March 2002 Memphis Grizzlies Wiretap

Ankle issues again for Magic's Hill

Dec 28, 2002 9:05 AM

Grant Hill's ankle was again a factor for the Orlando Magic, who themselves must be questioning whether Hill will ever return to his Pistons form, last night against the Memphis Grizzlies, the star's night restricted to just three minutes and zero points before he'd be forced to leave.

Tracy McGrady was able to keep his sizzling form going, scoring 25 in the first half and 25 in the game, but it was the defense and depth of the young Memphis team which stole the show, the Grizzlies coming back from a 10 point second half deficit to take the game 99-86.

Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, NBA

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Person to miss three weeks

Dec 25, 2002 1:44 AM

Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the Grizzlies are likely to be without the NBA's leading three point percentage shooer for the next three weeks after Wesley Person fractured his right index finger in the team's loss to Utah.

The fracture was revealed on Monday after Person had an X-ray, and it looks like he could be out until Jan. 13, when the team travels to the Bay Area to take on the Golden State Warriors.

Person said he wasn't sure when the injury happened.

"Late in the second quarter, I was throwing a pass to Drew (Gooden) and I might have run into somebody when throwing the pass," said Person, who's averaging 9.7 points and is shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 52.3 percent on three-pointers. "The finger is swollen bad and that's the most important finger I need shooting the ball. I hope I can get the swelling down."

"The most important thing is to get back the range of motion," Person said. "I can't bend it. When it happened, I thought it was an ordinary jammed finger. But it kept swelling and I couldn't shoot after trying to warm up at halftime."

Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, NBA

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Flat note

Dec 23, 2002 12:58 PM

There are games coaches oversee and then wish the evidence just vanishes.

Grizzlies coach Hubie Brown already has two game tapes he'd like to see turned into ashes.

Both of them were downright dismal and demoralizing.

And both of them came against the Utah Jazz.

GoMemphis.com

Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Jazz roll by Grizz, face Rockets

Dec 23, 2002 12:54 PM

'Tis the season to be stressed.
     
So who can blame Jazz coach Jerry Sloan if he had a concern or two heading into Utah's Sunday matinee with Memphis?
     
After all, as Sloan said, "Coaches worry about everything."
     
On this day, he fretted chiefly about a letdown after the Jazz's big win over NBA-leading Dallas on Friday night, and later about getting sucked in by sloppy play by the eight-win Grizzlies.
     
But with those two potential problems averted as Utah rolled easily and looked decent doing it in a 103-74 romp over Memphis at The Pyramid, Sloan's stress-meter skyrocketed with the thought of a much bigger worry that awaits: 7-foot-6 rookie center Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets, whom the Jazz visit tonight.
     
"We just have to try to execute, and try not to let him do the things that he does well," said Sloan, who got a sneak peek at Yao representing his native China at the FIBA World Championship tournament in Indianapolis last summer.
     
"We haven't played against (the Rockets), but we know they're very talented individually, and they're getting better and better all the time as a team because of what he presents," Sloan added. "I mean, he's not going to give you a lot of easy baskets inside."

Deseret News

Tags: Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Massenburg Outscores His Former Teammates to Delight Memphis Crowd

Dec 23, 2002 12:50 PM

The Jazz are thrilled that Tony Massenburg felt right at home Sunday, and it had nothing to do with his old homecourt.
   
Massenburg got a warm and respectful ovation from the matinee crowd of 15,478 in the Pyramid when he checked into the Jazz's 103-74 victory over the Grizzlies. The reserve forward played four seasons with the Grizzlies, including last year's inaugural season in Memphis, and was one of the franchise's most popular players.
   
But Massenburg showed his appreciation by contributing 21 stout minutes for the Jazz, outscoring all of his former teammates except Shane Battier (they each had 11 points), and collecting more rebounds (seven) than any Grizzly but Lorenzen Wright.
   
Are the Grizzlies certain they cut the right guy?
   
"Nah, I understand why they did what they did," Massenburg said of his former team, which released him the day before the season opened. "But it's been a blessing for me, because I was able to land in a place where they want me to do the things I've done my whole career."

Salt Lake Tribune

Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Jazz Send Grizz to Early Hibernation

Dec 23, 2002 12:49 PM

Pau cowed, and how. Now Yao.
   
That's the Western Union version of the Jazz's relaxing Sunday stroll through the Pyramid, where Pau Gasol and the Grizzlies apparently overslept the afternoon tip-off and awoke far too late to offer any resistance in Utah's 103-74 victory.
   
The Grizzlies scored just three baskets in the first quarter, fell behind by 23 points before halftime, and resumed their Sunday siesta before the sun went down, settling for their lowest point total since . . . well, since their visit to Utah earlier this month. That might be the most discouraging thing for Memphis -- the 29-point beating is actually progress compared to the 104-71 punishment the Jazz administered in the Delta Center.

Salt Lake Tribune

Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Jazz face surging Grizzlies

Dec 22, 2002 1:07 PM

So much has changed since the Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies met at the Delta Center two weeks ago.

In pummeling the Grizzlies 104-71, the Jazz had won for the ninth time in 10 games, while the Grizzlies fell to 2-18 on the season.

Both teams made a quick turnaround, however, with the Jazz losing their next four games and the Grizzlies winning 6-of-8 since then, heading into today's rematch in Memphis.

The Jazz appeared to get on track Friday in Dallas, when the league-leading Mavericks were beaten on their home court for the first time all season.

Standard-Examiner

Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, NBA

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New homes for Battier, Fizer, Garrity?

Dec 16, 2002 5:59 AM

After Sam Smith had written a trade scenario to 'help' the Bulls in his Chicago Tribune column each Monday, Bulls GM Jerry Krause decided to get a little payback on Saturday.

On Saturday Krause presented Smith with a set of business cards naming him the Bulls' Monday morning general manager with a variation on a favorite credo of columnists: Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Being Monday, Smith was again up to his old tricks.  With Horace Grant recently landing on the outer in Orlando, a team already desperate for front court help,... I guess you can see where this one is going.

'(Orlando) could deal Pat Garrity to the Memphis Grizzlies, who would like a small forward who can shoot outside. The Grizzlies then could send Shane Battier to the Bulls, with Fizer ending up in Orlando,' writes Smith, claiming that the Grizzlies have cooled on Battier after his solid rookie campaign.

'Battier, the No. 6 pick in the 2001 draft, would satisfy Krause's deserve to get "value" for Fizer.'

RealGM Note:  Smith fails to allude users to the fact that Garrity signed a contract extension in July and as a result he is a Base Year Compensation player.  As a result Garrity's trade value is only 50% of his salary.  For this reason the trade is declined.

December 15 has now passed, so players signed this past offseason (but not in the last 60 days) are now tradable.  This includes the majority of this season's rookies

Tags: Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, NBA

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Swift Decline

Dec 16, 2002 12:37 AM

Third year forward Stromile Swift was one of the few bright spots before coach Sidney Lowe?s departure.

He was one of the few bright spots the first six games Hubie Brown coached.  But now he?s spending more time on the bench, and he?s wondering why.

Memphis Commercial Appeal reporter Ron Tillery says Brown has used six-game sets to evaluate line-up combinations.  In the first set, Swift looked good while Pau Gasol struggled.

But in the second set, Gasol and Lorenzen Wright were given the starting opportunity.  Both players stepped up to the challenge.

Meanwhile, Swift?s response to the change has been to let up.  He lost mental toughness. His response to coming off the bench has been lackluster practices and a routine loss of focus in games.

In other words, Swift shot himself in the foot and then handed the coaching staff more ammunition.

Brown?s observation is, ?That's unfortunate for Swift. But let's see him meet the challenge now. That's what professional sports are all about. You have to show your worth with your unit. Not give less with the unit because you feel you're not getting enough time.?

With the team still having a logjam at power forward (Gasol, Swift, Drew Gooden), the buzz about Swift being on the block is returning.

In the meantime, the Stro Show says he intends to request a meeting with Brown in the coming days.  ?I just want to be more important to the team. Right now, I don't feel I'm that important because I'm not playing that much.?

Memphis Commercial Appeal

Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, NBA

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Posey's gaffe ruins Nuggets' late rally

Dec 12, 2002 2:05 PM

Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News reports on last nights Nuggets loss to the Grizzlies.

Tags: Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA

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Nuggets' trip is strictly business

The Rocky Mountain News

Nuggets-Grizzlies preview

The Daily Camera

That hurts

GoMemphis.com

Utah hammers woeful Grizzlies

Deseret News

Jazz Rout Grizzlies for 12th Win

Salt Lake Tribune

This 'Odd Couple' Are Still Friends

Salt Lake Tribune

A passion for the ages

The Rocky Mountain News

Hubie brings out the unselfishness in Williams