February 3
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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The Grizzlies were due to end a funk on two fronts and, yes, that included winning at Philips Arena. Offensively impaired for several games, the Griz broke out of a scoring malaise Thursday night and won in Atlanta for the first time since 2005 with a 96-77 victory over the Hawks. "It's been rough," Griz forward Rudy Gay said after scoring a game-high 21 points to go with six rebounds and three steals. "This feels good because we're playing together. We know what we want.""
January 27
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Both teams were scrappy. Both teams exhibited all-out hustle. To borrow a phrase from retired NBA big man Rasheed Wallace, both teams played hard. The Grizzlies' 98-91 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night in Staples Center had a playoff feel. Or it was at least a show of two teams eager to carve out a place in an ultra-competitive Western Conference. There were 19 lead changes and 14 ties as the Griz dropped their second straight game after winning seven in a row. The Griz also suffered a third consecutive loss to the Clippers."
January 21
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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As sure as it is January, heavy snow fell outside The Palace of Auburn Hills. As sure as the Detroit Pistons are in a painful rebuilding phase and average a league-low 85 points, they exhibited little firepower. And as sure as the Grizzlies are on a roll, they stayed true to form. Memphis got off to another fast start, took off one quarter Friday night and then methodically put away Detroit to earn a 98-81 victory -- its fifth straight after losing three in a row. The Grizzlies' winning streak ties their season-high from last season. They'll try for six consecutive wins tonight when the Sacramento Kings visit FedExForum. Memphis hasn't won six or more in a row since it captured seven"
January 13
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay took flight and it wasn't to deliver a tomahawk dunk during his finest moment. The Grizzlies' versatile forward caught everyone in FedExForum by surprise when he elevated and blocked New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler's dunk attempt late in the third quarter. O.J. Mayo picked up the deflection as the action shifted toward Memphis' end of the court. The Grizzlies swung the ball around until it reached Gay, who calmly buried a 3-pointer that extended their lead to 24 points. Gay just stood there, frozen in his shooting motion."
January 13
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay received some good news before his breakout game against the New York Knicks. Gay confirmed that he was told that he will be among 19 players vying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo phoned Gay with the news. Colangelo said USA Basketball will announce all the players by the middle of this month. Gay will be part of a pool of players who will be considered for the U.S team at the London Games this summer. The final 12-man roster and six alternates must be submitted June 18, before the NBA finals will be complete. But all 19 names have to be given to the U.S. Olympic Committee by the end of January to be placed in the drug"
January 12
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay received some good news amid his recent struggles. Gay has been told that he will be among 19 players vying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, according to an NBA source. USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said he plans to announce all the players by the middle of this month. Gay will be part of a pool of players who will be considered for the U.S team at the London Games this summer. The final 12-man roster and six alternates must be submitted June 18, before the NBA finals will be complete. But all 18 names have to be given to the U.S. Olympic Committee by the end of January to be placed in the drug program."
January 5
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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For the past two seasons, the Grizzlies have enjoyed a comfort that came with Zach Randolph bullying the opposition with his bruising style of play in the paint. But the star power forward was again immobile Wednesday night, sitting at home wearing a brace to help nurse a slight tear in his right medial collateral ligament. The knee injury will sideline Randolph for 6-8 weeks, team doctors announced Wednesday afternoon before the Grizzlies earned a 90-86 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Target Center. "It's tough," Randolph said in a text message to The Commercial Appeal."
January 4
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay figured he could provide more leadership. Mike Conley simply made a plea to play. And little-used swingman Sam Young wanted to prove the team could count on him. The Grizzlies showed up for work Tuesday night motivated to wash away the bad taste from their 40-point loss Sunday at Chicago. They also needed to compensate for the absence of power forward Zach Randolph, who missed his first game this season with a bruised right knee. All of that required teamwork and execution -- both of which the Grizzlies used Tuesday night to overwhelm the Sacramento Kings throughout a 113-96 victory before an announced crowd of 12,391 in FedExForum."
November 15
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay stood directly behind Mike Conley in New York as the National Basketball Players Association announced Monday it would disband and file an anti-trust suit against the NBA. Zach Randolph sat at home in solidarity and disbelief. The Grizzlies' trio might not be seen together in action again for some time. In the wake of the players rejecting the owners' latest proposal and a probability that the 2011-12 season will be canceled, Memphis' franchise players are now seriously considering other options."
November 9
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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When the two-hour all-star showcase ended, Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay grabbed a microphone and thanked the fans for showing up. The biggest star in the building, LeBron James, then delivered a message to NBA-starved fans who didn't attend Gay's charity exhibition game Tuesday night at the DeSoto Civic Center. "Stay with us. Just stay with us," James said. "We play the game of basketball because of (the fans). This is how we do it when the cameras aren't around. We wanted to let them know that we love to play the game. We want to let the fans know that without them, there's no us. We're going to try to continue to showcase whenever we can.""
November 8
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph's reunion on the court with teammate Rudy Gay has been postponed. Randolph will not participate in Gay's charity basketball game tonight at the DeSoto Civic Center because of flu-like symptoms that have dogged him the past couple of days. Randolph, the Grizzlies' strapping power forward, confirmed Monday in a text to The Commercial Appeal that he was forced to pull out of the game. Speculation is that Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge could replace Randolph. Gay already has assembled an All-Star cast that includes Kevin Durant, LeBron James, John Wall, Tyreke Evans, O.J. Mayo, Josh Selby, Tony Allen, Ronnie Brewer, Anthony Morrow, Corey"
November 5
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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LeBron James awoke Friday morning in a charitable mood. That was good news for the Mid-South because the Miami Heat star committed to play in Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay's charity game Tuesday night at the DeSoto Civic Center. In a Twitter conversation, James asked what time the game began. Gay told James the event tips off at 7:30 p.m. "Ok cool!" James replied. "Figuring out travel plans now! I'm in homie." And like that, the closest this area will ever come to putting on an NBA-caliber All-Star game added more star power. "It comes down to my relationship with the guys," Gay said about putting together the exhibition game. "And the endorsements I have really helped." Game officials said"
November 2
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay doesn't have an NBA lockout cure, but he has come up with a one-night remedy for the basketball fever that's spreading in the region. Gay will be host for an exhibition game next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the DeSoto Civic Center. Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, Washington Wizards guard John Wall, Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith and Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry have committed to play. Gay's Grizzlies teammates Zach Randolph and O.J. Mayo, as well as Memphis basketball legend Penny Hardaway, will also participate."
September 21
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Another day passed without an end in sight to the NBA lockout. But Grizzlies fans had reason to celebrate an important development. Griz forward Rudy Gay was cleared to resume full-contact basketball activities, seven months after he suffered a partially dislocated left shoulder, Gay's agent confirmed Monday afternoon. Jeff Austin, one of Gay's representatives at Octagon Sports, said his client met with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. Andrews then declared that Gay's surgically repaired shoulder has full strength and range of motion."
May 17
Memphis Commercial Appeal
columnist Geoff Calkins
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Mike Heisley was on the phone from Chicago. Something was plainly bothering him. "You could do me a favor," he said. For you, Mike? Anything. "Would you please make it clear that we're not trading Rudy Gay?" You're not? But I keep hearing all these NBA types say that you might well trade him. "I know," said Heisley. "And, quite frankly, it (ticks) me off. I think it's cruel to the guy. He died during this period. That's how much he wanted to play. And to now have to hear that we're trading him? There's nothing more untrue than that." So, I should write that he'll be back? "Let me tell you something," said Heisley. "No disrespect to Oklahoma City, but if we had had Rudy Gay, we would have"
May 16
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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They never used Rudy Gay's absence due to injury as an excuse for losing. But the Grizzlies, unprompted, brought up their talented small forward time and time again as a reason they will be better next season. "When Rudy Gay gets back we'll be a better team," Griz guard O.J. Mayo said. "It'll definitely help us on the perimeter as far as scoring and I think we'll be a better team." Gay sat in the locker room looking dejected Sunday after the Griz lost Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their Western Conference semifinal series. He'll wear a sling for another two weeks, then begin treatment on his surgically repaired left shoulder. He won't be allowed to participate in contact"
April 17
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay's partially dislocated left shoulder might be out of operation for the playoffs after undergoing surgery on March 25, but his mouth is fully functional. Here's the first of his diaries, as told to Ron Higgins, that he's filing through the playoffs: "This is going to be competitive series, regardless of what people think. Most people thought we wouldn't even make the playoffs, so we've proved them wrong the whole year. "There's a lot of emotions and there should be. It's the postseason, everybody wants to be here. It feels good for my teammates to still be playing basketball, to be out there happy and getting ready to be in a playoff. I still feel I can help."
April 11
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay appeared on the FedExForum scoreboard midway through the third quarter Sunday evening, and the crowd immediately erupted with thunderous applause. The standing ovation was a fitting show of appreciation for the fifth-year forward. Memphis will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 thanks in large part to Gay's career-best effort this season. The 24-year-old began the season as a prolific scorer and then showed improvement in every aspect of his game until suffering a season-ending partial left shoulder separation on Feb. 15. Gay, speaking publicly for the first time since undergoing surgery March 25, said he felt the weight of helping the Griz achieve a postseason"
March 26
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay underwent successful surgery to repair his partially dislocated left shoulder today in Pensacola, Fla. Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., performed the procedure. Gay will likely be sidelined 4-6 months but he is expected to participate in the Grizzlies' training camp in the fall. Gay, who was ruled out for the rest of this season earlier this week, was hurt Feb. 15 in a game against Philadelphia. He's been out the past five weeks, and the healing process hadn't progressed enough to allow Gay full range of motion in the shoulder. Gay, 24, signed a five-year, $84 million contract before the start of this season. For his part, Gay"
March 23
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay suffered a less-than-common injury five weeks ago. However, the surgery to repair his partially dislocated left shoulder should be routine. "No surgery is 100 percent but he has a very good chance. We expect him to make a full recovery," said Grizzlies physician Fred Azar, who is the lead orthopedic surgeon at Campbell Clinic. "As a track record, this surgery is a successful surgery. The odds are he'll do very well." Gay suffered the injury Feb. 15 as he was fouled while attempting a shot. His shoulder slipped out of his back and popped back into place, which is rare. About 90 percent of the time, the shoulder slips out of the front socket and that scenario"
March 23
Memphis Commercial Appeal
columnist Geoff Calkins
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Rudy Gay's done for the year. That's terrible. Now that we've acknowledged that, it's time to get back to the business at hand. Not to sound insensitive or anything. It really is hard not to feel bad for Gay. The guy came to Memphis a couple of months after the Grizzlies last made the playoffs. He has been here for all the awfulness. He deserves to be here for the playoffs, too. But you know what? Life's tough. And he has $84 million to cheer himself up. Grizzlies fans have the next month or so. It should still be a good month. Indeed, it had better be. Gay or no Gay, the Grizzlies should still make the playoffs. Gay or no Gay, the Grizzlies should still win a playoff game. Why else did"
March 23
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies small forward Rudy Gay is stylish and stoic in his appearances these days. He's also done for the season. Gay will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a partially dislocated left shoulder after receiving multiple opinions about the injury. The final recommendation came after Gay traveled to Birmingham to visit renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Team physician Dr. Fred Azar of Campbell Clinic recommended the surgery, as did Andrews, and Dr. Barry Phillips and Dr. Robert Miller of the Campbell Clinic. "I've never really been hurt. I've never had anything shut me down," Gay said. "There's really no brace or anything I can wear to make it better. I have to have the"
March 22
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies small forward Rudy Gay will miss the rest of this season after a second opinion on his partially dislocated left shoulder determined that the injury requires surgery. Gay received the news after traveling to Birmingham, Ala., to visit renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. "I've never really been hurt. I've never had anything shut me down," Gay said. "There's really no brace or anything I can wear to make it better. I have to have the surgery." Gay was hurt Feb. 15 in a game against Philadelphia. He's had to sit out the past five weeks. However, the healing process hasn't progressed enough to allow Gay full range of motion in the shoulder. Predictably, the 24-year-old"
March 14
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Even though the Grizzlies have managed to stay afloat and hold on to their playoff position without forward Rudy Gay, it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing. Memphis owns a 5-5 record in the 10 games since Gay suffered a partially separated left shoulder Feb. 15 against Philadelphia. He'll be re-evaluated today. "I'll be glad when he comes back," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. Getting Gay's all-around talent back on the court sooner than later could mean the difference between the Griz sinking or creating some breathing room in the Western Conference standings. Hollins & Co. are sitting in the eighth spot with a 11/2 -game lead over Phoenix and a two-game edge on 10th-place Utah. The Griz,"
March 13
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay is beyond antsy sitting on the bench in street clothes, but sudden movements make his injured left shoulder hurt. The small forward is hoping an MRI exam Monday will explain why. Gay is somewhat concerned that the results might not allow him to return to practice this week. "At first it was aching," Gay said. "Now it's sudden movements that give me pain. Neither is good, I guess. I just hope to see some changes. There's still some pain there, so I'd like to know why." Gay missed his 10th straight game Saturday afternoon when the Griz lost to the Miami Heat. This week essentially marks a month since Gay suffered a partially separated shoulder. Team doctors"
February 22
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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With their unfortunate reality housed in a dimly lit gymnasium near downtown, the Grizzlies began the most important part of this regular season trying to look at the bright side. They ran and breathed hard while sweating profusely and showing the commitment that it took for them to begin the 25-game, post-All-Star schedule tied for eighth in the Western Conference playoff standings. The only difference Monday night was forward Rudy Gay's absence -- something the Griz must now deal with for at least 13 games. Gay will not be with the team when the Griz face the Denver Nuggets tonight in the Pepsi Center. He's recovering from a partially dislocated left shoulder that will be re-evaluated"
February 17
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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The Grizzlies' roller-coaster season just took another sharp turn, and tossed Rudy Gay off the ride for the foreseeable future. Gay will miss at least four weeks with a partially dislocated left shoulder he suffered Tuesday during the Grizzlies' 102-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The 6-8 forward will begin a rehabilitation regimen next week. He'll be re-evaluated in four weeks, which means he'll miss at least 13 games. The Griz have just 25 games remaining in the regular season. Magnetic resonance imaging results confirmed Gay's condition. The injury comes at a time when the Griz are making a strong push to earn a playoff berth. They sit at ninth in the Western Conference playoff"
February 16
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Memphis cruised to its fourth straight victory Tuesday night, beating the Philadelphia 76ers, 102-91, before a crowd of 11,197 in FedExForum despite losing forward Rudy Gay to a strained left shoulder in the second quarter. The Griz (31-26) won for the 12th time in the past 15 outings, putting together their finest stretch of the season to move to a half game of Denver and Utah for seventh and eighth place in the Western Conference playoff standings. Last season, the Grizzlies began to lose momentum just before break. They lost six of seven games, including four straight, heading into All-Star Weekend. Now, the Griz won't have a representative at any All-Star festivities for the first time"
January 26
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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He did it again. The shot Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay made Monday night with hardly any time left in a victory over the Toronto Raptors increased his career total of game-winners to six, including two this season. And while Gay needs more than five NBA seasons to establish himself as another "Mr. Clutch," he's taking long strides toward grabbing that distinction for the Grizzlies. The Griz hope tonight's game against the New Jersey Nets doesn't come down to Gay's last-second heroics, but this much is clear: There is no one coach Lionel Hollins would rather go to with three seconds or less and the game on the line. "Rudy has the ability to get a shot and get a good shot," Hollins said. "By"
January 25
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay found a way to deliver another late winner for the Memphis Grizzlies. Gay hit a tiebreaking jump shot with less than a second to play, Zach Randolph had 17 points and 12 rebounds and the Grizzlies beat the Toronto Raptors, 100-98, on Monday night. "Rudy is good at that," Randolph said. "I knew it was good when it left his hand. He's good at shots like that, and he's hit a lot of them." Gay drove right and put up a 14-foot fadeaway jumper over Toronto's Julian Wright. The play was similar to his last-second winner over LeBron James that gave the Grizzlies a 97-95 home victory over the Miami Heat on Nov. 20. "I predominantly go left, so people have to give me the right," Gay said."
January 3
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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The Grizzlies certainly ran the gamut on their latest three-game road trip. After losing a heartbreaker at the buzzer in Sacramento and then a nip-and-tuck affair at Utah, the Griz found themselves on the positive end of a blowout. The Grizzlies' defense put the Los Angeles Lakers in a deep freeze on an unusually chilly night in Hollywood before leaving with an emphatic 104-85 victory Sunday night in Staples Center. "It was the last game of the road trip, and we gave all the energy that we had," Griz guard O.J. Mayo said. "The way we played tonight was the right way, and we normally play this way against high-profile teams." Memphis, in command for most of the game, ended the third quarter"
January 2
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay arrived to work early, launched shots and tried to muster enough energy to play. The Grizzlies' leading scorer couldn't get around the defense that a stomach virus put on him. His teammates almost had better luck against the predictably tough Utah Jazz. However, Memphis left EnergySolutions Arena with a 98-92 loss Saturday night as Gay sat out for the second time this season. The Griz had just 10 players available and used their ninth different starting lineup. Sam Young and O.J. Mayo stepped in for Gay and injured rookie Xavier Henry, who missed his third straight game with a sore right knee. "We didn't make enough plays," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "We were getting stops"
December 27
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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The NBA schedule mercifully allowed the Grizzlies a four-day holiday break without games, and the players were unanimous in a belief that the timing couldn't have been better. It was time to hit the reset button again -- something the Griz have already done two or three times this season -- and now their methodical 104-90 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night is supposed to ignite a spark. Griz forward Rudy Gay sure hopes so after ending a three-game losing streak. "We have something to build on," Gay said after amassing a game-high 30 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals. "We got good shots and got our big men involved. The big men played well and Mike (Conley)"
December 19
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay's impulse a week before Christmas was quite expensive. The Grizzlies' leading scorer retaliated against Houston's Luis Scola Friday night by knocking him to the ground with a running forearm to the back. As a result, the NBA hit Gay with a one-game suspension. He sat out the Grizzlies' contest with the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night in the AT&T Center. Gay originally was charged with a flagrant foul, penalty two and drew an ejection from the Grizzlies' 103-87 loss to Houston. The league followed with the suspension, which Gay served without pay. "It happened. It's over," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "You do things, and you regret them, and you move forward. You have to pay"
December 14
Memphis Commercial Appeal
columnist Dan Wolken
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Every time the season has threatened to slip away, Rudy Gay has been there, knocking down shots in the face of LeBron James, beating buzzers in Phoenix and generally living up to an $84million contract that just a few months ago made him seem like the poster child for NBA excess. But when the fourth quarter began Monday, with the Grizzlies trailing by three in a big-now-but-could-be-bigger-in-April moment against another Western Conference playoff contender, Gay was not there, and it surprised him - so much so that he actually got up off the bench to check in, unaware that coach Lionel Hollins had already sent out five other players. Dragging his teammates into the postseason, however,"
December 9
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Zach Randolph was the Grizzlies' best 3-point shooter for all but about three seconds of regulation play. He accounted for the team's only long-range shot until 2.8 seconds remained in the fourth quarter. And that's when Rudy Gay made the Grizzlies' second 3-pointer of the night count for a lot. Gay buried a shot from beyond the arc to force overtime as the fourth-quarter buzzer sounded Wednesday night, and the Griz pulled away in the extra session for a 104-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns in US Airways Center. "That was a hard-fought, much-needed win," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. It was the second dramatic game between the teams here this season. Phoenix won a double-overtime"
November 21
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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On a day filled with discipline and drama, the Grizzlies avoided being deflated by yet another defeat. Rudy Gay made sure of that. The blossoming forward cured the Grizzlies' state of depression and ended a five-game losing streak when his 13-foot shot at the buzzer gave them a 97-95 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday night before an announced sellout crowd of 18,119 in FedExForum. Gay dribbled toward the baseline near Miami's bench, pulled up and got the shot to touch nothing but net over the reach of LeBron James. "We need each other to win," Gay said. "We distributed the ball, played together and got the win against a good team." With Dwyane Wade out with a sore left wrist, James"
November 8
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay had just one wish on that stunning day in July when he signed a five-year, $84 million contract to remain with the Grizzlies. The 6-8 forward wanted the NBA regular season to start the next day. "So that I can prove to everybody that I can be better than what I have been," Gay said at the time. The Grizzlies (3-4) will play their eighth game tonight when they host the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum. Albeit early into his fifth season, Gay clearly wasn't just using bravado the moment when expectations for his play swelled as much as his wallet. Gay has started the season by equaling his personal best of seven consecutive 20-plus point games, which is a franchise record to open any"
October 13
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Whenever USA Basketball practiced to prepare for its World Championship run during the summer, Rudy Gay mostly played opposite Kevin Durant in what turned out to be spirited competition. However, Gay stops short of calling Durant a rival. The Grizzlies forward doesn't believe he's playing in his Oklahoma City Thunder counterpart's shadow, either. Griz coach Lionel Hollins also rejects the notion that it's a fair comparison just because Gay and Durant play small forward, are cornerstones of young teams and received maximum contracts during the offseason. "You can't compare our team to Oklahoma City, either," Hollins said. "Two different teams. Constructed differently. They're an athletic,"
July 29
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Adding to his already eventful summer, Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay was named one of 15 finalists Wednesday for the 12-man USA Basketball team that will compete next month in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. Gay, who earlier this month signed a five-year contract with the Grizzlies worth around $84 million, joined former University of Memphis standout Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls as finalists. The roster will be reduced to 12 before the world championships begin on Aug. 28. The Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo and former U of M star Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings were among those cut Wednesday. Kevin Durant leads three Oklahoma City players on the guard-heavy finalist"
July 9
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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At the conclusion of a highlight video, Rudy Gay emerged from behind a black curtain, exchanged high-fives with kids and strolled onto a platform in FedExForum. If the black tailored, three-piece suit didn't give it away then the toothy grin on Gay's face certainly did. The Grizzlies' 6-8 forward is now roughly $84 million richer and he certainly looked the part this afternoon. Gay and the Griz officially consummated a five-year deal, starting at $13.6 million, with a lot of fanfare. A Stax Music Academy band performed. Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton and Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford took turns congratulating Gay. Following the pleasantries, Griz owner Michael Heisley presented a maximum-value"
July 8
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley sounds as if he believes people should have just heeded his words in the first place. If they had, there would have been little surprise last week when the Griz struck early in NBA free agency and locked up Rudy Gay with a five-year, $82 million contract. "We weren't going to lose Rudy," Heisley said. "We made the offer that I always had in the back of my mind. It was a very good offer to Rudy. Like I've said, my plan is to keep this starting five together." The deal -- verbally agreed upon last Thursday -- will become official today when free agents can sign contracts. A press conference is planned today at FedExForum. Gay, 23, is projected to start his"
July 2
Memphis Commercial Appeal
columnist Geoff Calkins
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Rudy Gay is a 23-year-old small forward who has never made an all-star team, never carried the Grizzlies to a .500 record and never fully tapped into his enormous athletic potential. Is he worth a five-year, $82 million contract? He had better be. PollWhat did you think when you heard the Grizzlies had reached an agreement with Rudy Gay?Wow, Michael Heisley wasn't kidding when he said he'd re-sign Gay They should have waited to see what offer they had to match Another sign they are serious about winning That's a lot of money for a guy who isn't a superstar See the results » View previous polls » Photo by Nikki Boertman Buy this photo » Rudy Gay's five-year, $82 million deal seems odd,"
July 2
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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Rudy Gay was supposed to be in Minneapolis at about 4 p.m. Thursday for the first of what promised to be several dates with suitors in NBA free agency. But Gay never made it to a planned meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Instead, the Grizzlies stepped in and swept their restricted free agent forward off his feet. Gay and the Grizzlies verbally agreed Thursday to a five-year, estimated $82 million contract less than 12 hours after the league's free-agent period began. The deal will start at $13.3 million based on projections for the league's new salary-cap figures. "I want to win, and I want to do it here," Gay said, confirming his new deal when reached by telephone. "My whole thing"
July 1
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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The Memphis Grizzlies and restricted free-agent Rudy Gay have agreed in principle on a five-year contract, The Commercial Appeal has learned. NBA sources indicated that Gay will sign the deal on or soon after July 8 when teams are allowed to finalize contracts. Gay’s starting salary will be the maximum allowed a player with his experience – projected to be roughly $13.3 million – according to sources. Gay, 23, was supposed to visit the Minnesota Timberwolves this afternoon but canceled the trip. The 6-8 forward will not visit any potential suitors. The Grizzlies insisted that they would match any offers for Gay after failing to come to terms last fall. Gay turned down a five-year, $50"