by zike_42 » Sun Feb 10, 2013 4:55 am
December Player of the Month – Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder – 31.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.3 blocks per game.
December Rookie of the Month – Marcello Locatelli, Miami Heat – 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 0.4 blocks per game.
Ricky Rubio leads the team in rebounds, assists and steals in our 108-93 win over Orlando with 11,8, 4 to go with his 5 points. Avery Bradley was electric off the bench with 12 points in only eight minutes. Alfred Abney is playing at SF which isn’t his best position but still put up 15 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.
Memphis Grizzlies 23-9
We are very good at home, and the Bulls realised that in our 101-76 win. Deron Williams had 20 points and 11 assists but I’m really impressed with Avery Bradley and Nikola Vucevic off the bench. They only get 15-20 minutes a game (a big downgrade for Bradley) but they don’t complain and play their hearts out. Tonight they both put up 12 points in 18 minutes. My free agency love Jake Chase had 21 points in the loss while Royce White had a game to forget with 2 points (0/5 FG) and six turnovers.
Memphis Grizzlies 24-9
Away from home we aren’t as flash as we go down to Toronto 90-80 but that score flatters us as we were down by 24 points at one stage. Jeremy Lin was so close to a triple double with 14 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds while Kevin Seraphin and Andrea Bargnani both doubled up. Ernest Jameson, Deron Williams and Ricky Rubio combined to shoot 13/52 from the field which is awful.
Memphis Grizzlies 24-10
Miami are 5-27 but when a team is at home anything could happen. Anything did happen as the Heat scored six points in the last two minutes to snatch the game from us 94-92. David Lee had 21 points and 13 rebounds while Josh Harrellson stepped up with 17 points and 8 rebounds starting at centre. Paul George was our best with 20 points but I’m quite annoyed that we lost to this team.
Memphis Grizzlies 24-11
Boston probably thought they could knock us off with our loss to Miami but man, where they wrong. We smashed them from the starting to win 128-99 as we shot 32/38 from the foul line. Paul George had 34 points and 10 rebounds while Deron Williams and Ricky Rubio combined for 40 points, 20 assists and 10 rebounds. Nice symmetry there. Jared Sullinger was the Celtics best with 19 points off the bench.
Memphis Grizzlies 25-11
Philadelphia are 4-32 but we don’t make the same mistake as the Miami game and stomp them 118-91. Deron Williams had 34 points in the win while Ernest Jameson was uber-efficient with 24 points on 11/12 shooting and 0 turnovers. Vitaly Ekomov was the best for the Sixers with 21 points but Gabe White is still coming off the bench and I won’t be surprised if he demands a trade soon.
Memphis Grizzlies 26-11
Anthony Davis had another amazing game, this time racking up a 5x5 stat with 32 points, 9 blocks, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals in their 130-88 massacre of Phoenix.
Speaking of amazing games, we went into triple overtime against Minnesota. Kevin Love was outstanding with 40 points and 20 rebounds while Damian Lillard put up 17 points and 9 assists before fouling out, as did Monta Ellis. Paul George led the way for us with 34 points while Ernest Jameson fouled out in 25 minutes, not before scoring 20 points. The players that won the game for their team – Dante Cunningham and Nikola Vucevic. Both Jameson and Ricardo Marquardt fouled out super early so these two super subs combined for 16 points and 17 rebounds in our 132-128 win.
Memphis Grizzlies 27-11
I thought we would have had a letdown game the next night against New York but we stayed strong and won 96-81 against the Knicks. Paul George had 21 points and while Ricky Rubio shot badly (2/12 for four points) he did have 11 assists, 8 rebounds and 5 steals. Camara Brinker was the best for the Knicks as the young centre had 17 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks in the loss.
Memphis Grizzlies 28-11
What’s this? Kenneth Faried is on the trading block? So is Chris Drexler from Washington? Hmm, I believe that I could get Faried through Drexler but is it really worth it. I hit the phones...
Memphis trade:
PF Josh Smith (WAS)
PG Ricky Rubio (WAS)
PG Mike Conley (WAS)
2020 1st round pick (WAS)
2020 2nd round pick (WAS)
Washington trade:
PG John Wall (MEM)
PF Chris Drexler (DEN)
C Nene Hilario (DEN)
Denver trade:
PF Kenneth Faried (MEM)
Winner – Washington, then Memphis. They wanted to get rid of Drexler because of his toxic attitude so trading him for Josh Smith really isn’t a downgrade; they will just have to wait a month until Smith returns from injury. Trading Wall for Rubio is a push so they don’t lose any ground.
The Nuggets did lose this trade because of Drexler’s attitude but he might like it in Denver because the team will run primarily through him. I’m over the moon with this trade because of the talent we receive. Faried still has over a month (36 days) until he can return from his torn MCL but when he comes back watch out. Also, John Wall is leading the league in assists per game (12.0) and while he isn’t as good a defender as Ricky he is a much better scorer. I sign AJ Price to back up Wall as well as bring Joe Abney back from the D-League. This team is well and truly a championship contender.
Our first game since the trade is a 99-76 easy win over the Clippers as Ernest Jameson taking out the PotG award with 22 points and 13 rebounds as we outrebound LA 55-41. John Wall was fairly average in the first game with 13 points (4/15 FG), 7 rebounds and 5 assists but did block three shots. I’m sure he will gel with the team in due time. William Jones top scored for the Clips with 15 points but this team is very much a team in transition.
Memphis Grizzlies 29-11
In Ricky Rubio’s first game as a Wizard he had 11 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists before fouling out trying to guard Kyrie Irving. It didn’t take Chris Drexler long to get going as he put up 33 points and 12 rebounds in Denver’s 114-111 win. All they need now is a proper PG as they have Harrison Barnes starting there.
For the second time this season Demond Lewis puts up a 20/20 game with 25 points and 21 rebounds as we lose to Atlanta 94-86 as we just can’t get past them. Deron Williams and John Wall combine for 38 points on 36 shots but no-one else did much.
Memphis Grizzlies 29-12
Kevin Durant scores only 17 points while Russell Westbrook had 22 points on only nine shots (15/18 FT) as we go down again, this time a 88-85 squeaker to OKC. Ernest Jameson had 25 points and 16 rebounds for us but our backcourt of Williams and Wall combined to go 5/31 from the field. We just have to keep out head above water until Kenneth Faried returns from injury.
Memphis Grizzlies 29-13
That’s more like it. John Wall explodes for 26 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks as we get back on track with a 95-88 win over Portland. Ricardo Marquardt and Ernest Jameson only shot 11 shots between them but combined to grab 25 boards. Spencer Hawes was the Blazers’ best with 24 points and 9 rebounds but LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Fields combined to shoot 11/36 from the field.
Memphis Grizzlies 30-13
It seems that whenever Ernest Jameson has a great game we lose, and it happens again as EJ had 23 points and 12 rebounds in our 116-105 loss to Milwaukee after the Bucks outscored us 41-22 in the final quarter as we imploded late. Rajon Rondo had 20 points and 7 assists while Thomas Cooper has moved to the bench and had 13 points in 19 minutes.
Memphis Grizzlies 30-14
We still have some work to do against teams like Cleveland as they humble us 90-76. Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 17 rebounds while their other superstar Kyrie Irving had 12 points and 13 assists. John Wall tried to keep up with him with 18 points but couldn’t sustain it. Kenneth Faried played his first game of the season, limited to only 23 minutes for 4 points and 5 rebounds but it was amazing to see him play.
Memphis Grizzlies 30-15
The Knicks had seven players in double figures as they sweep us aside in New York 112-99 and the fans let me know all about it. Rudy Gay led the way with 19 points which was matched with our highest scorer in John Wall.
Memphis Grizzlies 30-16
We finish the month with another loss, this time a 112-100 home defeat to Boston. Kenneth Faried is getting better every game, this time having 24 points and 7 rebounds as Al Horford took out the Player of the Game award with 20 points and 7 rebounds. We don’t need to panic as this team is constructed for the latter part of the season instead of right now.
Memphis Grizzlies 30-17
After a four game (current) losing streak we finish the month 8-8 and moved down to fifth in the conference but when we click, look out. Utah is still on top with a 37-7 record with New Orleans three games behind and the daylight. Phoenix are waiting until next season, currently sitting on 7-38.
In the East Detroit have broken away at 34-9, a whole 4.5 games ahead of second placed Cleveland. There is a battle between second and fourth with the Cavs only two games ahead of fourth placed Toronto while fifth placed Orlando is only three and half games ahead of eleventh placed Atlanta and makes for an exciting rest of the season.
Memphis Top Points
Paul George – 19.9
Deron Williams – 19.1
Ernest Jameson – 13.6
Memphis Top Assists
John Wall – 10.8
Deron Williams – 5.5
Paul George – 3.3
Memphis Top Rebounds
Ernest Jameson – 8.7
Paul George – 7.2
Ricardo Marquardt – 5.9
Here is a rundown of the traded players –
John Wall (MEM) – 8 games, 17.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.3 blocks
Kenneth Faried (MEM) – 3 games, 11.7 points, 1.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal, 0.7 blocks (19 days until 100%)
Chris Drexler (DEN) – 9 games, 22.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.4 blocks
Nene Hilario (DEN) – 9 games, 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.0 block
Ricky Rubio (WAS) – 8 games, 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 2.8 steals, 0.5 blocks
Mike Conley (WAS) – 8 games, 4.3 points, 1.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.1 blocks
Josh Smith (WAS) – 8 games, 6.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.8 blocks (13 days until 100%)
League Top Efficiency
Anthony Davis (NOH) – 30.2 (21.4 points, 2.2 assists, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 4.2 blocks)
Kevin Durant (OKC) – 28.9 (32.0 points, 1.5 assists, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks)
Kyrie Irving (CLE) – 25.8 (20.8 points, 10.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 0.7 blocks)
Rookie Top Efficiency
Marcello Locatelli (MIA) – 11.8 (10.2 points, 3.2 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks)
Damon McMaster (HOU) – 10.4 (9.2 points, 0.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 0.3 steals, 0.2 blocks)
Jeff Cunningham (LAL) – 8.9 (8.3 points, 0.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks)
Second Round of NBA Draft Prospects (previous rank in brackets)
1. (1) C Bryce Metcalf (Iowa), Sophomore, 6’11”, 279lbs
2. (2) C Emmett Emerson (Memphis), Sophomore, 6’11”, 268lbs
3. (NR) SG Ron Winston (Bradley), Senior, 6’8”, 217lbs
4. (NR) SF Brian Williams (California), Junior, 6’9”, 211lbs
5. (5) SF Cedric Watson (Dayton), Freshman, 6’6”, 201lbs
Thoughts – The two centres are breaking away as the top two similar to the Mark Lewis and Travis Ross draft. Winston looks legit so far, averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists a game so far.