By Michael Wallace
Grind City Media
MEMPHIS – Team captain Marc Gasol has a message for those who believe the Grizzlies are frustrated and embroiled in bickering as players and coaches nitpick amid Memphis’ worst stretch of the season.
Basically, Gasol confirms it’s all true.
Yet, perspective is also essential at this stage.
“If I’ve got to address the media every time I cuss Mike Conley out or he cuss me out, we’ll be here only talking about that every day,” Gasol said. “Things are going to happen when there’s great intensity, a lot of passion and a lot of emotion. We want to do great for our fans, and when we don’t accomplish that, we get frustrated. We have to do a better job of all doing (well) at the same time.”
In many cases, problems among teams arise or worsen when the conversations – even some yelling at times – cease. But the Grizzlies (26-20) are still talking through even the tantrums. So to suggest they are a completely disgruntled bunch would be a bit of an overstatement. But to say they’ve been testy and disjointed for a prolonged period is well within reason amid a malaise that has seen Memphis lose 12 of the past 21 games. Digging themselves out of this rut doesn’t get any easier with a season-long, 10-day trip following Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Raptors at FedExForum.
On one hand, the Grizzlies have passed the midway point of the season still searching for some of the same answers they sought at the end of training camp. Memphis remains unsettled at the backup point guard spot behind Conley, seemingly having exhausted options that have included rookies Andrew Harrison and Wade Baldwin IV in addition to playing veteran Tony Allen out of position for stretches.
But the more pressing concerns require stabilizing a primary playing rotation that remains in flux despite relative health and fixing a defense that has cratered in recent weeks. After boasting the NBA’s top-rated defense in the month of the December, the Grizzlies have dipped to 18th in defensive efficiency for January after routinely giving up 100 or more points and allowing role players to look like All-Stars. Memphis is fourth overall in defensive efficiency for the season.
Tension flared from repeated breakdowns during a 24-point home loss to Houston on Saturday, when Gasol emerged from a timeout huddle demanding that Conley do more. Earlier in the game, coach David Fizdale lambasted several veterans during another break in action that did little to slow the Rockets on their way to a 119-95 victory. Conley and Allen have had repeated exchanges during recent games in an attempt to address blown defensive assignments and coverage schemes.
After Saturday’s game, Allen used one of his social media account to post a video in which he confirmed some of the agitation with teammates. But in a post largely intended to address his critics on social media, Allen also suggested those heated moments on the court are no different than what has gone on with elite teams such as Michael Jordan’s Bulls during their championship runs in the 1990s. Allen also denied there were any lingering issues within the locker room but has not spoken with the media since going scoreless against Houston, a game in which he did not play in the fourth quarter.
Conley believes the Grizzlies have always responded well to adversity, and pointed to how they’ve used road trips two other times this season to galvanize the team and get through difficult moments. Among their road wins have included victories over playoff contenders in the Warriors, Rockets, Clippers and Jazz.
“You just have to find a way to push through these times,” Conley said. “Everything that comes our way, we look at it as an opportunity. We have a challenge right now, with rotation changes and guys coming back from injuries. We’ve got to be pros about doing our jobs. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We’ve hit a stretch where we have to find ourselves again and figure it out, talk it through, work for it.”
And that’s what the past three days have been about for the Grizzlies – working to recalibrate. Wednesday is an opportunity to get their house in order before finding their way again on the road.
“We’ve had some much-needed practice time, just to rebuild some connections and point out and clean up things we’ve been doing wrong consistently,” Fizdale said. “We needed to reevaluate where we are, how to assess it and move forward. Guys have had good days of work. Let’s get back to what we do.”
HEALTH REPORT
Grizzlies center Brandan Wright has progressed through two straight days of practice but is listed as out for Wednesday’s game against the Raptors. Wright, who underwent an ankle procedure in November, is considered day-to-day and hopes to make his long-awaited season debut at some point during the upcoming six-game road trip. “I’ve felt good the past few days and I just hope to keep building from there,” Wright said. “You just have to deal with it, but at the same time not rush. I’m excited with where I am right now. It’s like I’m going through training camp again with my body.” Troy Daniels (knee) has done conditioning the past two days but will miss his second straight game. The Raptors will be without DeMar DeRozan (ankle), the NBA’s sixth-leading scorer at 27.9 points a game.
NUMBERS WATCH
8. The Grizzlies have given up 100 points in eight of the 10 games they’ve played in January after allowing opponents to hit triple figures just seven times through 17 December games. Overall, Memphis is 9-16 this season when surrendering 100 or more points.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Vince Carter. The career retrospectives, highlights and milestones continue to stack up for the future Hall of Famer, who celebrates his 40th birthday on Thursday. But first, Carter gets to face the team that acquired him way back in the 1998 draft and nurtured him through the first six years of his career. It’s always an emotional night when Carter plays the Raptors. Now in his 19th season, Carter isn’t taking anything for granted. Even while injured and knowing he wouldn’t play in the first meeting between the Grizzlies and Raptors, Carter still made the trip to Toronto and was greeted warmly by fans during a Nov. 30 loss. Carter enters the game needing just four three-pointers to become only the fifth player in NBA history to knock down 2,000 career treys. The NBA’s oldest active player has scored in double figures in four of his past six games and has played at least 20 minutes off the bench in seven consecutive contests.
GRIZZ-TAKE
Fizdale on chances Conley and Gasol get voted by coaches as All-Star reserves – I sent out a video to every coach in the league about these guys. Obviously every coach is biased, but I just think about the impact they’ve had on our success. The statistics and all of that stuff goes with it. They’re both having their best years. And as a selfish coach, I would love to see both of those guys make the team. But it doesn’t change their value for us either way. They’re big-time players for us.
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Memphis Grizzlies. All opinions expressed by Michael Wallace are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Memphis Grizzlies or its Basketball Operations staff, owners, parent companies, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Memphis Grizzlies and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.