Grizzlies 102, Mavericks 82 posted by Brad Hurt

Enough was finally enough for the Memphis Grizzlies.  After 13 consecutive losses to the Dallas Mavericks, the Grizzlies outplayed them in every facet of the game on Sunday as they claimed a shocking 102-82 win.

The Grizzlies threatened to hold the Mavericks to a season-low scoring output, missing out by only a point.  They showed the kind of defensive effort that was their calling card in the first few weeks of the season.  More surprisingly, however, the Grizzlies shook off their status as the league's worst rebounding team to outrebound the league-leading Mavs 43-34.  As a result, they dominated second-chance points 26-12.  That is what they have to do to win against playoff contenders.  The Grizzlies must win second-chance points and points off turnovers to win on a consistent basis.

The Grizzlies haven't been a team that will shoot the lights out this season, which is why they reached out to get Darius Miles and Steve Francis.  Outside of that, the most critical stats for them are going to be second-chance points and points off turnovers.  If you aren't scoring with your offense, you have to clean up after yourself and score off your defense.

The Grizzlies showed some resilience on Sunday, overcoming a second-quarter shooting slump in which they missed 10-of-11 shots to hold a lead at the half.  They opened the game by shooting 67 percent, a huge advantage for them.  When they don't get off to a good start, the Grizzlies are not great at playing from behind.

Miles made his Grizzlies debut, playing the final 1:46 of the fourth quarter.  He will play tomorrow against Minnesota before the team has to decide whether to retain him for the rest of the season.  Miles says he would like to stay with the Grizzlies, and since they have only seen one game of what he can bring to the table, I think they will go ahead and sign him for the rest of the season.  They could use some experience and leadership on the roster.

Why I am a Clippers Fan posted by Michael S Thornton

I admit-- I started rooting for the Clippers back in the 80s because I felt sorry for them. C'mon, I know I am not the only one....some of you felt sorry for the rag-tag bunch who showed up from San Diego to play in that ancient LA Sports Arena, hoping to leverage off of the successful Lakers franchise. Sure, we knew that Sterling was a cheap jerk, but hey, our very own Bill Walton used to play for them, he of UCLA fame and that improbable Blazers championship, and well, Norm Nixon was a favorite of mine when he was on the Lakers. Forget the fact that after the Lakers got rid of him that the Lakers got better, you still had to feel for the guys in those vintage 60s design unis that lost all of the time...

I am a homer for the UCLA Bruins, so the fact that Marques Johnson was on the team back then did help. Blowing out his knee early in the season didn't help. It didn't help that Benoit Benjamin was not a very good savior either, and the Lakers beat the snot out of them often. I did pull for them, even as I cheered the Lakers on to more championships. Hey, we SoCal sports fans need to support our local teams, right?

Well, then a funny thing happened on the way to Lakers immortality and more championships. Michael Jordan showed up in Chicago, then Magic Johnson abruptly retires due to a questionable lifestyle of promiscuity. Suddenly the Lakers purple and gold lost a little luster. Hmmm, maybe it was a little more honorable to root for the Clippers.....

Then things got really bad from this Lakers fan's viewpoint-- the drafting of Kobe Bryant. Now, don't get me wrong here--Kobe is a talented player, no doubt. It's the character that I am talking about here. Something just didn't sit well with me watching a pompous ass teenager play the game with grown men and then pouting about not getting credit or glory. I just could not stomach the attitude of a guy who gets championship rings but doesn't appreciate them because he was only the 2nd best player on the court for those teams. I am not a huge Shaq fan, but everyone respected the intimidating talent of the 7-foot center with a massive body and power dunk. Everyone, that is, except for his young teammate. Shaq was clearly one of the most dominating centers in NBA history, but Kobe had the nerve to complain about team offensive philosophy while their team dominated the NBA. I wanted to shout "GROW UP!" every time he stepped on the court or I read an article about him.

Spurs 91, Grizzlies 80 posted by Brad Hurt

It was a new year but a similar result for the Memphis Grizzlies as they hosted the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.  The Grizzlies faded in the second half of a 91-80 loss after putting up a fight for the first 24 minutes.

Tim Duncan controlled the paint and was more of a factor than he had been in earlier meetings.  On the flip side the Grizzlies had one of their patented third-quarter flops that turned the game in the Spurs' favor.  The Spurs led only 44-40 at the half before going on a 23-8 run in the third.  Duncan had plenty of help as Manu Ginobili scored the Spurs' first seven points of the fourth to snuff out a Grizzlies rally.

Hakim Warrick led the Grizzlies in scoring with 21 points off the bench as the team's two stars struggled once again to put the ball in the basket.  It's good to see him contributing consistently now after having his difficulties in the early part of the season.  Unfortunately, the Grizzlies can't afford to have Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo have coinciding off-nights.  If one of them doesn't have his shot, the other has to pick up the slack.  Without the offensive leadership of at least one of those guys, the Grizzlies don't stand much of a chance of winning, especially against a team like San Antonio.

Marc Gasol had a strong game inside for the Grizzlies, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Now that some of their dirty laundry has been leaked by coach Iavaroni, it's probably going to be hard for the Grizzlies to concentrate on playing their best basketball each night.  What he did really put the final nail in this season's coffin, and that is really despicable.  Mentally, they probably didn't have a chance to win this game, and for their own coach to be the reason they can't compete is a crime.  It's a compromise of his job description, and there is no solution other than firing him.  He has made it clear that he doesn't trust the players, and has thrown them under the bus, so they shouldn't trust him either.  I just hope they make a change soon so the team has a chance to finish with the best record possible. 

The Biggest obstacle of All posted by Robert Karpeles

Now that the Los Angeles Lakers have beaten the Boston Celtics it is clear that the Lakers have a legitimate shot at beating the champs if they meet in the finals this year.

Boston, who has lost two games since their defeat to the the Lakers on Christmas day, have seemed to have a longer hang over than even they could have expected.

Last nights lose to the Portland Trail Blazers and Fridays lose to the lowly Warriors from Golden State might mean that the Celtics lose to the Lakers has had a spill over.

The Lakers victory over the Celtics, on the other hand, has certainly lifted the Lakers spirits and has encouraged them into believing that they are the team to beat in the NBA. 

It was argued by many columnists and NBA analysts that the Lakers win against the Celtics meant more for the Lakers than it did for Boston. While there is no doubting the impact of the win, it could also be looked through a different angle.

The christmas day win was the first time the Lakers played to thier potential for a month. As a result, the Lakers look like a team that only gives it it's all when they want to. A consistently inconsistent trait that may end up hurting them in the long run. 

Prior to the Lakers win over the Celtics, the Lakers gave up 118 points to the Indiana Pacers, 102 to the Philidelphia Sixers, 104 to the Washingotn Wizards, 113 to the Sacramento Kings, 110 to the Phoneix Suns, 114 to the Knicks, 106 to the Orlando Magic, and 38 points in the fourth quarter to the Bucks at home. 

Not exactly championship defense, especially against some of the lesser teams in the league.

Grizzlies grumbling as calendar turns posted by Brad Hurt

It's not easy to have a happy New Year when you drop your last three games heading into the holiday, and the Memphis Grizzlies are suffering from the effects of their struggles on the court.  What is bothering the team the most is the fact that they fall apart when the fourth quarter comes around.  Everyone on the team accepts that as the problem, but the underlying issue is a rift between the coaches and players.  Coach Marc Iavaroni has openly laid the blame for the lack of execution in the fourth quarter squarely on the shoulders of his players, sparing himself most of the culpability.  While some of it may be on the players, the coach's job is to deflect negative attention from his players as much as possible, not use them as scapegoats.  This is the sign of a coach who knows his days are numbered and has given up on his team.  He has lost the respect of his players and obviously doesn't respect them either.  With this kind of discord and dysfunction in the locker room, hopes of an improvement on the court are moot, and a coaching change needs to be made ASAP for the mental health of the organization.Continue reading "Grizzlies grumbling as calendar turns"

Big Daddy Thanks Deuce In Finale: posted by Les Leonard

     After all the bad things that happened in 2008, losing to Carolina got Big Daddy’s New Year’s drinking started early to numb the pain of a terrible year. This week Big Daddy’s Saints Beat blog delivers coverage of the New Year’s Eve Mid-City bonfire, gives the season’s final section 645 report, recaps the Carolina game, wonders if Jake Delhomme cursed the Crescent City, questions Sean Payton’s comments, releases his World Famous Pregame Information. 

     Mid-City’s traditional Orleans Avenue Christmas-tree bonfire spawned quite a controversy this year. Protesters levied complaints concerning revelers throwing fireworks into the open flames. Public opinion forced new safety measures to keep the annual festivities alive. Did anyone see WWL-TV Channel 4 Eyewitness News’ 5:00 p.m. broadcast on Monday? Lucy Bustamonte covered the aforementioned story showing some cheap home-made video of the Mid-City event. Obviously no one screened the grainy footage before airing it, because much to the delight of unsuspecting viewers editors forgot to cut out the wasted chick bouncing around the fire topless. Man, those were nice and real! Whoever saw them will show up to get a New Year’s kiss from her.

     Knowing NFL reality, fans sadly anticipated this might be Deuce McAllister’s last game in a Saints uniform. Consequently, during the customary pregame roll call fans shook the building yelling, “Deuce” to thank him for years of dedicated service to the team and the community. What a tribute! The Panthers’ running game quieted the crowd in the high-priced lower levels; however, nothing stops fan outbursts where Big Daddy sits. Pandemonium in 645 during the Sunday’s furious rally created unmatched adrenaline. Big Daddy knows the Superdome is the loudest stadium in the NFL, and 645 leads the charge. It is so much fun being up there.

Suns 101, Grizzlies 89 posted by Brad Hurt

The Grizzlies got the break they needed when Amare Stoudemire was ejected from Tuesday's game late in the first half.  Unfortunately, Stoudemire's Phoenix teammates used his dismissal as motivation and rallied to beat the Grizzlies 101-89.

The Grizzlies ended the calendar year of 2008 by missing 15 of their final 18 shots, more evidence that they need to pick up a shooter.  Darius Miles is still sitting out his suspension and Steve Francis is still not in action, although he should play following the New Year break. 

The Suns took advantage of the Grizzlies' lack of a post presence by pounding the ball inside to Shaquille O'Neal, who looked a lot younger and more athletic than he has in a few years.  They outscored the Grizzlies 31-11 in the fourth quarter to erase the Grizzlies' 8-point lead.  The Grizzlies gave up 58 points in the paint, which was the most telling stat of the night.  The Suns made only 5-of-16 3-point attempts, but with such domination inside, they didn't need them.  O'Neal finished with 24 points, while third-year forward Louis Amundsen, a UNLV product, scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Hakim Warrick had a great night for the Grizzlies, scoring 25 points on 7-of-11 shooting, but he was pulled from the game with three minutes left and the Grizzlies within three at 92-89.  Why would you do that?  He was the hottest shooter the Grizzlies had last night, but coach Marc Iavaroni yanked him to get Quinton Ross into the game, evidently for defensive purposes.  This team needs to take offense wherever it can get it right now.  I know defense wins games, but this team doesn't have any consistent shooters, so they can't afford to take the ball out of anyone's hands when they are hot.

Timberwolves 108, Grizzlies 98 OT posted by Brad Hurt

Maybe it was the dizzying contrast in the grains of wood used to design the court at the Target Center, or possibly the psychological effect of knowing it was less than 20 degrees and snowing outside, but the Grizzlies' inability to come through on the road reared its ugly head yet again on Monday against Minnesota.

Playing their third period of overtime in two nights, the Grizzlies went cold from the floor and dropped what should have been a winnable game to the Timberwolves 108-98.

The Grizzlies (10-21) got off to a dreadful start offensively and closed the game by shooting an equally ugly 2-of-13 in overtime.  After pushing San Antonio to the limit, they continued their bad habit of following a good performance with a disappointing one.  It was easy to get caught up in the Wolves' terrible record and think you didn't have to give 100 percent for 48, or 53, minutes.  That is a very dangerous state of mind to adopt, as the Grizzlies found out against Oklahoma City.  The Wolves (6-24) had won only twice at home this season.  Why wouldn't they be motivated to give their fans something to cheer about?

Big Al Jefferson gave the thin Grizzlies lineup fits inside, going for a season-high 38 points and 16 rebounds, while O.J. Mayo scored 23 for the Grizzlies.  The Grizzlies held an 84-79 lead in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter but let it slip away.  After a 7-0 Wolves run, Mayo forced overtime with a shot in the lane.

Kyle Lowry recorded his second career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 12 assists.

Confident Grizzlies Take On Toothless Wolves posted by Brad Hurt

While the Grizzlies will try to pick themselves up and win after every loss this season, tonight's opportunity may be one that they see as a must-win.

After Saturday's tough loss at San Antonio, the Grizzlies know they have what it takes to compete with a playoff contender on the road.  They have made progress since the beginning of the season, especially when it comes to being physical and aggressive.  It's easy to back off when you are losing and you lack self-confidence.  These Grizzlies have plenty of self-confidence.  They just need to get to where they put it on display every night.  They are not necessarily a team that can be counted out when they are down 20 points to anyone.  Ideally, they wouldn't get themselves into situations like that very often, but they have shown that they can handle it despite their relative inexperience.

Tonight, the Grizzlies face a team in the Minnesota Timberwolves that is going nowhere in a hurry.  The Wolves have had one of the league's worst front offices recently, and general manager Kevin McHale is currently making his second appearance as the team's interim head coach in three years.  For all his success as a player with the Celtics, McHale's front office record is abysmal.  And he's not any better on the bench.

The game features a meeting of former PAC-10 rivals who were traded for each other on draft day.  Rookies O.J. Mayo of Memphis and Kevin Love of Minnesota made headlines in college, but last summer's trade is more evidence against McHale.  Love has been nowhere near the rookie success for Minnesota that Mayo has been for the Grizzlies, averaging only 7.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg this season.

J.R. Smith Got Screwed posted by Aaron Reynolds

J.R. Smith Got Screwed

Reyns Gems

While the NBA has arguably the greatest All-Star game, the recent selections in the skill competitions have me fuming. 

Last year’s NBA All-Star week, highlighted by Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and the slam dunk competition brought back whispers of ‘the dunk contest being back.’  

Not exactly.

The dunk contest last year was entertaining and very creative, but not a resurrection.  

Here’s why: 

The current NBA dunk contests are not worthy of all-time greats UNTIL the real stars of the league participate in them. 

Michael Jordan vs. Dominique Wilkens will not be touched until Kobe and Lebron decide to check their egos at the door and give the fans what they really want to see. That, yes, would probably top Jordan and Wilkens.  But as long as the NBA continues to select big men (sorry Dwight), average stars, and bench warmers with great hops I’m not impressed. 

Keep the judging squad to former legends. 

Whose bright idea was it to select Kobe as a judge last year?  In no way shape or form, should a current player be allowed to judge no matter how popular. Let me guess, this year Lebron will be the ‘special guest judge.’ 

The 2009’s rookie participant, flat out stinks. 

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