Official 2014-15 Memphis Grizzlies Season Thread: 26-11, Grizz Acquire Jeff Green from Boston

[bhzmafia14]

2014-15 Roster:

Zach Randolph, F
Marc Gasol, C
Mike Conley, G
Tayshaun Prince, F
Courtney Lee, G
Tony Allen, G
Jordan Adams, G
Jarnell Stokes, F
Kosta Koufos, C
Quincy Pondexter, F
Jon Leuer, F
Vince Carter, F
Beno Udrih, G
Nick Calathes, G
Luke Hancock, F

2014 Preseason Schedule:

Wednesday, 10/8: at Milwaukee, 7pm
Thursday, 10/9: at Houston, 7pm
Saturday, 10/11: vs. Atlanta, 7pm
Tuesday, 10/14: at OKC, 7pm
Friday, 10/17: vs Flamengo (Brazil), 7pm
Monday, 10/20: at Dallas, 7:30pm
Wednesday, 10/22: vs. Cleveland, 7pm
Friday, 10/24: vs. Miami, 7pm

2014-15 Season Schedule
http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/2014-15-regular-season-schedule


Team Salary Cap:
http://data.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/grizzlies.jsp

Team Blogs:
http://www.memphisflyer.com/blogs/BeyondtheArc/
http://www.3sob.com
http://www.grizzlybearblues.com

 

[pmatic]

With Juice in Dallas, I'll likely be posting less in this thread than in past years. May the team avoid NBA purgatory.

 

[bhzmafia14]

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/10/02/dont-forget-about-the-grizzlies/

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – In a conference that boasts superstar power the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers bring to the table, it’s easy to overlook a team like the Memphis Grizzlies.

It’s easy to forget that the Grizzlies finished last season’s locket-shortened campaign ahead of the Clippers and one spot below the Lakers in the standings (they sported identical 41-25 records), good enough for the fourth spot and the home court advantage that came along with that perch.

Yet, when the contenders are talked about now, the Grizzlies are conveniently left out of that conversation. Folks need to be careful glancing past the Grizzlies this season, especially with Zach Randolph apparently back to form after dealing with a serious knee injury all last season.

Randolph rededicated himself to the training regimen that led him to becoming an All-Star and helped the Grizzlies to a first-round upset of the Spurs two years ago. It took a painful Game 7 loss to the Clippers last year to rekindle that fire in Randolph, who joins All-Star center Marc Gasol to form the a potent big-man combo that rivals the Lakers’ Dwight Howard-Pau Gasol tag team.

And as Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal points out, Randolph is covering all of the bases as he prepares to return to form:

For his part, Randolph hasn’t left anything to chance.

He shut down when the Grizzlies’ season ended in a disappointing Game 7 first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Randolph decided to rest and allowed the knee to heal to the point where he was pain-free.

That meant Randolph began his offseason work in August, about a month later than usual.

“It was the worst year of my career,” Randolph said. “Being hurt and not being able to move how you want to move and have that second jump … It was real frustrating. I wanted to make sure my knee healed before I did a lot of movement.”

Randolph returned to an approach to health and fitness called “chameleon training” with University of Memphis strength coach Frank Matrisciano. Suddenly, Randolph was back to climbing pipes that extend from the floor to the ceiling for upper-body training, carrying heavy balls up and down stairs and running in a sand pit with a 30-pound ball.

“Frank works every muscle in your body,” Randolph said. “It’s just tearing down fat and building up muscle. … I tell these young players, I’m 31. I’ve got two max contracts and I’m still working out hard with Frank, running stairs. That’s how dedicated I am. I want to be the best. I’m not just satisfied.”

Randolph also improved his psyche, and his teammates notice.

“We’ve got a more confident Z-Bo, a healthier Z-Bo and that’s scary for a lot of teams,” guard Tony Allen said. “I’m just glad he’s on my team.”

Griz coach Lionel Hollins lauds Randolph’s commitment to excellence.

“It’s difficult to compare where he is now to then. It’s like night and day,” Hollins said. “The key is not losing conditioning and not gaining weight.”

An experienced roster with an All-Star center, a quality young point guard (Mike Conley), a defensive stopper and fiery leader (Allen), a swingman with elite talent (Rudy Gay) and one of the best coaches in the league is enough to make the Grizzlies a playoff lock.

A rejuvenated Randolph, however, gives them a chance to be so much more.

 

[Mound Raised]

leggoooooo

 

[bhzmafia14]

More CA articles on ZBO and Rudy:

Zach Randolph heard the same question everywhere he went during the offseason. The Grizzlies' power forward heard it again in FedExForum on Monday afternoon.

So, big fella, how is your knee?

Randolph just smiled as he held court during the Grizzlies' annual media day.

"My knee is 100 percent," Randolph said, "and I feel good. It's a new season. I'm turning the page."

The book on Randolph last season was that he had no lift, could no longer gobble up rebounds in bunches or bully opponents in the paint. That was after the 31-year-old veteran returned from a knee injury (a partially torn MCL) that cost him 38 games and cut down his confidence.

Randolph, though, is determined to write a new chapter that reminds Griz fans of his prowess two years ago when he became an all-star.

"Man, working out has made me feel better," Randolph said. "I know that I can do what I used to do. … I expect big things from myself."

One sign of Randolph's re-emergence came last week when he whirled around center Marc Gasol, delivered a fake and powered to the rim for a score.

"Zach looks good," Gasol said.

The Randolph-Gasol exchange happened during a pickup game, which is where point guard Mike Conley gained more confidence in his primary post-up option.

"Zach's always gauging himself by how many dunks he gets in a workout," Conley said. "So he's been dunking it and looking real good and mobile."

For his part, Randolph hasn't left anything to chance.

He shut down when the Grizzlies' season ended in a disappointing Game 7 first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Randolph decided to rest and allowed the knee to heal to the point where he was pain-free.

That meant Randolph began his offseason work in August, about a month later than usual.

"It was the worst year of my career," Randolph said. "Being hurt and not being able to move how you want to move and have that second jump … It was real frustrating. I wanted to make sure my knee healed before I did a lot of movement."

Randolph returned to an approach to health and fitness called "chameleon training" with University of Memphis strength coach Frank Matrisciano. Suddenly, Randolph was back to climbing pipes that extend from the floor to the ceiling for upper-body training, carrying heavy balls up and down stairs and running in a sand pit with a 30-pound ball.

"Frank works every muscle in your body," Randolph said. "It's just tearing down fat and building up muscle. … I tell these young players, I'm 31. I've got two max contracts and I'm still working out hard with Frank, running stairs. That's how dedicated I am. I want to be the best. I'm not just satisfied."

Randolph also improved his psyche, and his teammates notice.

"We've got a more confident Z-Bo, a healthier Z-Bo and that's scary for a lot of teams," guard Tony Allen said. "I'm just glad he's on my team."

Griz coach Lionel Hollins lauds Randolph's commitment to excellence.

"It's difficult to compare where he is now to then. It's like night and day," Hollins said. "The key is not losing conditioning and not gaining weight."

Hollins also pointed out that a successful season for Randolph will depend on his versatility as much as health. The coaching staff is looking for Randolph to score and defend on the perimeter as much as he does in the post.

Randolph sounded up for the challenge.

"I always feel like I have something to prove," Randolph said. "I'm my biggest critic. So whatever it takes to win games, that's what I'll do."

Randolph's burden has shifted from his knee to this shoulder. But that's a good thing.

"I always play with a chip on my shoulder," he said. "I've been proving people wrong my whole life. That's just what I do."

Mike Krzyzewski was the one to give him the news. No, Rudy Gay would not be a member of the United States Olympic team. He would not be going to London.

They had decided to keep Andre Iguodala instead. Krzyzewski didn't put it that way, exactly, but that's what it boiled down to.

"It was really tough," said Gay. "That was one of those things that I think I'll keep with me for the rest of my career."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't steaming, that I wasn't mad. But at the end of the day you've got to think back and just use that as motivation. I've been doing that, whether it's in the weight room, whether it's on the court or whether it's playing pickup."

So be warned, NBA. Gay is back, and he's going to take his revenge.

And if you are not quite believing this right now — if you are rolling your eyes at very idea of Gay taking his revenge — well, you're not the only one.

"Believe it when I see it," tweeted a fan named Jacob Samuels.

"Yawn," tweeted Tim Miller, another fan.

"I assumed he would derive more motivation from getting completely outplayed by someone with one hand in the playoffs," tweeted Jonathan Lindsey.

Ouch.

And some people say that I'm tough.

But this is what Gay is up against. This is the challenge he must face.

Heading into his seventh year in Memphis, Gay has assumed the role that Pau Gasol did in his final years with the franchise, the gifted player who was never quite good enough to satisfy the fans.

Like Gasol, Gay is more finesse than power. Like Gasol, Gay has to live up to a max deal.

Like Gasol, Gay's team failed to advance in the playoffs. It didn't help that the Clippers' Caron Butler — the one with the broken hand — often outplayed Gay.

Gay shot just .421 in the seven game series, just .211 from beyond the 3-point line. He went 8 for 25 in Game 3. He averaged three turnovers a game.

Oh, and then my colleague, David Williams, attempted to write a column defending Gay. The headline writer gave it

this headline: "Memphis forward the antithesis of grit and grind."

That'sthe kind of year it was for Gay. And all that was before he got cut from the Olympic team.

"They can word it however they want, being left off, being cut, whatever," said Gay. "But I feel like that's one of the things I will keep in my mind."

This is the right approach for Gay to take, by the way. And it's not exactly a surprise. Some criticize Gay for not trying, not caring, not being passionate enough. They have it exactly wrong.

Gay has never been one of those guys who mails it in. He legitimately wants to be great. His weakness is that he doesn't always know what that looks like on a basketball court. He sometimes seems to lack what Bill Bradley called "a sense of where you are."

Iguodala made the U.S. team over Gay because he was seen as a player who could have an impact on a game without having to score. Gay can struggle in that role. At his best, he's a guy who can fill the stat sheet, run the court, defend the other team's best player and hit big shots in the clutch. At his worst, he's a guy who — may as well be blunt about it — disappears.

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace spent part of Monday's media session touting Gay for the all-star game. To his immense credit, Gay brushed that talk aside. This season can't be about making an all-star team for Gay. It has to be about having an impact every single night.

"God has blessed me with the ability to do certain things," said Gay. "Since I have that, 90 percent of what I do is mental."

Meaning, 90 percent of Gay's ups and downs have to do with his mental approach.

"I think I can give so much more," he said. "Whether that's defensively or offensively, I feel like I can give so much more, and I will."

It was an impressive performance, as media day talks go. At one point, someone asked Gay if he ever thought it might be best to get a new start somewhere else.

"No," he said. "People are running around the league to find what I have here."

In other words: The Grizzlies have so many good players, they are already a sort of super team. Now it's a matter of making it all fit.

But the biggest key to that may be Gay himself. Is he really capable of more? Will the U.S. national snub really change the way he approaches the game? Can an old Griz learn new tricks?

These questions were posed to Lionel Hollins, the coach. He looked appropriately bemused.

"Talk to me in February," he said, by which time, we will know.

Great news for both players

 

[henz0]

 

[Ruck13]

Link 1

Link 2

Audio from Chris Vernon at Grizz media day.

 

[Ruck13]

Chris Vernon ‏@ChrisVernonShow

SCOOP: Peyton Manning has agreed in principle to become part-owner of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Chris Vernon ‏@ChrisVernonShow

SCOOP 2: Also involved in the local ownership… Penny Hardaway. they now have Justin Timberlake, Peyton Manning, and Penny Hardaway. Wow.

 

[bhzmafia14]

More locals are supporting Robert Pera compared to Heisley old ***.

Penny Hardaway, Congressman Harold Ford Jr, Justin Timberlake, Peyton Manning (and his wife) + most of the other original minority owners. This is huge for the community. Now, we just need this sale to finalize.

Also RIP to Dana Davis. The VP of Basketball of Operations passed away yesterday. He use to escort me and my friend to the back by the locker rooms sometimes.

In other news from the CA...

Bayless and Gay shine in scrimmage

Training camp practices can get a bit mundane with all of the offensive and defensive drills, and conditioning requirements. Players want to play and the Grizzlies did just that, albeit briefly, Wednesday morning.

Day 2 of training camp ended with a pair of five-minute scrimmages that were controlled by forward Rudy Gay and free-agent pickup Jerryd Bayless.

The "white" team was made up of the projected starters with Gay playing alongside Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. The "blue' team consisted of a group that will likely make up the second unit in the short term. Bayless joined Wayne Ellington, Quincy Pondexter, Maurice Speights and Hamed Haddadi.

Gay dominated the first scrimmage on both ends of the floor.

The game's first basket came after Gay stole the ball near the top of the key and darted past midcourt the other way for a transition layup over two defenders.

The "blue" team had difficulty tracking Gay, especially on backdoor cuts. Gasol found a cutting Gay twice with passes from the elbow. Gay scored a reverse layup on one possession and then tossed in a one-hand runner on another. Gay wasn't always on the receiving end. He ran a 2-on-1 break that ended with Gay lobbing a pass to Gasol under the basket.

Bayless' early returns are impressive given his shooting from long distance and from midrange off screens.

"It's still early and guys are still learning our schemes. But it's coming," coach Lionel Hollins said. "I wanted to give them an opportunity to play up and down with some of the sets and the defensive concepts we've been talking about."

Hollins made lineup rotations for both teams. He put Bayless and Conley in the backcourt together. Speights also switched to the "white" team to pair with Gasol.

One team: The Griz couldn't leave town for camp like they did a few years ago when Birmingham, Ala., was the training site.

But Hollins has again required his players and coaches to live in a hotel near FedExForum to establish the camaraderie that's built on the road.

The team does everything together, including meals before and after practices and meetings.

Infirmary: Forward/center Jarrid Famous wasn't available for the scrimmages as he sat on the sideline with ice wrapped around his left shoulder. Famous joined forward Darrell Arthur (leg fracture) and guard Josh Selby (ankle sprain) on the injured list

Injury news on DA:

The pickup game had essentially just begun when Darrell Arthur, showcasing his rejuvenation, leaped and blocked a shot.

But he didn't stick the landing.

"I came down awkward and I felt the pain," Arthur said. "But I kept playing."

Arthur participated in four more games. The 24-year-old power forward had no idea that he suffered a stress fracture in his left leg. "I guess my adrenaline was running," Arthur said. "I didn't feel anything until the next day."

Already having recovered from an Achilles tear that cost him all of last season, Arthur now has the equivalent of a lateral collateral ligament injury. That's what an MRI revealed when team physician Dr. Fred Azar was asked to take a look.

Azar, chief of staff at Campbell Clinic, compares Arthur's injury to an LCL because it happened in the same area. With an LCL, there is a tear in the ligament. But Arthur suffered a fracture in the fibula bone.

"We don't know why," Azar said. "It's not unusual. We see a lot of injuries that are somewhat unique to basketball. But this could happen in any sport."

And Arthur knows what you're thinking: This may be unusual, but as Griz players go, this could only happen to him. This is the third significant injury Arthur has experienced since he was drafted in 2008. Before the Achilles tear, a pectoral tear kept Arthur out four months during the 2009-10 campaign.

"It's tough but I'm going to stay positive," Arthur said. "I was ready to come back. This is just a minor setback. I just have to take my time and let my body heal. It's not that serious."

Azar insists that the leg fracture is indeed negligible, and dismissed any notion that Arthur is brittle. Arthur's injuries were unrelated.

"Not even remotely related," Azar said. "This injury is on a different extremity than the Achilles. And the Achilles is healed. We got him back on the court and he was going slowly to mentally get his confidence. We were surprised. He was coasting along nicely."

Arthur will not require surgery. The projected 4-6 weeks of rehabilitation is just allotted for healing.

Arthur will have a second MRI next week to track the healing.

Meanwhile, his activity has been modified to non-contact exercises -- no running or jumping. Arthur is cleared to work on an underwater treadmill, a stationary bike and to undergo physical therapy to keep muscles in shape.

Doctors will also use a bone stimulator to promote faster healing — one perk of being a pro athlete.

Arthur's diet will be equally important during recovery. His calcium and vitamin D intake is critical.

"Some people don't think about that," Azar said. "But nutrition is important. We're doing everything we can."

Arthur predicts he'll return during the first month of the regular season. The Grizzlies open the season Oct. 31 at the Los Angeles Clippers.

"It's disappointing but I wasn't really expecting to be back until November anyway," Arthur said. "It takes a year for an Achilles to heal so I was ahead of schedule."

Conley bulking up to battle stronger PG's

Mike Conley walks into the gym and instantly makes you think about wrestling rather than basketball.

He's wrapped in a noticeably larger frame. His biceps bulge. The Grizzlies' point guard isn't exactly sporting Hulk Hogan's 24-inch pythons. Think Mighty Mouse, instead.

Either way, Conley is clearly stronger and bulkier than last season and unrecognizable compared to the 19-year-old kid who arrived in Memphis following the 2007 NBA draft.

The 6-1 floor general hasn't pumped iron and followed a strict diet for a future in the WWE. Conley, who is 13 pounds heavier than last year, wants to be able to go pound for pound with bigger, stronger NBA point guards.

"It's been a huge concern of mine," Conley said. "Regardless of what critics say, I feel that way about myself. I've got to be able to guard these guys. I've got to be able to defend them in crunch time. Being stronger in your legs and upper body will help. I'm already a good defensive player. I've just got to be able to hold my weight against the bigger guards."

Conley acknowledges having turned into a fitness nut. He's transformed his body while adding stamina and endurance to his game.

The last image fans had of Conley last season was watching him look feeble because of the flu in a Game 7 first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

But Conley has steadily proven to be one of the team's most durable players over the past few seasons. That partly has to do with necessity because of the Grizzlies' struggles to find a credible backup point guard — a problem they believe they solved in the offseason by adding Jerryd Bayless.

Attribute Conley's durability to offseason training, too.

"Mike works on his body. He's gotten stronger because he's gained more weight," coach Lionel Hollins said. "At some point (working out to get stronger) becomes a part of you. The key is to continue it during the year. All players want to improve some aspect of their game each year. Mike's done that."

Conley committed to a workout regimen that spanned eight weeks between Memphis, Las Vegas and Columbus, Ohio. Conley worked with his former Ohio State strength coach when he couldn't be with Griz strength and conditioning coach Kelly Lambert.

A snapshot of the program called for Conley to bench press 85 pounds eight times, perform three sets of 10 chinups, squat with 155 pounds 10 times and curl 25 pounds in four sets of 25.

Getting Conley to train was easy. The hard part was Conley embracing the need to eat breakfast. Conley likes to chew on protein bars but Lambert insisted on eggs, oatmeal and grains in the morning.

"Things of substance," Lambert said.

Conley's up to 186 pounds with 4.5 percent body fat.

"I wanted to put muscle mass on him rather than weight," Lambert said, adding that Conley lost just three pounds all of last season.

"It wasn't just to make it so he could bench this amount of weight or squat this kind of weight. I don't think it's going to make him a better player by having a number he can bench press. This has to be functional so this can help his game for what he has to do."

The added strength allowed Conley to take more hits, play longer and be more physical on the perimeter.

"Defensively, it helped me a bunch last year," said Conley, who was the league's steals leader for most of last season until Clippers guard Chris Paul swiped away the crown just before the playoffs.

The question now is whether Conley's drive to not be pushed and shoved around by the likes of Paul, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and the Brooklyn Nets' Deron Williams will negate his advantage in quickness?

Lambert points out that Conley's workouts included drills designed to add hip flexibility, which should allow him to be more explosive and quicker.

"Mike's not only bigger and stronger but he's smarter," center and close friend Marc Gasol said. "He's always been what our team needs, and I think the work he's put in is going to help our team even more."

Conley added 13 pounds of muscle :x

 

[Ruck13]

More locals are supporting Robert Pera compared to Heisley old ***.
Penny Hardaway, Congressman Harold Ford Jr, Justin Timberlake, Peyton Manning (and his wife) + most of the other original minority owners. This is huge for the community. Now, we just need this sale to finalize.

Thats a good look for Penny man..seems like he's really trying to help the city out...Now he needs to drop them foams off opening night like you said on da twitters...

 

[bhzmafia14]

Thats a good look for Penny man..seems like he's really trying to help the city out...Now he needs to drop them foams off opening night like you said on da twitters...

Yea, if there is anybody the community loves, its Penny. He's being given back so much every since he retired from the league. If he drop them Foams, its going to start a riot

 

[friscostylez]

can't wait for the season to start but i have been wondering why jerryd bayless signed here. i would guess he would have gone to a situation where he can start at PG.

 

[triple homicide]

Conley definitely bulked up. He's gonna do well this season.

 

[bhzmafia14]

can't wait for the season to start but i have been wondering why jerryd bayless signed here. i would guess he would have gone to a situation where he can start at PG.

He may not start, but he's going to still have a big role here. This is the team 1st year having a legit backup PG, thats not a rookie, very old or not very good in a long time. Tinsley, Arenas, Vasquez, Pargo, throwing OJ out there, etc. Its just been terrible. So, I expect Hollins to let him go out there and run the show the way he wants to. He pretty much wanted OJ to do that, but OJ was thinking too much about his decisions.

 

[bhzmafia14]

More CA training camp news: Marc looks to be more of a giant, Grizzlies looking to be more uptempo offensively, Selby coming back

Grizzlies' Marc Gasol wants to be more of a giant
Grizzlies center vows to take over games when he needs to

By Ronald Tillery
Posted October 6, 2012 at midnight
DiscussPrintAAA

PHOTO BY NIKKI BOERTMAN

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, already known for his unselfishness and all-around game, says he will become more assertive when the situation calls for it this season. His teammates applaud his new outlook. Nikki Boertman The Commercial Appeal
Marc Gasol received an inbounds pass near the foul line as time expired on the Grizzlies' final scrimmage, and he surveyed the scene.

The 7-foot, versatile center could have passed to a cutting Jerryd Bayless. But Gasol looked him off.

Gasol could have set up Rudy Gay or Mike Conley, but he decided to practice what he's been preaching since his recent return from Spain. Gasol began a dribble drive and powered his way across the lane.

The play culminated in a running hook shot that splashed through the nets as the buzzer sounded. It was a game-winning basket and Gasol taking charge.

"No question," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "He realized the time and the score and he attacked and scored."

Expect more from where that came.

Gasol has promised himself and teammates that he's going to do less facilitating this season. Gasol's goal isn't to be selfish, but to better identify times when he can impose his will.

"I can get better mentally — knowing when to be aggressive and when the team needs me the most," Gasol said. "I'll keep making plays for my teammates but, at the same time, I have to dominate at some point and take over."

Like a preacher in church on Sundays, power forward Zach Randolph all but bellowed a big fat "Hallelujah."

"I've been telling him that from Day 1," Randolph said. "Be aggressive. Pick your spots. Big fella is so talented and he plays the right way. But sometimes you've got to be aggressive. Sometimes coach wants him to score. He's the best skilled center in the game by far."

Gasol has steadily established himself as one of the top three centers in the game over the past few years. NBA coaches affirmed he is in the conversation with Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum when they named Gasol to the Western Conference All Star team last season.

What separates Gasol from Howard and Bynum is his scoring ability, and deft passing. However, Gasol has relied too much on his passing and hasn't concentrated enough on putting the ball in the hoop.

Gasol's 48-percent shooting last season was subpar mainly because he attempted a disproportionate number of jump shots. The expectation is for Gasol to become more consistent on the inside.

"The fact that Marc can pass makes our offense better,"Griz forward Rudy Gay said. "So I don't see him shying away from that completely. Marc's going to always play the right way."

Gasol's selflessness is part of what makes him great, but it can be a grating quality. Take the Grizzlies' first-round playoff exit against the Los Angeles Clippers for example.

Gasol ended the seven-game series shooting a respectable 52.2 percent. But he was anything but a force until late in the series. He had eight points on 3-of-9 shooting to go with seven rebounds in Game 2. He had 11 points and 10 rebounds in Game 3 but committed five fouls.

In Game 4, he had just eight points and five rebounds. The Clippers got away with using Blake Griffin and Reggie Evans to defend the paint — something Gasol regrets.

Point guard Mike Conley pointed out that a simple solution is for Gasol to adhere to the play that's called, especially when he has a decided advantage.

"There are many times that Marc wants to be a facilitator but a lot of times we're like 'Hey, the play is for you to go and be aggressive,'" Conley said. "He's come back trying to dominate his matchup. It's great."

Griz coach Lionel Hollins said Gasol continues to evolve nicely and he's taking a natural step in improving his game for the good of the team.

"I just want him to be more assertive," Hollins said. "We knew he could pass but he didn't always do it. We knew he could score but he didn't always do it. He's gotten to a point where he's playing at a more confident level, which is good. Now, he just has to know that he can take over games."

Memphis Grizzlies want to add pace to game
By Ronald Tillery
Posted October 8, 2012 at 6:08 p.m.
DiscussPrintAAA

PHOTO BY MARK WEBER

October 2, 2012 — Memphis Grizzlies Mike Conley rest after running sprints during the first practice of training camp at The FedExFourm Tuesday morning. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)
Grizzlies vs. Bulls
When, where: 7 p.m. Tuesday, United Center, Chicago

TV, radio: No TV, WMFS-FM (92.9)

It will be common, as was the case during their first preseason game, for the Grizzlies to see coach Lionel Hollins standing at the scorer's table and imploring them to pick up the pace.

"Run," he yelled often. And no one was immune to the command.

"C'mon Zach," Hollins said to forward Zach Randolph. "Run. Let's go."

The Grizzlies have always been required to play up-tempo offensively under Hollins, but now he's not accepting any lulls. Don't expect Memphis to be an all-out run-and-gun squad, though. The goal is simply to generate early offense often and not allow defenses to settle in and take away the Grizzlies' strength down low.

"What we want to do is get easy buckets," Hollins said. "We want to get the ball out quickly and get up the court and get easy buckets. We're not talking about going down and casting 3-pointers all over the place. But we're trying to get the ball in the paint — whether it's by penetration or throwing the ball in the post and getting stuff before the defense can set up."

Memphis earned a franchise-best winning percentage last season. But the Griz labored too much on offense, playing without the three-point shot as a consistent threat and at too slow of a pace.

Hollins' main emphasis during training camp has been to change a trend that led to the Grizzlies' 20th ranking in offensive efficiency last season. Memphis rated in the bottom third in the number of points per 100 possessions. The Griz also ranked 18th in the number of possessions per game, which is regarded as pace.

Conventional wisdom suggests that the best offense is a patient one. Hollins wants to run but he's also demanding that players are responsible with the basketball.

"We just have to make the right play," forward Rudy Gay said. "Sometimes when you play fast it's acceptable to turn the ball over. With us, we want to be controlled yet run the fast break effectively."

That means don't expect the brand of basketball Phoenix excited its fan base with under coach Mike D'Antoni several years ago. The Griz don't plan to sprint up the court, take the first shot available, ignore offensive rebounds and do it again and again.

Quick shots are likely hurried ones and leave a team in bad position to grab offensive rebounds. Hollins still favors the pick-and-roll. Despite its predictability, pick-and-roll offense can be a highly effective because it creates favorable mismatches.

"We just don't want to work so much of the clock, walking the ball up the court," point guard Mike Conley said. "That'll be the difference."

If the Grizzles execute at a faster pace then that likely will mean an increase in their true shooting percentage. Memphis finished last season at 51.5 percent using a formula that accounted for free throws and 3-pointers.

Center Marc Gasol said the team needs better proficiency and pace late in games.

"We've been walking around too much in the fourth quarter, especially," Gasol said. "We've got to move faster, run faster and play up-tempo so teams can't play into our scheme."

Converting layups in transition at a higher rate and ball movement are paramount to what the Griz are trying to accomplish.

One of Hollins' frustrations last Saturday was over-dribbling during the Grizzlies' preseason win against Real Madrid. He mildly chastised guard Tony Allen for not making easy forward passes to the point guard in transition.

The NBA has seen a shift to smaller, quicker lineups that promote fast-paced basketball. The Grizzlies' best advantage is their size in the frontcourt and they don't want to ignore that.

Hollins simply wants the ball to get to his big men or in the paint quicker.

"Defenses are so good," Hollins said. "The scouting is so good that everybody knows exactly what you're doing. If you can't get up the floor and get some easy points you're going to score 60 or 70 points a game."

Notebook: Josh Selby ready to return from ankle injury
By Ronald Tillery
Posted October 7, 2012 at midnight
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PHOTO BY NIKKI BOERTMAN

Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay drives to the basket defended by Real Madrid forward Marcus Anthony Slaughter in the first half.
Second-year guard Josh Selby wore street clothes as he sat courtside near the Grizzlies bench on Saturday night.

He expects to be in uniform as an active participant in training camp on Monday. Selby has yet to practice because of an ankle sprain he suffered during voluntary workouts last month.

"We're hoping I can play by Monday," Selby said. "I'm doing a lot of treatment because I miss being out there with the guys. It's hard when you're watching guys working hard, running up and down the court building chemistry. I want to be out there building chemistry along with them."

Selby said he stepped on Monta Ellis' foot. The Milwaukee Bucks guard was in town playing pickup games in FedExForum.

"I couldn't walk for a while," Selby said. "It was a little bit more than a sprain, I think. With a sprain, I would have been back sooner."

Now, Selby will walk into a competition with Wayne Ellington for the chance to earn minutes at shooting guard behind Tony Allen.

"He's behind because he hasn't been able to show what he can do," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said of Selby. "But if he comes in and deserves an opportunity to do more then that's fine."

Selby sounds ready to build on an offseason in which he shot exceedingly well during the Las Vegas summer league.

"I'm going to come in and compete," Selby said. "Whatever the coaches decide, I'm cool with it. If he feels I have to earn my minutes I'm going to make the best of my opportunity."

Tip-ins

Baltimore product Dontaye Draper started the second half and made 4 of 5 shots in 14 minutes for Real Madrid. Said Baltimore native Rudy Gay: "I grew up with him. I've known he can play for a long time." … Jerry West and **** Versace, the Grizzlies' last two team presidents, attended Saturday's game. West and Versace will speak Sunday at the funeral for Dana Davis, the team's vice president of basketball operations. Doctors determined that Davis died Wednesday of natural causes during his sleep.

Good to hear Marc being more aggressive instead of trying to be so unselfish. He's a great passer, but he's too skilled offensively not to take over games like he should. The starters looked REALLY good in that first preseason game. The ball was moving quickly and you didn't see a lot stalling on offense. Pondexter really worked on his 3 point shot this summer too.

If the Grizzlies can somehow push their offense into the top 10 category, while keeping their defense in the top 7, they will be hell come playoff time. Being 20th on offense and one of the best defensive teams isn't going to take you too far. I'm glad that everyone seems to be on the same page right now.

 

[williamontana]

Wonder how much PT Wroten will get with Conley, Bayless and Selby

Hope to see him do well

 

[bhzmafia14]

Wonder how much PT Wroten will get with Conley, Bayless and Selby
Hope to see him do well

Not much, unless an injury occurs. Everyone in the organization loves him, though. On a veteran team, it'll be hard for him to minutes unless he can turn the ball over less and make good decisions, which won't happen.

A couple of articles on Grizz Camp/Selby and Wroten.

Grizzlies will revert to camp mode before next game
By Ronald Tillery
Posted October 10, 2012 at midnight
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CHICAGO — After playing two preseason games in four days the Grizzlies will resume training camp mode for the next several days.

That means they could conceivably have a couple of two-a-day practices before hosting the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

"This is still training camp," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "The games aren't as important as practices. The games give you a baseline for what you're doing in practice. There are some guys that will try to play differently in games. But we've got to get them to play the same way we practice."

Hollins has said that he will use most of the exhibition schedule to experiment with lineups and seek confidence in certain players. Both reserve positions in the backcourt need to be developed before the Grizzlies' regular-season opener Oct. 31 at the Los Angeles Clippers.

"As we continue to work on our game everyday in practice, we want to see different people and what they bring to the party," Hollins said. "We want to see what they look like in game-like situations. That's important. A lot of guys can play well in practice. …But it's a process to establishing that you belong in the league and in the rotation."

Familiar face: Ryan Allen, the younger brother of Griz guard Tony Allen, is competing in the Bulls' training camp after a tryout with the Griz. Ryan Allen participated in a pre-draft workout with the Grizzlies. He also played on the Grizzlies' summer league squad in Las Vegas.

"It was a great opportunity. I learned a lot," Ryan Allen said. "It definitely prepared me for this.

Tip-ins: Second-year guard Josh Selby (ankle sprain) participated in the team's morning shoot-around a day after going through non-contact drills. Selby is expected to return to full-contact practices this week after missing the first six days of training camp. …The Griz used 15 players with everyone logging at least eight minutes. Jerome Jordan led the Griz with 13 points, matching his regular-season career high set April 26 while with the New York Knicks.

Newest Grizzly Tony Wroten not intimidated
By Ronald Tillery
Posted October 10, 2012 at 6:39 p.m.
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PHOTO BY NUCCIO DINUZZO

Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/MCT The Chicago Bulls' Nate Robinson, left, and teammate Taj Gibson battle the Memphis Grizzlies' Tony Wroten (1) and Hamed Haddadi (15) for possession of a lose ball during the first quarter of their preseason game at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/MCT)
Tony Wroten squatted into a defensive stance and never got more than a few inches away from Tony Allen.

The rookie intently hawked the veteran, giving Allen a small dose of what he likes to dish out until the coaches blew their whistles. Wroten, the Grizzlies' teen-age guard, ended up deflecting a pass intended for Allen and the ball went out of bounds off Allen's leg.

Wroten yelled and clapped his hands together with exuberance.

Yes, Wroten is just 19-years-old. And he's raw. But Wroten is also showing his new teammates that he's not intimidated and will compete.

"I see toughness in him," veteran power forward Zach Randolph said. "He's got great upside. Now, he just has to keep working hard."

There are some things Wroten will need to hear a couple times to absorb at the NBA level but he clearly has a good grasp on the importance of work ethic. The Griz have held nine training camp practices, and Wroten made his presence known in each of them one way or another.

The 6-5 combo guard's game is as unpredictable as one would expect from a one-and-done player drafted 25th overall out of Washington. His flaws (decision-making, shooting, lack of discipline) are often mixed with flashes of brilliance borne out his athleticism, court vision and sometimes perceived arrogance.

"He has confidence," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "His attitude has been much better than it was in the summer when we first saw him. That's to be expected when you start seeing the guys you're behind. I think he realized right away there's a lot of work to do.

"He's got good size, good quickness and good speed. He can see the court even though he doesn't always make good decisions."

Such is life for a young player attempting to learn new schemes, terminology and teammates. The learning curve is a bit more daunting than anything Wroten's experienced in basketball.

"You have to learn the plays so quickly," Wroten said. "The biggest difference (in the NBA) is pace. It's a lot faster. They expect you to know stuff a lot sooner. Everybody is telling me to take my time and let the game come to me."

Starting point guard Mike Conley chuckled when talking about Wroten seemingly moving "100 miles per hour."

"But he can play," Conley said. "I've been impressed with him. He's been very coachable. He's a great listener. The guy can pass better than a lot of guys I've seen."

Wroten's passing can be electrifying judging by how he's set up teammates over the past week. He's got a knack for getting in the lane and firing over-the-head passes to a big man for easy scores around the basket. His no-look attempts are hit or miss. On Wednesday, Wroten did a good job of overcoming Jerryd Bayless' ball pressure near half court. Wroten dribbled ahead of Bayless and into the lane but then threw a no-look pass out of bounds.

That's where decision-making comes into play.

"He's getting better everyday," Allen said. "He's very aggressive. He's quick, athletic. He's young. He just has to understand what Coach (Hollins) wants."

Wroten contends that he's already adjusted to the demanding yet fair approach Hollins brings to the gym each day.

"He'll definitely get on you if you're not doing what you're supposed to do," Wroten said. "He's a hard-nosed coach. It's what I need. Plus, he's a good teacher."

Hollins wasn't pleased when Wroten hoisted a 3-pointer Tuesday night late in the Grizzlies' loss to the Chicago Bulls. Hollins said Wroten should have opted for a dribble drive to the basket. The NBA 3-pointer is a long shot, which also describes Wroten's chances of making them right now.

"He still doesn't know the nuances of certain situations," Bayless said. "Everybody just has to be patient."

The good news for Wroten is that Griz brass are already excited about his future. Perhaps just as good for Wroten is his development doesn't have to be rushed. The Griz roster is full of established young players in their prime. There is a chance Wroten could spend time the NBA Development League with the Grizzlies' affiliate in Reno.

Wroten, though, isn't conceding that as his fate for this season.

"Obviously, I'm a competitive person," Wroten said. "I want to play."

Wroten's role could very well be determined by how many more surprises he has in him.

"He surprised me," forward Rudy Gay said of Wroten. "The only thing about it is you don't expect a lot out of rookies. Coming onto a veteran team and being able to make your presence known is tough. If he can he'll be good in this league."

 

[pmatic]

John Hollinger...

Memphis Grizzlies: '12-13 Forecast

Overview

Contender or pretender?

That's the existential question about the Memphis Grizzlies heading into this season, one that likely defines whether a productive but expensive nucleus stays together for a multi-season run or undergoes further alterations.

The Griz seemed pointed toward the "contender" end of the spectrum after finishing one game from the conference finals despite missing high-scoring forward Rudy Gay in 2011, but last season they had their starting five intact and couldn't make it out of the first round. A knee injury to Zach Randolph was the major setback; that Memphis won 41 games playing mostly without him was impressive, but he never regained his All-Star form of the previous season.

The return of a healthy Randolph would obviously go a long way toward answering the question up top in the affirmative, but so too would an added dash of shooting and a more productive bench. Memphis' second-unit play, particularly at point guard, was a major negative last season, with Randolph's injury partly to blame: An emergency early-season trade for frontcourt help netted Marreese Speights but cost them productive guard Greivis Vasquez, and the spot was an open sore the rest of the season.

That move wouldn't have been necessary except the Grizzlies had already lost the vastly underrated Darrell Arthur for the season to a torn Achilles. He and Randolph are back, and the backcourt saw a major upgrade as well: first-rounder Tony Wroten and the high-scoring Jerryd Bayless joined the fray, and Josh Selby looked good in summer league after a rocky rookie season. All this means the nightmare second unit stretches are likely a thing of the past.

But it also means that few excuses remain. Everybody's here and the roster holes are mostly filled, although shooting remains a major question mark. If Memphis is going to contend with this nucleus, now would be a good time to start. If not, it will be tough to justify being a luxury tax payer in this market.

2011-12 Recap

Hoping to move up the Western Conference ladder, the Griz instead found themselves doing triage right out of the gate. Randolph tore his MCL in the fourth game, which Memphis lost by 40 to drop to 1-3, and Z-Bo went on to miss 38 games. With Arthur already out for the season, the Griz were naked at power forward.

The Griz arranged a sign-and-trade with Charlotte for Dante Cunningham when Arthur went down, and then a three-way swap with Philly and New Orleans for Speights to plug the hole left by Randolph. However, fixing that leak sprung another -- dealing Vasquez proved disastrous when Jeremy Pargo (PER 4.46) flamed out as Mike Conley's backup.

Fortunately the Grizzlies got continued improvement from Conley and Marc Gasol, with the latter making his first All-Star team, and steadily gained traction as the season went on. The Griz finished fourth in the West despite the early stumbles, but disappointed in the playoffs when they lost to the Clippers in seven games. Once again, the offense proved their undoing, scoring just 72 points in the finale.

In the big picture, Memphis had two defining trends: A defense that forced a gazillion turnovers, and an offense that couldn't make jump shots.

Let's start with the defense. The Grizzlies weren't particularly good at forcing misses, fouled more than the league average, and were slightly below average on the defensive glass. Despite that, they were a robust seventh in defensive efficiency.

The key? Turnovers. Waves of them. Memphis forced miscues on 18.2 percent of opponent possessions and stole the ball outright on 10.2 percent of them; both figures led the league by a comfortable margin. Most of the mayhem came from the starting backcourt. Among players with more than 1,000 minutes, Tony Allen was second in steals per minute and Conley fourth. The Griz had help: Mayo, Gay and Cunningham all ranked well above the league average for their position in steal rate, and even Randolph and Gasol were just a hair above. Their only low-steal guys were Speights and Quincy Pondexter.

The surprise, perhaps, is that Memphis' defensive rebound rate didn't budge despite losing Randolph for half the season. Speights' rate nearly matched that of Randolph, and the others picked up the remaining slack.

Offensively, however, Memphis badly missed Randolph. Not on the glass, though: again, Memphis proved resilient here, finishing third in offensive rebound rate despite lacking one of the game's top offensive rebounders for much of the season.

Unfortunately, there were a LOT of shots for them to rebound. Memphis was 22nd in 2-point shooting and 25th in 3-point shooting, and despite taking a huge portion of their shots in the paint the Grizzlies were not particularly adept at drawing fouls.

Zooming in closer, the lack of floor spacing was a major problem. The Grizzlies were 29th in 3-point tries, taking only 15.7 percent of their shots from beyond the arc, and we saw the effects in the playoffs as the Clippers sagged in the paint and gummed up their offense. Actually, we saw it in the regular season, too, as Memphis finished just 21st in offensive efficiency.

Losing Randolph was a big reason the offense declined, but the bench was another. Mayo and Cunningham were the only reliable weapons on the second unit, with Mayo forced to double as the backup point guard after Pargo, Selby and Gilbert Arenas all failed brief trials. Pondexter played 1,002 minutes despite a PER of 9.35, and otherwise Memphis leaned on its top six healthy players for some of the league's heaviest minutes loads. Most notably, Gay finished third in the league in minutes and the lumbering Gasol was sixth overall and first among centers.

Stepping back, however, the Grizzlies again excelled in their "quantity" strategy. Thanks to all the turnovers they forced and their solid work on the glass, Memphis had the league's biggest differential in shot attempts (see chart). Had the Griz converted more of those shots into baskets, they would have been an elite team.

Offseason Moves

Memphis' biggest move came off the court, with the news that longtime owner Michael Heisley would be selling the team to a group led by technology magnate Robert Pera.

On the floor, the Griz mostly focused on the sensible goals of improving the bench and adding more shooting:

• Traded Dante Cunningham for Wayne Ellington: This was a trade made for need rather than talent. Cunningham is a better player than Ellington, but the Griz had a crowd at the 4 and precious little in the way of outside shooting. Ellington has struggled in other phases his entire career, but one thing he can certainly do is shoot it (he's a career 37.6 percent marksman).
• Traded Jeremy Pargo, a 2014 second-round pick and cash to Cleveland for D.J. Kennedy: Here's what this really was: The Grizzlies paid the Cavaliers to take Pargo off their hands, but it cost them a draft pick and they have to pay Pargo's salary. This move reduces Memphis' luxury tax bill after Pargo bombed as the backup point guard last season, so it effectively broke even despite paying cash to Cleveland. Kennedy had a non-guaranteed deal and was waived.
• Let O.J. Mayo go, signed Jerryd Bayless for two years, $6.1 million: They couldn't keep Mayo given their tax situation, but the Grizzlies found a decent replacement. Forced to only use the taxpayer's midlevel exception, Memphis made a value play in Bayless. He shot 42.3 percent on 3s last season, but that's not a real indicator of his ability -- it only came on 88 attempts, and his career mark is just 35.0 percent. The real benefit is that Bayless can fill it up (20.0 points per 40 minutes last season), and is just 24 years old, so he could still get better. He'll take over the bench scoring role assumed by Mayo last season while backing up both guard spots. Alas, it may be a stopgap, as Bayless can opt out after the season.
• Drafted Tony Wroten: Memphis' first-round pick was an excellent value -- a high-risk, high-reward play on one of the draft's most talented players. Wroten exacerbates a team-wide problem -- he can't shoot either -- but he is an elite athlete and huge for a point guard at 6-foot-6, 208 pounds. He may be able to play as the backup right away, and his ability to cross-match with Bayless should also prove very helpful. The hope is that he'll extend Memphis' turnover-causing mayhem into the second unit.
• Re-signed Marreese Speights for two years, $8.7 million: Speights' career has leveled off since a promising start with Philadelphia, but he provided a much-needed Band-Aid when Randolph was hurt and his ability to play backup center is quite helpful. The second year is a player option, as it is with Bayless' deal, which is a bit of a disappointment. Basically, if they're good they'll leave, but if they're terrible they'll stay.
• Re-signed Darrell Arthur for three years, $9.7 million: Arthur was one of the league's most underrated players prior to the Achilles injury that cost him last season, and the hope is that he can return as the third big man in the rotation. If so, he's a great value as an ace pick-and-roll defender on one end and a floor-spacing jump shooter on the other.
• Re-signed Hamed Haddadi for two years, $2.7 million: A reasonable value for a third center who has been very productive in his limited minutes, Haddadi also provides Memphis' only true size aside from Gasol. The second year on this deal is a non-guaranteed year that could prove quite useful in trades.

2012-13 Outlook

It's a bit overly dramatic to suggest that everything comes down to Randolph, but his ability to return to his 2010-11 level will have a huge impact on this team's future. Randolph went from a 22.97 PER and an All-Star berth that season to a more ordinary 17.96 last season. The Griz slumped to 21st in offensive efficiency as a result, and at that level it's basically impossible for them to be an elite team.

Optimists will point to the fact that Memphis' starting five has essentially never been healthy and starting at the same time. Everybody forgets this, but Allen didn't move into the starting lineup in 2011 until Rudy Gay was lost for the season. When Allen played more than 25 minutes with the other four, they were 8-2 with a plus-6.2 scoring margin. Last season they got a whole three games together, losing by three points apiece to San Antonio and Oklahoma City and beating Houston by 20, and then went 16-8 with a gimpy Randolph at the end.

This projection takes a pessimistic approach with Z-Bo, mainly because at 31 he's more likely to surprise on the negative side than the positive, but if his PER is closer to 21 than 17 then this team can push for a top-four seed or more. Reportedly he looked great in camp, however, and I've bumped up his projection slightly based on that. The shooting remains a major restraining factor on the offense -- Bayless is unlikely to shoot in the 40s on 3s again, Ellington is unlikely to make an impact (or even play much) and last season's best 3-point shooter, Mayo, is gone. So while they'll get more bench points and rely less on the Pondexters and Cunninghams of the world to soak up minutes, they're still basically striving to be league-average offensively.

Defensively, they're potentially a terror, especially if Z-Bo is moving well. Returning Arthur and adding Wroten should help significantly on this end, while the threat of Randolph on the block makes it easier to play Allen extended minutes. Memphis was seventh in defensive efficiency last season and could easily jump into the top five this season.

Nonetheless, on the contender vs. pretender question, the money seems safer on the pretender side unless Randolph re-emerges and another player -- Gay, perhaps -- can take an extra step forward at the offensive end.

Prediction: 50-32, 2nd in Southwest Division, 5th in Western Conference

 

[bhzmafia14]

Pretty good analysis from Hollinger. Finally, people are starting to recognize that we actually have a deeper team than last year, even without OJ on the squad. All I was hearing a month ago was that our 3 point shooting and bench production isn't on the same level it was a year ago.

Speights looking to give 8-10 off the bench until DA comes back and I'm expecting Bayless to be in the same range once his gets adjusted. I'm ready to see what Selby ends up doing when he comes back from injury.

 

[bhzmafia14]

A few articles on Rudy Gay from Sekou Smith or NBA.com and the Greenwich:

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – When you produce at the level Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay has on a nightly basis over the course of the past five seasons, the idea that Gay could be poised for a breakout season in the sixth year of his ascent might strike some people as a little strange.

But that’s exactly what Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins is expecting from the mercurial talent as he enters his seventh season in the league; Gay started 43 games his rookie season but didn’t move into the starting lineup until his second season.

Since Gay plays for our adopted team here at the hideout, we’re a bit biased. We’ve been huge proponents of his for years, dating to the 2007-08 season when he averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and showed off the talent that led many to rank him as the No. 1 prospect heading into his final college season at UConn.

His talent was undeniable then. It was strictly a matter of whether or not he could be a consistent force. And he proved that in the following seasons, even if he was overshadowed a bit by Zach Randolph and now Marc Gasol in Memphis.

But apparently, the word on Rudy is spreading with the monster training camp Gay is working on (more from Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal):

Hollins is often asked by national media about his core players, and Rudy Gay’s development continues to be a big topic. Gay, who is entering his seventh NBA season, is having arguably his best training camp.

Before the Griz took on the Houston Rockets, Hollins sounded as if he’s bracing for a breakout campaign from his 6-8 starting small forward.

“He’s having an outstanding camp,” Hollins said. “It he continues to play like this he’s going to have one of those years where everybody says ‘Wow. This is what I thought he could be.’ “

Hollins and teammates continue to be impressed by Gay’s improved playmaking though point guard Mike Conley is right with Gay in terms of consistency throughout camp.

There is already plenty of “Wow” factor in Gay’s game. Few players in the league are as consistently exciting as Gay in transition. And he’s a proven big-game performer, a guy who is willing and able to take and make shots to decide games … like he did against LeBron James and the Heat here.

But if he’s ready for a true breakout season, that has to include pushing for the All-Star berth that we felt he should have gotten consideration for last season.

Granted, on a team that will have both Randolph and Gasol as the first two options and Conley coming into his own as well, there will be a crowd at the front of the line.

Gay should be ready, though. He’s been ready for a while.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Rudy Gay will remember being cut from the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team for the rest of his career.

The Memphis Grizzlies forward described the news he got in early July as tough to hear when U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski told Gay he wouldn't be playing on the team at the London Olympics.

"They can word it however they want. Being left off, being cut, whatever," Gay said. "I feel like that's one of the things I can keep in my mind to make me move on."

Memphis fans certainly understand the motivation because they have high expectations for Gay, who enters his seventh season. He's been with the Grizzlies the longest — since they traded Shane Battier for his draft rights in 2006 out of Connecticut. He was a member of the NBA's All-Rookie team that season and helped the United States win gold at the 2010 World Championships.

The Grizzlies signed him to a maximum deal in July 2010, and he partially dislocated his left shoulder in February 2011. He tried to recover, but had season-ending surgery in March. That kept him out of Memphis' amazing playoff run, where they knocked off top-seeded San Antonio and pushed Oklahoma City to seven games in the Western Conference semifinals.

Gay led the Grizzlies in the lockout-shortened season with an average of 19 points, and was their top scorer in a disappointing seven-game playoff loss to the Clippers. But in that series, Gay also averaged three turnovers per game and shot a dismal 21.1 percent from 3-point range.

That pushed him to spend the summer working to get better.

"I feel like I've gotten older and gotten smarter as a player. Watched a lot of tape to try to figure out what holes I have in my game and try to fix that," Gay said. "It's hard."

Gay also added some weight, reporting for training camp at 248 pounds. He says he's ready to play power forward if needed, though coach Lionel Hollins said the weight will drop off once they hit the court twice a day. But Gay said he also worked on trying to be consistent — whether knocking down shots or coming off pick and rolls.

"I think I can give so much more, whether that's defense or offense," Gay said. "I feel like I can give so much more and I will."

During the offseason, Gay's name was mentioned repeatedly as being up for trade. Teams called, but the Grizzlies were not interested. General manager Chris Wallace said Gay kept the Grizzlies afloat with key shots during his first playoff series with the Clippers. Trying to replace what he calls a "big-time offensive player" would be difficult.

"Also, we're in a window right now with this team," Wallace said. "There were some critics ... Rudy's been in the league six years and still is just in his mid-20s. I think he's got unlimited upside. We're very, very excited about what he's going to do. He came into the league so young, and I don't think he's finished growing as a player by any stretch."

Gay certainly heard all the speculation and added that to the pile for more motivation, whether working in the weight room, on the court or in pickup games.

Now the Grizzlies have Gay in training camp with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, who give Memphis the league's best scoring duo in the paint. Randolph said they will put things together and prove people wrong.

"People don't understand him and me haven't really been on the court as much together a lot through the injuries," Randolph said. "We've got to play good together. Me and Marc are probably the two best playing together big men in the league and Rudy, too. I don't understand. There's always going to be something."

The Grizzlies have built up their depth enough that Hollins just wants his players to play to their talent. With Gay, that means making plays and more.

"He has the ability to rebound," Hollins said. "He has the ability to defend and defend the best player on the court every night. That's what we need him to do to win. That's what I expect him to do."

 

[mjshoefanatic]

leggoooooo

oct 31

 

[bhzmafia14]

oct 31

>:

 

[bhzmafia14]

All told, the team's expected starting five -- Gasol, Randolph, Gay, defensive menace Tony Allen at shooting guard and steadily improving point guard Mike Conley -- played just 155 minutes together over the course of 17 games, according to lineup data available in NBA.com's stat tool. That's even less than the 184 total minutes (spread over 30 games) the five shared in 2010-11.
It's a shame, because 339 minutes over the course of two seasons really isn't very much to be able to analyze or use as reliable predictors of future performance. Still, though: Um, have you looked at those minutes?

Back in 2010-11, the Gasol-Randolph-Gay-Allen-Conley group produced an average of 105.9 points per 100 possessions, 1.5-per-100 better than the team's overall mark and one that would've ranked among the 10 most efficient offenses in the NBA over the course of that full season; the offensive gains more than offset a slight defensive slide from 102.5-per-100 allowed on the whole to 103-per-100 allowed by this group. The unit grabber a higher percentage of offensive and defensive rebounds than Memphis' season rates, shot better from the field and 3-point range, dished more assists and snagged more steals per 48 minutes, and fouled less frequently. Doesn't seem like a unit that had that much trouble co-existing, right?
The numbers last season, though, were downright ridiculous -- 110.1 points scored per 100 possessions (9.1 better the full season) and just 93-per-100 allowed (5.9 better). That means that the Grizzlies' starting five, on average, outscored its opposition by 17.1 points per 100 possessions, which is, y'know, a lot -- last year's best efficiency differential belonged to the Chicago Bulls, who outscored opponents by an average of 9.3-per-100. The rebounding numbers all went up by an absurd degree -- 35 percent of available offensive rebounds (better than league-leading Chicago), 82.3 percent of available defensive rebounds (better than league-leading San Antonio) and 57.9 percent overall (better than league-leading Chicago) -- and their True Shooting and Effective Field Goal percentages would've been right around top-five in the NBA.

Obviously, the small sample sizes at play here prevent us from taking these numbers too seriously, extrapolating these out and predicting something like a West-winning performance. But with Randolph back to 100 percent, Gasol providing his now-customary brilliant post work on both ends, Gay (26) and Conley (25) continuing to develop and just about to enter their athletic primes, and Allen in about as round-peg-in-a-round-hole role as exists in the NBA as Hollins' designated disruptor, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this unit continued to put a serious hurting on opposing lineups if given the chance to actually run together a bit. Here's hoping they get that opportunity.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...-t-lie-2012-13-nba-season-150009594--nba.html

This is why I find it hilarious that people think this team can't get to the NBA Finals. A healthy team.

 

[Mound Raised]

Lets Gooooooooooooooo

 

[memphisboi55]

LEGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!