February 9
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
The Zach Randolph ticket giveaway scheduled for this afternoon will be moved to Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. because of inclement weather, the Grizzlies announced this afternoon. Randolph was supposed to hand out 500 tickets today at 4:30 p.m. in the Grand Lobby of FedExForum. The tickets are for Tuesdays game against the Atlanta Hawks. Instead, the Grizzlies all-star forward will give away tickets about eight hours before tip-off on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a limit of two tickets per person."
February 9
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Forward Darrell Arthur is expected to return today following a four-month absence because of surgery to repair a partially torn right pectoralis muscle. But even Arthur wants fans to remain cautiously optimistic about his immediate impact. The 6-9 second-year player will be a big addition in small doses. "I'm a little rusty, so I'm not sure how much I'll play at first," said Arthur, who is supposed to see limited action tonight against the Atlanta Hawks. "But my goal is to give Z-Bo (Zach Randolph) some rest and bring some energy off the bench." Griz coach Lionel Hollins is looking forward to adding Arthur's length, athleticism and scoring ability to his reserves. Arthur originally figured ..."
February 8
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Memphis (26-24) has dropped three straight games for the first time since beginning the season 1-8, which included a seven-game losing streak. The Grizzlies' loss last Saturday at Minnesota also was their fifth in the past six games. Memphis, which had won 15 of its previous 19 contests to ascend to a seventh seed in the Western Conference postseason standings, now sits 21/2 games back from the eighth and final playoff spot. "We're going through a little adversity right now. Similar to what we had earlier in the season but on a smaller scale," Griz point guard Mike Conley said. "We just have to learn how to fight through this. We're going to get a win. We just have to keep on fighting and ..."
February 6
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
For 500 fans, the Hawks game is on Randolph Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph is giving away 500 tickets to the team's game Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks. To celebrate his first All-Star appearance, Randolph will hand out the tickets Monday on a first-come-first-served basis in the Grand Lobby of FedExForum starting at 4:30 p.m. Randolph, a nine-year veteran, purchased the tickets to thank fans for their support. He is the Grizzlies' leading scorer (20.8 ppg) and rebounder (11.6 rpg)."
February 5
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph is giving away 500 tickets to the team's game Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks. To celebrate his first all-star appearance, Randolph will hand out the tickets Monday on a first-come-first-serve basis in the Grand Lobby of FedExForum starting at 4:30 p.m. Randolph, a nine-year veteran, purchased the tickets to thank fans for their support."
February 5
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
The Grizzlies have one eye on the standings and the other on the business of basketball two weeks before the NBA's trade deadline. In a season where the dynamics have gone from merely improving on last year's 24 wins to competing for a playoff spot, the Griz continue to mull potential trades designed to capitalize on their sudden momentum. General manager Chris Wallace reiterated Thursday night that the Griz are seeking "reinforcement for the stretch run" with a primary goal of securing a playoff berth. The Grizzlies' most glaring weakness remains a woefully unproductive bench. Their lack of depth is what separates the Griz from postseason competitors like the Houston Rockets, who arrive ..."
February 3
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
To say the Grizzlies were tripping over themselves in a desperate attempt to function on offense would have been inaccurate because that requires movement in the same direction. And to say the Griz spent most of Tuesday night sleepwalking through their fourth game in five nights would have been a compliment because that calls for energy. The Grizzlies were without symmetry or much spring in their step. The Cleveland Cavaliers had no sympathy. Memphis trailed by 12 points after the first quarter in Quicken Loans Arena. The Griz were down 18 at halftime. And their deficit swelled to as many as 28 in a game the Griz never led before losing, 105-89, to the Cavaliers. "They did a good job of ..."
February 2
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant drives to the basket against the Grizzlies' Zach Randolph. Marc Gasol stood out beyond the 3-point arc with the game on the line, and he didn't hesitate. Pitted against Los Angeles Lakers dynamic shooting guard Kobe Bryant, the Grizzlies' 7-foot center held his ground. Gasol didn't go for the pump fakes. He didn't leave more than an inch between himself and the guy known as Black Mamba; the guy trying to win the game. Bryant, faced with hoisting a bad shot or making a play, passed off to an open teammate - Ron Artest - whose wide-open 3-pointer bounced off the rim at the buzzer and allowed the Griz to leave FedExForum with a 95-93 victory Monday night before a ..."
January 31
New Orleans Times-Picayune
"
As his teammates went through their pregame shooting drills before Saturday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Darren Collison was on the bench getting last-minute instructions from assistant coach Robert Pack. It was that kind of night for Collison, advice coming from everyone after he was abruptly thrust into the starting lineup when it was determined that All-Star point guard Chris Paul could not play because of a bruised left knee. Trying to offset Paul's 20-point average proved not too big of job for Collison to handle, as he helped the Hornets rally from a 21-point deficit to pull out a stunning 109-102 overtime victory against the Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. It was the ..."
January 30
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich still believes the Grizzlies changed the landscape of the Western Conference for the foreseeable future. Once a major critic of the February 2008 decision to trade Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers, Popovich now concedes Memphis also made out good in the deal. "They gave up a great player but it helped them extend the franchise's success into the future," Popovich said. "It's shown that they've done a good job. Whatever they were thinking a couple of iterations ahead at the time has paid off for them." Popovich's immediate reaction to the Gasol deal wasn't as kind. Popovich, who also serves as the Spurs' president of basketball operations, called ..."
January 30
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
It is certainly safe to assume that the Grizzlies no longer fly under the radar among the NBA elite, which is to say they aren't taken lightly. Nothing could have been more evident Friday night as the San Antonio Spurs, even as they played without starting point guard Tony Parker, set a serious tone early and methodically beat the Grizzlies, 104-97, in the AT"
January 29
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
His first stride toward being new and improved came last summer, when during one of the many conversations with himself, Zach Randolph made a decision. "I want to win," Randolph said. Randolph had just become a Grizzly after being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers, and he was determined to work toward personal victories. The talented power forward -- haunted by his travails -- wanted to be more successful than he's ever been in NBA games, and win over critics whose views of his value were soiled by past transgressions. And in a span of 44 games, Randolph has gone through a wash cycle that now is in context. There's no career detergent like being named an NBA All-Star -- an honor ..."
January 28
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Zach Randolph will be named an All-Star reserve for the Western Conference, according to sources with knowledge of the voting. An official announcement will come tonight during a nationally televised NBA broadcast on TNT. League coaches were required to turn in their votes for reserves Tuesday afternoon. They could not vote for their own players. Randolph, a nine-year veteran, will make his first All-Star appearance during the Feb. 14 game in Dallas. He entered Wednesday night's game at Detroit as the only Western Conference player averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds."
January 28
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Grizzlies teammates O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol have been selected to participate in the 2010 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge in Dallas on Feb. 12 during NBA All-Star Weekend. Mayo and Gasol will play for the Sophomore team. They both played on the Rookie team last season. Mayo, a 6-4 guard, leads all second-year Western Conference players in scoring (18.1 points per game) while ranking among the top five in assists, steals, 3-pointers made, 3-point percentage and minutes played. Gasol, a 7-1 center, has emerged as a leading candidate for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award. He is averaging 14.9 points and ranks 16th in the NBA in rebounding (9.6 per game) and second in field-goal percentage ..."
January 28
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Say this much about the upstart Grizzlies: They are consistent home and away. As sure as it seems the Griz will find a way to win at home, they have routinely been in nail-biters on the road. The difference Wednesday night was that the Griz managed to accomplish what they couldn't in recent contests away from FedExForum. Memphis found a killer instinct during the waning minutes of a 99-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons in The Palace of Auburn Hills. "You just try to take good shots and make the right play," center Marc Gasol said after scoring the game's final eight points. "We've had road games when we've had the lead for most of the game and then lost concentration in the last five ..."
January 27
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
"I put a lot of work in this summer," Randolph said. "I'm in better shape. I worked on my body and tried real hard to be that factor to turn this team around. I've been doing the right things to help this team win." Vote for change. It's the perfect theme for Randolph, who has changed the perception of critics who dismissed him as a selfish player, piling up big numbers without helping his previous teams win. Now he's averaging 20.9 points and a career-high 11.5 rebounds on a team that's gone from 24-58 last season to 24-19 - and the thick of the playoff race - this season. Vote for change. It's a message that Griz coach Lionel Hollins sent about his dynamic power forward in a recent ..."
January 27
Memphis Commercial Appeal
columnist Geoff Calkins
"
On Nov. 19, 2009 - barely two months ago - The Onion did a piece on the Grizzlies. The Onion. The Web site that scans the country looking for things to mock. What easier target than the Grizzlies, eh? They started 1-8. They were as hilarious as they'd ever been. Since that start, the Grizzlies have gone 23-11, a winning percentage of .676. Only three NBA teams - the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics - have a season-long winning percentage better than that. Right now, the Grizzlies might be the fourth-best team in the NBA. So never mind Zach Randolph in the All-Star Game. I say he should get votes for MVP. No, he won't win it. He's not as gifted as ..."
January 26
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Zach Randolph dominated in the paint Monday, scoring 23 points and grabbing 19 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies past the Orlando Magic. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley couldn't contain himself. He absolutely mugged Zach Randolph as the team's burly and highly productive power forward left the court, and walked through the tunnel toward the Grizzlies' locker room. The more Randolph laughed, the tighter Heisley hugged him. As point guard Mike Conley later put it: Describing the affect these Grizzlies are having on visitors to FedExForum is getting more difficult by the day. "It's unreal to see how far we've come," Conley said Monday night after the Griz extended their franchise-record, home ..."
January 25
Memphis Commercial Appeal
columnist Geoff Galkins
"
It is Saturday night and I am sitting in front of my laptop and I am keeping track of six different NBA games. Portland is beating Detroit, 83-82. (This is bad). Houston is losing to Chicago, 64-52. (This is good). New Orleans is beating Denver, 50-42. (Bad). Oklahoma City is losing to the Cavaliers, 93-91. (Good). Phoenix is losing to Golden State, 38-35. (Good again). Utah is beating New Jersey, 51-32. (Inevitable, but bad). I will watch these scores until they are final. I have not actually lost my mind. I just happen to follow the Grizzlies, who are in the thick of a playoff race. Yes, a playoff race. How absolutely cool is that? Of all the pleasures the Grizzlies have ..."
January 25
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Hasheem Thabeet is trying to prove himself a consistent rebounder and shot-blocker. When Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden glided toward the rim for a lay-up attempt last Friday, Grizzlies rookie center Hasheem Thabeet was there to meet him. Before Thabeet's body collided with Harden and before an official called a foul, Thabeet's right hand had already pinned the basketball against the backboard. The Grizzlies protested the call as the FedExForum crowd roared its approval. Thabeet sat on the court, emphatically smacking his hands on the floor. It was a rare show of emotion from the 7-footer. He was fired up. Thabeet appeared confident. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2009 NBA draft ..."
January 24
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Not since a year before FedExForum opened its doors in 2004 have the Griz displayed such symmetry. It's been nearly four years since the Griz have been this relevant and respectable on the NBA landscape. For the first time since their 2005-06 campaign, the Griz own a record (23-19) above .500 at the midway point of a season. Memphis' recipe for staying on this roll? The Griz not only have convenient amnesia about their 1-8 start, the Allen Iverson Era and general pessimism from the hometown crowd, but they believe that their future success is predicated on forgetting about whatever happened the day before. "We've just been building as the season has progressed," Griz coach Lionel Hollins ..."
January 23
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
If Memphis and the Oklahoma City Thunder are destined to someday become serious rivals then the latest meeting between the teams proved to be one heck of a precursor. There were 10 lead changes and 10 ties Friday night in FedExForum until Rudy Gay finally put some separation between the NBA's youngest and fastest rising teams. And as the final outcome would suggest - an 86-84 Grizzlies victory over the Thunder before an announced crowd of 12,948 - these teams are close in talent and in their ascensions in the Western Conference. The intensity was palpable throughout, and reached extreme levels with the scored knotted at 84. Then, Griz forward Gay deflated the Thunder with a pull-up jump ..."
January 22
Memphis Commercial Appeal
columnist Ronald Tillery
"
Not long after the Grizzlies dispatched the Phoenix Suns in front of the Grizzlies' first sellout crowd and before a national television audience, Rudy Gay checked his Twitter page. The Grizzlies forward is used to reading well-wishes from a cross section of admirers. This is the one that Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant sent Gay on Monday: "great win man ... yall ballin." Gay responded in kind: "So are yall. Us young teams gotta prove ourselves this year." Suffice it to say, the NBA's youngest team (Memphis) and the second-youngest (Oklahoma City) are earning their wings. The Griz and Thunder are often mentioned in the same sentence whenever NBA coaches, players and media talk ..."
January 21
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
The Grizzlies are discussing a potential trade in which they would acquire guard/forward Ronnie Brewer from the Utah Jazz. It is the latest development in the Grizzlies' quest to improve their bench. The teams have mainly talked about which future first-round pick the Jazz would receive in return for Brewer. It is not known whether other players are involved. Memphis is not willing to part with its own 2010 pick. The Griz have made available their late first-round selections (via Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers) for the right deal. The Jazz may also be seeking a 2011 pick. The Griz have also shown interest in dealing for Miami's Dorell Wright."
January 21
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Now that the Grizzlies have stomped their way onto the NBA radar it stands to reason that the next 17 days represent a period in which they could become firmly planted or fall off. Either way, Griz coach Lionel Hollins has the same mindset. He doesn't expect his players to succumb to the pressure of the schedule now no more than they did after starting the season 1-8. Hornets guard Chris Paul has the ball knocked away by Jamaal Tinsley. Paul scored 21 points and dished out 13 assists in New Orleans' 113-111 victory. "You just have to go out and accept the challenge," Hollins said of facing playoff-caliber teams in all but one of the Grizzlies' next nine contests. "We just have to be ready ..."
January 21
New Orleans Times-Picayune
"
On Wednesday night, Hornets backup forward James Posey made his biggest contribution after clutch plays were needed to mount a comeback against the Memphis Grizzlies. Posey's layup with 1.1 seconds remaining and his persistent defense against forward Zach Randolph throughout the fourth quarter carried the Hornets to a 113-111 victory in front of 14,238 at the New Orleans Arena. With the score tied at 111, Posey got the inbounds pass from Peja Stojakovic, then looked to give the ball to Chris Paul -- but he was double-teamed. Taking the initiative, Posey then beat rookie DeMarre Carroll to lane and made a layup over O.J. Mayo to give the Hornets a two-point advantage. He was fouled on the ..."
January 20
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
The Grizzlies are no longer strictly a near-sighted bunch. Suddenly, they can see more clearly from long distances. Memphis' ability to convert 3-pointers with regularity of late has made one of the NBA's hottest and most productive offensive teams more of a sight to see. Content with punishing teams with their dynamic post scoring, the Griz are now proving they have capable long-range threats when opponents focus on clogging the lane. The Grizzlies have enjoyed 43-percent shooting over their past 10 games. The team's improvement can be directly tied to its starting backcourt. Shooting guard O.J. Mayo, who started the season misfiring for weeks from beyond the arc, is shooting 50 percent ..."
January 19
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
On a summer day in 2006, unbeknownst to anyone, Michael Heisley tried his best to make Alonzo Mourning a Grizzly. Heisley and then-team president Jerry West flew to Miami and met with the now-retired center before he made his final comeback from a kidney disorder. "They almost had me but my love was in Miami and my heart is still there," Mourning said Monday afternoon after participating in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Sports Legacy Symposium. Mourning re-signed with the Miami Heat in an effort to try and help that franchise defend its NBA title. Mourning recalled that the Grizzlies pitch was simple: They wanted to build around him. "I know I could have come here and really helped ..."
January 19
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Rudy Gay powers past the defense of the Suns' Jared Dudley on his way to a game-high 31 points in a 125-118 victory. It was the Grizzlies' fourth-straight win and their ninth in a row at FedExForum. O.J. Mayo talks as if the beauty of what the Grizzlies are accomplishing these days is remembering the starting point. Not when he was drafted, nor the rough rookie campaign filled with more losing than Mayo had ever known. But the shooting guard often brings up the negative vibes that persisted once this group had been assembled in the offseason. "Did we have enough basketballs? We wouldn't be able to gel," Mayo said. "We put all of that behind us. … And this is the perfect team to take ..."
January 17
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Griz coach Lionel Hollins experimented with his lineups for a second straight game, allowing at least four reserves to play together at once Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs. Hollins, who used a five-man substitution Friday night, said he's trying to develop an otherwise offensively challenged bench. "I've been working with them to see if we can have a five-man group go into the game," Hollins said. "It's something I want to look at." Meanwhile, the Griz haven't abandoned their quest to potentially add another player through free agency or trade. Memphis is one of several teams showing interest in Miami Heat swingman Dorell Wright. The Heat appears to be faced with the choice ..."
January 17
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Normally when All-Star forward Tim Duncan grabs a defensive rebound in the waning moments of a one-point contest, it's a lock that the basketball will go the San Antonio Spurs' way. But in FedExForum these days, everything seems to point toward the Grizzlies, and Zach Randolph made sure of it Saturday night when he ripped the basketball out of Duncan's hands, in effect, wrestling away the momentum at the game's most critical juncture. Randolph came up with his third steal, which led to two free throws that put the Griz ahead by three with 21.2 seconds left. By the time the Griz finished off a hard-fought 92-86 victory over the Spurs before an announced crowd of 14,116, they had provided ..."
January 17
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Griz coach Lionel Hollins experimented with his lineups for a second straight game, allowing at least four reserves to play together at once Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs. Hollins, who used a five-man substitution Friday night, said he's trying to develop an otherwise offensively challenged bench. "I've been working with them to see if we can have a five-man group go into the game," Hollins said. "It's something I want to look at." Meanwhile, the Griz haven't abandoned their quest to potentially add another player through free agency or trade. Memphis is one of several teams showing interest in Miami Heat swingman Dorell Wright. The Heat appears to be faced with the choice ..."
January 16
Memphis Commercial Appeal
"
Zach Randolph stood beyond the 3-point stripe in front of the visitors' bench, and he looked antsy. The Grizzlies' power forward with the feathery shot wanted badly to get in on the act. And the Minnesota Timberwolves had to know they were in deep trouble after Randolph caught a pass from O.J. Mayo. Randolph calmly buried a 3-pointer that put the Griz ahead by 20 points with roughly 17 minutes left Friday night in their 135-110 victory, the team's seventh straight at home and eighth in a row against opponents with sub-.500 records. Randolph unleashed a toothy grin as he jogged down the court. There were plenty of smiles as the Griz amassed season-highs with 11 3-pointers and 33 assists in ..."