<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Eddie Jones stood above the verbal fray -- questions about a two-game losing streak -- before interrupting. "We win as a team," the veteran guard said. "We lose as a team." Those words only seemed to fire up the guy answering questions about Pau Gasol's ineffectiveness and the Grizzlies' suddenly inept offense. "Who did we lose to when we lost two in a row that last time?" center Lorenzen Wright fired back. "You don't remember. Nobody will remember this when we win five or six in a row again. Teams go through this." Of course, everything starts with Gasol and so one could call his number when discussing what has ailed the Grizzlies on offense the past two games. But Gasol's passive approach and admitted low confidence during defeats against Dallas and Indiana last weekend don't tell the whole story. The Griz displayed scintillating ball movement when they won six straight games. They created easy baskets with sufficient rebounding and scores at the rim. Their perimeter shots fell good and often enough to manufacture higher shooting percentages than the opponent. Just as Gasol has disappeared so have those elements required for the Grizzlies offense to run smoothly and not sputter. That falls on everybody's shoulders. So following a day off Sunday, the Griz returned to work Monday with coach Mike Fratello emphasizing fundamentals. "It starts with small things," Fratello said. "It starts with passing, setting screens, making cuts and spacing. We need to pass the basketball quicker and crisper. Ball movement makes the defense work. If you make the defense work, you have a better chance of getting high-percentage shots. If we get the small things in order we can put the puzzle back together again. And then making shots helps." The Griz shot 34 percent and converted 41-of-65 attempts from the free-throw line in the past two outings. They lost those games by a combined 21 points, making those 24 misses from the charity stripe even more noteworthy. Additionally, the Griz were outrebounded 97-77 during the mini-skid and they averaged just 16 assists. Compare those statistics to the six-game winning streak, when the Griz averaged 21 assists, outrebounded opponents (230-222) and outshot teams (48-39.5 percent). Jones isn't about to hit a panic button. "We all need to take the same shots we've taken," Jones said. "Once you try to force the issue, that's when you have your problems." If anyone needs to force the issue, though, it's Gasol. He's reverted to performing like the feeble foreigner drafted in 2001, and Gasol knows it. "If I'm not executing or going to the rim hard or getting my teammates involved, we're going to struggle," Gasol said. "I just have to get back out there and play basketball and have fun. It hasn't been a whole lot of fun the past couple of games. "I'm trying to get my confidence back and I'm going to try to be as aggressive as I have been. I'm going to stay after practices and work on my outside shooting." </div> Source
