The AP reports: The Lakers halted their mini-slump at two losses in a row with a front-running 99-89 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, allowing Los Angeles to avoid its first three-game skid of the season… Lakers center Pau Gasol, matched in the middle against younger brother Marc, had 13 points and eight rebounds. Derek Fisher added 11 points for Los Angeles. Lamar Odom was only 1-of-8 from the floor and scored just two points for Los Angeles, but posted some other impressive numbers: 13 rebounds, eight assists and six blocks… Marc Gasol, four years younger than the 28-year-old Pau, outdid his brother, scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds for Memphis.
Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog
Grizzlies blog – Memphis Grizzlies blog
Chris Mihm has right ankle surgery
Memphis Grizzlies center Chris Mihm underwent successful right ankle surgery, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. There is no timetable for his return.
Mihm, a 7-0, 265-pound center, was acquired on Feb. 18 by the Grizzlies along with cash considerations from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a 2013 protected second round draft pick. The former University of Texas standout did not make an appearance with the Grizzlies after the trade.
The seventh overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Mihm averaged 2.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 5.8 minutes in 18 games with Los Angeles this season. The eight-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.02 blocks in 20.1 minutes in 436 career games (236 starts) with the Lakers, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Eventually, Mihm and the very concept of surgery will unite, becoming one entity. In the future, “I had Mihm” and “I had surgery” will mean the same thing. Mihm will become a magical being whose very touch, in the form of a handshake, will result in the other person having instant surgery. And with that, I need to go for a walk.
Share your Grizzlies opinions every day on the Memphis Grizzlies message board.
Grizzlies waive Adonal Foyle
The Memphis Grizzlies reached a buyout agreement and waived center Adonal Foyle, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.
The 6-10, 270-pound center appeared in one game with the Grizzlies, logging three minutes on Feb. 24 at Cleveland, after the team acquired him from Orlando along with the Magic’s unprotected 2009 first round draft pick on Feb. 19.
As part of the three-team trade, also involving the Houston Rockets, the Grizzlies also received guard Mike Wilks and cash considerations, the Rockets acquired guard Kyle Lowry and forward Brian Cook, and the Magic received guard Rafer Alston.
A 12-year NBA veteran, Foyle is averaging 1.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.67 blocks in 5.3 minutes in six games with Memphis and Orlando this season. The Canouan native holds career averages of 4.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.63 blocks in 729 career games (269 starts) with Memphis, Orlando and the Golden State Warriors, who originally selected him in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1997 NBA Draft.
The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 14 players.
Green 27 and 10, Thunder beat Grizzlies 99-92
The AP reports: Jeff Green had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Russell Westbrook added 25 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 99-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. The Thunder won despite playing without Kevin Durant, the league’s fourth-leading scorer with a 26.0 average, who suffered a right ankle sprain in Friday night’s 110-108 overtime loss to Dallas. Durant is listed as day-to-day. Thabo Sefolosha, playing only his fourth game for Oklahoma City after a trade from Chicago, recorded 15 points and 11 rebounds, season-highs in both categories. Nenad Krstic also scored 10 points. Rudy Gay scored 20 points to lead Memphis, which lost its seventh straight. O.J. Mayo finished with 18 points, while Mike Conley had 17.
Pacers top Grizzlies 104-99
The AP reports: Indiana point guard T.J. Ford expected to carry a lighter load than usual against the Memphis Grizzlies. He ended up doing some heavy lifting. Ford, whose availability was a game-time decision because of the flu, scored eight of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as the Pacers beat the Grizzlies 104-99 on Wednesday night… Brandon Rush and Marquis Daniels each scored 14 points and Troy Murphy had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers. Memphis’ Rudy Gay missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds that would have tied the score. Marc Gasol had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and rookie O.J. Mayo added 21 points for Memphis, which lost its sixth straight.
Without West, Cavaliers roll past Grizzlies
The AP reports: Playing short-handed is nothing new for the Cleveland Cavaliers. With starting shooting guard Delonte West inactive two days after returning from the right wrist fracture that sidelined him for 16 games, the Cavaliers relied on a team effort to beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 94-79 on Tuesday night. Daniel Gibson scored 19 points and Mo Williams added 18. The Cavaliers never trailed, making for a relatively easy night for LeBron James, the NBA’s second-leading scorer. James scored 15 points in 30 minutes and didn’t play the fourth quarter, thanks to Cleveland’s big lead throughout the game. Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick scored 13 points apiece for Memphis, which lost its fifth straight.
Marko Jaric married Adriana Lima
People.com reports: An engagement ring on her birthday and a secret marriage on Valentine’s Day – who knew jocks could be so romantic! Adriana Lima, a Brazilian supermodel and a Victoria’s Secret Angel, eloped with NBA star Marko Jaric on Feb. 14 in Jackson Hole, Wyo., in a small, private civil ceremony, PEOPLE confirms exclusively.
InsideHoops.com editor says: I was going to marry her but instead I chose to grab some pizza. Still, congrats Marko!
Magic get Rafer Alston in 3-team trade involving Grizzlies, Rockets, Kyle Lowry, others
Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has acquired guard Kyle Lowry from Memphis and forward Brian Cook from Orlando as part of a three-team trade. The deal has the Rockets sending Rafer Alston to the Magic, while the Grizzlies receive a first-round draft selection from Orlando in the 2009 NBA Draft along with center Adonal Foyle and guard Mike Wilks.
“First, I would like to thank Rafer for his commitment to the team over the past four seasons,” said Morey. “Kyle is an underrated player who will help us now and we can build around in the future. He is a very good rebounder and defender who can attack the basket in the half court and transition, finish, and make the kick out pass to shooters. Brian is a proven veteran who will provide us with solid perimeter shooting and additional depth.”
“Rafer is a starting veteran point guard who shoots the ball well,” said Magic General Manager Otis Smith. “He will give us added depth and athleticism in the backcourt. We thank Brian, Adonal and Mike for all of their contributions and wish them all the best.”
Alston (6’2”, 175, 7/24/76, #1) has played in 48 games (all starts) this season for Houston, averaging 11.5 ppg., 5.4 apg., 3.0 rpg., and 1.2 stlpg. in 33.1 minpg. In his 10th NBA season, he is shooting .348 (80-of-230) from three-point range and has scored in double figures 28 times, including a season-high 23 points on January 21 vs. Utah. He’s led the Rockets in assists in 26 games this season.
Originally selected by Milwaukee out of Fresno State in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft (39th overall selection), Alston has appeared in 590 games with four teams (Milwaukee, Toronto, Miami, Houston), averaging 10.2 ppg. and 4.9 apg. He has also appeared in 33 playoff games, with 11 starts. He saw action in 13 playoff games for the Miami Heat in 2004, and averaged 14.3 ppg. and 4.5 apg. in four postseason games last year for Houston. Considered a “playground legend” while growing up in Queens, New York, he coached the 16-and-under New York Panthers AAU basketball team during the 2008 offseason.
“It was difficult to part with Kyle Lowry,” Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace said. “He has been an important part of our team the last three seasons. With the emergence of Mike Conley, we decided that the acquisition of Orlando’s unprotected first round pick was a good move to make. We now will enter the upcoming draft with two first round selections and three picks overall, likely inside the first 37 picks.”
The Grizzlies now own four first round picks over the next two drafts, including the Lakers’ 2010 first rounder and the team’s own two first round selections.
Lowry (6-0, 205, Villanova) was averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 49 games (21 starts) with Memphis in 2008-09. As a starter this season, Lowry is averaging 9.0 points (.423, 60-142 FG), 4.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per game. Overall, he has scored 10-plus points 12 times in 2008-09, including a career-high 25 points vs. Cleveland (1/13/09). Lowry posted his second career double-double at Minnesota (12/29/08) with 14 points and a career-high 12 assists, which marked the most assists for a Grizzlies player since Chucky Atkins (16) at Minnesota (4/18/07). The 6-foot guard also recorded career highs in free throws made (15) and attempted (16) vs. Cleveland (1/13/09).
Selected out of Villanova after his sophomore season by Memphis in the first round (24th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft, Lowry has averaged 8.6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 141 career games (30 starts) with the Grizzlies. He was one of just two Grizzlies to play all 82 games last season, leading the club in free throw attempts (348). Lowry missed all but 10 games in his rookie year due to a fractured wrist.
Cook (6-9, 250, Illinois) averaged 3.0 points (.440, 11-25 3FG), 1.3 rebounds and 7.0 minutes in 21 games with Orlando this season. Playing in his second campaign with the Magic, Cook scored a season-high nine points at Utah (12/13/08). He matched that total with nine points vs. Atlanta (1/9/09), as well as pulling down a season-best eight rebounds.
In his sixth NBA season, Cook has averaged 6.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 325 career games (74 starts) with the L.A. Lakers and Orlando. Cook, who was selected by the Lakers in the first round (24th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft, played four-plus seasons in Los Angeles before joining the Magic via trade on Nov. 20, 2007. The former Illinois standout also appeared in 25 postseason games with the Lakers, averaging 3.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.0 minutes per game.
B-Roy scores 24, Blazers beat Grizzlies 94-90
The AP reports: Brandon Roy had 24 points, including two key layups in the final minutes, and the Portland Trail Blazers held off the Memphis Grizzlies 94-90 on Wednesday night. After trailing by 16 points, the Grizzlies went ahead 86-84 with less than 5 minutes to go. But Roy’s layup followed by Travis Outlaw’s 3-pointer with 2:31 left put the Blazers up 90-86. Marc Gasol made a pair of free throws for Memphis before Roy had another layup to make it 92-88. Rookie O.J. Mayo’s finger-roll narrowed it to 92-90 with 5.4 seconds left. Roy, coming off his second All-Star game appearance, made a pair of free throws for the final margin.
InsideHoops.com note: Mike Conley was big for the Grizzlies with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 10 assists. O.J. Mayo had 19 but needed 19 shots to do it. Rudy Gay scored 20 on 17 shots but didn’t do a lot else.
Lakers trade Chris Mihm to Grizzlies
The Los Angeles Lakers have traded center Chris Mihm to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a conditional 2nd round pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Mihm, currently in his 5th season with the Lakers, is averaging 2.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 5.8 minutes in 18 games this year. His best campaign came in the 2005-06 season, when he averaged 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
“The last two years have been difficult and frustrating for Chris in coming back from his ankle injury,” said Kupchak. “But Chris has handled himself with true professionalism the entire time. With the depth of our roster, especially at the center position, Chris has not had the opportunity to play that he deserves. At this point in his career, and especially as someone who will be a free agent this summer, we felt it was in his best interests to go to a team that would give him a chance to play. Chris has made significant contributions to our team over the past five years. We’d like to thank him and wish him the best of luck for the remainder of his career.”