Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog

Scott Cacciola of the Wall Street Journal reports:

Entering Wednesday’s regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Clippers, Allen was averaging 1.8 steals per game and 4.2 steals per 48 minutes—the most since 1995 among players who have averaged at least 1.5 steals per game.

Not long after he signed last summer, Allen had lunch in Memphis with Wallace and Tony Barone, Sr., the Grizzlies’ director of player personnel. Wallace said the meal turned into a “defensive seminar,” during which Allen broke down—in granular detail—how he guards certain players. “We were blown away,” Wallace said.

Allen takes his craft seriously, dissecting DVDs that the coaching staff distributes of upcoming opponents. He gets annoyed when teammates fail to do the same. “He should have taken that home with him,” he said recently, spotting one of the DVDs in a younger player’s locker. His pregame ritual includes taking his laptop into the training room and watching clips of whomever he will defend that night. “Teams run the same sets over and over,” he said, “and guys have tendencies.”

He knows, for example, when a player will try to hold his position in the post by using his left hand. (“I’ll take a swipe with my right,” he said.) He knows which players will pull up for jumpers when they go to their right and which will drive to the hoop when they go to their left. As an on-the-ball defender, Allen was limiting opponents to 34.2% shooting, according to Synergy Sports, a company that charts every NBA play.

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports:

The most challenging aspect of Battier’s reunion with the Grizzlies has come on the offensive end of the court, where his productivity is noticeably less than what he provided to the Houston Rockets.

In the 18 games since Battier joined the Griz at the February trade deadline, his scoring average, shooting percentages and shot attempts have dramatically decreased from his days in Houston.

He’s also playing nearly seven fewer minutes on average. But Battier prides himself on efficiency, which he hopes to improve before the end of the regular season.

“I haven’t shot the ball the way I’ve wanted to,” Battier said Monday as the Griz prepared to host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight in FedExForum. “I have to make shots. It’s on me. I’m still trying to understand how to fit in the system.

“A lot of the teams I’ve played on have been inside-out. But we haven’t found ways to play inside-out. In the playoffs, we’re going to have to. In the playoffs, people take away the paint. We’re going to have to hit some jump shots.”

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports:

By beating the Spurs, the Grizzlies secured their first nonlosing season since the 2005-06 campaign.

Memphis improved to 41-33, one more win than it mustered last season. But don’t throw a parade, says Griz coach Lionel Hollins.

The Griz have more lofty goals after beating the San Antonio Spurs, 111-104, on Sunday night in FedExForum.

“We have a long ways to go. Forty-one was not our goal at the start of the season. It’s still not our goal,” Hollins said. “It’s a milestone in terms of being able to finish (at least) .500, which the team hasn’t done in a few years. It’s good for the organization and our fans. For us, we still have a lot of work to do.”

The Griz have treated their fans to 24 wins in their last 30 home games. At FedExForum, the Griz are 20-0 this season when they lead at halftime.