NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE

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

April 28, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Webber

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

April 11, 2013 by Andre Johnson 1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

February 19, 2013 by Andre Johnson 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)

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)

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)

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 50^th 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.

Filed Under: NBA, The Big Features Tagged With: 92.9 ESPN, ABC Nightline, Air Jordan, CBS Evening News, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, cleveland cavaliers, DOMINIQUE WILKINS, ESPN DALLAS, ESPN LOS ANGELES, ESPN.COM, Gary Payton, Houston Chronicle, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Times, Memphis Grizzlies, Michael Jordan, NBA All-Star Game, NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, NBC News, Nike, Scottie Pippen, The United Center, Zach Randolph

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

February 15, 2013 by Andre Johnson 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)

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 14^th consecutive All-Star appearance (15^th 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.

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

February 11, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

For a majority of his NBA career, Tayshaun Prince has become a fixture when it comes to meeting with the chaplain before games.

Sunday afternoon was no exception.

Tayshaun Prince, acquired the Grizzlies January 30, enjoyed a breakout game for Memphis in Sunday’s 105-88 win against Minnesota. The 11-year veteran tied a franchise record after making each of his eight shots against the Timberwolves. (Photo by Justin Ford)

After partaking in the pregame shootaround, Prince, the recently-acquired Memphis Grizzlies small forward, found his way to the room reserved for coach Lionel Hollins’ postgame news conference to meet with chaplain Donald Johnson, where he had the privilege of absorbing some spiritual wisdom and guidance.

“I do that everywhere I go,” Prince said. “As busy as our schedule is, we don’t get to visit church on Sunday. What a prime opportunity to spend 15 minutes and share some experiences with Donald and just communicate and opening our minds and putting faith where it should be. But I’m going to do it no matter what. I’m going to continue to give thanks and try to be the best man I can be. And when I don’t do things right, I’ll try my best to get back on track.”

Prince’s unrelenting faith seemingly has benefited him mightily during a professional career that spans 10-plus seasons. After 10 profitable seasons in Detroit that included the Compton, Calif. native having assumed a pivotal role during the Pistons’ unlikely NBA title run in 2004, Prince is hopeful to have a similar impact for a revamped Grizzlies team that boast championship aspirations.

Known primarily for his defensive prowess, given he was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team for four consecutive seasons dating from 2005-2008, Prince has often demonstrated to have been equally efficacious offensively. Such was the case in Sunday’s contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves when Prince enjoyed arguably his best outing in his brief time with his new team.

In leading the Grizzlies to a decisive 105-88 win in FedExForum, the 6-foot-9 veteran finished with a team-high 18 points and tied a franchise-record by connecting on each of his eight field goal attempts, a feat that coincidentally was manufactured by shooting guard Tony Allen against the Timberwolves in January of last year.

The 32-year-old Prince was especially efficient throughout a pivotal third quarter in which the Grizzlies witnessed a ten-point halftime advantage swell to as many as 21. Prince, by all accounts, was the catalyst of the Grizzlies’ second-half surge, scoring 11 points during a key 15-4 spurt in the third against a short-handed Timberwolves squad to help propel Memphis to its second consecutive win.

Hollins seemed intrigued by Prince’s display, considering he took a moment to joke during his postgame news conference that he contemplated sending Prince back in the game for defensive purposes, most notably at the 3:38 mark of the fourth when Minnesota’s Chris Johnson’s alley-oop dunk off a lob from Alexey Shved trimmed Grizzlies’ margin to 13.

“Zach (Randolph) didn’t want me to put (Prince) back out there,” Hollins said with a grin.

Still, on a night in which Grizz center Marc Gasol, the team’s second-leading scorer, struggled to match his energy from the previous game against Golden State when the 7-foot-1 Spaniard registered 20 points on 9-of-14 field goals, it was Prince’s breakout game for Memphis that essentially enabled the Grizzlies to regain sole possession of fourth place in the Western Conference standings heading into this week’s All-Star break.

“I’ve just been in the gym getting extra shots up, just trying to get in a good rhythm,” Prince said in assessing his performance against Minnesota. “I’ve known since I got here my legs have been a little heavy, so I’m just trying to take care of my body off the court and hopefully that way, knock some shots down. Obviously, by any means, I don’t expect to have games like that, but I just had a good rhythm and good flow. And the best thing about that is guys will keep looking for you.”

Traded on January 30 to the Grizzlies in a three-team deal that included bringing fellow Pistons teammate Austin Daye to Memphis and sending Rudy Gay and Hamed Haddadi to Toronto, Prince admittedly sensed that coming in he would inherit a situation in which his game would often draw comparisons to that of Gay who, like Prince, is savvy a small forward who’s armed with the ability to create his own shot from the perimeter.

Prince (right), who was a member of the Detroit Pistons’ 2004 NBA championship team, routinely meets with a chaplain before each game for spiritual support. (Photo by Justin Ford)

“You know what, I can’t control that,” said Prince, who averages 11.5 points for Memphis. “I’m not going to control that. The only thing I can try to worry about is to help this team and try to show these guys in the locker room my support and what I can bring to this and the coaching staff. I’m not concerned with trying to show people that I can replace somebody. That’s something that I can’t do. What I can do is be me.

“There will be some games where I will score the basketball,” continued Prince, “and then there will be some games where I’ll do some other things. I’m not that 20-point scorer that Rudy Gay had shown and what his capabilities are. We’re two different basketball players.”

Regardless, the Grizzlies have benefited immensely from Gay and Prince’s contrasting roles. While Gay, for instance, had proven to be an occasional game-changer during his 6 ½-year tenure with the team, Prince has gone to great lengths in recent days to spread his spiritual wealth around the Grizzlies’ locker room.

“Yeah, I’ll hold conversations with these guys,” Prince said. “A few guys who have seen me walk in and out (to meet with the chaplain) they know where I’m going, and I’ll bring with me a few passages back with me back show those guys. Obviously, that’s been apart of my pregame ritual where I’ll go out and shoot then go to the chapel and then do some other things. That’s what I do on a daily basis.”

If nothing else, his relentless faith seemingly gave way to his prayers being answered in a rather perfect way on Sunday.

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

Filed Under: Grizzlies, The Big Features Tagged With: All-Star break, Austin Daye, cbssports.com, Detroit Pistons, ESPN.COM, foxsport, Lionel Hollins, marc gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, minnesota timberwolves, NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, NBA.COM, nbcsports.com, Rudy Gay, Sports 56 WHBQ, Tayshaun Prince, Yahoo.com, Zach Randolph

Zach Randolph on recent trade rumors: ‘I’m a Grizzly for life’

February 9, 2013 by Andre Johnson Leave a Comment

Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph slams two of his 18 points in a November 11 game against the Miami Heat. Despite being the subject of trade rumors of late, the two-time All-Star on Friday said he wants to retire in a Grizzlies uniform (Photo by Chris Evans)

Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph slams home two of his 18 points in a November 11 game against the Miami Heat. Despite being the subject of trade rumors of late, the two-time All-Star on Friday said he wants to retire in a Grizzlies uniform (Photo by Chris Evans)

Saying he would like to retire as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph on Friday said he expects to remain with the team at least through the end of the season.

Randolph was responding for the first time since team officials said they would not trade the 12-year veteran power forward before season’s end. Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien and Randolph met on Thursday in what Randolph described as a “brief discussion” regarding his future with the team.

While the 31-year-old Randolph said he came away from the meeting with Levien convinced that he will finish out his fourth full season with the Grizzlies, he was quick to point out he’s fully aware that things could change before the February 21 deadline.

“I can’t say nothing to squash the rumors,” Randolph said before Friday’s game against Golden State. “But I tell you what, this is my city. If they trade me tomorrow, I’d still be here. I got a new house here. I’m going to continue to do what I do here in the summer with the camps. So this will continue to be my city.”

Randolph’s comments surrounding trade rumors came nine days after the Grizzlies traded franchise player Rudy Gay to Toronto in a three-team, six-player deal. Like Randolph, Gay, who led Memphis in scoring for the past two seasons, had become the subject of constant trade talks, particularly when the Grizzlies’ struggled to a 7-7 mark in January.

And, in recent weeks, team officials said they have spoken with a number of teams inquiring about Randolph, who will be making his second All-Star appearance next week in Houston. However, after his latest meeting with Levien, whom Randolph said assured him he would not be dealt before the end of this season, the Marion, Indiana native said he expects such talks to go away in the coming weeks.

Randolph currently is in the second of a four-year deal worth a reported $71 million ($66 million guaranteed).

““I talked with Jason and I told him ‘I’m a Grizzly for life’,” said Randolph, whose career also includes stints with Portland, New York, and the Los Angeles Clippers. “But if he traded me tomorrow, I’m going to be a Grizzly for life. This is where I want to finish my career. You know, I have came in and seen changes, and we started being a winning franchise. So this is where I’d like to retire. But I also understand this is a business, so I’m not overwhelmed by the (trade) rumors. I’ve been traded before. I’m used to it. I’m used to the rumors.”

In addressing the media before Friday’s game, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins admitted that while he wasn’t in agreement with management’s decision to trade Gay, he’s still a “team player” in that he must devise ways to get the most out of his current roster. Prior to dealing Gay, the Grizzlies on January 22 traded reserves Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Selby, and a future first-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jon Leuer.

“Both trades that were made, they kept me abreast with what was going on,” Hollins said. “And I voiced my opinion and they went with what they had. But my responsibility is to coach the team with the players we have, and that’s what I try to do and that’s what I will continue to try to do.”

After the trade involving Gay, Randolph, whose 30 double-doubles is second-best in the NBA, now leads the Grizzlies in scoring, averaging 15.7 points per game. However, the 6-foot-9 Randolph has been inconsistent of late for Memphis, which is 2-3 and has dropped one spot to fifth place in the Western Conference standings since dealing the seven-year veteran to the Raptors.

When asked if such ongoing trade talks have been a distraction for the Grizzlies, Randolph said, “Probably in the beginning. But we’ve got to understand this is a business. I’ve been in the NBA for 12 years. So this is no different than hearing my name in rumors.”

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins on Friday said although he admittedly didn’t agree with the team trading Rudy Gay on Jan. 30, his primary focus is to get the most out of his current roster. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, meanwhile, isn’t buying into the notion that the team’s roster changes in recent weeks may have affected its chemistry.

“I leave that for you guys,” Gasol said after Memphis snapped a two-game winless streak Friday with a 99-93 win against the Warriors. “Coach (Grizzlies Lionel Hollins) has addressed it. I think it’s over with. Did that affect us? I don’t think that was the issue here, so I refuse to accept that. I don’t believe rumors. I really don’t. It doesn’t take away from the fact that you’ve got to play basketball and bring it every night.

“I think every player in this locker room, if you ask the GM or CEO, they’ll tell you they got people asking about every player in here,” Gasol continued. But this is the NBA…where amazing happens, so you can’t worry about that stuff. When you hide behind rumors, those are excuses, and we can not allow excuses.”

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

Filed Under: Grizzlies, NBA, The Big Features Tagged With: abcsports.com, cbssports.com, ESPN.COM, foxsports, Golden State Warriors, Lionel Hollins, marc gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, minnesota timberwolves, NBA All-Star Game, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, nbcspors, Sacramento Kings, Sports 56 WHBQ, Z-Bo, Zach Randolph

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

Lakers star Pau Gasol remains optimistic despite losing starting position

January 25, 2013 by Andre Johnson 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).”

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: cbssports.com, Dwight Howard, ESPN LOS ANGELES, ESPN.COM, FoxSports.com, Kobe Bryant, los angeles lakers, marc gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, MIKE D'ANTONI, NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE, nbcsports.com, pau gasol, Yahoo.com

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.