Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog

Grizzlies blog – Memphis Grizzlies blog

Shareef Abdur-Rahim about to graduate with college degree in Sociology

Former NBA All-Star, 2000 Olympic gold medalist and third overall selection in the 1996 NBA Draft Shareef Abdur-Rahim can now add “college graduate” to his impressive resume.

Abdur-Rahim will graduate Monday, May 14 from the University of California at Berkeley – the school where he played his freshman season of NCAA basketball. He’ll receive his degree in Sociology having recorded a 3.8 grade point average.

Entering the NBA following his freshmen year at Cal, Abdur-Rahim continued to pursue his education through off-season summer courses as well as extension programs during his NBA playing schedule. He played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Vancouver Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.

Abdur-Rahim announced his retirement as a NBA player in September of 2008 and immediately joined the Kings coaching staff. After two years of coaching, he was promoted to the position of assistant general manager with the organization.

With education as his longstanding focus, Abdur-Rahim launched the Future Foundation in 2001 in his home state of Georgia. Through its mission, the foundation continues to provide support systems for Atlanta’s disadvantaged youth in order to increase their options for post-secondary education.

Since its inception 11 years ago, the foundation has enjoyed great success due to Abdur-Rahim’s support, guidance and passion for education. Future Foundation’s teen center in Atlanta boasts a 100 percent graduation rate.

“Much of my work outside basketball has been dedicated to my non-profit organization. The Future Foundation’s focus is to help young people reach their educational potential,” said Abdur-Rahim.

“Although I left Cal after only one year, it has always been my goal to complete my degree,” he said. “Receiving my degree will be an extremely proud moment for me and my family. I hope it will also help inspire many of the students our foundation proudly serves and encourages. “

Blake Griffin has sprained left knee, Chris Paul has strained right hip flexor

Los Angeles Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin sustained a sprained left knee in last night’s 80-92 game five Clippers’ loss in Memphis last night. The injury occurred with 1:31 remaining in the third quarter. After being medically cleared to return to the game, Griffin finished the contest with 15 points, 11 rebounds and three steals in 39 minutes played. Griffin underwent an MRI today in Los Angeles which confirmed that there was no structural damage to the knee.

Clippers All-Star point guard Chris Paul suffered a strained right hip flexor with 5:16 remaining in the fourth quarter last night. Paul also returned to the game, finishing the night with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in 39 minutes of action.

Both players will be listed as game time decisions for game six tomorrow night at 6:00 PDT vs. Memphis at STAPLES Center.

Grizzlies force Game 6, beat Clippers 92-80

marc gasol

Marc Gasol scored 23 points and Zach Randolph added 19 as the Memphis Grizzlies avoided elimination by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 92-80 on Wednesday night, forcing a Game 6 in the Western Conference first-round series.

With Gasol and Randolph scoring early, the Grizzlies looked like the team that knocked off top-seeded San Antonio last spring and took Oklahoma City to seven games in the conference semifinals.

Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles. If the Grizzlies can win, Game 7 would be Sunday in Memphis.

Rudy Gay added 14 points for Memphis.

Mo Williams had 20 points for the Clippers while Chris Paul scored 19 and Blake Griffin had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Paul and Griffin both missed time in the fourth quarter with injuries.

Paul strained a groin muscle and appeared to jam a finger while Griffin hyperextended his left knee…

In the arena nicknamed the Grindhouse in honor of the Grizzlies’ bruising, blue-collar style, Memphis pounded the ball into the paint and banged on the Clippers all game long. The Grizzlies outscored Los Angeles 48-26 in the paint and had a 42-35 edge in rebounds.

— Reported by Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press

CP3 leads Clippers past Grizzlies in OT to 3-1 series lead

chris paul

Chris Paul scored eight of his 27 points in a dynamic overtime performance, and the Clippers moved to the verge of their second playoff series victory in 36 years with a 101-97 win over Memphis on Monday night, taking a 3-1 series lead.

The Clippers blew a 10-point lead late in regulation before finishing without Blake Griffin, who fouled out midway through overtime. It could have been another disaster for a franchise with more than its share, but Paul wouldn’t allow it…

Griffin had 30 points and seven assists before fouling out for the Clippers, who blew an 84-74 lead over the final 4 1/2 minutes before Paul took charge in extra time. He played with the same intensity he showed late in regulation, heedlessly flinging himself over the front row of chairs in an attempt to save a loose ball…

After Paul hit consecutive jumpers to put the Clippers ahead 99-93 with 44 seconds left, Mike Conley’s layup with 8.1 seconds left trimmed the Clippers’ lead back to two points. But after Mo Williams hit two free throws with 7.2 seconds left and Rudy Gay missed a meaningless 3-pointer, Griffin and Paul embraced while another frenzied sellout crowd of long-suffering Clippers fans roared…

Conley scored a career playoff-high 25 points and Gay had 23 on 8-of-25 shooting for the Grizzlies, who couldn’t match Paul’s late-game poise in another thrilling chapter of a highly entertaining series with four games decided by a total of 15 points…

Caron Butler, playing with a broken bone in his left hand, scored 14 points for the Clippers, who still can’t be comfortable after getting outrebounded 47-36 and giving away a big late lead.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

Paul, Griffin lead Clippers over Grizzlies, 87-86

chris paul

Chris Paul had 24 points and 11 assists and high-flying Blake Griffin added 17 points for the Los Angeles Clippers, who beat the Memphis Grizzles 87-86 Saturday only after Rudy Gay missed a jumper just before the buzzer.

The Clippers won their first home playoff game in six seasons to take a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference playoffs.

Paul hit a fadeaway jumper with 2:02 left for an 82-80 lead. On the next possession he had a no-look bounce pass to Griffin coming in off the baseline for a monster slam.

Trailing 86-80 after two free throws by Paul, Gay hit a 3-pointer with 12.9 seconds left, Memphis’ first field goal since 7:10. After Los Angeles missed three of four free throws, Gay hit another 3-pointer with 8.9 seconds.

Eric Bledsoe missed two more free throws, Gay got a good look but missed. Gay finished with 24 points.

Memphis had seemingly taken the red-clad home crowd out of the game in the third quarter, when it outscored the Clippers 25-14 to take a 71-64 lead…

Zach Randolph scored 17 for Memphis while Gasol and Quincy Pondexter had 11.

Foye had 16 for L.A.

— Reported by Bernie Wilson of the Associated Press

Clippers hope to toughen up vs Grizzlies

Since losing game two Wednesday night, Reggie Evans and the Clippers have watched hours of game film, with their glaring shortcomings staring right at them.

“We got punked around,” Evans said. “It is what it is. They did a good job of being physical. It showed. The tape don’t lie.”

The numbers don’t lie, either.

In game two, Memphis crushed the Clippers on the glass, pulling down 16 offensive rebounds, and the Grizzlies established the physical tone, shooting 21 more free throws.

“They got 16 offensive rebounds so what is that a sign of?” Evans asked. “We got pushed around, punked around – that’s what it’s a sign of. We just have to bounce back. They did what they’re supposed to do and we did what we’re supposed to do. We went there and stole one and they came back and hit us back. “…It’s a mindset. It’s like a little kid getting bullied all the time, eventually the kid’s either going to run or bite back.”

— Reported by Dan Woike of the Orange County Register Blog

Grizzlies beat Clippers 105-98, tie series 1-1

O.J. Mayo felt so responsible for how Memphis blew a 27-point lead in the series opener with the Clippers that he had barely slept since that loss. He made sure all the Grizzlies can sleep well now.

Mayo scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and Memphis bounced back to beat Los Angeles 105-98 on Wednesday night in Game 2.

”We’ll get some good rest tonight and go to L.A. for two more games,” Mayo said.

The Grizzlies collapsed Sunday night, letting the Clippers grab home-court advantage in the best-of-seven, first-round Western Conference series. Down 21 points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Clippers tied the NBA playoff record for largest final-period comeback…

Gay also scored 21 points and Memphis showed off its depth with six players reaching double figures. Mike Conley had 19, Zach Randolph 15, Marreese Speights 11 and Tony Allen 10.

Paul led the Clippers with 29 points. Blake Griffin had 22, and Mo Williams and Nick Young 11 apiece…

The Clippers shot 64.7 percent (11 of 17) in the first quarter and hit 4 of 6 at the free throw line. But they just couldn’t match the Grizzlies who outrebounded the Clippers (37-2) with a big edge on the offensive boards (16-4), which they used to outscore them 18-6 on second-chance points. Memphis also had a 46-38 edge in the paint…

The emotions are starting to boil in this series, and the Grizzlies brought out wrestler Jerry ”The King” Lawler came out and delivered a pile driver to someone dressed up as a Clippers’ fan. That almost seemed to help spark the Grizzlies.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Clippers forward Caron Butler fractures hand

Caron Butler

Caron Butler fractured his left hand during the third quarter of the Clippers’ playoff game against Memphis on Sunday.

Butler was holding his hand after he scored a basket in the third quarter. He had 12 points on five-for-12 shooting.

The Clippers said Butler’s status for the rest of the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series against the Grizzlies will be determined later.

— Reported by the Los Angeles Times