The AP reports: Manu Ginobili made one acrobatic layup after another. Tony Parker zipped a no-look assist, then sank a tough jumper as an encore. Tim Duncan did what he always does. The gang in San Antonio is finally back together… Parker had 15 points and seven assists after a three-week absence, fearlessly charging toward the basket and faking out defenders like he did before missing the past nine games with a sprained ankle… O.J. Mayo scored 32 points for Memphis, beaten by San Antonio for the second time this week… Roger Mason, who started for Parker at point guard, scored 20 points and was one of six Spurs in double figures. Memphis got 26 points from Rudy Gay and came within three points of the Spurs in the fourth quarter before falling behind for good.
Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog
Grizzlies blog – Memphis Grizzlies blog
Grizzlies assign Hamed Haddadi to D-League
The Memphis Grizzlies assigned center Hamed Haddadi (pronounced ha-MED ha-DAHD-dee) to the Dakota Wizards, their NBA Development League affiliate, General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.
“The Dakota Wizards are a tremendous organization which the Grizzlies are fortunate to have as our affiliate,” Wallace said. “We are eager to watch Hamed’s development under coach Duane Ticknor’s tutelage. This assignment will be a positive experience for Hamed.”
Signed as a rookie free agent on Aug. 28, Haddadi averaged 1.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.7 minutes in six preseason games. The 7-2, 280-pound center has yet to make his NBA regular season debut.
A native of Ahvaz, Iran, Haddadi represented his country last summer in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, where he averaged a double-double (16.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks) in Olympic competition, playing five games for the Iranian National Team.
The 23-year-old also posted 14.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 25.5 minutes in two contests for the Iranian National Team at the 2008 Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City last summer.
Slated to become the first Iranian to ever play in the NBA, Haddadi is the Grizzlies’ first assignment to the D-League since the club assigned Alexander Johnson to the Arkansas RimRockers on March 1, 2007. The 23-year-old is the seventh NBA player (sixth rookie) to be assigned to the Development League in 2008-09.
Haddadi, who will wear jersey No. 50, is expected to make his D-League debut in the Wizards’ regular season opener vs. Iowa Energy on Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Bismarck Civic Center in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Nov 24: Spurs 94, Grizzlies 81
The AP reports: Manu Ginobili returned from his offseason left ankle surgery, and the San Antonio Spurs celebrated with a victory. Ginobili, who missed San Antonio’s first 12 games, scored 12 points to help the Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies 94-81 on Monday night… Rookie George Hill scored 20 points and Roger Mason added 18 to lead the Spurs. Tim Duncan added 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks for San Antonio, which has won five of its last six games. O.J. Mayo scored 23 of his 26 points in the second half to lead Memphis, which has dropped seven of its last eight. Rudy Gay scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Darko Milicic had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Nov 22: Jazz 103, Grizzlies 94
The AP reports: Mehmet Okur had a season-high 23 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 103-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. Okur was 9-of-15 from the field, including missing only one of his five shots from 3-point range, as the Jazz won the sixth straight game in the series. Ronnie Brewer, who was 10-of-14 from the floor, added 21 points, Morris Almond had 11, and Ronnie Price 10. O.J. Mayo led Memphis with 23 points, and Rudy Gay added 21. Darrell Arthur had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Mike Conley finished with 14 points and eight assists. The Jazz were short-handed. Guard Deron Williams missed his 12th game because of a sprained ankle, Carlos Boozer sat out with a strained left quadriceps, and Kyle Korver was sidelined by an inflamed right wrist.
Nov 18: Grizzlies 109, Kings 94
The AP reports: A three-day layoff was just what the Memphis Grizzlies needed to rejuvenate their struggling offense. Rudy Gay scored 22 points and Memphis shot a season-high 54 percent to help the Grizzlies snap a four-game losing streak with a 109-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night… Hakim Warrick added 21 points and 10 rebounds and Marc Gasol scored 16… John Salmons led the Kings with 18 points, while Spencer Hawes scored 14, hitting all seven of his shots. Rookie forward Jason Thompson scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. He also had three blocks. The Kings were short-handed, playing without leading scorer Kevin Martin and forward-center Mikki Moore.
Top recruit Xavier Henry picks Memphis
I don’t normally include college news in this blog, but it’s worth knowing that Xavier Henry, a top national recruit, will be playing for John Calipari at the University of Memphis.
Coach Cal for years has shown an amazing ability to land star players, and Henry is another on that list.
Ticker reports: Both of Henry’s parents played basketball at Kansas, but the younger Henry wanted to be reunited with brother C.J., a freshman on this year’s Memphis team.
Ticker reports: A 6-6 shooting guard at Putnam City High School, Henry averaged 26.7 points and 7.2 rebounds last season in leading his team to a 25-2 record and the quarterfinals of the state Class 6A quarterfinals.
ESPN.com (Christopher Lawlor) reports: The start to Henry’s senior season will be delayed up to six weeks following surgery to repair a broken cheekbone suffered in an automobile accident on Oct. 22. Henry said, he still has headaches after the surgery in which two plates and eight screws were inserted, but he is expected to be cleared for game action in late December.
Nov 14: Bucks 101, Grizzlies 96 OT
The AP reports: Ramon Sessions had 20 points, including a pair of free throws that put Milwaukee ahead with 42.3 seconds left in overtime, and the Bucks held on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 101-96 on Friday night. “We were just trying to be persistent,” said Milwaukee forward Richard Jefferson, who led the Bucks with 26 points and 10 rebounds… Luc Richard Mbah a Moute had 19 points and 17 rebounds for Milwaukee, while Luke Ridnour finished with 14 points. O.J. Mayo led Memphis with 25 points, while Rudy Gay finished with 24. Marc Gasol had 18 points for the Grizzlies… Ramon Sessions’ 3-pointer with 9.4 seconds left in regulation tied it at 87. Sessions missed a desperation shot as the horn sounded to send the game into overtime. “(Sessions) hasn’t shot many threes in his career,” said center Andrew Bogut, who had 12 points and 15 rebounds.
Nov 12: Knicks 132, Grizzlies 103
The AP reports: The Knicks set a franchise record with 19 3-pointers, hitting 56 percent from beyond the arc, and Wilson Chandler scored a career-high 27 points in New York’s 132-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Chandler missed only one of his 12 shots in the game, and Nate Robinson made all eight of his, including five from long range, part of New York’s 19-of-34 performance from 3-point territory… Jamal Crawford added 25 points and eight assists for the Knicks, who shot 59 percent from the field. Memphis entered the game allowing teams to shoot only 41.9 percent from the field, sixth-best in the league. Robinson scored 21, while Zach Randolph had 18 points and 10 rebounds… Rudy Gay led Memphis with 20 points, while O.J. Mayo, who had surpassed 30 points in his last two games, scored 17. Marc Gasol finished with 16 points for Memphis, which lost for the first time at home this season.
Nov 10: Suns 107, Grizzlies 102
The AP reports: Rookie O.J. Mayo did all he could to rally Memphis in the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies had no answer for Leandro Barbosa. Mayo had 19 of his game-high 33 points in the final period, but the victory went to the fifth-year veteran known as the Brazilian Blur and Phoenix as the Suns won 107-102 on Monday night. Barbosa almost went shot-for-shot with the rookie in the fourth, scoring 16 of his team-high 27 points in the period, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 43.8 seconds left… Amare Stoudemire scored 18 points, Boris Diaw added 13 and Nash had 12 points and six assists for the Suns, who have won five of their past six games overall… Rudy Gay scored 20 and Marc Gasol finished with 15 for the Grizzlies, who were 1-3 on their four-game Western road trip.
InsideHoops.com Notes: Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley shot 0-of-6 for no points, 3 steals and almost nothing else in almost 25 minutes. Kyle Lowry struggled off the bench behind Conley, however, shooting 1-of-6 for 2 points.
Nov 9: Nuggets 100, Grizzlies 90
The AP reports: Chauncey Billups is learning on the job. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets keep winning. Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points, Billups had 16 points and 10 assists and the Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies 100-90 on Sunday night… The Nuggets had 22 turnovers, but they played tough defense in the second half, holding Memphis to 36 points and 28 percent shooting. They shut down rookie guard O.J. Mayo, who scored a season-high 31 but managed only five after halftime… Nene had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets, who had six players score in double figures.