NBA seasons between 1982 and 1999. “He pushed me and I pushed him. We didn’t talk much. We just played. As great players, you don’t talk because they’re going to bring it to you anyway.”

Before Jordan, a five-time NBA MVP, reached the pinnacle of his career, the Detroit Pistons proved to be the Bulls’ Achilles Heel, having eliminated Chicago from the postseason three consecutive seasons between 1987 and 1990. However, in the following year, under the guidance of then-second-year coach Phil Jackson, the Bulls swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals and eventually won the first of three consecutive world championships.

After a two-year hiatus from basketball, the six-time NBA Finals MVP returned to the Bulls in 1995, playing four more seasons in Chicago, a run that brought the franchise three more NBA titles. Following a second retirement that lasted approximately three years, Jordan made one last comeback, this time with the Washington Wizards before calling it a career for good after an April 16, 2003 loss at Philadelphia.

Since his retirement, there have been ongoing debates as to whether No. 23 should be retired by every NBA team in honor of Jordan’s contributions to the game. LeBron James, who made headlines days leading to the All-Star Game in Houston when Jordan said Lakers star Kobe Bryant is a more successful player than the Miami Heat star, is among the current players who believes players who wear No. 23 should discontinue occupying the number.

Following a November 13, 2009 win against the Heat, James, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers at the time, said he would switch from

Jordan is still very much active in the NBA. The former North Carolina All-American is now the majority owner and chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. (Photo by Kent Smith, NBAE Getty Images)

Jordan is still very much active in the NBA. The former North Carolina All-American is now the majority owner and chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. (Photo by Kent Smith, NBAE Getty Images)

wearing No. 23 to No. 6 after the season out of respect for Jordan and that other players should follow suit.

“I feel like no NBA player should wear 23,” James, a three-time league MVP, said after that game. “I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”

Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph, who has met Jordan on several occasions, agreed with James that players should no longer wear No. 23.

“Most definitely,” Randolph, a two-time All-Star, said during Friday’s Media Day session. “That shouldn’t even be a question. That’s not even a question to me. He paved the way for us, the things he did and stuff, what he brought to this game.”

Then, of course, there are some who believe that No. 23 shouldn’t be retired by every team, most notably Wilkins and former NBA great Gary Payton. Payton, who played for five different teams during his 17-year NBA career, was a member of the Seattle SuperSonics team that lost in the six games in the NBA finals to Jordan and the Bulls in 1996.

“I don’t think so,” Payton said. “He didn’t play for a lot of those teams. But if they do, he deserves it. They consider him to be the best basketball player of all time, which has been true.”

Scottie Pippen, who was a member of the Bulls’ six championship teams, turned down interview requests by MemphiSport, but tweeted Sunday morning, “Happy 50th birthday MJ — my friend, winner, ultimate competitor and the greatest.”

Said Wilkins when asked if the NBA should retire No. 23 in honor of Jordan: “No, because he played with the Bulls most of his career. If another team like Washington, for example, wants to retire his jersey because he played there, then that would be a great thing. But he’s synonymous with the Chicago Bulls. That stands in a place by itself. I don’t think they should retire No. 23 across the board.

“It would be an interesting argument. I mean, he’s the brand of basketball, let just be honest, no matter what anybody else try to say.”

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

SEE ALSO: Miami Heat star LeBron James says he isn’t fazed by Michael Jordan’s recent comments

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Miami Heat star LeBron James says he isn’t fazed by Michael Jordan’s recent comments

February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
LeBron James, who led the Miami Heat to their second NBA title last year, said during Friday's All-Star Media Day he isn't fazed by Michael Jordan's recent comments in which he said Kobe Bryant is more successful than James, given Bryant's multiple championships. (Photo by Chris Evans)

LeBron James, who led the Miami Heat to their second NBA title last year, said during Friday’s All-Star Media Day he isn’t fazed by Michael Jordan’s recent comments in which he said Kobe Bryant is more successful than James, given Bryant’s multiple championships. (Photo by Chris Evans)

HOUSTON — LeBron James on Friday said he is aware of Michael Jordan’s recent comments in which the NBA Hall of Famer and six-time world champion said he deems Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant as a more successful player, in large part because Bryant has won more NBA titles than the Miami Heat star.

However, James, in addressing reporters during the Media Day sessions in preparation for Sunday’s All-Star Game in the Toyota Center, contends he isn’t fazed by Jordan’s comments and that winning championships doesn’t necessarily supersede a player’s body of work during the course of his career.

Jordan, the Charlotte Bobcats’ majority owner and chairman who played 16 seasons in the NBA between 1984 and 2003, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel newspaper recently that, “If you had to pick between the two, that would be a tough choice, but five beats one every time I look at it.”

Jordan was referring to the five world championships Bryant has won during his 17-year career with the Lakers. James, now with his second team in ten seasons, won his first NBA title in three tries last year when the Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games of their NBA Finals best-of-7 series.

“Yeah, I heard them,” James said of Jordan’s comments. “I heard them. You know, I don’t have a take on them. He said he’d take Kobe over me because five rings are better than one and the last time he checked, five is better than one. But that’s his opinion. At the end of the day, rings don’t always define someone’s career. If that’s the case, I would sit up and here and say (Bill) Russell over Jordan. But I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t take Russell over Jordan. Russell has 11 rings and Jordan has six. Or I would take, I don’t know, Robert Horry (seven-time NBA champion) over Kobe. I wouldn’t do that. But it’s your own opinion.

“Jud Buechler (three-time NBA champion with the Bulls from 1996-1998) has multiple rings. Charles Barkley doesn’t have one ring. He’s not better than Charles Barkley. Rings don’t define a person’s career. Rings don’t define a person’s career. Patrick Ewing is one of the greatest of all time. Reggie Miller is one of the greatest of all time. You know, sometimes, it’s the situation that you’re in and the team that you’re in, but it’s also about timing as well.”

While Bryant, who will be making his 14th consecutive All-Star appearance (15th overall), said the conversations surrounding Jordan’s comments involving him and James are mostly media-driven, he said he understands why Jordan had drawn such a comparison.

Bryant (right) said Friday he doesn't believe Jordan's recent remarks regarding James has inspired his inspired his record-setting play of late. "I think he just goes out and plays his game and plays to his strengths," Bryant said of James. (Photo by Chris Evans)

Bryant (right) said Friday he doesn’t believe Jordan’s recent remarks regarding James has inspired his record-setting play of late. “I think he just goes out and plays his game and plays to his strengths,” Bryant said of James. (Photo by Chris Evans)

“I think the message is winning is above everything else,” said Bryant, when asked to assess Jordan’s statements. “I think we all know that. LeBron knows that, and that’s what drives him, to win as many championships as possible…same thing that drives me and the same thing that drives me now, to win as many as you can, and it’s that simple.”

Whether Jordan’s comparisons of James and Bryant have fueled James’ record-setting play of late is up for debate. That’s because the three-time league MVP has manufactured the best offensive efficiency in NBA history during a seven-game stretch (at least 30 points and 60 percent shooting) for a Heat team that has won a league-best seven straight and boasts the league’s third-best record (36-14) following Thursday night’s decisive 110-100 win at the Thunder.

“I don’t think it inspired him over the last seven games,” Bryant said of James, last year’s reining NBA Finals MVP. “I think he just goes out and plays his game and plays to his strengths. I mean, you hit one of those patterns where the hard work and the physical talent all kind of come together and you just hit one of those hot streaks. Some of us have been there before. It’s just no feeling like it.”

Chris Bosh, James’ teammate for the past three seasons, believes all of the talk this week surrounding the Bryant-James comparisons is being blown out of proportion.

“You know, everybody has an opinion,” said Bosh, who will be making his eighth All-Star appearance. “You know, (Jordan) takes (Bryant) and that’s fine. I don’t think it really means that much to LeBron. I mean, there’s inspiration all around us. I think, of course, he can use that specifically as inspiration any way he wants to.”

Asked if Jordan’s recent remarks will serve as bulletin board material, James said, “What I need bulletin board material for? My inspiration is the game I love. I don’t play the game to try to define who I am over what guys say or how they feel about me. I go out and I play for my family. I play for my teammates. I play for my coaching staff and I play for my fans.”

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

SEE ALSO: Veteran Tayshaun Prince exercising faith on and off the court for Grizzlies

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Lakers star Pau Gasol remains optimistic despite losing starting position

January 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Moments after Wednesday’s morning shootaround, Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol emerged from the visitors’ locker room,

Former Grizzlies center Pau Gasol (left) was traded in 2008 to the Lakers for his younger brother, Marc Gasol. This year has been arguably the worse for Pau, who's averaging a career-low 12.7 points a game and was benched earlier this week for the first time in his career. (Photo by Chris Evans)

Former Grizzlies star Pau Gasol (left) was traded in 2008 to the Lakers for his younger brother, Marc Gasol. This year has been arguably the worst for Pau, who’s averaging a career-low 12.7 points a game and was benched earlier this week for the first time in his career. (Photo by Chris Evans)

then greeted several Memphis-area media members, many of whom covered the 7-foot Spaniard during his seven-year stint with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2001-2008.

Gazing into the FedExForum rafters, Gasol, displaying a slight grin, paused briefly to reminiscence about his days in Memphis, a tenure that was comprised of a number of accolades, most notably NBA Rookie of the Year.

Even after being traded prior to the February 2008 deadline to the Lakers in favor of his younger brother, Grizzlies star Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol embarked upon what seemingly was a more harmonious situation in L. A., given his stellar career ultimately was upgraded with consecutive world titles in 2009-2010.

“He’s one of the best centers in the league,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said of Pau Gasol.

That hardly hasn’t been the case of late for the four-time All-Star who, given his poor offensive production coupled with the Lakers’ continuous free fall, was demoted to the bench following Monday’s loss at Chicago and replaced by Earl Clark. The sudden lineup change, which was implemented by Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni, came as a rare occurrence for the 32-year-old Pau Gasol who, despite averaging a career-low 12.7 points per game, had never been benched since he entered the NBA after playing three seasons with FC Barcelona.

Hired by the Lakers five games into the season November 12 following the firing of Mike Brown, D’Antoni said among the reasons for the necessary lineup change is that he felt the Lakers could exemplify more speed and athleticism after spending a majority of the season playing with what essentially was two centers. The unlikely change, D’Antoni said, will provide the Pau Gasol with the golden opportunity of being the team’s primary or secondary scoring option off the bench, a move he contends would also benefit the Lakers, particularly when opposing teams go with smaller lineups.

While Pau Gasol has publicly expressed his displeasure in having been reduced to a reserve role, he said it is imperative that he suppress his ill feelings and do whatever is necessary to help the underachieving Lakers escape what has been a disastrous campaign.

Having dropped their fourth straight in a 106-93 loss at Memphis on Wednesday, the Lakers (17-25) currently are tied with Orlando for the NBA’s second-longest losing streak. What’s even worse for a team that acquired Dwight Howard and Steve Nash in the offseason is that it has gone from being a legitimate title contender to one that is almost certain to be fighting for its playoff lives after the All-Star break. The Lakers currently are four games behind Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Despite a closed-door meeting that reportedly took place before Wednesday’s shootaround in which players voiced their grievances, Gasol and Co. are convinced that time has yet to run out on Lakers to salvage their season.

The Lakers play Utah Friday night in the Staple’s Center, the first of a three-game homestand.

“The meeting was a team thing,” Gasol said. “It was intended to stay that way. So I’m not going to talk about what was said and what wasn’t said. I think it’s enough for us to talk about it for us not to get into it. I don’t how that got out, but when we have meetings, we should deal with our stuff as a family, as a group, and our family should be tight. And if it’s not tight and it cracks and the situation keeps getting worse, at some point it will explode.”

Though Gasol said he was only being forthright when he said he didn’t thoroughly buy into D’Antoni’s decision to bench him, Bryant appeared pleased at how Gasol handled the situation.

“He’s honest about it,” Bryant said after Wednesday’s shootaround. “He said he doesn’t agree with it. But you don’t see him (expletive) and complaining about it and moping about it. I mean, he went to Chicago and played his (expletive) off. That’s the kind of spirit we need to have. The identity we have is going out there and playing for each other. There is a sense of urgency. There was a sense of urgency last month. We just haven’t been winning. I mean, if we continue to lose, everybody’s going to look like (expletive).”

SEE ALSO: Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace: ‘We’re very happy with Rudy here’

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

 

Filed Under: NBA, The Big Features Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace: ‘We’re very happy with Rudy here’

January 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace on Wednesday hinted that team will not make any additional roster changes before the Feb. 21 trade deadline. That means franchise player Rudy Gay (right) will likely finish his seventh NBA season in Memphis. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace on Wednesday hinted that team will not make any additional roster changes before the Feb. 21 trade deadline. That means franchise player Rudy Gay (right) will likely finish his seventh NBA season in Memphis. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Although Memphis Grizzlies small forward Rudy Gay on Wednesday wouldn’t say whether he believes he will remain with the franchise through the remainder of the season, it certainly appears likely he will complete his seventh year with the team now that management has made the necessary payroll adjustments to land the organization under the luxury tax threshold.

The Grizzlies on Tuesday traded power forward Marreese Speights, reserve shooting guards Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby, and a future first-round draft pick to Cleveland, a development that  trimmed payroll by more than $6 million and, most importantly, placed the franchise under the league’s tax line.

“Obviously, there are financial ramifications for the deal,” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said while addressing reporters on Wednesday for the first time since the trade. “The luxury tax territory is not something teams take lightly once you get into it, and every year as a tax payer, there is a repeater tax down the road. So you want to get out of it when you can.”

Following the Grizzlies’ hour-long  shootaround Wednesday morning, Gay said that while the latest trades involving three key players — two of whom had played significant minutes off the bench — has provided the Grizzlies with a new look weeks before the All-Star break, he doesn’t feel the moves will disrupt the chemistry of a team that is considered among the NBA’s elite.

“I’m not going to talk about our trades,” Gay told reporters. “But what has happened, obviously, those guys were a big part of our team. Mo (Speights) was a big part of our playoff run last year and started for us. And obviously with the addition of the other guys, we started off great. But, you know, that was a business decision management made. It doesn’t matter what they think about us. It’s about what’s in the locker room. We’ve got to stay committed to play.”

Over the past few weeks, most notably after the Grizzlies had struggled to a 7-7 mark last month, Gay had become the subject of constant trade rumors. Despite leading the Grizzlies in scoring at 17.8 points per game, Gay has been inconsistent offensively of late for Memphis, which has dropped four of its last six outings. The Grizzlies, who hosted the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday in what was the second of a four-game homestand, currently occupies the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings with less than four weeks before the league’s trade deadline.

Still, Gay a seven-year veteran who has demonstrated to be among the NBA’s most efficient perimeter players in recent years despite a severe shoulder injury that sidelined him for much of the 2010-11 season, has emerged as one of the most sought-after players who could possibly be available for a possible trade in the coming weeks.

However, given Grizzlies’ front office has devised ways to reduce salary in other areas without trading away its franchise player, Gay said his primary focus in the meantime is to help steer Memphis to its third consecutive postseason berth.

Asked if he’s confident he will remain with the Grizzlies through season’s end now that the team has resolved its luxury tax issues, Gay said, “I don’t know…I don’t know. I don’t have a comment on that. As you can see across the way (the Lakers), they thought something different than what’s going on now. We’re still a great team. We’ve been a great team for what…four years now?”

While Wallace appeared to have hinted that the trade deadline will pass without Memphis making any additional changes to its roster, he was quick to point out that Gay is pivotal part of the success the Grizzlies aim to acquire in the foreseeable future.

“Rudy is still here with us here today,” Wallace said. “We’re not necessarily going out to try to get offers for certain players. We value him. He’s one of the elite scoring small forwards in the league. This is the franchise that gave him the current contract he’s with. We’re very happy with Rudy here.”

SEE ALSO: Chris Paul: Grizzlies would be ‘crazy’ to trade star Rudy Gay before season’s end

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

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What we learned about the Grizzlies in November

December 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (right) is one of four starters averaging in doubles figures for a Memphis team that took an NBA-best 12-2 mark into Saturday night’s game at San Antonio. The Grizz are coming off their longest homestand of the year that included a win over Dwight Howard and the Lakers. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol figured he might as well remind power forward Zach Randolph it was time to go back on the road.

After all, it had been two weeks since the Grizzlies last boarded the team plane.

“Hey Z-Bo, don’t be late for the team flight,” the 7-1 Spaniard jokingly told Randolph as he left the locker room after Friday’s game against Detroit in FedExForum. “I don’t want to have to call and remind you.”

Randolph, taking questions from reporters, seemed to relish that Gasol passed along a vital memo.

“I got you big fella,” Randolph said. “I’ll be there.”

Gasol and Randolph’s brief exchange, by all accounts, was indicative of the solid chemistry that has enabled the Grizzlies to manufacture the NBA’s best record after their longest homestand of the season. Memphis, which took a 12-2 mark into Saturday’s early-season Western Conference showdown at San Antonio, compiled a 4-1 record during its five-game homestand. The Grizzlies’ only blemish during that stretch came in a 97-92 loss to Denver to begin the series, a game that wasn’t decided until the waning moments.

“You can’t never believe the hype when we win some games and the national media is calling wanting to interview you,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said after the defeat to Denver snapped Memphis’ franchise-best eight-game winning streak. “There’s a responsibility that comes with winning. You can’t do much talking in between games.”

Whether Hollins’ suggestion was a direct message to his players after their setback against the Nuggets remains a mystery. Still, the Grizzlies responded superbly, reeling off four consecutive wins to close out their home stretch. That begs the question: What did we learn about this team after a pivotal homestand performance that Hollins hopes is a sign of things to come?

Consider:

The Grizzlies are legitimate title contenders

Sure, it is still early in the NBA’s first full season in two years. But if the playoffs began today, the Grizzlies would be a tough out for any opposition.

Among the reasons is that the Grizzlies have managed a number of key, gut-checking wins that could benefit them mightily come the postseason. Besides a lopsided home win December 11 over reigning NBA champion Miami and a colossal come-from-behind road triumph three nights later against NBA finals runner-up Oklahoma City, the Grizzlies latest homestand included a resounding victory over a new-look Los Angeles Lakers squad has underachieved and was forced to make a coaching change five games into the season.

That the Grizzlies’ early-season victories against championship-caliber opponents ultimately catapulted them atop the league standings served as an eye-opener, or sorts, for Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

“Memphis is a great team,” Bryant said. “They’re playing with the belief that they could win and come out of the West.

What’s even more astounding for a Memphis team that held a one-game lead over Miami for the league’s best record before Saturday’s 99-95 overtime loss at the Spurs is that the Grizzlies extended their undefeated streak to 7-0 versus Eastern Conference opponents after Friday’s win over the Pistons. Five of those wins against the East have come at FedExForum, where the Grizzlies have been mostly resilient, having won 14 straight before the loss to Denver.

Memphis hosts the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night at 7.

“We had a great month,” said Gasol, alluding to the Grizzlies’ 12-1 mark in November. “We had a great homestand. We still got a lot of room to grow.”

Randolph is slimmer and healthier than ever

On a number of occasions during the preseason, Randolph said he believes this will be his best year of an NBA stint that spans 12 seasons. Now we know why.

Randolph, who wouldn’t say specifically how much weight he lost in the offseason, appears to be a more mobile and versatile — not to mention vocal — player, given he’s having a viable presence on both ends of the floor. So much, in fact, that the 6-foot-9 Randolph owns an NBA-best 12 double-doubles, numbers, that, fortunately for the Grizzlies, are reminiscent of his postseason display two years ago when Randolph avaraged better than 22 points and 10 rebounds (in 13 playoff games) in leading Memphis to the Western Conference semifinals. That Randolph insists he is the best shape of his career means there will be less pressure on reserve big man Marreese Speights to produce big numbers. Speights, who was signed by the Grizzlies days after Randolph sustained a torn MCL the first week of the season at Chicago last year, has started 54 of 60 regular season games for Memphis. Although his presence benefited the Grizzlies’ late-season surge that included them solidifying the West’s No. 4-seed for the playoffs, Speights’ numbers never reflected that of Randolph’s.

“Health is very important in this league,” Hollins said. “(Randolph)has been playing. You can’t do what you do when you’re not out there. Usually what happens when a person is out is you have to adapt to a different identity. That’s why chemistry is so important.”

As Mike Conley goes, so does the Grizzlies

Despite all of the criticism Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley encountered early in his career, it is evident the Grizzlies’ success this year will depend largely on his ability to stay healthy and orchestrate the pick and roll offense. If nothing else, such was the case when Memphis welcomed Cleveland to FedExForum for its third of a five-game homestand.

For the first time this season, the Grizzlies were without Conley, whom Hollins dubbed the “floor general,” and it was obvious they were affected by his absence.

With Conley battling flu-like symptoms, the Grizzlies found it virtually difficult settling into its usual-reliable pick and roll and it nearly resulted in what would have been a devastating setback against an undersized, inexperienced Cavs team that brought a 3-10 record into the game.

The Grizzlies, whose offense appeared stagnant from the outset, registered their lowest scoring output of the season in an 84-78 win and didn’t effectively seal their second straight win until Jarryd Bayless’ two free throws with 13.8 seconds remaining produced the game’s final margin. Consequently, the Grizzlies’ narrow escape prompted Hollins to call out Conley’s critics during his postgame news conference.

“I’ve got to give a shout out to Mike Conley and all the haters of Mike Conley,” Hollins said. “He’s one of the most valuable players we have on this team. He’s not a flashy guy, not a big scorer, not a big name, but helps make us go and we missed him big time.”

The supporting cast is supportive

So much for the departed O. J. Mayo.

Quincy Pondexter is among the reserves who has been contributed to the Grizzlies’ early-season success and he’s become a fan-favorite in the process. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur saw action in last week’s game against Toronto for the first time since he tore his ACL last year. But long before Arthur’s much-anticipated return, Memphis was getting valiant contributions from a bench many sensed would endure a dropoff after Mayo — one of the NBA’s premiere sixth men last year — signed as a free agent with Dallas in the offseason. Don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

That’s because Speights, Quincy Pondexter, Wayne Ellington, and Bayless, among others, have demonstrated they could make the most of their minutes whenever Hollins deems it essential to give his starters a breather.

“We’re getting a lot of time off as far as our bench,” said Gay, “because they are playing so well.”

The only question, at least now that the longest home stretch of the season is over, is whether the consistency from the reserves can be sustained. Ellington who recently enjoyed his Grizzlies coming-out-party with a career-high 25-point outburst against the Heat, certainly thinks so.

“I have to think we have some guys who are really stepping up,” Ellington said. “Everybody had been saying our bench is inexperienced and our bench will be our weakness. I had been hearing that a few times on TV. We’ve just got to stay within our team concept and do our jobs to the best of our abilities and try not to get outside of that.”

So far, so good for a team that is making a strong case it could very well emerge as a tough out come the postseason.

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

 

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Despite Friday’s loss, Dwight Howard says he and former Grizz star Pau Gasol can co-exist

November 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard was the last player to address reporters following Friday night’s 106-98 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies before a sold out FedExForum.

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (right) charges Memphis Grizzlies power forward Marreese Speights, knocking him to the floor during the second half of Friday’s game at FedExForum. Though the Lakers were dealt a 106-98 loss, Howard cautioned that they must not lose their chemistry. (Jim Brown-US PRESSWIRE)

Among the questions Howard fielded was to assess the Lakers’ constant struggles after the organization replaced former coach Mike Brown with Mike D’Antoni six games into the season.

Friday’s loss was the Lakers’ second straight and dropped them to 0-4 on the road. What’s even worse for a team that acquired the 27-year-old Howard from Orlando in a three-team blockbuster trade on August 10 and is expected to challenge for the NBA title is that Howard and power forward Pau Gasol have found it virtually difficult to co-exist of late.

Friday was no exception against a Memphis team that boasts the NBA’s second-best record. Despite having played a significant amount of minutes, Howard and Gasol combined for just 13 points and eight rebounds against the Grizzlies as the Lakers (6-7) plummeted below the .500 mark for the second time this season.

Among the major concerns for the Lakers, who finished a three-game road trip at Dallas Saturday night, is when point guard Steve Nash will return to the lineup. Nash, a 16-year veteran who was signed by the Lakers in July after an eight-year stint with the Phoenix Suns, has been hampered by a non-displaced fracture to his left leg he sustained at Portland Oct. 31.

Nash, 38, traveled with the team to Memphis and dressed out for the morning shoot around Friday, although it is unclear when he will return. Kobe Bryant, who scored 30 points to pace all scorers against the Grizzlies, spent a better part of Friday’s game assuming point guard duties, in part because veteran Steve Blake is listed as day-to-day with an abdominal strain.

That the Lakers only had two other players besides Bryant to score in double figures (starter Metta World Peace and veteran reserve Antawn Jamison’s 16 point each) essentially resulted in some frustration for Gasol, who told reporters he needed “more touches” in order for the Lakers to be more efficient as a unit.

When asked about Gasol’s comments, Bryant said, “If he wants more touches, we’ve got to find ways to get him more touches, to get him more involved.”

Howard, meanwhile, was quick refute the notion that he and Gasol, who played for the Grizzlies from 2001-2008, can’t co-exist although, like D’Antoni, the nine-year veteran stressed that the Lakers must devise ways to establish chemistry before Nash returns. During Friday’s early shoot around, D’Antoni said the possibility exists that Nash could return sometime early next week.

“We’ve got to stay positive and we can’t get down on each other,” Howard said after tying a season-low of seven points in 39-plus minutes Friday. “We can’t lose our chemistry. We can’t lose our focus. We’ve got to stay unified. Everybody’s going to have something to say. Everything is not going to be on the upside all the time. It’s an 82-game season. It’s tough. I’m not going to say it’ an easy road. But we’ll be fine. We’ll get it.”

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

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Marc Gasol Named to Western Conference All-Star Team

February 9, 2012 by 2 Comments


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5 Reasons You Should Go See the Grizzlies

March 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The Grizzlies have been in this situation before.  It’s the middle of March and the team is battling for a playoff spot.  This time last year they faded down the stretch, narrowly missing the playoffs.

This year, the team is one year more experienced with new and old weapons added to their arsenal.  Now, is the time to jump back on the bandwagon and be a part of Grizz Country at FedExForum.

Here are 5 reason you should go see the Grizzlies live in person:

5)  It’s a Great Deal

The Grizzlies promotion staff does a pretty good job in keeping ticket prices fair and reasonable compared to the other teams around the NBA.   Plus there are tickets available to every game, which is not the case for all NBA teams.

Sure, the usual complaints will come, “well parking is too much” (which is true), and “the food is too much.”

Go eat dinner beforehand at one of the restaurants downtown, or eat something at home before you go.  So, if you do get  hungry, just get a snack like popcorn or candy instead of something like barbecue nachos.

There is some type of promotion every night, some in game, like the “FedEx Delivery of the game”, or pre-game giveaways to the first 5,000 fans like “Bobble-Head Night” or “Poster Night.”

Another thing that is done to make tickets affordable is the choices of packs or deals that you can buy.

The price shouldn’t be the thing that keeps you from coming to the game.

4) Fans of Opposing Teams Have No Trouble Showing Up

It seems that when the big name teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics come to town, the crowd at the FedExForum isn’t as pro-Grizzlies as the crowd is when the team is playing other teams around the NBA.  It has been this way ever since the Grizzlies moved here from Vancouver.

It is time for that to change.  There is not another team in the state, or for that matter within three hundred miles of the city, so you can’t claim local allegiance to any other team either, unless you are actually from that city.

We’ve heard the excuse, that “Oh, I was a (insert NBA team) fan before the Grizzlies came here.”  Well it has been ten years and chances are, the franchise that you were a fan of ten years ago, has different players on the team then they had when the team moved here.  I’m not saying that if you really have been a die-hard fan of a team for 30 or so years that you should change allegiances now, but at least support your home town when they play every other team and come to cheer them on, not just come to the Forum once a year to cheer “your team” on.

The Grizzlies feed off the crowd, and that was very evident this past Wednesday in the game against the New York Knicks.  The crowd was into it from the pre-game introductions in which Carmelo Anthony was heavily booed, all the way to the final buzzer.  Unfortunately, Carmelo had the last laugh as he hit the game winner with 0.5 seconds left on the clock.  Memphis was down by 17 points at one point in the third quarter and as they battled their way back into the game, the crowd got louder and louder for the Grizzlies.

Bring your kids to the games too, as now is the time they start choosing teams and who to root for, and who better than the home town team.  I am sure that most kids are brought up to root for the Tigers, why not the Grizzlies too?

3) It’s a Great Place to Compare Your Playoff Beard with other Fans

Grizzlies games have become the Mid-South’s largest gathering of bearded people ever since the team started growing “Playoff Beards” and encouraging the rest of the fan base to do the same. Is your beard as good as Rob Fischer’s or the ones in the Pepsi Super Fan Section?

Grizzlies bench celebrates during last week's win over OKC.

2) This Team is Fun to Root For

You don’t have to take my word for it, they do have other media outlets(ESPN and SI) talking about the Grizzlies in a positive light for the first time in a long time. This team is on a roll and fun to watch.

Being one of the hottest teams in the league has gotten the league buzzing about the Grizzlies and none of the teams they play are taking them lightly and their recent run has them right in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.  They have done a good portion of this run without their franchise player Rudy Gay.  Now, you can argue that Zach Randolph is the franchise player, but that is an argument for another day.

Bringing in old faces like Shane Battier and Jason Williams also should bring in some fans that the franchise has lost over the past few years in which questionable front office decisions were made such as the Pau trade and a flurry of under performing draft picks.  Those two are arguably two of the most appreciated and well liked players this franchise has ever had.  Maybe these two guys are a little older and not as quick as they once were, but they bring experience and familiarity to this franchise.

As for the rest of the team, Z-Bo and Tony Allen embrace the city and take on the “hard working, we get no respect” attitude that this city loves to embrace.  Whether Tony Allen is going loco on the bench waving his towel or Z-Bo is taking off his head band, the crowd loves  it when those two guys get going and those guys feed off the energy of the crowd as well.  It also seems that as the season has progressed the rest of the team has taken on that attitude and being on the same page has definitely turned this team into a dangerous team to watch and one that nobody wants to see in the first round of the playoffs.

1) Ownership is Finally Serious About Winning

Many of the common complaints on why people don’t go to the games or down to FedExForum to watch the Grizzlies have been addressed so far.  The main one though is the fact that some fans felt the Grizzlies weren’t putting a winner on the floor or were even trying to be competitive.

They missed the playoffs last year, but made vast improvements in every facet of the game and increased their win total by eleven games.  That set up this year, the final year of Heisley’s “three year plan” in which he pledged a playoff berth for this franchise.  In this three year plan, the development of Hasheem Thabeet was one of the main priorities in order for this team to become a contender.  Well, that plan fell through, but in trading Thabeet (with DeMarre Carroll and a first-rounder) to Houston for fan favorite and defensive stopper Shane Battier (and Ish Smith), Heisley basically admitted making a mistake in drafting Thabeet and wants to win now!

Maybe the Rudy Gay injury played a part in making this deal happen, but that rumor was swirling well before the injury occurred.  Heisley knew that if the Grizzlies were to get to the playoffs and make some noise, that move had to be made.

Heisley is not a man that admits many mistakes and he also does not like to give up on something he had so much riding on, but he did.

Now, it is your turn to buy into the Grizzlies making a run at the playoffs because everyone else is pitching in and buying in to this team.

Do what you can to make this town a Grizzlies town and give the team a unique environment for opposing teams to come into and fear the beard.

Ben Hogan is a regular contributor to Memphisport. You can follow him on Twitter @notthegolfer. For more live tweets during Grizzlies games follow @memphisport, @douggillon, @cerrito, and @chasingphoto.

Story photo by Chase Gustafson.

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