Memphis Grizzlies Blog – Page 78 – NBA Blog

Memphis Grizzlies name Lionel Hollins head coach

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager and Basketball Operations Chris Wallace today named Lionel Hollins the new head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies.

For Hollins, it will mark his third head coaching stint with the Grizzlies, where he was a staple in the team’s coaching ranks from 1995-07. The 20-year NBA coaching veteran has worked with current Grizzlies Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick and Kyle Lowry as an assistant under former Grizzlies Head Coaches’ Mike Fratello and Tony Barone. Hollins, who still maintains a residence in Bluff City with his family, recently spent the first half of the 2008-09 season as an assistant coach under Scott Skiles with the Milwaukee Bucks.

“We are pleased today to introduce Lionel Hollins as the next head coach of the Grizzlies. Lionel brings an impressive resume of NBA experience both as a coach and player,” Wallace said. “He has worked under some of the most successful head coaches in the history of the NBA, and he’s a former NBA champion as a player.

“He also brings extensive experience with our organization and a commitment to the city of Memphis. Lionel kept his permanent residence in Memphis while he was working with the Milwaukee Bucks. I was also very impressed with the commitment he displayed working with the young people at the Grizzlies Academy during his year off in the NBA (2007-08).”

An original member of the franchise’s inaugural 1995-96 season in Vancouver as the lead assistant, Hollins served as the club’s head coach on an interim basis on two separate occasions. Hollins guided Vancouver to an 18-42 finish in 1999-00 (.300) after the team started the season 4-18 and again took the reins for four games in 2004-05 following the resignation of Hubie Brown. Hollins, 55, owns an all-time record of 18-46 (.281) as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach.

Prior to joining the Grizzlies, the Arizona State graduate spent seven years with the Phoenix Suns (1988-95) as an assistant coach under Cotton Fitzsimmons and later Paul Westphal. During that time, Phoenix compiled an overall record of 394-180 (.686) and never won fewer than 53 games in a single season. The Suns won franchise-record 62 games in the 1992-93 season and represented the Western Conference in the 1993 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls.

The Arkansas City, Kansas native has served under three NBA Coaches of the Year, including Brown (1977, 2005), Fitzsimmons (1978, 1989) and Fratello (1986) and was on the coaching staff when Brown and Fitzsimmons were honored with the award a second time. In addition, as a 10-year NBA veteran (1975-85), Hollins was led by several notable head coaches, including Lenny Wilkens, Jack Ramsay, Billy Cunningham, Bill Fitch, Chuck Daly and Paul Silas.

Selected sixth overall in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Hollins earned a spot on the 1976 All-Rookie First Team and won an NBA Championship as a starter for the Trail Blazers in 1977, where he was a teammate of current Grizzlies Assistant Coach Johnny Davis. A year later, he was an NBA All-Star while also being named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team. Hollins averaged 11.6 points, 4.5 assists and 1.56 steals over 673 career games with Portland, Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets.

Share your opinions daily on the InsideHoops.com Memphis Grizzlies message board.

Nets snap 5-game losing skid, beat Grizzlies

The AP reports: New Jersey refused to let its skid continue for one more day. One night after falling 94-91 at San Antonio, Vince Carter scored 23 points and Devin Harris added 17 points and eight assists as the Nets snapped a five-game skid with a 99-88 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night… For Memphis, their woes continued. O.J. Mayo scored 23 points to lead the Grizzlies, playing their second game under interim coach Johnny Davis, who took over when Marc Iavaroni was fired Thursday… Memphis didn’t get a player in double figures until Mayo’s 3-pointer with 7:21 to go in the third period. A short time later, Brook Lopez scored on a dunk, extending the Nets’ lead to double-digits again.

New coach, another loss: Grizz fall 108-88 at NY

The AP reports: The Memphis Grizzlies looked like a team energized by a coaching change a day after their coach was fired. For about five minutes, at least. After that, the Grizzlies and Knicks resumed their streaks in opposite directions: Memphis lost its season-high eighth straight game, while New York matched its best run of the season with its third consecutive victory, a 108-88 win Friday… David Lee had 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Knicks won three in a row for the first time since early November… Rudy Gay led Memphis with 20 points. High-scoring rookie O.J. Mayo was held to 12 points, more than seven below his average, on 4-for-14 shooting.

Report: Grizzlies fire head coach Iavaroni

NBA.com reports: A source tells TNT’s David Aldridge that the Memphis Grizzlies have fired head coach Marc Iavaroni. Assistant coach Johnny Davis will take over the team on an interim basis, the source said. The Grizzlies are currently on a seven-game losing streak with an 11-30 record. They have lost 15 of their last 17 games and in last place in the Southwest Division. Iavaroni’s overall record in Memphis was 33-90.

InsideHoops.com will update this page when more information is known.

Read basketball fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Bell, Okafor lead Bobcats past Grizzlies 101-86

The AP reports: Raja Bell gave Brown the game he craves Wednesday night, helping the Charlotte Bobcats continue their impressive turnaround from an ugly start in Brown’s first season in charge. Bell scored 25 points, but perhaps more importantly pestered Memphis’ O.J. Mayo all game, limiting him to 13 points in the Bobcats’ 101-86 victory over the Grizzlies… Charlotte has won four of five and 10 of 17 overall, which coincides with the trade with Phoenix that put Bell and Boris Diaw under Brown’s watch… Emeka Okafor had 20 points and 15 rebounds—proving the Bobcats are getting the ball inside. Raymond Felton scored 19 and Gerald Wallace had 13 points, nine rebounds and four steals, helping harass the Grizzlies into 21 turnovers.

Memphis Grizzlies re-sign Darius Miles

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Darius Miles to a second 10-day contract, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

After signing his first 10-day contract on Jan. 10, Miles played in three games and averaged 8.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.67 blocks on 55.6 percent shooting (10-18 FG) in 12.0 minutes. The 6-9, 235-pound forward is averaging 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.80 blocks per game in 9.0 minutes in five total games with the Grizzlies this season.

Miles was signed by the Grizzlies as a free agent on Dec. 13 (and later waived on Jan. 7) after missing all of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons following microfracture surgery on his right knee. The 27-year-old signed a free-agent contract with the Boston Celtics on Aug. 22, 2008 and appeared in six preseason games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.4 minutes before his release on Oct. 20.

The third overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft became the first player in league history drafted straight out of high school (East St. Louis High School) to earn All-Rookie honors when he posted 9.4 points and 1.54 blocks for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2000-01.

The Bellville, Ill. native holds career averages of 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.15 blocks in 27.5 minutes in 417 career games (190 starts) with Memphis, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Iverson scores 27 to lead Detroit over Memphis

The AP reports: Allen Iverson and the Detroit Pistons tightened up on defense to end their losing streak and prolong the agony of the Memphis Grizzlies. Iverson scored 27 points and helped Detroit limit Memphis to just four shots in the final quarter on the way to an 87-79 victory over the Grizzlies on Monday, ending the Pistons’ longest losing streak in five seasons. Rasheed Wallace scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half to help bring Detroit’s five-game skid to an end… O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 15 points apiece and rookie center Marc Gasol had 12 points and 13 rebounds… The Grizzlies, who lost their sixth straight and for the 14th time in 16 games, missed 10 of their final 12 shots. They didn’t score after Mike Conley’s driving layup with 2:56 left.

Williams has 27 in Jazz’s 101-91 win in Memphis

The AP reports: After an ankle injury sidelined him for the first 12 games of the season, Deron Williams is starting to like the one of the NBA’s best again. The Utah guard scored 27 points and Ronnie Brewer added 21, leading the Jazz to a 101-91 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night… Grizzlies forward Darius Miles, who signed a 10-day contract Saturday, made his 10th appearance of the season Friday, placing the remaining $18 million of his salary back on Portland’s payroll… He finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes… Rookie guard O.J. Mayo led the Grizzlies with 23 points and Hakim Warrick and Mike Conley came off the bench to score 15 apiece. Marc Gasol added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Memphis forward Rudy Gay, averaging 18.8 points per game, continued his recent slump. He was held to five points and has scored only 15 points in the past two games.

LeBron triple-double carries Cavs in Memphis

The AP reports: LeBron James had 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the season, leading the Cavaliers to a 102-87 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. With Zydrunas Ilgauskas sidelined by a fractured left ankle and Ben Wallace out with the flu, Cleveland was missing 40 percent of its starting lineup… Delonte West added 19 points and Mo Williams 16 for the Cavs. Anderson Varejao was held to seven points and four rebounds after averaging 16 points and eight boards the past four games in place of Ilgauskas… Kyle Lowry led the Grizzlies with a career-high 25 points, including 15 from the free throw line, and reserve Hakim Warrick had 16 points and seven rebounds. Rookie guard O.J. Mayo was limited to six points, a season-low. The Grizzlies also got 13 points in 13 minutes from Darius Miles, who signed a 10-day contract Saturday and is one game away from reaching the 10 appearances that would put the remaining $18 million of his salary back on Portland’s payroll.

Grizzlies sign Darius Miles to 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have re-signed forward Darius Miles to a 10-day contract, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Miles, who was waived by the Grizzlies on Jan. 7, cleared waivers and subsequently became an unrestricted free agent.

In two games with Memphis, Miles collected two rebounds and two blocked shots in a total of nine minutes of action. The 6-9, 235-pound forward also served a 10-game league suspension, which concluded following the Jan. 2 game vs. San Antonio.

“Darius did everything asked of him in his initial stint with the Grizzlies and was well received by his teammates,” Wallace said. “In the last Minnesota game (Jan. 6), his length, experience, rebounding, shot blocking and defense on one of the elite post scorers in the league, Al Jefferson, were all impressive. Our young team is short on frontcourt players and can use a veteran with his attributes.”

Miles was signed by the Grizzlies as a free agent on Dec. 13 after missing all of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons following microfracture surgery on his right knee. The 27-year-old signed a free-agent contract with the Boston Celtics on Aug. 22, 2008 and appeared in six preseason games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.4 minutes before his release on Oct. 20.

The Bellville, Ill. native holds career averages of 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.15 blocks in 27.6 minutes in 414 career games (190 starts) with Memphis, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Memphis will return to action next to face LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. CST at the FedExForum The Grizzlies’ current roster stands at 14 players.