Hey Grizz fans

[WebbFreeman]

What do y'all think about Lionel resting Z-Bo and Tony? I would have played them, but I am not privy to their physical condition. They may getting worn down and need the rest. It might be
a brilliant move to secure the best seeding. I thought it was a little strange. We shall see if Lionel is a genius or a dufus. I like him as coach and his record seems to indicate that he makes the right moves. Most teams appear to be scared of the Lakers, maybe he just wants to play them to prove the Grizz aren't afraid.

 

[hatfieldms]

And I do think this is as much Heisley as it was Hollins

 

[MTNDawg.sixpack]

The Grizz still control whether they play LA. They could lose tomorrow and they would play the Spurs no matter what.

On the matchups, with Bynum being questionable for part of the first series the Grizzlies might want to see the Lakers before the Spurs who have a healthy Parker, Ginobli, and Duncan. Everybody keeps saying they want the Mavericks but I don't feel the same. Memphis plays with a chip on their shoulders against LA and the Spurs. Those two matchups would be bloodbaths and have more of the giant killer feel that the Grizz seem to thrive on.

After seeing Camby shove Gasol in the back after a play tonight I was ready for them to sit everybody and after Z-bo was slow to get up the other night it was a good move. Tony has earned a night off. Not to mention that Battier got a little feel for his shot because of the extra PT. Above all, at this point I think it is poor judgment to question Hollins. He apparently knows how to get these guys going.

 

[RebelBruiser]

I suspect that you'll see a lot of Haddadi, Vasquez, and Powe tonight against the Clippers.

If New Orleans beats Dallas (they probably won't), then the Grizzlies won't have to worry about it, but if New Orleans loses, I expect the Grizzlies to call up the D-league to play for them tonight.

I do wonder why they wouldn't have tried harder to get the win last night though to see if they could get to the 6 seed. I guess if the ultimate goal was to avoid LA, the only way to definitely avoid LA would've been to go 0-2 to finish. If you go 2-0, you get the 6 seed, but you could've still ended up with a 3 seed Lakers as a possibility. This way they know they can end up with the Spurs with their own control.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I don't want the Laker simply because of all the Lakers fans that will be in the Forum.

 

[Seinfeld]

It pains me to no end to watch a team throw a game, and that was essentially what happened last night. Not playing Zebo and TA was one thing, but the whole demeanor of the team was like they were just playing a pickup game. Even when the game was tied at a few different points in the first half, there was never any doubt that the Grizz were going to lose that game.

That said, I trust Hollins and the coaching staff at this point. He has handled this team all season nearly to perfection and has proven me wrong on multiple occasions. If you're not going to play to win, I'd almost rather the team just forfeit, but I'll trust that Lionel had good reasoning to do what he did and it did get then bench some valuable minutes.

 

[RebelBruiser]

It's tough to watch when a team isn't trying to win. It's a lot like the games at the end of the MLB season when a team already has their playoff position locked up. They use a lot more of the 40 man roster and often start pitchers that normally don't start so that they can get their rotation and bullpen set up in order for the postseason.

At that point, as a fan, I don't even really want to watch because it's nothing more than a scrimmage.

It's the same reason I really don't like spring games all that much. There is no excitement when it doesn't matter who wins and the team isn't playing with an urgency to win.

If New Orleans loses tonight, I expect the Grizz to be playing pretty hard to lose tonight.

 

[seshomoru]

That there is no way the NBA will allow the Lakers to bow out in the first round. They can do without the Spurs. I'll take it.

The realist in me knows that Kobe and Phil have a playoff gear and are ready to go. I actually feel better about playing the Spurs, who the Grizz beat twice at home. I think they can get some wins in the Forum. Stealing one at San Antonio will be difficult, but no more difficult than winning in Staples.

 

[Frances Drebin]

....because they still have something to play for. They could've all but clinched the six seed last night. It pisses me off to no end. Even at the end of the game, they're within 8 with 4 minutes left, and they take out Conley, Mayo, and Young. It's one thing if you already know your seed and who you're playing. But if you've still got something to play for, damnit, play for it.

I'm a big Grizzlies fan and go to a lot of games, and I gotta tell you, I've been pleased with the job Hollins has done this year for the most part, but he just about undid all of it last night. If the Grizz end up matched up with the Lakers, they deserve it.

 

[Hanmudog]

That there is no way the NBA will allow the Lakers to bow out in the first round. They can do without the Spurs. I'll take it.

<font color="#cc0000">The realist in me knows that Kobe and Phil have a playoff gear and are ready to go</font>. I actually feel better about playing the Spurs, who the Grizz beat twice at home. I think they can get some wins in the Forum. Stealing one at San Antonio will be difficult, but no more difficult than winning in Staples.

I am a diehard Laker fan but this is the worst I have seen them play in years. They look like a ninety million dollar version of this year's MSU team. Disinterested and lazy. I get that teams sometimes tank it at the end of the year but the Laker's still had alot to play for and still pissed it away and could end up3rd in the West and have to face Portland in the first round which I think they could easily lose.

 

[RebelBruiser]

....because they still have something to play for. They could've all but clinched the six seed last night. It pisses me off to no end. Even at the end of the game, they're within 8 with 4 minutes left, and they take out Conley, Mayo, and Young. It's one thing if you already know your seed and who you're playing. But if you've still got something to play for, damnit, play for it.

I'm a big Grizzlies fan and go to a lot of games, and I gotta tell you, I've been pleased with the job Hollins has done this year for the most part, but he just about undid all of it last night. If the Grizz end up matched up with the Lakers, they deserve it.

I think that's the thinking. The only way to guarantee you DON'T play the Lakers was to go 0-2.

If you go 2-0 or 1-1, any number of scenarios could play out to where you end up with the Lakers either in a 3-6 or 2-7 series.

If you go 0-2, you know you get the Spurs.

Just a thought. I thought they should've played for the 6 seed though, but if they win last night, then it would've opened the door for New Orleans to lock up the 8 seed with a loss to Dallas, and then they would've been at the whim of the Lakers/Mavs and the final Portland game along with their own final game to determine which team faced LA and which faced Dallas. They'd have had little to no control over whether they got Dallas or LA. If you don't have much of a preference for Dallas or San Antonio over the other, then why not play for the sure thing? That's my guess as to the thinking.

 

[seshomoru]

That they ran off a 17-1 stretch before they mailed it in?

 

[Hanmudog]

That they ran off a 17-1 stretch before they mailed it in?

I watch just about every Laker game and their weaknesses have been badly exposed the last 6 games. Fisher is cannot guard a fast young PG like Westbrook or even Tony Parker. Artest disappears for long....long...long stretches. Gasol is playing as soft as Charmin. Shannon Brown couldn't hit the side of Staples Center from inside it. Odom shows up sometimes when he is not busy with his reality series. Bynum is a career ending injury waiting to happen. Steve Blake has been a bust and could not stop Jack Nicholson on defense. And Kobe spends the entire time pissed off at the ineptness of his teammates.

That all being said, it would not surprise me to see them turn it on for the playoffs but they have 17ed up badly by letting the home court slip away and I still think Portland could put them out in the first round because they have no one to match up with Gerald Wallace.

 

[RebelBruiser]

Whoever it was still expected to see those teams in the finals. I don't know if I buy Boston without Perkins, but the point was that both have been mailing it in lately, in large part because they aren't concerned with their match up, and they aren't worried about playing on the road.

Most teams want home court. Those teams have won on the road in the playoffs before and aren't as concerned with seeding. They're more concerned about being fresh for the playoff run.

I still expect the Lakers to win the West, though I think OKC could give them a run for their money this year if they play in the conference finals.

 

[Pimp Doggy]

That pissed me off last night when Pete & BK announced that 50 and 9 weren't playing. Z-bo was in some major pain Sunday with the Elbow late in the game. Maybe we needed Ish Smith to get some minutes against a team with Aldredge, Miller,Roy, and Wallace playing hard , perhaps it benefits the team later. Maybe Tony does have water-on-the-knee. I'll give Hollins the benefit of the doubt. As for the fan in me, this is pretty much on par with what I'm feeling Frank.

....because they still have something to play for. They could've all but clinched the six seed last night. It pisses me off to no end. Even at the end of the game, they're within 8 with 4 minutes left, and they take out Conley, Mayo, and Young. It's one thing if you already know your seed and who you're playing. But if you've still got something to play for, damnit, play for it.

I'm a big Grizzlies fan and go to a lot of games, and I gotta tell you, I've been pleased with the job Hollins has done this year for the most part, but he just about undid all of it last night. If the Grizz end up matched up with the Lakers, they deserve it.

 

[hatfieldms]

.....