Memphis Grizzlies Blog – Page 60 – NBA Blog

Tony Allen doing big things for Grizzlies

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.

2011 NBA Playoffs first round schedule

The 2010-11 NBA regular season is in the books, with all 30 teams in action Wednesday night. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday.

The first round matchups in the East are: Bulls vs Pacers, Heat vs 76ers, Celtics vs Knicks, and Magic vs Hawks.

The West’s first round matchups are: Spurs vs Grizzlies, Lakers vs Hornets, Mavericks vs Blazers, and Thunder vs Nuggets.

The complete first round series-by-series NBA playoffs schedule is here.

FBI investigating University of San Diego basketball point-shaving scandal

The AP reports:

The NCAA plans to conduct its own investigation into an alleged gambling ring at the University of San Diego but will wait until the FBI completes its work.

On Tuesday, NCAA vice president of enforcement Julie Roe Lach called the allegations sad, acknowledging the serious nature of the charges that were unsealed one day earlier in San Diego.

The accused include Brandon Johnson, the school’s career scoring leader who is now playing in the NBA’s Developmental League, former assistant coach Thaddeus Brown and ex-player Brandon Dowdy.

Federal authorities have charged them with running a sports betting business to affect the outcome of games.

“The FBI is leading the investigation and we will stand by and let them do their work because they have more tools in their tool boxes to get at what’s going on than we do,” Lach told The Associated Press. “After they conclude their investigation, we will begin ours.”

Lach said FBI officials contacted college sports’ largest governing body before the indictments were made public Monday. She declined to say when the NCAA learned of the case.

Point-shaving scandals have occurred before in college sports, but they are rare.

Rockets sign Marcus Cousin, recall Hasheem Thabeet, waive DeMarre Carroll

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed center Marcus Cousin to a non-guaranteed contract and assigned him to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. The Rockets have also recalled Hasheem Thabeet from the Vipers and have waived DeMarre Carroll.

Cousin (6-11, 255, Houston) earns his second GATORADE Call-Up of the season by signing with the Rockets. His first GATORADE Call-Up came when he signed a 10-day contract with Utah on Mar. 9, averaging 1.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in four games with the Jazz. A 2011 D-League All-Star selection, Cousin averaged 14.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.16 blocks while shooting .533 from the field in 38 games (38 starts) for the Austin Toros. Cousin also appeared in five games with the San Antonio Spurs in the 2010 preseason, averaging 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. He spent the 2009 NBA Summer League with the Rockets. After transferring from Seton Hall, Cousin played two seasons at the University of Houston, averaging 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a senior in 2008-09.

Thabeet (7-3, 263, Connecticut) was assigned to Rio Grande Valley on Mar. 21, averaging 9.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks with two double-doubles in seven games (six starts) including the playoffs with the Vipers. Acquired by Houston from Memphis on Feb. 24, Thabeet has played in two games with the Rockets since being acquired from the Grizzlies. He averaged 1.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.33 blocks in 45 games with Memphis this season and made his Rockets debut vs. New Jersey (2/26/11). Selected by the Grizzlies with the second overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Thabeet stands as the first Tanzanian-born player to be drafted by and play for an NBA team.

Carroll (6-8, 212, Missouri), who was acquired by Houston from Memphis on Feb. 24, has played in four games with the Rockets. He also averaged 1.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games with the Grizzlies this season.

Shane Battier still adjusting to Grizzlies

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.”

Grizzlies clinch first nonlosing season since 2005-06

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.

OJ Mayo happy with Grizzlies but would have been cool with trade to Bulls

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune reports:

OJ Mayo would have been cool with a trade to Bulls

O.J. Mayo was the focus of so many trade rumors last month, he figured he would get a new address.

And one in Chicago would have been fine with him.

“It would have been cool,” Mayo said before his Grizzlies took on the Bulls at the United Center. “I stay here in the offseason and work out with Tim Grover. But I’m happy (with the Grizzlies).”

The Bulls and Grizzlies could not agree to terms before the Feb. 24 trade deadline so the Bulls kept their roster intact, and Mayo continued in his role with Memphis.

“Scoring off the bench,” he called it.The 6-foot-4 guard entered Friday’s game having drained four of his last five 3-pointers.

“A big-time scorer,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Rudy Gay has surgery on left shoulder

Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay underwent season-ending surgery today to repair a left shoulder subluxation, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla.

Gay, who originally suffered the injury on Feb. 15 vs. Philadelphia, will begin his post-operative rehabilitation and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2011-12 season.

Memphis has recorded a 9-6 record (.600) in Gay’s absence, with 10 of those games coming against current playoff teams.

The 6-8, 240-pound forward averaged 19.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in his fifth NBA season while posting career highs in assists (2.8), steals (1.69), blocks (1.07), field goal percentage (.471), three-point field goal percentage (.396), free throw percentage (.805) and minutes (39.9).

The 24-year-old holds career averages of 17.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists on .457 shooting in 36.0 minutes in 372 games, all with the Grizzlies.

Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

Rudy Gay

rudy gay

He’s lanky.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a left shoulder subluxation, as recommended by team physician Dr. Fred Azar of the Campbell Clinic. Gay also received this recommendation from Dr. Barry Phillips and Dr. Robert Miller of the Campbell Clinic and Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

The need for surgery has always been a possibility in the event that non-operative rehabilitation was unsuccessful. The date of the surgery is yet to be determined.

The 6-8, 240-pound forward has missed the last 14 games, including last night’s 103-85 victory over Utah, since suffering the injury on Feb. 15 vs. Philadelphia. Memphis is 8-6 over that span.

Gay averaged 19.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in his fifth NBA season while posting career highs in assists (2.8), steals (1.69), blocks (1.07), field goal percentage (.471), three-point field goal percentage (.396), free throw percentage (.805) and minutes (39.9, 3rd in the NBA).

The 24-year-old holds career averages of 17.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists on .457 shooting in 36.0 minutes in 372 games, all with the Grizzlies.

Gay is expected to be ready for the start of the 2011-12 season.

Rockets assign Hasheem Thabeet to D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has assigned center Hasheem Thabeet to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. Thabeet, who is the third Rockets player to be assigned to the Vipers this season, also averaged 13.8 points, 11.2 boards and 3.17 blocks in six games (four starts) with the NBA D-League Dakota Wizards in 2009-10.

“With one game in the next six nights, we wanted to take advantage of the break in the Rockets schedule to give Hasheem some extended playing time with the Vipers,” said Rockets Vice President of Player Personnel and RGV Vipers GM Gersson Rosas. “Hasheem has been working with our Rockets coaching staff over the past few weeks, but this opportunity to get valuable game experience with Rio Grande Valley will help with his long-term development.”

Thabeet (7-3, 263, Connecticut), who was acquired by Houston from Memphis on Feb. 24, has played in two games with the Rockets since the trade. He averaged 1.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.33 blocks in 45 games with the Grizzlies this season and made his Rockets debut vs. New Jersey (2/26/11). Selected by Memphis with the second overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Thabeet stands as the first Tanzanian-born player to be drafted by and play for an NBA team. In 2009-10, Thabeet ranked second among rookies in blocks per game (1.31) and actually led the NBA in blocks per 48 minutes (4.84).

He finished his rookie campaign with averages of 3.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 13.0 minutes over 68 games (13 starts) in 2009-10. At Connecticut, Thabeet was named the 2009 Co-Big East Player of the Year along with Pittsburgh’s DeJuan Blair. He was also a two-time winner of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2008 and 2009.