I don't have time to do a big preview, but tipoff is about an hour away, so I though I'd at least make a thread for discussion. Predictions? I'm predicting a six point Grizzlies win in this one. We've been one of the hottest teams in the league headed into the playoffs, and Gasol is well rested. I also get the impression the Mavs are taking us lighly. I don't think we'll win the series, but this game is well within our reach.
Loss big time. Didn't box out to get advantage on rebounds. Everybody and their momma was fouling Dirk. Bad TOs' too many offensive sputters to try and beat the Mavs.
Where's our friend, Jerry West? He must have gotten tickets to Dallas. Don't worry Grizz fans, last year Dallas was 0-2 and won. Now they're 2-0 so you've got them right where you want them.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TDoug:</div><div class="quote_post">Where's our friend, Jerry West? He must have gotten tickets to Dallas. Don't worry Grizz fans, last year Dallas was 0-2 and won. Now they're 2-0 so you've got them right where you want them.</div> No word on JW, . I was wondering the same thing though... I've never really thought we'd win the series, because we're an overachieving team. We don't really have the talent; in the regular season we just outhustled other teams. We should at least steal one game though. Gasol's been playing really passive lately and has settled for the outside jumper a lot. We've also been slacking off on defense, something that's really uncharacteristic for us. I don't expect either to continue through the entire series though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Where's our friend, Jerry West? He must have gotten tickets to Dallas.</div> Thought he was an Aussie?
I hope Memphis wins at least 1 game. To go to the playoffs 3 years in a row, and not even win 1 game would suck.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AznxBaller:</div><div class="quote_post">Thought he was an Aussie?</div> You're right. Maybe it's an Australian holiday. I was just surprised not to see any comments from him on this series. In response to the post just above, I think Bobby Jackson and Mike Miller are holding the Grizz back in this series and that could be Johnson's plan since he was a guard, himself. Memphis has never been able to guard a healthy Josh Howard and Daniels appears to be rounding into form and of course Dirk is an All-Star with a chip on his shoulder. Memphis must find a way to exploit lack of penetration by the injured Devin Harris. Jason Terry will hang on the perimeter looking to get hot. Gasol is having to get his points away from the basket due to the monsters Dallas has in the paint with Diop, Dampier and Mbenga. That's alot of hard fouls to give. The Grizz need to click this weekend, and as strange as this sounds, Shane Battier needs to exert himself.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TDoug:</div><div class="quote_post">You're right. Maybe it's an Australian holiday. I was just surprised not to see any comments from him on this series. In response to the post just above, I think Bobby Jackson and Mike Miller are holding the Grizz back in this series and that could be Johnson's plan since he was a guard, himself. Memphis has never been able to guard a healthy Josh Howard and Daniels appears to be rounding into form and of course Dirk is an All-Star with a chip on his shoulder. Memphis must find a way to exploit lack of penetration by the injured Devin Harris. Jason Terry will hang on the perimeter looking to get hot. Gasol is having to get his points away from the basket due to the monsters Dallas has in the paint with Diop, Dampier and Mbenga. That's alot of hard fouls to give. The Grizz need to click this weekend, and as strange as this sounds, Shane Battier needs to exert himself.</div> Battier needs to exert himself? Did you see him play in game one? He played shutdown defense, dove on the floor time after time, and was the only player giving any effort on the offensive end. Our point guards aren't just all of a sudden being exploited in this series. Jackson and Atkins have made careers of not playing defense and playing with a shoot-first, pass-second mentality on offense. As for Gasol, when you factor in height and length, there are probably only two or three players in the league bigger than him, so scoring on long, athletic shotblockers like Diop and Mbenga isn't that big of an issue. The problem is all mental. He just can't take the beating in the post. He needs to toughen up and take it hard to the goal like he did all season long. He's playing a lot more timid in this series than usual.
We had that game wrapped up, and Chucky Atkins found a way to blow it. Seriously, why do we always end quarters with the same play: Chucky Atkins (or BJax) dribbles the ball around in circles for 20 seconds and then with four seconds left drives to the goal and blindly throws up a prayer. I can't tell you how many times they've ended quarters on that note. They never seem to have much faith in Gasol in crunch time. Where is Mike Miller in this series though? 8.0 ppg on 8-19 shooting in the series. That coming from our second leading scorer on the regular season. Pau's game has completely disappeared too. He's hanging around the perimeter too much and not playing with any intensity, especially on the defensive end of the floor. He didn't even retaliate when Dirk shoved him to the floor late in the game. Where's the heart? And why does Fratello insist on putting Warrick on Nowitzki? Time after time the kid is getting burned. Who in their right mind puts a mid-first round rookie on arguably the best player in the NBA in a close playoff game?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">Battier needs to exert himself? Did you see him play in game one? He played shutdown defense, dove on the floor time after time, and was the only player giving any effort on the offensive end. Our point guards aren't just all of a sudden being exploited in this series. Jackson and Atkins have made careers of not playing defense and playing with a shoot-first, pass-second mentality on offense. As for Gasol, when you factor in height and length, there are probably only two or three players in the league bigger than him, so scoring on long, athletic shotblockers like Diop and Mbenga isn't that big of an issue. The problem is all mental. He just can't take the beating in the post. He needs to toughen up and take it hard to the goal like he did all season long. He's playing a lot more timid in this series than usual.</div> VC, I don't doubt the defensive intensity is there, but Battier can score and I would rather see him run off some screens than continue to see Mike Miller and Bobby Jackson barely drawing iron. I do think Gasol, after seeing him in this series, needs to get a little "grizzlier" with the ball down low. If he is long enough to dance around and over Damp and Diop, he's not doing it until the game is about over. How about Jerry West in the owner's box with a glass of Cabernet while Cuban is cheering in the peanut section. Something's wrong with that picture. This doesn't look like Jerry West's team. I was expecting a war not a sweep. When Dirk, for whom the Grizz, have no answer; takes a breather, Josh Howard and Jason Terry take over the game. Why? Because Dallas has too many other guys for Fratello to try and stop them. This is a real playoff team for once. l love Gasol and Jerry West, but Gasol seems to be on the wing where he is going to get to the foul line less. Memphis can still strike fear into Dallas but they have got to get Bobby Jackson and Mike Miller and Gasol at peak or near peak performances. My point was that the Dallas gameplan seems to be to take the Memphis guards out of their games and let Gasol play but foul him hard. Shane can jumpstart them by shedding his defensive stopper, Mr. Hustle role, and score 25 points. P. S. Hope all is well down under JW! The forum needs you.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TDoug:</div><div class="quote_post">VC, I don't doubt the defensive intensity is there, but Battier can score and I would rather see him run off some screens than continue to see Mike Miller and Bobby Jackson barely drawing iron. I do think Gasol, after seeing him in this series, needs to get a little "grizzlier" with the ball down low. If he is long enough to dance around and over Damp and Diop, he's not doing it until the game is about over. How about Jerry West in the owner's box with a glass of Cabernet while Cuban is cheering in the peanut section. Something's wrong with that picture. This doesn't look like Jerry West's team. I was expecting a war not a sweep. When Dirk, for whom the Grizz, have no answer; takes a breather, Josh Howard and Jason Terry take over the game. Why? Because Dallas has too many other guys for Fratello to try and stop them. This is a real playoff team for once. l love Gasol and Jerry West, but Gasol seems to be on the wing where he is going to get to the foul line less. Memphis can still strike fear into Dallas but they have got to get Bobby Jackson and Mike Miller and Gasol at peak or near peak performances. My point was that the Dallas gameplan seems to be to take the Memphis guards out of their games and let Gasol play but foul him hard. Shane can jumpstart them by shedding his defensive stopper, Mr. Hustle role, and score 25 points. P. S. Hope all is well down under JW! The forum needs you.</div> Battier's really only an effective scorer in the post, although he's developed a nice little corner three, so I'm not really surprised he hasn't exactly dominated on the offensive end of the floor. We rely on guys like Gasol, Miller, and Jones for offense, and only Jones has shown any life so far this series. I'm not a real big fan of Jerry West as a person or a General Manager, but I'm not going to get on him for sitting up in the press box. Cuban's a one in a million owner. Not many other owners around the league would go to the lengths to excite the fanbase. And yeah, wherever JW is, this forum's not the same without him.
Battier was a three point marksman at Duke as well as Mr. Hustle all over the floor. I was a little surprised when he took the role of the blue-collar 8 point a night 7 rebound 6 assist 1 steal guy. I saw him as a wing shooter and defender who could shoot off the screen and run down rebounds. I expected Battier would average 15 points, but I see what he's doing and unfortunately so do other defenses. Dallas was a tough draw for anyone. I would love to see them playing the Lakers. P.S. Y'all can have Cuban.
Things we can't avoid death, taxes, and the Grizzlies being swept in Round 1. I really feel bad for the Grizzlies and Jerry West. He showed class once again walking to center court and congratulating the Mavericks, their owner, and head coach. It must have been painful to watch his team lose badly at home when they had to win to stay alive. I noticed a lot of empty seats after halftime. This offseason should be very interesting.
Another year, another sweep. Can't say that is a surprise. Things need to change for the better or more problem will rise with more vacant seats at the FedEx Forum.
