[Live 06] 3rd year franchise started with the 97/98 roster

[dadaucha]

Reef, Grizzlies win against SanAntonio

Memphis continues to win games by scoring. But this game was different: This time it wasn't a team effort like the last two huge wins, instead Reef had 37 points, 3 boards, 5 dishes and 4 steals. Moreover the scoring chart looked different. Players like Ceballos, Thomas and Price stayed under their normal possibilities. What do thes players have in common? - Correct, they play SF/SG. The Spurs really did a good job defending against their swingman. Sean Elliott and Jaren Jackson are two veteran swingman, who managed to stop them. That is clearly visible when you look at their numbers. These three players normally combine for 45 points. Tonight they only had 19 points combined. But the PGs had a good game: Edwards 10pts and 4ass, Mugsy added 8 and 2 steals. Even Antonio Daniels scored 4pts.
The game wa strange: The Grizzlies dominated the first quarter 28-12, but the second quarter was completly different. Howard Eisley came off the bench and gave the Spurs a good push, so they won the second 22-25. But the Grizzlies regained control und won the second half 55-39


Gerv Howard draws a foul on Tim Duncan

Reef dominated the game and had 37 points

Tim Thomas scores on the tip-dunk

[dadaucha]

Grizzlies win with team effort, but loose Iwanaka to injury again

The Grizzlies are unstoppable right now. Since Reef is back they are so deep and can substitute their whole lineup without a signficant break in the game. They rotated with all 12 players again.
The had no trouble cruising to a uncontested 98-62 win ( 52-38 at halftime), allowing only 24 points in the second half.
The offense was carried by their 5 topscorers: Reef had 18pts and 4ass, Ceballos scored 24 (18 in the first half) and added 3 steals. Gerv Howard had a very nice game with 16pts, 3 boards and 2 rejections in just 12 minutes. Tim Thomas had 14 points off the bench. Vito Price was extremly effectiv again, scoring 10 points combined with 2 steals in just 6 minutes.
But they had to face some injury trouble: Dan Rasmusson went out early in the second quarter with a back injury. But he will be back for next game.
Toro Iwanaka was injured in the thirs quarter. He couldn#t continue and will be out for 3 weeks. With the other two centers out Gomer Marshall had the opportunity to prove his skill. He didn't disappoint his team. He scored 8 points, grabbed 6 boards and added 7 blocks in just 9 minutes.
Theo Edwards led the team with 8 assists


Gerv Howard used his abbility to spread the floor with his midrange shooting

Ceballos scored 18 of his 24 points in the first half

Dan Rasmusson ent out with a back injury

Monster block by Gerv Howard

Toro Iwanaka will be out 3 weeks

Gerv Howard put his feet into (!!!) the ground for this block

[dadaucha]

Grizzlies' Trio wins it, but Orlando did a good job

It's been awhile since the Grizzlies had to fight to win a game. The Magic won the first quarter 22-23, but the Grizzlies stepped up in the second, winnig it 24-14. The Magic fought thier way back into the game, making it a 6 point game to start the final quarter. But the Grizzlies, realized their situation, stopped committing turnovers and concentrated on offense to turn the game in their favour. With an impressive run they finale won the game 97-77.
Penny Hardaway, the leagues top scorer was unstoppable, scoring 30 points.
The Grizzlies were led by their 3 stars once again: Reef had 20pts and 6reb, Ceballos scored 18 and added 2 steals. Tim Thomas scored 18pts.
Gerv Howard was effective again, scoring 10pts and also had 2 boards and 2 assists in 10 minutes.
The Centers didn't do a ggod job, giving away a lot of offensive boards and had problems blocking shots. The absence of Toro Iwanaka is feelable. They will try something different in the next game: Placing gerv Howard as a center. He isn't big, but the can rebound and especially can draw centers out of the zone with his midrange shooting. Vito price will get a spot in the starting lineup, while Reed and Ceballos go from SG and SF, to SF and PF.


The game was a fight without much highlights. Here is an alley-oop to Thomas

[dadaucha]

Team effort wins game, but defense isn't at its normal level

Since Toro Iwanaka is out, defense isn't what it used to be. The opponent isn't affraid to drive to the basekt anymore. Gerv Howard took the starting center spot because the other centers had problems rebounding int he last few games. He is just 2,03m but he can jump and fight for the boards and really did a good job, grabbing 8 boards in 12 minutes. He also had 12 points and a block.
Tim Thomas led the team in scoring with 21 points. Vito Price, who had had a spot in the starting lineup, fulfilled thier hopes with 16 points and 6 dishes. Ceballos and Abdur-Rahim stayed rather quiet with 12 and 14 points.
The Grizzlies nerver won a quarter with a big difference but in the end it summed up to be a solid 95-76 win. Iwanaka will be back for the next game and will be ready to frighten his oponents with his block again.


Reef puts it down hard on the alley-oop

Other players took the responsibility so Reef had a quiet night

[dadaucha]

Memphis changes team by making two trades, 8 players involved

No one saw it coming: The Grizzlies had a perfect run so far, winnig games, scoring points in a fluid system. A proverb says: "never change a winnig team, but they did.

After the game in Portland, there were some rumors that they were interested in youngster Jermanie O'Neal, a Forward/Center, who is just 21 years old, and will need some time to develop. (Because of my 97/98 roster mod, players who are still active have their original contracts, so O'Neal earns 19mil this year)

Here is the first trade:

Ceballos (72).........................O'Neal (73)

Mack (69)...............<->..........Yushkevich (68)

Daniels (68)


Ceballos was their topscorer, but wasn't as godd as in the year before. He turned 30 his contract ends this summer, so the Grizzlies tried to replace him with a young player.
Jermaine O'Neal is a C/PF and certainly not a successor for Ceballos, but he can be their future in the front court. He's very young, extremly quick for an sevenfooter and he can rebound and block. But he has to work on his endurance, because he hasn't seen much time on the floor in Portland.
Mack hasn't played yet this season and he won't play said some experts. He isn't a bad player but he's extremly inconsistent
Daniels is soooooo far away from being important this season. Last year he was a hero, scoring 12ppg in the season and 16ppg in the playoffs. But this year he doesn't hit shots and didn't play very much.
Yushkevich is a young rookie center, but they need no center, so they traded him:

Here's the second trade:

Yushkevich (68).....................Traylor (73)

Norris (58)..............<->.........Anthony (62)

(Actually i don't know why they accepted this trade, but i'm happy)

This trade brings Traylor to the Grizzlies, an extremly talented young PG. He can shoot very well and has tremendous ballhandling skills. But he's very slow...
Norris didn't play the whole season. He was their 5th PG and they won't feel sad sorry for tradig him
Greg Anthony won't play, he just was there to make the trade complete.

This causes some adjustments in their rotation:

O'Neal will be their new starting center, even if he won't play very much.
Reef, Vito Price and Tim Thomas will rotate in the SF/SG position. Blue Edwards will help them.
This means Mugsy and Traylor will play PG.
Because of having 3 centers now, Dan Rasmusson can finally play PF. He has the size of the a center, but he feels more comfortable at PF. Gerv Howard will still start at PF. George Lynch's minutes will decrease some more.

[dadaucha]

Team still works after trades, Grizzlies dominate game

Some critics were really shocked. "Why they traded?? Their team was steaming hot..." some of them wondered.
But now they can be quiet again. Memphis had its's first game after the trade and has done a great job: Minnesota didn't have a chance at all. Memphis increased its lead by 10 points every quarter. The finla result was 102-60.
Some stats tell the changed situation: Reef had 30 points. He can take more shots since Ceballos is gone. He also dished out 5 assists and was a solid leader for his young team.
Gerv Howard has increased playing time since Reef has to play SF all the time. He used it to score 18 points including some impressing midrange shots.
Tim Thomas had a special challenge: Because of the lack of SG he has to fill the void. He definitely has the shooting and did a good job moving the basketball, too. He scored 14 points.
Dan Rasmusson suprised everyone: He had the chance to prove his skills at PF and he did an impressive job. He had 14 points in 10 minutes.
Jermaine O'Neal really had bad luck in his first game for them: He got injured after 4 minutes, blocking 3 shots in this time. The doctors still have to see how many games he'll miss...


Dan Rasmusson finally starts to play good basketball

O'Neal did a good job till he got injured

Reef gives the good pass to Gerv Howard

The new playmaker: Dennis Traylor can jump

Tim Thomas has proven his guard-like skills

[dadaucha]

-notes-

Injury Update:
Jermaine O'Neal will be out for 9 weeks. He'll be ready for the season's last two games and the playoffs


Grizzlies had hard fight to win against Milwaukee

Milwaukee has build an amazing teams: With Dennis Rodman, Glen Robinson, Ray Allen and Terell Brandon they maybe have the league's best four player combination. As a consequende they have won a lot of games this year. MEM vs MIL was said to be the league's most exiciting game. And it was a close battle. They Grizzlies failed to build a lead early and gave a few leads away. Because of an outstanding 12 point effort by Gerv Howard in the final quarter the were able to finally build a 19 point lead. The final result was 92-73.
Gerv Howard not only was the last quarter's hero, he was the player of the game: He had 22 points and 2 steals.
He was supported by Reef with 15 points and 6 assists. Toro Iwanaka used his increased playing after the O'Neaö-injury to post 12 points and he added 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. Vito Price had 12 points, 6 assists and 3 steals. Tim Thomas kept in the background, only scoring 10, but adding 3 assists and 2 steals.
Dennis Traylor showed a part of his talent, scoring 9 points and dishing 6.


Toro scored 10 in the first half

Vito Price was active in multiple sections: points, steals, assists

Dennis Traylor hit his first 3pter for his new team

Traylor also dished out some nice assists

Gerv Howard ruled the last quarter with 12 points

[Lamrock]

It looks good but RAISE THE DIFFICULTY! You are winning every signle game by at least 20. No fun reading a dynady about a team that goes 29-0.