Playoff Matchup Round 2: Thunder (4) Vs. Grizzlies (8)

and 3 out of the 5 are out of the playoffs and okc had to take an undermanned team to 7 games to knock us out.

Good argument.

 

I had to turn it off at half time.

They milked the Grizzlies for all the ratings they were worth.

 

<!-- http://twitter.com/#!/ShaneBattier/status/69901663070199808 --> <style type='text/css'>.bbpBox69901663070199808 {background:url(http://a2.twimg.com/profile_background_images/57856049/s2.jpg) #000000;padding:20px;} p.bbpTweet{background:#fff;padding:10px 12px 10px 12px;margin:0;min-height:48px;color:#000;font-size:18px !important;line-height:22px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata{display:block;width:100%;clear:both;margin-top:8px;padding-top:12px;height:40px;border-top:1px solid #fff;border-top:1px solid #e6e6e6} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author{line-height:19px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author img{float:left;margin:0 7px 0 0px;width:38px;height:38px} p.bbpTweet a:hover{text-decoration:underline}p.bbpTweet span.timestamp{font-size:12px;display:block}</style> <div class='bbpBox69901663070199808'><p class='bbpTweet'>I can't express how much pride I have in this team and the city that rallied behind it. 10 years and this has been one of the rarest of runs<span class='timestamp'><a title='Sun May 15 23:07:09 +0000 2011' href='http://twitter.com/#!/ShaneBattier/status/69901663070199808'>less than a minute ago</a> via <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/download/iphone" rel="nofollow">Twitter for iPhone</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=69901663070199808'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/favorite.png' /> Favorite</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=69901663070199808'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/retweet.png' /> Retweet</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=69901663070199808'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/reply.png' /> Reply</a></span><span class='metadata'><span class='author'><a href='http://twitter.com/ShaneBattier'><img src='http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/1278515039/SBmem_normal.jpg' /></a><strong><a href='http://twitter.com/ShaneBattier'>Shane Battier</a></strong><br/>ShaneBattier</span></span></p></div> <!-- end of tweet -->

<!-- http://twitter.com/#!/ShaneBattier/status/69902175446372352 --> <style type='text/css'>.bbpBox69902175446372352 {background:url(http://a2.twimg.com/profile_background_images/57856049/s2.jpg) #000000;padding:20px;} p.bbpTweet{background:#fff;padding:10px 12px 10px 12px;margin:0;min-height:48px;color:#000;font-size:18px !important;line-height:22px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata{display:block;width:100%;clear:both;margin-top:8px;padding-top:12px;height:40px;border-top:1px solid #fff;border-top:1px solid #e6e6e6} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author{line-height:19px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author img{float:left;margin:0 7px 0 0px;width:38px;height:38px} p.bbpTweet a:hover{text-decoration:underline}p.bbpTweet span.timestamp{font-size:12px;display:block}</style> <div class='bbpBox69902175446372352'><p class='bbpTweet'>We can lament about missed shots and opportunities, but we be missing the beauty. One team. And a hell of a run. <a href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23GOGRIZZ" title="#GOGRIZZ" class="tweet-url hashtag" rel="nofollow">#GOGRIZZ</a><span class='timestamp'><a title='Sun May 15 23:09:12 +0000 2011' href='http://twitter.com/#!/ShaneBattier/status/69902175446372352'>less than a minute ago</a> via <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/download/iphone" rel="nofollow">Twitter for iPhone</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=69902175446372352'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/favorite.png' /> Favorite</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=69902175446372352'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/retweet.png' /> Retweet</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=69902175446372352'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/reply.png' /> Reply</a></span><span class='metadata'><span class='author'><a href='http://twitter.com/ShaneBattier'><img src='http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/1278515039/SBmem_normal.jpg' /></a><strong><a href='http://twitter.com/ShaneBattier'>Shane Battier</a></strong><br/>ShaneBattier</span></span></p></div> <!-- end of tweet -->

 

Who cares if they're out of the playoffs? You asked which WC teams were better than the Grizzlies. Roxstarz obviously feels those 5 can beat the Grizzlies in a 7 game series.

I didnt watch many Memphis games this year. Does Rudy Gay normally play with the defensive tenacity that Battier/Allen have? Since the Grizzlies have a number of capable scorers (Mayo, Gasol, Conley, Randolph), do you really think the Grizzlies would've been better served by having Gay on the court instead of Battier/Allen?

 

How much do you think Shane will get from Memphis? 4 years, $19 million?

I think they have to worry about re-signing Marc first. Hopefully Morey can find a way to nab him.

 

Don't answer a question with a question. From the start of the playoffs, I've given your team more respect here than anyone else (besides you).

2nd request: It's early, but where do you rank the Grizzlies next season in the West?

 

Shane should make himself go back to the Grizzlies for the vet min. Thats how much he has been sucking for them offensively.

 

Memphis had a great run the last 2 weeks, but let's face it- we've seen this before with teams like the Golden State Warriors and the Nuggets of the 90s. Sure, they can be top 5, but I could just as easily see the Spurs (yes, those Spurs- every year is different), Mavericks, Thunder, Nuggets, Blazers, Rockets, and/or Lakers surpassing them. It all depends on (1) the draft, and (2) trades. I could also see Memphis being a top 3 team, as well.

But please, do we need the sour grapes and excuses? Having Rudy Gay would not automatically mean that the Grizzlies would win this series- one could argue that the Grizz did better without him and that, for this run, it was more addition-by-subtraction. It wasn't about the officials, or Rudy Gay's absence- because if the Grizz won, this wouldn't even be an issue. It's that the Thunder were slightly better.

 

There's no point in ranking teams for next season before player movement, draft, trades, and um, that lockout happens.

 

So that you can call me delusional?

I'd rank the grizzlies at worst 3, behind dallas and okc. But I strongly suspect that once the grizzlies get back Rudy and if Henry improves which, is not out of the realm of possibility seeing as he was the number 1 HS recruit, and the fact that he is so young, he has untapped potential, then the grizzlies would be favored to beat any team in the west, including OKC and Dallas.

Try this exercise: first rank OKC next year (where do you rank them?) I think memphis will be better than OKC, so my rank would be above your rank of OKC by one.

 

No need to be defensive. I already think you are delusional (probably not the only one here).

It's early, right now my top 4 would be OKC, Dallas, Grizzlies, Lakers in that order. At this point, I can't see any other team in the West with a legit chance at the Finals. Unless the Lakers make a major move, I would just about rule them out too. I question whether Z-Bo can put it together next season. If he doesn't, drop the Grizzlies below the Lakers.

 

Zbo is the question mark. Whatever he does will determine if we can compete for a championship or not. If he falls off, it will be bad but not devastating. We just won't be able to compete for a championship.

Oh how I'd love to have a Kevin Love on the team to ensue dominance.

Even still, Rudy, Marc and Conley are going to keep the franchise relevant. Hopefully we get Henry to become a two way player. THAT would be fantastic.

 

Really? Griz is far distant from the Lakers at this point IMO. I am not even sure the Griz could beat us in a 7 game series right now.

 

Tell you "what": A couple of weeks after the Finals are over, start a summer Grizzlies thread. A Nuggets fans does that every summer for the Nuggets. It will help us pass the time during the worst sports months of the year (no NBA & no NFL).

I hope Z-Bo brings it back again next season. I like the Grizzlies a lot. I don't think much of Henry, but you never know. Lionel Hollins earned more of my respect as a coach. I already love him to death because of the 1976 Blazers and because he's just a good man.

 

Can't speak for the 90's Nuggets but that Warriors team was broken up piece by piece each year after they beat Dallas in the 1st round. The West is not as strong now as it was back then either.

 

True.

The East only has one team that I wouldn't want to see in the finals. Chicago doesn't scare me.

 

what needs to come down from his high lol. but i respect his fandom.

lakers, if they keep their core intact, will still be a great reg season team b/c of their talent. and if they make some other changes, they'll still be a 55+ win team.

OKC can only get better b/c of their youth. and their best players will only turn 22 and 23.

dallas is still too deep and too strong.

memphis has the potential to be a top 4 team but i have to see it over the course of a reg season to say that. in the playoffs, they matched up PERFECTLY well w/ the spurs, and an OKC team that is still too young and raw. the warriors had a run in 07 but no one was blind enough to say they'll be great again the next year.

however, memphis does have the pieces, but they need their players to play AT THIS LEVEL for the year to be a top 4 team. and rudy gay coming back can only make it easier.

however, memphis is NOT a title contender next year or the forseeable future.

 

The warriors were an offensive team, with a bunch of undisciplined players and volatile personalities and an aging coach. Comparing them to the grizzlies is dumb.

Also, to claim that the thunder are title contenders but the grizzlies are not is just fandom for the thunder.

Using the argument that the thunder were young, well guess what so are the grizzlies, and the thunder were a year ahead of us.

 

Translated, please overpay me, please overpay me, please overpay me.

 

Just got back from the game. YEAAAHHHH!

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