Grizzlies assistant coach Dave Joerger will meet with the Houston Rockets next week about joining their revamped coaching staff.

Memphis granted Houston permission Friday to talk to Joerger about being a top assistant in charge of defense under Kevin McHale.

According to press reports, the Rockets have reached an agreement with McHale to replace Rick Adelman as head coach.

Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley has heard the trade rumors regarding Rudy Gay.

"I know," said Heisley. "And, quite frankly, it (ticks) me off. I think it's cruel to the guy. He died during this period. That's how much he wanted to play. And to now have to hear that we're trading him? There's nothing more untrue than that.

"Let me tell you something," said Heisley. "No disrespect to Oklahoma City, but if we had had Rudy Gay, we would have won the bleepity-bleep series going away. I really believe that."

Gay signed a five-year, $82 million extension last summer.

Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley is optimist his team will be able re-sign Marc Gasol.

"Marc will decide whether he wants to be here," Heisley said.

"We will aggressively go after him. He's a restricted free agent, so we can match whatever's out there. But obviously if Marc wants to leave, I'm going to have a different attitude than if he wants to stay. I hope he wants to stay. And after what we've done in the playoffs, I think he will."

Rudy Gay will wear a sling for another two weeks, then begin treatment on his surgically repaired left shoulder.

He won't be allowed to participate in contact activities for another four months, but is expected to be ready for training camp in October. Although players, coaches and media didn't harp on Gay's absence, the Griz made a surprising playoff run without their best perimeter player.

"Once we get Rudy back, we'll be back to having a complete team," Griz guard Mike Conley said. "And now we know what it's like to be in this position. That combination will make us a lot better."

Gay has been sidelined since Feb. 15 with a partially separated left shoulder.

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge regrets not re-signing Tony Allen.

"I would have fought harder to bring Tony Allen back," Ainge said. "We tried to sign Tony, we tried to come within our rules of staying in our two-year program. I think that Tony would have helped us.

"We offered Tony a two-year deal out of the gate, but then when Memphis showed him some love and he started thinking about the idea of more playing time ... Then, he wanted a change of scenery."

The Thunder and Grizzlies, whose series is tied at 2-2, are young squads with athletic players who can run, and score on the interior.

Unlike the Portland Trail Blazers Blazers or Lakers, the Grizzlies and the Thunder have quicker point guards who could present a problem for Jason Kidd.

"There are a lot of things we can do better," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said Tuesday afternoon after an optional practice. "The next round we're going to be dealing with quicker athletes. More dynamic athleticism at the guard and wing positions.

"We're going to have to really work at moving our feet and keeping these guys in front of us. When the ball is in the air, both teams pursue the heck out of it. The rebounding is going to continue to be a big theme in the playoffs.... Whoever the next opponent is is going to be very formidable up front and they are going to be quick and a team that can get out in transition. Transition defense, defensive rebounding will be critical."

The Grizzlies had poor spacing in Game 2. They made bad decisions passing the basketball and settled for jump shots.

"They packed it in on us and clogged the lane, but we worked on our spacing and ball movement," a stone-face Randolph said. "We'll be prepared for Saturday."

Griz coach Lionel Hollins didn't use practice Thursday to browbeat his troops. It was a refresher course mainly to remind the Griz that smart basketball will prevail.

"We've got to be better in our spacing and better in our timing," Hollins said. "We've got to play with more pace than we played with in the last game. We did it in the first game. We just got away from it. And you have to give Oklahoma City credit. They came out much more aggressive and much more physical. I expected them to, and I expect them to be on Saturday as well."

Randolph and Marc Gasol dominated the paint with 52 points in the Grizzlies' Game 1 victory. They combined to convert just five of 22 shots for 28 points in Game 2, failing to make the Thunder pay for relentless double teams.

The Grizzlies had 52 points in the paint in Game 1, largely as a result of 17 offensive rebounds that led to 23 second-chance points. Memphis had only eight turnovers. And the Grizzlies' role players, Sam Young, Tony Allen, Mike Conley and Shane Battier, combined to score 44 points on 17 of 39 shooting.

“Give Memphis a lot of credit,” Brooks said. “They came in and played good basketball. They did what they do well, and they did it consistently.”

Now, all the pressure is on the Thunder to stop them.

But that task starts with the Thunder improving in the areas that it can control. Oklahoma City had 18 turnovers, which led to 22 Grizzlies points. That means 65 percent of Memphis' points came inside or off turnovers.

“We have to get better in those areas,” Brooks said. “That's their strength, and they had their way with their strength.”

Kevin Durant declared Zach Randolph the best forward in the league.

"You can’t stop him," Durant said. "He’s an animal . . . He’s the best power forward in the league."

Kendrick Perkins didn’t rubber stamp that endorsement. Perkins declined to name his top power forward, but it’s not Randolph.

“If he says so,” Perkins said about Durant’s opinion. “I don’t agree . . . I’m not going to give my opposing opponent the credit that I got to go against. So if Kevin says (Randolph is) the best power forward, then that’s Kevin’s opinion.’’

After being told in a news conference about Durant’s compliment, Randolph said, “Oh, yeah, I got to agree with that. Thanks, KD. I appreciate it.” Randolph also said that, overall, “I don’t get lot of respect that I deserve.’’

Certainly not from Perkins. Informed what the Boston big man had said, the 6-9, 255-pound Randolph told FOXSports.com:

“Perk’s good, but all Perk can do is foul me. That’s the only thing he can do. The best thing about his defense on me is to foul me . . . He can’t (stop Randolph). He’s too slow. He’s a big body. He can foul.

“I don’t think nobody in the league can stop me. Not only Perk. I tell Perk to his face. I already told him before.’’

Before tip-off of Game 1 between the Thunder and Grizzlies, Tony Allen attempted to exchange pleasantries with former Boston teammate Kendrick Perkins. But the Oklahoma City center refused.

"Umm, I ain't getting into any of that. It ain't even about that," Allen said when asked of the exchange. "It's bigger than that. It's about the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies."