Mike Conley

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.

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.

Mike Conley probable Monday against Philadelphia with left ankle sprain

January 28, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley is listed as probable for Monday’s game at Philadelphia. Conley, who averages 13.3 points per game, left Sunday’s game against New Orleans in FedExForum with left ankle sprain in the first quarter and did not return. (Photo by Chris Evans)

For the second time this season, the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday played a significant amount of time without starting point guard Mike Conley.

This time, however, it cost them mightily.

The Grizzlies entered Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Hornets in FedExForum hoping to end their four-game homestand on a positive note heading into Monday night’s outing at Philadelphia. But after Conley sustained a left ankle sprain less than five minutes into the contest, Memphis found it difficult to execute its pick-at-roll offense and ultimately was a dealt a 91-83 by what seemingly was a healthier and more poised Hornets squad.

Conley, who traveled with the team to Philadelphia Sunday night, is expected to be re-evaluated on Monday and is listed as probable, team sources said. A five-year veteran, Conley’s injury occurred with 7:40 remaining in the first quarter when he said his left ankle “gave out” in transition after stepping in front of New Orleans’ Anthony Davis for a steal.

“I immediately felt a pop and pain and tried to play on it for a moment,” Conley said in the locker room after the game. “I really couldn’t run and injured it and tried to play on it, and when I went out, (the team doctor) told me not to go back out because it didn’t look good for me to play on a bad ankle.”

Conley, who watched the rest of the game from a room adjacent to the locker room, wore a productive boot to prevent further harm to his ankle. Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins told reporters he was unsure of Conley’s status, but said, “He will probably play (Monday) night, but there’s no real word.”

Unlike in their November 26 game against Cleveland, when the Grizzlies withstood a late rally to win, 84-78, while Conley sat out because of flu-like symptoms, Memphis struggled offensively against the Hornets and couldn’t exhibit enough energy to counter the opposition’s fourth-quarter surge. The Grizzlies (28-15) shot a frigid 31 percent from the field after intermission. It also didn’t help that Zach Randolph, who led the Grizzlies with 20 points, was held scoreless in the decisive fourth quarter in which Memphis was limited to just 23 percent shooting from the field and was outscored, 27-15.

Sunday’s loss snapped the Grizzlies’ two-game winning streak.

“It was tough to watch,” Conley said after his streak of double-digit scoring ended at six games. “We had been kind of playing so well. But they’re up and down and really hurt us in the pick and pops, and down the stretch, we turned it over a few times and really couldn’t get nothing going. It’s very crucial we all stay healthy. We all feed off each other. You know, when I’m out, we’re missing a big part in terms of how we orchestrate things on the floor.

“Not knocking JB (reserve Jerryd Bayless) or anybody, but we need every guy healthy,” Conley added. “We can be missing Zach, Rudy (Gay), myself, or Marc (Gasol).”

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

Filed Under: Grizzlies Tagged With: Hornets, injured, Jerryd Bayless, Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley, Philadelphia 76ers, Tony Wroten

Whitehaven football team honored at Grizzlies game

January 28, 2013 by Andre Johnson 1 Comment

Whitehaven High football coach Rodney Saulsberry and his wife, Alicia, sat in Section 113 in FedExForum on Sunday.

Whitehaven football coach Rodney Saulsberry and his players were honored during halftime of Sunday’s Grizzlies-Hornets game after seizing the Tennessee Class 6A crown with a 15-0 mark.

The seat next to them was occupied by the Tigers’ TSSAA Class 6A championship trophy.

During halftime of the Grizzlies-Hornets game, Saulsberry and his team made their way to midcourt, where they were acknowledged by the announced crowd of 16,277. As the public address announcer paid homage to Whitehaven on winning its elusive state title, footage of the Tigers’ dramatic 36-35 overtime victory over perennial power Maryville last month in Cookeville, Tenn. was shown on the jumbo screen above the court. The Tigers, who finished the 2012 season with a 15-0 record, were met by a rousing ovation by fans, several of whom were Whitehaven alumni.

“It was a great feeling just being able to get that appreciation from the Memphis Grizzlies,” said Saulsberry, whose team atoned for last year’s Class 6A championship defeat to Maryville. “Being out there on the court, it was great to see the love the city showed us. I told my guys, ‘You didn’t win for yourselves; this was for our community and all the athletes that played and wore that jersey before you.’ It was a great feeling of accomplishing the goal we set forth in 1979 when coach (former Whitehaven Stan) Collins took over the reins. Whitehaven has a great tradition.”

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

Filed Under: Grizzlies, The Big Features Tagged With: cbssports, ESPN.COM, foxsports, Lionel Hollins, marc gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley, NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, New Orleans Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, Rodney Saulsberry, Rudy Gay, Whitehaven Tigers, Zach Randolph

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

January 23, 2013 by Andre Johnson 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)

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.”

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

Filed Under: Grizzlies, The Big Features Tagged With: cbssports.com, Chris Wallace, Dwight Howard, ESPN.COM, ESPNLA.com, FoxSports.com, Kobe Bryant, Memphis Grizzlies, Metta World Peace, Mike Conley, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, nbcsports.com, Rudy Gay, Sports 56 WHBQ, SportsCenter, Tony Allen, Yahoo.com

Amid trade talks, Grizz star Rudy Gay expects to finish season in Memphis

January 6, 2013 by Andre Johnson 9 Comments

Rudy Gay (right) scored 19 points on 8-of-21 shooting in Friday’s 86-84 loss to Portland in FedExForum. Despite being the subject of trade talks of late, Gay said Saturday he expects to be with the team the remainder of the season. (Photo by Justin Ford)

When the Memphis Grizzlies welcome the Orlando Magic to FedExForum on February 22, one day after the trade deadline, small forward Rudy Gay believes he will still be a part of the team.

At least that is what Memphis’ franchise player said after the Grizzlies’ film session and shootaround at the team’s practice facility Saturday afternoon.

Gay was responding to a report Friday on Grantland.com in which it revealed that according to league sources, team officials have engaged in preliminary talks with other teams that the possibility exists they could be open to trading the seven-year veteran prior to the NBA’s February 21 deadline.

“As of right now, yeah, I do,” said Gay, when asked if he believes he will finish out the season in Memphis. “I do. Nobody has said anything to me about it, so I do.”

While Gay admittedly realizes why his name has surfaced repeatedly in trade talks in recent years, he said his primary focus in the meantime is to help steer the Grizzlies out of their recent funk. Gay, who leads the Grizzlies in scoring with 18 points per game, has been inconsistent offensively for a Memphis team that was dubbed a legitimate title contender weeks into the season.

The Grizzlies, who manufactured the NBA’s best record for a majority of November after winning 12 of 13 games, limped to a 7-7 mark for the month of the December, a sequence that has only caused discussions surrounding Gay’s future with the Grizzlies to resurface approximately six weeks before the trade deadline.

Gay, 26, signed a five-year contract extension worth a reported $82 million in July 2010. Among the reasons the team reportedly has expressed to other teams that Gay could be available via trade in the coming weeks is that the Grizzlies have eclipsed the luxury tax by more $4 million, something the franchise must address in the foreseeable future to avoid tax penalties by the league.

“It’s going to keep happening,” Gay said in assessing such trade discussions. “Because of our salary cap, someone has to go. I mean, I love playing with my teammates and (team officials) may find different ways (to reduce salary). But I guess the easiest target is me and it’s always been me, so I’m not worried about it. If that’s the way you want to do business, I guess that’s what you’ve got to do.”

When asked if he is aware of the latest report that mentioned a potential trade involving the team’s franchise player, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said his primary focus was Sunday night’s game at Phoenix, the first of a three-game road trip for Memphis.

“You will have to talk to (managing partner and CEO Jason) Levien and his staff about that,” Hollins said. “Those are the guys who are in charge of making those decisions.”

Given the Grizzlies’ less-than-stellar play of late, trading Gay, by all accounts, would only land the team under this year’s luxury tax line. That’s because unlike two years ago, when the Grizzlies staged their best postseason run in franchise history with Gay sidelined with a season-ending shoulder injury, Memphis has struggled mightily whenever key players have witnessed their effectiveness reduced or missed a significant amount of action.

Such was the case in Friday’s 86-84 loss against Portland in FedExForum. Playing without power forward Zach Randolph, the NBA’s leader in double-doubles and the Memphis’ second-leading scorer who was battling flu-like symptoms, the Grizzlies’ frontline combined for 10 of the team’s 12 points in the decisive fourth quarter.

Still, the Grizzlies (21-10), losers of four of their last six heading into Sunday’s game against the Suns, had three opportunities to win it in the game’s final minute. Two of those possessions resulted in missed baskets by Gay. His first attempt, a baseline turnaround shot over Portland’s Wesley Matthews with 16.9 seconds remaining, failed to draw rim. Then, with the Grizzlies trialing 86-84 and a chance to force overtime, Gay misfired on a 22-foot shot as the final horn sounded.

Following Saturday’s brief shootaround, Gay once again was peppered with questions surrounding trade talks about which he said he’s accustomed to hearing.

“I’m aware of it,” Gay said. “But it’s not the first time and it probably won’t be the last. I mean, in the NBA, people speculate and call it what they want to call it. You know, if it happens, it happens. If not, it’s not. It doesn’t make me any different of a player. I’m going to keep grinding it out like I’ve been doing.”

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

Filed Under: Grizzlies, The Big Features Tagged With: @GaryParrishCBS, cbssports.com, ESPN.COM, FoxSports.com, Lionel Hollins, Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, Rudy Gay, SI.COM, Sports 56 WHBQ, The Chris Vernon Show, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph

Fancap: Tigers-Vols and Grizzlies-Blazers divide city’s attention

January 4, 2013 by Michael Jones Leave a Comment

Use #GrizzNation or #gotigersgo on all your Grizzlies and Tigers tweets and instagrams to increase your odds of being included in our social media stories at MemphiSport.com.

Filed Under: Grizzlies, The Big Features, Tiger Basketball, Web Exclusives Tagged With: college hoops, Geron Johnson, Joe Jackson, Josh Pastner, Lionel Hollins, marc gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Tigers, Mike Conley, NBA, ncaa basketball, portland trailblazers, Rudy Gay, Shaq Goodwin, Tennessee Volunteers, Tiger Basketball, Tony Allen, UT Vols, Zach Randolph

Former Grizz O. J. Mayo savoring breakthrough season in Dallas

December 22, 2012 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

One by one, Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O. J. Mayo was embraced by those with whom he had assembled strong ties over the previous four years.

First by Zach Randolph. Then Rudy Gay. Then Marc Gasol. Then Tony Allen.

Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O. J. Mayo (right) attempts to drive past Grizzlies defender Tony Allen during Friday night’s game in FedExForum. Allen held his former teammate and the Mavs’ leader scorer in check by limiting him to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting in Memphis’ 92-82 win (Photo by Justin Ford)

Then Marreese Speights. Then Hamed Haddadi. Finally, before Friday’s opening tip between the Mavericks versus the Memphis Grizzlies in FedExForum, he found his way to the opposing team’s bench and exchanged pleasantries with his former coach, Lionel Hollins.

For Mayo, it was a moment about which he knew would come to fruition the moment the five-year veteran in July signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Mavericks. But as the former Grizzlies reserve tells it, it was a moment in which he admittedly has anticipated since the start of training camp.

“I’m a little excited,” Mayo said while addressing reporters before the game. “After being here four years and coming back, it’s a little different. It’s an exciting feeling to go against my guys.”

While Mayo’s first trip back to Memphis since joining the Mavericks allowed him to reunite with family and old acquaintances in a city he still calls home, the outcome of Friday’s contest was unfavorable for a Dallas team that has been hampered by a slew of injuries for most of the season.

The Mavericks (12-15) had five players to score in double figures against Memphis (18-6). Still, that wasn’t enough to upend a more experienced and healthy Grizzlies team that captured its four consecutive win with a 92-82 victory. An announced crowd of 17,677 — many of whom cheered Mayo during player introductions — witnessed Mayo struggle on the same court where he emerged as one of the NBA’s most-feared sixth men in recent years.

(Click here for “Reaction to O.J. Mayo’s unimpressive return to Memphis“)

Having entered Friday’s game as the Mavericks’ leading scorer with 20.9 points, Mayo played the second-most minutes behind forward Shawn Marion, but managed just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. He was held in the check for a majority of the game, particularly in the first half against Allen, one of the NBA’s best defenders. Although Dallas trailed, 40-39, at intermission, Mayo registered one point through the opening 24 minutes, while misfiring on each of his four field goal attempts. However, he exhibited some energy during the Mavs’ furious fourth-quarter rally when he forced a steal, then sprinted back to the other end of the floor and drained a 3-point basket that trimmed the Grizzlies’ lead to 88-82 with 1:42 remaining.

In assessing Mayo’s performance, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said the nervousness of returning to FedExForum on the opposing squad coupled with his team’s late arrival to Memphis at approximately 2:30 am Friday following Thursday’s late game against Miami, may have been among the factors that gave way to his top scorer’s inability to find his rhythm against his former team.

“I thought O. J. did a good job of letting the game come to him,” Carlisle said after his team was dealt its second straight defeat. “He forced some shots. But your first game back at your old place is always tough. It’s a tough stretch. We have down bodies, but we’ll keep working at it.”

Despite the Mavericks’ early-season struggles, Dallas appears to be a suitable fit for the 25-year-old Mayo who, during his three-year stint with the Grizzlies, never cemented the full-time starter’s role for which he had lobbied in Hollins’ system. In his brief time with the Mavs, Mayo has become not just the catalyst of the team, but the player whom opposing teams assign their top defender.

“I’m not the GM,” said Allen, when asked why he believe the Grizzlies did not re-sign Mayo after last season. “But he’s definitely making a name for himself in Dallas.”

Such was the case in a Dec. 8 game at Houston. That’s when Mayo enjoyed arguably the grandest game of his career when he matched his career-best by erupting for 40 points on 15-of-26 field goals in 116-109 win. It was a feat that Mayo, the NBA’s 12^th-leading scorer, hadn’t accomplished since his second year (and his most efficient campaign with the Grizzlies) in the league when he exploded for 40 points on 17-of-25 shooting against Denver. Mayo’s recent breakout game for the Mavs, to his credit, reinforced that his joining the franchise was befitting, considering the Mavericks were seeking veteran leadership at the shooting guard position after the departed Jason Terry signed a three-year contract with the Boston Celtics over the summer.

“I love O. J.,” Carlisle said before Friday’s game. “Since coming to us, he’s demonstrated a great work, a lot of physical toughness. I mean, he’s played through injuries. He had a really bad thing where the skin was ripped off the palm of his hand and he played through it. I’ve never seen anybody play through an exhibition game like that. He’s played through a turned ankle three or four weeks ago and he didn’t miss any games. We’ve seen growth, his long-range shooting, his reading situations. Right now, he’s our only 20-point scorer. He’s getting a lot of attention and learning to deal with the double teams and getting the other teams’ best defender.”

Among those whom seemed delighted to see Mayo Friday was Hollins, although his former coach declined to say whether he believes Mayo is in a better situation in Dallas.

Saying Mayo is having an “outstanding year,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins embraced his former player moments before Friday’s game. (Photo by Justin Ford)

“You can’t ask me a question and put me in a box and get me to say we didn’t need O. J.,” said Hollins, who demoted Mayo to a reserve role early in the 2010-11 season after he was late to a game-day shootaround. “O. J. was a good player. He was placed in a role that was hard for him to deal with at that time in his career. I thought he did a good job. He didn’t shoot consistently, but he served that role. O. J. is having an outstanding year. He’s shooting 52 percent from the field. He’s getting to the free throw line more. He’s probably had higher assists than he had ever. He’s gone on a different team and had a chance to start. Even now, he’s getting to the free throw line more because they don’t have any big men clogging up the lane.”

Now that Mayo has found his niche on the Mavs’ roster, the team is hoping to add some size to its lineup in the coming days. Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki, who has been out since having offseason knee surgery., began practicing recently with the team and reportedly could return for the Mavericks’ Dec. 27 game against Oklahoma City team sources said. Nowitzki, who averaged 21.6 points in 62 of 66 regular-season games last year, traveled with the Mavericks Friday to Memphis and participated in a light shootaround before the game.

“I’m ready to go to war with him,” Mayo said of Nowitzki. “I look forward to playing with him. He’s one of the best players to play the game.”

Unlike his final two seasons in Memphis, when he found it difficult adjusting to a reserve role and admittedly “acted immaturely” after losing his starting job to then-rookie Xavier Henry, Mayo conceded that joining the Mavericks has given him a new outlook on his career. How else to explain why on Friday he all smiles for most of his ten-minute pregame interview session with the media?

“I knew it would happen,” said Mayo, when asked if he sensed the Grizzlies’ Game 7 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last year was his final game with the team. “But of course, it was supposed to happen two or three times before that. I miss the people, the food, it’s a great city.”

Given his resurgence in this, his fifth season, it safe to assume that Dallas is a better situation.

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

Filed Under: Grizzlies, The Big Features Tagged With: dallas mavericks, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, ESPN DALLAS, Lionel Hollins, Mark Cuban, Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, O.J. Mayo, RICK CARLISLE, RUDY DAY, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph

NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins complimentary of Grizzlies’ success

December 9, 2012 by Andre Johnson 3 Comments

Former Atlanta Hawks great and NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins was highly complimentary of the Grizzlies after their loss to the Hawks Saturday night. Wilkins, now a color commentator for Hawks TV, said the Grizzlies have a number of weapons and will be expected to make a huge playoff run. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Considering he enjoyed a professional basketball career that lasted roughly 17 seasons, Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins would be the first to tell you that after 18 games of an 82-game regular season, it would be premature to discuss playoffs.

However, the former Atlanta Hawks great is convinced the Memphis Grizzlies will be in the thick of things come mid-April.

Following the Hawks’ 93-83 win over the Grizzlies Saturday night in FedExForum, Wilkins, who covers the Hawks as a color analyst for Sportsouth and FSN South, said he’s heard a number of positive things about the Grizzlies, who entered their game against Atlanta with the NBA’s best record. By game’s end, however, Memphis, after squandering an eight-point first-half lead and being limited to a season-worst 13 third-quarter points, had dropped to 14-4.

With the loss, the Grizzlies currently own the league’s third-best record behind San Antonio (17-4) and Oklahoma City (16-4) as they prepare to begin a three-game road trip starting Wednesday at Phoenix. Still, Wilkins, 52, said given Memphis’ depth, the fact it has beaten the Thunder in a pivotal road game, and had the Spurs on the ropes before falling in overtime, no one should be surprised if the Grizzlies emerge as a serious threat to come out of the West.

“They’re a good team,” Wilkins said of the Grizzlies, who were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last year by the Los Angeles Clippers. “They had a tough time tonight. But you have those types of nights.”

Saturday’s loss was the Grizzlies’ first in eight games this year versus an

Wilkins, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006, earned the nickname “The Human Highlight Film” because of his electrifying dunking ability. He was the NBA’s slam dunk champion in 1985 and 1990.

Eastern Conference opponent. In having its two-game winning streak snapped, Memphis failed to garner much offensive production from its bench, which has aided the Grizzlies considerably in becoming one of the league’s most feared teams of late. The Grizzlies’ reserves, in fact, managed a combined 14 points, with Wayne Ellington accounting for eight points in 14-plus minutes.

But against a Hawks team that earned its third consecutive win, Memphis manufactured its lowest scoring output of the season, in part because key reserve Quincy Pondexter, after producing consecutive 16-point outings heading into Saturday’s contest, was held scoreless after logging nearly 20 minutes of action. The Grizzlies’ previous lowest scoring performance came in an 84-78 win against Cleveland November 26.

Still, Wilkins, a former nine-time All-Star who earned the nickname “The Human Highlight Film” because of his brilliant dunking ability, said the issues that contributed to the Grizzlies’ defeat against Atlanta are fixable, given Memphis appears as healthy as it has been as a unit since its lengthy postseason run two years ago.

“They’re just a good team, they have a lot of good weapons,” said Wilkins, a 2006 Hall of Fame inductee who also played briefly for the Clippers, Boston, the Spurs, and the Orlando Magic before calling it a career in 1999. “(The playoffs) a long ways off. You can’t worry about playoffs right now. But they’re a playoff team, certainly. That team is going to be a force to reckon with.”

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

Filed Under: NBA, The Big Features Tagged With: 92.9 ESPN, AL HORFORD, ATLANTA HAWKS, DOMINIQUE WILKINS, ESPN, JOSH SMITH, LARRY DREW, Lionel Hollins, Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley, NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, quincy pondexter, Rudy Gay, Tony Allen

Zach Randolph back performing like an All-Star

December 6, 2012 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph, who leads the NBA with 14 double-doubles, enjoyed his best game of the season in Tuesday’s 108-98 overtime win over Phoenix. Randolph scored a season-high 38 points and grabbed 22 rebounds. (Photo by Justin Ford)

When Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph awakened Tuesday morning, he admittedly felt the urge to hit the weight room.

It paid off mightily Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns.

That’s because Randolph played with the kind of resilience and assertiveness that left a majority of the announced 14,481 crowd in FedExForum repeatedly chanting “Z-Bo” when the Grizzlies’ furious comeback win had all but been decided.

The Grizzlies overcame their early sluggish start by erasing a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat the Suns in overtime, 108-98, in a game in which Randolph went on a tear.

The 12-year veteran appeared virtually unstoppable from the outset, knocking down shots in every way imaginable en route to registering a season-high 38 points and 22 rebounds and recording his NBA-best 14th double-double on the season.

“He was in a zone,” Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay said Randolph, who came within five points of his career-high (43 points versus Memphis in March 2007). “Z-Bo played great basketball. He played at another level tonight. They made a couple of adjustments for Zach because he was killing them.”

It’s not as if Phoenix didn’t see it coming.

Less than three minutes into the game, for instance, Randolph caught an interior pass in the lane from center Marc Gasol, maneuvered his way around Suns forward Markeiff Morris, then threw down a rare left-handed slam that sent the Grizzlies’ bench into a frenzy.

“A lot of teams have been double teaming Zach and sending three or four guys at him,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “His numbers have been down, but tonight he got a lot of one-on-one and he was able to operate. Our spacing was really good which allowed him to drive and do some stuff and really clean up the glass for us. All season long, Zach has been terrific. He’s healthy, his spirit is good, and tonight I think he was more healthy than he has been in two or games. He got kicked in the calf and it was bothering him a little bit, but tonight he came out and he played.”

Even an inadvertent kick to the calf couldn’t slow a hot-shooting Randolph.

The Suns, despite building a 16-point lead near the midway point of the second quarter, couldn’t find any answers for the 6-foot-9 Randolph who, time and again, converted his customary backdrop fall-away shot, midrange baskets, and jumpers from just inside the 3-point line. His masterful performance ultimately fueled the Grizzlies’ comeback and helped Memphis avoid its first two-game losing streak since it dropped consecutive home games to the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors back in mid-March. Instead, the surging Grizzlies (13-3), who travel to play New Orleans Friday, remained atop the Western Conference standings, largely because Randolph played as if he was midseason form.

“It felt good,” Randolph said after scoring 22 of his game-best 38 points in the second half. “I felt like my old self tonight.”

Among the reasons for Randolph’s renewed sense of tenacity is that after last year’s condensed, lockout-shortened campaign in which he tore his MCL the first week of the season at Chicago, he spent the bulk of the offseason conditioning and concentrating on reducing his weight. Before the Grizzlies’ morning shoot around session Tuesday, Randolph enjoyed what he described as an intense weight-lifting workout that was comprised of doing a number of squats as well as strengthening his upper body.

“I’ve been working and trying to get back to my old self,” Randolph said.

Randolph, a 2010 All-Star, leads the NBA with 14 double-doubles on the season heading into Friday’s game at New Orleans. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Part of reverting back to his “old self,” he said, also means helping Memphis erase the memory of last year’s opening-round playoff series loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies, after blowing a 27-point lead of a Game 1 loss, were eventually eliminated by the Clippers in seven games. The early postseason exit, by and large, was hard for Randolph to stomach, considering his exuberant display the previous year (22.2 points and 10.8 rebounds in 13 playoff games) helped land the Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals.

“It feels like a knife is sticking me in my back,” Randolph said after last year’s playoff defeat.

However, against the Suns, who gave the Grizzlies all they could muster Tuesday before dropping their fourth straight, Randolph was seemingly playing with a sense of swagger.

In many aspects, he was.

“He reminds me of the two-years-ago Zach,” Gasol said. “He has a little bounce like a boxer when he’s playing like that. He doesn’t say much. You could see it on his face.”

Randolph’s monster game didn’t come as a surprise to Suns coach Alvin Gentry, who said Randolph was only being his usual-reliable self.

“Zach is Zach,” Gentry said. “He’s always been a great player. If you look back at his numbers, you’ll see he’s always put up and 20 (points) and 10 (rebounds) since came in the league. I really don’t know what his weakness is. If he does, I’d like someone to tell me.”

When asked if he is back at 100 percent after playing mostly injured last year, Randolph said, “It’s coming. I’ve just got to keep working. I’ve been working and just trying to get back to my old self.”

Gay, of course, wasn’t buying into the notion that Randolph isn’t back to being what the rest of the Grizzlies have deemed the “Z-Bo of old.”

“He’s lying,” Gay jokingly said. “I just told him he had a big boy game. It was just one of those nights when he was making those moves. You could tell he wanted to get to the basket.”

Much like he was eager to get to the weight room Tuesday morning.

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