http://www.grizzliesonline.com Blogs by Memphis Grizzlies players, insiders and select fans. en petes_perspective@yahoo.com Copyright 2009 2009-11-08T16:29:18+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php/pranica/comments/road_wrap/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/road_wrap/ Where Are the Grizzlies? A week ago, the Memphis Grizzlies left Tennessee with a 1-1 record in their pocket and a five-game road trip with three very winnable games (Sacramento, Golden State and the Clippers) on the agenda. A week later, five losses, four lost double-digit leads and three 40-point scorers in Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Martin and Kobe Bryant. Where are the Grizzlies? First off, they have a long way to go defensively. The effort was better against the Lakers than it had been in previous games, but the Clipper game was a sobering reminder that the paint must be protected against all comers, not just the Lakers. Communication breakdowns on defense for a team as young as the Grizzlies are to be expected. Defense is about knowing your assignment and that of your teammates and trusting your teammates to be in the right place at the right time. If you haven’t played together very long, communication and trust takes a while to develop. The other reality is that the Grizzlies don’t have a top-level one-on-one defender. They have a roster full of young, live, athletic bodies—but those bodies need to commit themselves to doing the right thing defensively. On offense, the Grizzlies can flat out score, inside and out. They’ve posted the greatest increase in scoring average from last season to this (they’ve also posted the biggest dropoff in defensive efficiency, which is a major explanation for the 1-6 record so far). However, the turnover machine has to be shut down. The Grizzlies averaged 17.8 turns on this road trip. That’s too high a number, but when you factor in that the Grizzlies (here’s that defense thing again) forced only 12 turnovers per game on the trip, it’s easy to see why the Grizzlies went 0-5 on the trip. You simply cannot give anyone—even the league’s bottom-feeders—extra shots at the goal while derailing your own potent offense. The Grizzlies’ shortcomings aren’t ones that cannot be corrected, but it will take more time for this team to gel on both sides of the floor. Allen Iverson My take on the Iverson situation is this: he’s requested time to deal with a personal issue. I have no idea what that issue is, but rather than spend time speculating on what might or might not be happening behind the scenes, let’s just let it play out. Allen needs time, management granted him as much time as he feels he needs. Period. Amen. Allen Iverson can most certainly still play in the NBA, but he needs to have his mind right and the daily conversation surrounding him and his role with the Grizzlies has been, at least from where I sit, a distraction. The Grizzlies are a young team desperately fighting to develop an identity, but with Iverson missing most of camp and the first three games of the season with the hamstring injury, it has been an even bigger struggle than it might be otherwise. Lionel Hollins has, with the understandable exception of the Golden State game, kept his cool and is committed to getting the Grizzlies on the right road. He’s giving his team the right message; it’s up to the players to put it into action on the floor. 2009-11-08T16:29:18+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/tumbleson/comments/clippers_09117/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/clippers_09117/ While they have failed to win a game thus far on the trip this Grizzlies team is showing some very positive signs, but their inability to defend and carry an effort for a full 48 minutes has prevented them of cracking the win column on the trip.  The Grizzlies have played very well during spurts, as evident by the early first quarter leads that they jumped out to against the Nuggets, Kings and Warriors.  They led the Lakers last night at the half.  Their ability to consistently lead at different points in the game on a grueling road trip at the beginning of the season shows that the talent is there on this team to compete on a nightly basis, but it appears that this team is still figuring out how to carry that effort throughout the entire game.  They’ll get another chance to put together a 48 minute effort tonight against the Staples Center’s other tenant.  While the Clippers don’t carry the panache of the Lakers, they are a talented group that can’t be taken lightly by the Grizzlies.  If the Grizzlies can find a way to come away with a win tonight it will alleviate some of the frustrations from earlier in the trip, but if they struggle again, the flight back to Beale Street could be a long one. Here are a few things to watch for in tonight’s contest… No No. 1 vs. No. 2:  Tonight’s game should have been the first regular season matchup between No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin and No. 2 Hasheem Thabeet, but a knee injury to Griffin derailed the possible matchup.  While the Grizzlies understand that it might take some time to develop Thabeet, Griffin was expected to produce immediately for the Clippers, but now that vision gets a little murkier for a player whose game at this point in his career is based on explosiveness.  When he returns will Griffin revert to more of a developmental mode like Thabeet because a sliver of his athleticism has been compromised because of the injury?  Will he still be able to attack the rim with the ferocity that made him the top pick in the draft?  Hopefully Griffin returns fully healthy, but there have to be some concerns in Clipperland about how their prized rookie will come back.   Confidence game:  As the Grizzlies five game road trip winds down tonight, this matchup against the Clippers could be vital to the season moving forward.  At 1-5 the Grizzlies have plenty of time to turn things around and get back on the playoff track, but they best do it sooner rather than later.  The fact that they have struggled on a trip that includes three teams that will struggle to sniff the playoffs and another in the Lakers who was missing two of their top players is hard for the Grizzlies to swallow.  When they return to FedExForum things won’t get any easier, as a date with the Portland Trail Blazers looms.  That’s why they need to take advantage of a matchup with the Clippers tonight.  Cracking the win column on the road would be huge for this team, and help them get a little bit of the swagger back that we saw at the beginning of the trip. Matchup of the night: The key matchup of tonight’s game will come at the two guard spot, where O.J. Mayo will need to outplay his counterpart, Eric Gordon, if the Grizzlies hope to come away with a win.  Both Mayo and Gordon are deadly shooters, but Mayo plays a more complete floor game, which should help him win this matchup.  They have similar builds, so Mayo should fair better defensively against Gordon than he has against bigger guards like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Martin on this trip. Stat of the night:  Even though the Grizzlies have struggled on their recent trip, they have to be hoping that history is on their side tonight against the Clippers.  They are 28-26 all-time against the Clippers, making them one of only four teams in the NBA that the Grizzlies have a winning record against (Charlotte, Toronto, Washington). Discuss the game with fellow fans on the Fan Boards. 2009-11-07T15:26:09+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/tumbleson/comments/grizzlies_hoping_for_blockbuster_win_against_lakers_tonight/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/grizzlies_hoping_for_blockbuster_win_against_lakers_tonight/ Despite their struggles on the current road trip, the Grizzlies might be catching this Lakers team at the perfect time.  While the Lakers will most assuredly be in the hunt the entire season, they are by no means rolling on all cylinders, even though they currently at 4-1.  They are without the services of Pau Gasol and have been taken to overtime in each of their last two contests against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets.  They are still the Lakers, but they aren’t steamrolling quite yet, which makes this a perfect time for the Grizzlies to face them.  If the Grizzlies can find a way to come away with a win tonight in Los Angeles it would more than make up for the three disappointing losses that have come previously.  An argument could be made that if the Grizzlies pick up a win tonight it would make this is a successful trip no matter what happens the rest of the way.  To do so the Grizzlies will have to ramp up their defensive intensity, because the offense, rebounding and ball movement is as good as it has been in years for the Grizzlies.  Here are a few things to watch for in tonight’s game… The Kobe Conundrum:  The Grizzlies have had a hard time stopping people this season, so the prospect of seeing No. 24 on the other side isn’t exactly what the doctor ordered for a team still trying to figure out how to stop the top scorers on other teams.  So how do the Grizzlies slow down a player who will ultimately go down as one of the top five most explosive scorers in the history of game?  Right now the Grizzlies don’t have a lockdown one-on-one defender that they can throw at Bryant, so they have to rule that option out.  As time goes on DeMarre Carroll or Sam Young might develop into that role, but for now, if the Grizzlies hope to keep Kobe in the 20’s or even the 30’s for that matter they’ll need to play team defense and be efficient with their rotations to and from the former MVP.  If the Grizzlies can figure out a way to slow down Kobe tonight there will be no better defensive template for them to follow going forward.  Matchup of the Night:  As explosive as Bryant is, the key matchup for tonight’s game is at the small forward position, where Rudy Gay will have to do is best to not let Ron Artest take him out of his game.  Artest is one of the best defenders of his generation, and has been known to lock down an opponent and get underneath their skin to the point where it becomes difficult for the offensive player to operate, as evident by the clamps he threw on Joe Johnson last week.  Rudy cannot allow Artest to get to him tonight, and will need to go into the contest with an attacking mentality.  Artest is not as spry in one-on-one situations as he used to be, so if Gay can get the first step on him, he’ll be able to draw fouls on the Lakers bigs and keep the Grizzlies at the line, manufacturing points. Stat of the night:  The Grizzlies have been an offensive juggernaut in the early going this season, and as proof, are the only team in the NBA with three players who are averaging 20 or more points per contest.  While it might be a difficult clip to keep up, O.J. Mayo (20.6), Rudy Gay (20.4) and Zach Randolph (20.2) are all averaging 20+ points.  Currently there are only three other teams (Lakers, Nuggets and Raptors) who even have two players who are averaging 20+ points.  2009-11-06T17:01:27+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php/pranica/comments/grizzlies_at_golden_state/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/grizzlies_at_golden_state/ Watching the body language of the Grizzlies around the hotel lobby as they departed for a workout yesterday, I couldn’t sense tension or anxiety or anything like that. They’re frustrated for sure and they’re tired of being Sacramento’s opening-night foil two years running. But tonight presents an intriguing opportunity against a team the Grizzlies swept 3-0 last season. The Warriors are 0-2, the only team in the league to not play three games. They dropped a one-point decision to the Rockets and got blasted in Phoenix behind 20 Steve Nash assists. Golden State, as you might figure, plays an up-tempo style. It’s high risk (19 turnovers per game) with high reward (16.5 fast break points, 4th in the league). The Grizzlies, at least so far, are in the same boat. They lead the league in fast break points while committing the fourth-most turnovers in the league. In fact, when you put the two teams’ stats side by side, they’re virtually a mirror image, except for rebounding where the Grizzlies are far better than the Warriors. Memphis must take care of the glass as well as the basketball and straddle that fine line between aggression and recklessness on offense. They also must prevent a monster game from either Monta Ellis or Stephen Jackson. In consecutive games, the Grizzlies have been torched by Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Martin. Normally, the race to 100 points determines the winner. Forget that, the race is to 110 points tonight. Sidelight: I talked to Marc Gasol last night outside the hotel and I congratulated him on his vastly improved play. He wanted nothing with the compliments, instead insisting, “I know I can play better.” I will give him credit; he is all about improving and winning and competing. I don’t know yet if he might be on the path to the league’s “most improved” award since he was pretty good last season, but if he averages a double-double of say 18 points and 11 rebounds for the year, then the Grizzlies need to rev up that bandwagon. 2009-11-04T16:41:35+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php/avis/comments/4_games_down_lets_review/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/4_games_down_lets_review/ I’ve consumed 333 minutes of Grizzlies basketball in the past week. Time for me to regurgitate some knowledge onto your brain. Mike Conley has played adequate so far. His three-point shot is consistent and he plays good defense (save for the Beno backdoor play last night). He knows how to run a team but still defers to the players around him. I get the sense that Conley is turning into a solid role player. OJ Mayo is the bomb. He’s got killer instinct on the offensive end. Did you see the Denver game? He scored 40 points while only going to the charity stripe two times. Unheard of. But the problem with OJ is that he’s too short to stop some of the better shooting guards in the league. Mayo just doesn’t have the height to bother guys like Kevin Martin and Rip Hamilton. A good defense wing is a must when Mayo is on the court. I like DeMarre Carroll. He hustles every single play. He fights for rebounds. He runs the court. He plays full court defense. And, like Harry Dunn, he’s got a terrible shot. Maybe he just misses Harry Christmas. The Grizz are going to be in some shootouts. Other than the opening night game vs. the Pistons, the Grizz have been involved in some high scoring affairs. They’re currently scoring 107 a game. Opponents are scoring 115. It’s like Fratello-ball, except the opposite, you know, fun. Zach Randolph is a beast. There’s no other way around it. The guy controls the paint, shoots a high percentage (56%), and can pass when needed (13 assists). The amazing thing to me is how Z-Bo, even with his size, can still hit the outside jumper pretty consistently. And did you see his near game-winner last night vs. the Kings? Watch the 1:24 mark of the video below. Marc Gasol is a beast. See a trend here? He’s not just Pau Gasol’s little brother anymore. His slimmer frame has helped him on the offensive end, looking spry going to the rim and also helping him create some shots for himself. But the best part about watching Marc play is twofold:  he competes as hard as anyone in the league and he knows how to play the right way. Gasol will pass to the open man, take the good shot, hustle for every board, and not check his nose for blood after every foul. The Allen Iverson experiment is underway. Let’s move on. I love the NBA. I love an 82 game schedule. I like having games to watch 5 nights a week. A loss like last night to the Kings only stings for 24-48 hours before the team is lacing them up again. Here’s to hoping Memphis beats the Warriors tomorrow night, 125-118. 2009-11-03T23:54:43+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/tumbleson/comments/warriors_091141/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/warriors_091141/ They are rebounding the ball at a phenomenal rate, their offense looks as good as any in the league, and their front court has developed a chemistry that will make them hard to slow down as the season goes on.  Conversely, there are holes in this team that need to sown up quickly before they accumulate too many games in the loss column.  Individual and team defense is lacking right now, their assist to turnover ratio is a problem that needs to be taken care of pronto and the matter of how the team is going to fit future Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson into the mix is still undetermined.  Regardless, the Grizzlies have shown in their first four contests that this group of players is one of the most talented in the history of the franchise.  Whether they can be one of the most successful remains to be seen.  They’ll take another shot at getting things right against the currently winless Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.  Here are a few things to watch for in Wednesday’s game… Big Question about the Answer: After Allen Iverson’s remarks to the media about playing time following Monday’s game surfaced in the media, questions started popping up on local talk shows, national websites and fan message boards about how the Grizzlies would respond to Iverson’s concerns.  While it is a tough position for all involved, the best thing that the Grizzlies can do right now as a team is to focus on winning.  There is an old adage that says that winning cures everything, and this situation definitely falls in that category.  The schedule makers might have done the Grizzlies a favor in this category, as they’re now tasked with facing the winless Warriors.  More Mayo please:  One of the most encouraging signs of the young season has been O.J. Mayo’s increased dedication to getting baskets at the rim.  More so than ever, Mayo is finding a way to get to the rim, which in turn, has created space for him on the perimeter.  Right now Mayo is finding a way to score, and could be evolving from a dead-on shooter to an all-around scorer.  There were a couple times against the Kings late in the contest when calls could have gone either way on drives to the cup by Mayo.  As times goes on he’ll start to get these calls, and his impact will be even greater, which is saying quite a bit, considering the fact that Mayo is averaging 22.3 points per contest, which is tops amongst second year players, leads the team and is 19th overall in the NBA.  Join the club:  Whenever Iverson enters the game tonight he’ll have a chance to enter elite company.  Iverson is currently six points shy of becoming the 16th player in NBA history to join the 24,000 point club.  Matchup of the Night: The backcourt unit of Mayo, Mike Conley and Iverson will all get the opportunity to try to slow down Monta Ellis, who currently leads the Warriors in scoring at 22.5 points per game.  In each of the last three contests the opponents’ best player has torched the Grizzlies for 37 (Chris Bosh), 42 (Carmelo Anthony) and 48 (Kevin Martin) points.  If the Grizzlies can’t find a way to slow down the offensive focal points for the other team they are going to be in trouble on a lot of nights, which is why the matchup against Ellis is so key.  The Grizzlies need to show a commitment to stopping one player from beating them, and against the Warriors Mayo, Conley and Iverson have a chance to set a precedent moving forward. Stat of the Night: Zach Randolph’s 30 points and 16 rebounds on Monday night against the Kings marked the first time that a Grizzlies player has had at least as many points and rebounds in a game since Lorenzen Wright had 33 points and 26 rebounds on November 4, 2001 vs. Dallas.  With the way Randolph has played during the Grizzlies first four contests, don’t be surprised if he hits the marks again this season.  2009-11-03T23:34:30+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php/pranica/comments/a_brief_intermission/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/a_brief_intermission/ Let’s put this to rest right now, shall we? Last night’s O.J. Mayo-Rudy Gay “chat” was more a matter of competitive fire run rampant than anything else. I’m not sure why people have felt compelled to paint O.J. and Rudy as rivals. Ain’t so. They need each other to win and they realize that they also need their teammates. O.J. was exactly right with his sentiments last night—the Grizzlies weren’t getting stops against Denver, but rather trading baskets. Final fourth quarter count? 30-29 Nuggets. They’ll sort it all out. Honestly, I’m relieved and gratified to see this type of passion from the Grizzlies. They didn’t back down against one of the best homecourt teams in the business and a Western Conference finalist from a season ago. I’m calling out anyone who suggested—and there are some who were suggesting even this pre-season—that Marc Gasol was little more than a “throw in” and a “coat rack” in the trade with the Lakers. Anyone going to go public and admit he’s an awfully good player? I’m waiting. The reports are that Allen Iverson may well be making his Grizzlies debut tonight. I have no official word on that, but you can be sure that the Grizzlies are going to be very careful with AI’s hamstring. Those injuries can linger and nag for weeks and months. With the Grizzlies facing three (currently) winless teams in the remaining four games—the Kings, Warriors and Clippers are a combined 0-9—rushing Iverson back to action unless he’s 100% ready to play would make no sense. ARCO Arena will be sold out tonight. The community banded together to get the building sold out for opening night and for the next home game against Atlanta. The Kings have a chance offensively because of Kevin Martin, who makes a habit of lighting up the Grizzlies. However, the rest of the offense has been poor. The Kings are shooting less than 41% and allowing opponents to hit at better than 51%. Defending the perimeter, a sore spot for Sacramento last season, is even worse so far this season: opponents are hitting a ridiculous 46% of their threes. New head coach Paul Westphal has made the curious decision to sit seven-footer Spencer Hawes in favor of 6-9 Sean May in the middle. Unless Westphal changes up his strategy, it should be a big night for Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. 2009-11-02T17:15:00+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/tumbleson/comments/kings_091121/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/kings_091121/ It might be too early to call them an offensive juggernaut, but over the past two games the Grizzlies certainly look like a team that will be very hard for opponents to stop this season.  They have averaged 119 points over the past two games, shot well over .500 from the field and show no signs of slowing down with a lineup that has four or five players who are capable of going off for 30+ points at any time.  Last night the Grizzlies fell to a very good Denver team, but competed from the start.  The question now is whether they can come with the same intensity tonight against the Kings.  If the Grizzlies play with the same sense of urgency against the Kings they should come away with a victory, as they are further along in their building process than Sacramento.  If the Grizzlies hope to surprise people and push for one of the final postseason spots this is the type of game that they have to win.  They need to beware of the Kings, however, as tonight will marks the Kings’ home opener, and Sacramento is sure to come out of the gates with a lot of energy.  If the Grizzlies can weather the initial push they should be in a good position to pick up a win.  The Grizzlies are 2-25 all-time in Sacramento, but their most recent win came last season on 3/27/09.  Here are a few things to watch for in tonight’s contest… Eye on Iverson: There is speculation that Allen Iverson will make his Grizzlies debut tonight after missing the entire preseason and the first three games of the regular season with a hamstring injury.  The timing of Iverson’s return couldn’t be better, as his arrival adds even more pop to a lineup that has had no trouble finding ways to score over the last two contests.  The emotional lift of adding a future Hall-of-Famer for the second game of their first back-to-back of the season would also play nicely in the Grizzlies favor.  When he does return, whether it is tonight or later in the trip, expect Iverson to come off the bench, giving the Grizzlies another scoring option to a potent lineup that looks like it could be in the upper echelon of scoring this season.  The Raptors and Nuggets had a hard time stopping the Grizzlies the last two contests, so imagine what their offensive capabilities will be when they add one of the greatest offensive players in the history of the NBA.  The Grizzlies offense has seen a down-tick when their starters have been out of the game, but with Iverson added to the mix, there is no reason that their offense shouldn’t be clicking throughout the game on most nights.  Casting call:  The Memphis Grizzlies have two low post scorers, a pair of young perimeter studs, a point guard who is coming into his own and a future Hall-of-Famer who is about to add even more punch to a promising group.  What’s missing from this picture?  A lock-down defender who Lionel Hollins can send out to slow down the talented offensive players that the Grizzlies will face on most nights.  Many thought DeMarre Carroll would be the multi-faceted defender the Grizzlies could rely on to slow down the NBA’s most talented scorers, but as evident by the 37 points that Chris Bosh had on Friday and the NBA season high 42 points that Carmelo Anthony had last night, the Grizzlies are still lacking a player that can play this lockdown role.  Carroll and Young are the two most likely candidates because of their athleticism, but as rookies, they don’t know enough of the tricks of the trade to rely on them.  Another player who could help disrupt the flow of an offense in the Lindsey Hunter mold is Mike Conley.  Conley is as fast as any player in the league, and could pressure the opposing point guards from initiating offenses more than he has shown during his time in Memphis.  Rudy Attacks: Lionel Hollins had to like what he saw from Rudy Gay on the offensive end last night, as the small forward connected on six of his seven field goals at the rim.  If Gay can continue to attack with a slasher’s mentality as opposed to settling for jumpers as he has done in the past the Grizzlies will have an even more balanced offense, and Gay’s point production will likely increase, because he will got to the line more frequently than when he is a jump shooter. Stat of the Night:  Are Grizzlies fans in for an O.J. Mayo encore tonight?  Mayo scored a career-high 40 points last night against the Denver Nuggets, but don’t be surprised if he churns out a similar performance tonight against the Sacramento Kings.  Last season Mayo scored 30+ points seven times, six of which came in consecutive contests.  Mayo’s 40 point performance was only the eighth time in team history that a Grizzlies player reached the 40+ point mark.  2009-11-02T16:21:39+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/tumbleson/comments/kings_09112/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/kings_09112/ It might be too early to call them an offensive juggernaut, but over the past two games the Grizzlies certainly look like a team that will be very hard for opponents to stop this season.  They have averaged 119 points over the past two games, shot well over .500 from the field and show no signs of slowing down with a lineup that has four or five players who are capable of going off for 30+ points at any time.  Last night the Grizzlies fell to a very good Denver team, but competed from the start.  The question now is whether they can come with the same intensity tonight against the Kings.  If the Grizzlies play with the same sense of urgency against the Kings they should come away with a victory, as they are further along in their building process than Sacramento.  If the Grizzlies hope to surprise people and push for one of the final postseason spots this is the type of game that they have to win.  They need to beware of the Kings, however, as tonight will marks the Kings’ home opener, and Sacramento is sure to come out of the gates with a lot of energy.  If the Grizzlies can weather the initial push they should be in a good position to pick up a win.  The Grizzlies are 2-25 all-time in Sacramento, but their most recent win came last season on 3/27/09.  Here are a few things to watch for in tonight’s contest… Eye on Iverson: There is speculation that Allen Iverson will make his Grizzlies debut tonight after missing the entire preseason and the first three games of the regular season with a hamstring injury.  The timing of Iverson’s return couldn’t be better, as his arrival adds even more pop to a lineup that has had no trouble finding ways to score over the last two contests.  The emotional lift of adding a future Hall-of-Famer for the second game of their first back-to-back of the season would also play nicely in the Grizzlies favor.  When he does return, whether it is tonight or later in the trip, expect Iverson to come off the bench, giving the Grizzlies another scoring option to a potent lineup that looks like it could be in the upper echelon of scoring this season.  The Raptors and Nuggets had a hard time stopping the Grizzlies the last two contests, so imagine what their offensive capabilities will be when they add one of the greatest offensive players in the history of the NBA.  The Grizzlies offense has seen a down-tick when their starters have been out of the game, but with Iverson added to the mix, there is no reason that their offense shouldn’t be clicking throughout the game on most nights.  Casting call:  The Memphis Grizzlies have two low post scorers, a pair of young perimeter studs, a point guard who is coming into his own and a future Hall-of-Famer who is about to add even more punch to a promising group.  What’s missing from this picture?  A lock-down defender who Lionel Hollins can send out to slow down the talented offensive players that the Grizzlies will face on most nights.  Many thought DeMarre Carroll would be the multi-faceted defender the Grizzlies could rely on to slow down the NBA’s most talented scorers, but as evident by the 37 points that Chris Bosh had on Friday and the NBA season high 42 points that Carmelo Anthony had last night, the Grizzlies are still lacking a player that can play this lockdown role.  Carroll and Young are the two most likely candidates because of their athleticism, but as rookies, they don’t know enough of the tricks of the trade to rely on them.  Another player who could help disrupt the flow of an offense in the Lindsey Hunter mold is Mike Conley.  Conley is as fast as any player in the league, and could pressure the opposing point guards from initiating offenses more than he has shown during his time in Memphis.  Rudy Attacks: Lionel Hollins had to like what he saw from Rudy Gay on the offensive end last night, as the small forward connected on six of his seven field goals at the rim.  If Gay can continue to attack with a slasher’s mentality as opposed to settling for jumpers as he has done in the past the Grizzlies will have an even more balanced offense, and Gay’s point production will likely increase, because he will got to the line more frequently than when he is a jump shooter. Stat of the Night:  Are Grizzlies fans in for an O.J. Mayo encore tonight?  Mayo scored a career-high 40 points last night against the Denver Nuggets, but don’t be surprised if he churns out a similar performance tonight against the Sacramento Kings.  Last season Mayo scored 30+ points seven times, six of which came in consecutive contests.  Mayo’s 40 point performance was only the eighth time in team history that a Grizzlies player reached the 40+ point mark.  2009-11-02T16:21:28+00:00 http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/tumbleson/comments/grizzlies_start_road_trip_in_denver_tonight/ http://www.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?/site/grizzlies_start_road_trip_in_denver_tonight/ Much like the Grizzlies last contest, the game tonight is monumental for a young team like the Grizzlies.  A win tonight against one of the best teams in the Western Conference takes a lot of pressure off this Grizzlies team.  Winning the first of five road contests makes the trip seem less daunting and builds a sense of confidence and swagger, knowing that they’ve taken down one of the Western Conference’s powerhouses.  To do so they’ll need to enter the game with a similar attacking style on both ends of the court that they displayed on Friday night.  The Grizzlies have had their struggles with the Nuggets, only winning three times in franchise history against Denver, but with as much talent as the Grizzlies have on their current roster, the time might be now to buck that trend. Here are a few things to watch for in tonight’s game… Great Expectations:  If you were to ask Grizzlies players and coaches what they’d like to accomplish on this road trip, they’d probably respond, “5-0.”  Is it realistic to think that this young team could head west for the first time this year and come back with an unblemished mark?  Maybe not, with two Western Conference finalists on the schedule this week, but it is very realistic to think that the Grizzlies could return to FedExForum next week with a record above .500.  Sure two of the more beatable teams this week, the Kings and Clippers, come on the back end of a back-to-back, but at this point in the season, when everything is fresh and new, games on consecutive nights do not carry the same weight and significance as they might during the grind of the season in January and February.  If the Grizzlies can find a way to get out of Denver with a win tonight they will be setting themselves up for a very successful road trip. Matchup of the night:  While slowing down Carmelo Anthony is always one of the keys to stopping the Nuggets, the most important matchup tonight will come at the point, where Mike Conley will face off against one of the best leaders in the game in Chauncey Billups.  Billups, who mentored O.J. Mayo this summer, has crushed the Grizzlies in the past, but if Conley can build on his all-around performance from the other night, the Grizzlies could be in a position for a win.  Conley is most certainly quicker with the ball than Billups, so he’ll need to come into the game with an attacking mentality, getting to the rim as much as possible to draw fouls and create opportunities for his teammates. Stat of the night:  There is an old adage that was picked up somewhere along the way that stats in the NBA don’t start to trend until at least three games have been played, and that an NBA observers shouldn’t talk about them until that time, but this one is too good to pass up.  After two games the Grizzlies are second in the NBA in overall rebounding and are out rebounding their opponents by 9.5 boards per game.  Compare this to last year when the team finished last in rebounding in the league at 38.8 rebounds per game, and you have a clear indication that things could be much improved in Grizz Nation this season. 2009-11-01T16:53:32+00:00