Rudy Gay

shoot better from the line when they do get there.  You can't find easier points than that.

Rudy Gay may have the toughest matchup in the game as he will battle Ron Artest.  Hopefully, Rudy can get some cheap fouls on Ron-Ron to take him out of the game mentally, if not physically.

Continue reading "Lakers loom as Grizz road trip nears end"

bsp; Until that point, the Grizzlies had played a good third quarter by their standards.

This was Rudy Gay's night.  Allen Iverson got the Grizzlies started, but Rudy took over hitting clutch jumpers to save countless possessions.  He finished with 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting.  It's a shame that he most likely will not be in a Memphis uniform next season unless negotiations pick up.  I don't think the Grizzlies are going to give him the money he wants, which is typical of this organization.  Plus, I'm sure Rudy wants to play for a playoff contender, and the Grizzlies are still not at that point.  He is streaky, but when he is hot, as he was in this game, he can take over.

Continue reading "Warriors 113, Grizzlies 105"

Mayo scored 22 while Rudy Gay added 21.  Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Iverson also finished in double figures.

The Grizzlies didn't use their bench much at all outside of Iverson's 17 minutes.  By overtime, the starters had to be exhausted.  Gasol played 49 minutes, while Mayo and Gay each played over 46 minutes.  They are going to need some rest at some point, which means the Grizzlies need to find someone on the bench (that means you, AI) to provide some offense.

Continue reading "Grizzlies fall in OT; Iverson gripes"

Mayo scored 22 while Rudy Gay added 21.  Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Iverson also finished in double figures.

The Grizzlies didn't use their bench much at all outside of Iverson's 17 minutes.  By overtime, the starters had to be exhausted.  Gasol played 49 minutes, while Mayo and Gay each played over 46 minutes.  They are going to need some rest at some point, which means the Grizzlies need to find someone on the bench (that means you, AI) to provide some offense.

Continue reading "Grizzlies fall in OT; Iverson gripes"

Mayo scored 22 while Rudy Gay added 21.  Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Iverson also finished in double figures.

The Grizzlies didn't use their bench much at all outside of Iverson's 17 minutes.  By overtime, the starters had to be exhausted.  Gasol played 49 minutes, while Mayo and Gay each played over 46 minutes.  They are going to need some rest at some point, which means the Grizzlies need to find someone on the bench (that means you, AI) to provide some offense.

Continue reading "Grizzlies fall in OT; Iverson gripes"

Mayo and Rudy Gay exchanged heated words on the sideline late in Sunday's game are probably not a cause for concern.  Both are extremely competitive and were frustrated that they were playing as hard as they were and not really getting anywhere.  That shouldn't be a continuing problem.  The Grizzlies need to build on this experience and apply what they learned to tonight's game at Sacramento.

Continue reading "Nuggets hand Grizzlies frustrating loss"

day will come, though.  It's a long season, and it drags down every rookie sooner or later.

Rudy Gay fell a rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with 17 points and nine boards.  Mike Conley also came up big with 10 points and 10 assists.  He really seems to fit his role well this season coming off the bench.  Last season, he wasn't sure where he fit into the team's plans, and I'm not sure Marc Iavaroni knew how to use him.

Continue reading "Grizzlies 115, Raptors 107"

ever, the Suns asked for basically the entire nucleus of the Grizzlies' team, namely Hakim Warrick, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley.

While that may seem like a high price, the Suns would likely have settled for less had the Grizzlies negotiated at all.  However, they simply said, "No, thanks!" and sent the Suns on their way.  Phoenix is desperate to slash payroll, so they will take any measures to shed Stoudemire's contract.  I don't know if the Grizzlies could have handled the contract themselves, but they could have come to some sort of less expensive agreement.

Continue reading "Grizzlies Nix Deal For Stoudemire"

70.  The Grizzlies were shorthanded themselves, playing without three of their regulars.  Rudy Gay was a late scratch because of a sore hip, a sprained ankle sidelined Kyle Lowry, and Darrell Arthur missed his second straight game due to a family illness.  With those three out the win became even sweeter.

Continue reading "Grizzlies 78, Raptors 70"

the Grizzlies, who knocked off the Wizards and Rockets by double figures earlier in the week.  Rudy Gay led the team with 26 points, while Mike Conley added 18.  O.J. Mayo was held to 10 points.

Continue reading "Clippers 126, Grizzlies 105"

points.  Mayo is having a rough January, suffering through the same shooting woes that haunted Rudy Gay earlier this season.  It was good to see him match Vince Carter point-for-point.  Statistically, the Grizzlies didn't play all that poorly.  Probably the telling stat was the fact that New Jersey only turned the ball over six times, while the Grizzlies coughed it up 11 times.  New Jersey scored 11 points off the Grizzlies' turnovers while the Grizzlies scored seven points off the Nets' miscues.

Continue reading "Grizzlies fall to Nets, prepare for ..."

gin, 108-88.

The loss was the eighth straight for the Grizzlies, a season-high in futility.  Rudy Gay led the team with 20 points, but O.J. Mayo struggled from the floor, making only 4-o

Continue reading "Grizzlies tab Hollins, fade against Knicks"

fficulties in the early part of the season.  Unfortunately, the Grizzlies can't afford to have Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo have coinciding off-nights.  If one of them doesn't have his shot, the other has to pick up the slack.  Without the offensive leadership of at least one of those guys, the Grizzlies don't stand much of a chance of winning, especially against a team like San Antonio.

Continue reading "Spurs 91, Grizzlies 80"

e Grizzlies inside, although they gave the Spurs all they could handle on Saturday.

In that game, Rudy Gay appeared to draw a foul on a putback attempt in the waning seconds of double overtime with the Grizzlies trailing by two.  To the dismay of the Grizzlies and coach Marc Iavaroni, no foul was called and the Spurs (20-10) held on for the win.  Now everybody knows a foul is never going to be called in that situation, as obvious as it might be.  That is just how the game goes.  It's unfortunate, and probably wrong, but that's life in the NBA.  It didn't help that the Grizzlies were underdogs playing on the road against a perennial playoff contender, either.  Officials are human, and they build up the reputations of certain teams and players to the disadvantage of others.  It's wrong, but I would love to hear an official try to deny it.

Continue reading "Spurs 106, Grizzlies 103 2OT"

n both the Lakers and the Celtics. 

The key matchup tonight will be at small forward, where Rudy Gay will square off against Indiana's Danny Granger.  Both players are potent offensive weapons.  The difference between the two is that Rudy has help and Granger doesn't.  If Gay can hold Granger down on the defensive end of the floor, the Grizzlies will have a good shot at winning the game.

Continue reading "Grizzlies hoping for holiday cheers"

. 

Although they managed to whittle it down to 89-80 in the fourth quarter, a quick shot by Rudy Gay on the next possession initiated a fast break for Dallas (16-11) and helped put the game away.  The unnecessary 3-point attempt was just one of many bad shots the Grizzlies took, a combined result of the Mavericks’ defense and their own offensive breakdowns. 

Continue reading "Mavericks 100, Grizzlies 82"

ball over six times in the fourth quarter. 

Five Grizzlies scored in double figures, led by Rudy Gay’s 23 points.  Mayo scored 22, Hakim Warrick 14, Darko Milicic 11 and Mike Conley 10. 

Continue reading "Lakers 105, Grizzlies 96"

turnovers and make the most of their offensive possessions.  They need a huge night from Rudy Gay, who seems to be back on track offensively.  However, everyone will need to be

Continue reading "Family Reunion"

streak of scoring in double figures end as he managed only seven points on 2-of-10 shooting.  Rudy Gay hit 7-of-10 shots to lead the team with 17 points, while Milicic was the only other Grizzly to reach double figures. 

Continue reading "Bobcats 112, Grizzlies 83"

They won a low-scoring third quarter 18-12.

Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 28 points while O.J. Mayo added 20. David West and Chris Paul each scored 18 for the Hornets.

The Grizzlies and Hornets engaged in a physical battle from start to finish. There were plenty of fouls on both ends of the floor and dicey situations involving players on nearly every play. However, the Hornets earned a significant advantage at the free throw line by being more aggressive on offense, and that proved to be the difference in the game. They knocked down 29-of-38 attempts at the line while the Grizzlies made only 14-of-19.

Continue reading "Hornets 91, Grizzlies 84"

Conley nearly put up a triple-double, finishing with nine points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Rudy Gay had the hot hand for the Grizzlies, knocking down 12-of-21 shots on his way to a gam

Continue reading "Grizzlies Spoil Return of Rose"

O.J. Mayo vs. Rose should be an exciting matchup to watch throughout the contest.

Rudy Gay also has a key matchup at small forward with the Bulls’ Luol Deng. Although he has struggled this year with the addition of Rose to the offense, Deng has a pretty good mid-range jumper. The Grizzlies will have to know where he is in on the floor at all times and not let him get wide-open looks. The Grizzlies’ bench has been the reason for their current streak, accounting for 52.5 of their 108.5 points per game during that time, and it was their savior against Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Continue reading "Memphis welcomes familiar face in Bulls' Rose"

hit 3-of-5 shots in 18 minutes of action to help the Grizzlies take the lead in the second half.

Rudy Gay led the team with 22 points.

The Grizzlies attacked the basket with aggression, getting to the line 33 times to the Thunder’s 30.  They made 26 of their attempts.

Continue reading "Grizzlies get their revenge on Thunder"

y.  Their goal was to play better, play harder and play smarter.  Mission Accomplished.

Rudy Gay came off the bench for the first time this season and responded by leading the team with 20 points in 24 minutes of action.  Quentin Ross knocked down a 3-pointer to open the game, and the Grizzlies' offense rolled from there.  Houston never led in the game, getting as close as within two points in the third quarter.  The Grizzlies' lead reached as many as 22 points in the first half, and despite an 18-6 surge by the Rockets to close the first half, the team remained calm.  They held a dominant edge in scoring through most of the third quarter, answering another Houston run with a 15-9 spurt of their own.  The Rockets still won the quarter, 28-27, giving the Grizzlies their first win of the season when losing the third quarter. 

Continue reading "Grizzlies 109, Rockets 97"

play.  You have to move into position quickly.  I think they will catch on eventually.

Rudy Gay awoke from his recent offensive slumber to lead the team with 25 points.  O.J. Mayo struggled after the first quarter, when he hit his first five shot attempts, but still finished 9-of-17 for 20 points. Hakim Warrick and Conley also finished in double figures.

Continue reading "Grizzlies 93, Clippers 81"

o let the game come to them and regain their self-confidence.  The same is especially true for Rudy Gay, who seems to be struggling the most right now.  He needs to have a good game to remind himself of how good he can be.  Once he has a breakout night, I think he will get back to his usual form.

Continue reading "Picking Up the Pieces"

Mayo and Rudy Gay each hit big baskets in the fourth after the Spurs looked like they would put the game away again.  Unlike the other night when they could never get the deficit under five points, the Grizzlies made some progress.  They got to within three points this time.

Continue reading "Spurs 109, Grizzlies 98"

erformance on Wednesday.  The starters need to get going early to avoid playing from behind.

Rudy Gay scored 27 against Utah after managing only 13 against the Spurs.  He needs to be closer to 27 than 13 tonight.  As usual, the Grizzlies need to get as many easy points as possible in transition and at the free throw line.  They also need to come out of the halftime break with a good rhythm.

Continue reading "Grizzlies Face Familiar Foe"

Mayo had another spectacular night, finishing with 22 points, but this time he had help.  Rudy Gay played his best game of the season to lead the Grizzlies with 27.

The Grizzlies gave away too many points, with the Jazz getting 15 points off nine Grizzlies turnovers in the first half alone.  They need to do a better job of protecting the ball.  One particularly frustrating turnover involved

Continue reading "Jazz 117, Grizzlies 100"

convenient move.  Javaris Crittendon is going to be stuck on the bench all season unless both Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry get hurt or the Grizzlies happen to be in a position where they have "garbage time" to give away.  The Grizzlies need to lighten up the backcourt, so dumping Crittendon and Greg Buckner would be a good move depending on the returns.

Continue reading "Grizzlies making a move?"

he Spurs' physical halfcourt defense.  They will need major contributions from Mike Conley and Rudy Gay, who will both need to handle the ball responsibly and limit costly mistakes that the Spurs can use against them.  As many players as possible will be counted on to provide points or big plays, especially if the starters get into foul trouble.

Continue reading "Grizzlies Face Critical Test Against Spurs"

Mayo.  Now the front office needs to commit to keeping him, along with Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Darrell Arthur.  But that is talk for the offseason.  Right now the guys just need to keep playing and trying to win every time out.

Continue reading "Turning the Corner?"

hat was easily their best overall performance of the season, possibly the best they've ever played. Rudy Gay led the team with 22 points, while Hakim Warrick came off the bench to contribute 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Grizzlies (4-7) connected on 10-of-16 3-pointers and dominated the boards 46-33. Darko Milicic played his best game with nine rebounds in 20 minutes.

Continue reading "Grizzlies 109, Kings 94"

Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay both need solid outings for the Grizzlies to be successful.  Second-chance points will be an important factor in the team's chances of pulling out the victory.

Continue reading "Back to Work"

Mayo and Rudy Gay should continue to put up big numbers.  Gay needs to have confidence in his shot when he has a good look.

The Bucks have a few big bodies to contend with in Andrew Bogu

Continue reading "Grizz will bounce back"

point advantage at the free-throw line could make a dent in the Grizzlies' deficit on this night.

Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting. O.J. Mayo added 17 while Marc Gasol finished with 16.

Continue reading "Knicks 132, Grizzlies 103"

ense, this game is very winnable.  Getting points from Quentin Ross and a solid performance by Rudy Gay to go along with Mayo will be a key.  They will have to be aggressive on the bo

Continue reading "Home Again"

nce points for the Suns while creating their own.

Offensively, the Grizzlies need good games from Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo.  If the bench, particularly Kyle Lowry, can continue to per

Continue reading "End of the Road (Trip)"

the Nuggets have the lane clogged, which will probably happen on most Grizzlies possessions.  Rudy Gay must come through with at least 20 points.  The Grizzlies will need to take adv

Continue reading "Mile High Grizzlies"

nds of the floor it will go a long way toward helping the Grizzlies end their road woes.

Finally, Rudy Gay needs to show up.  His contributions to the team in all aspects of the game are

Continue reading "Friday night preview"

90-79 win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday at the FedEx Forum. Second-year player Rudy Gay and rookies Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo combined for 48 of the team's points.  Gay's production was one of the keys to the game coming in for the Grizz, who expected to need around 30 points from him in order to win.  The UCONN product nailed a couple of 3's early in the game but struggled in the second half.  However, just when it seemed that it might not be his night, Gay hit a driving layup and a pair of consecutive jumpers late in the third quarter to give the Grizz the lead for good.  The team closed the quarter on a 10-2 run to lead 73-67 entering the final frame. Gay finished with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

Continue reading "Grizzlies 90, Warriors 79"

ers in the NBA the team is sure to go through a painful learning process, but budding stars such as Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol represent the potential the organization has to be successful. 

Continue reading "New Season for the Upstart Grizzlies"