1.18.06 v. Memphis
Leading by a point at half-time last night, the Grizzlies fell to the Spurs 93-83 before a sold-out FedEx Forum (18,119) in Memphis, giving Memphis back-to-back losses to San Antonio ... on Saturday, in San Antonio, the margin of loss was a point, 79-89.
So, when the 23-13 Grizzlies make their 1st appearance at the Ford tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. (on Cox), they will have lost 2 in a row, not having lost 3 in a row all season. The 18-19 Hornets will have won 3 in a row, having won convincingly (107-92) yesterday afternoon in Charlotte. The Hornets haven’t yet won 4 in a row this season.
Yet, playing tomorrow night’s game in the Ford Center instead of Baton Rogue, you’ve gotta think that the Hornets have a chance to pull off that feat and go .500 at 19-19.
Last night’s win in Charlotte gave the 18-19 Hornets the same number of wins they had in all of 2004-2005! Chris Paul’s play yesterday was particularly fine before hundreds of his North Carolina family and friends – the 300 Hornets T-shirts he bought for them were probably not enough as (according to the post-game radio announcer) about 700 of them remained in the arena after the game to honor their young Wake Forest returning hero! Chris had 24 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. David West wasn’t far behind with 22 points and 11 rebounds, 1 assist. 4 other Hornets scored in double-digits: Speedy Claxton, 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Rasual Butler, 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists; P.J. Brown, 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist; and Desmond Mason, 11 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists. It was a good, solid, and sustained win.
Our starters from last night's game were David West (#30, 6-9, Xavier, Ohio; 16.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.3 apg); Chris Paul (#3, 6-0, Wake Forest; 16.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 7.2 apg); Desmond Mason (#24, 6-5, Ok State; 10.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.0 apg); P.J. Brown (#42, 6-11, La Tech; 9.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 apg); and Kirk Snyder (#1, 6-6, Nevada-Reno; 6.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.3 apg). Good bench support came from Speedy Claxton (of course) (#5, 5-11, Hofstra; 12.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.4 apg) and Rasual Butler (#45, 6-7, La Salle; 6.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.3 apg). J.R. Smith (#23, 6-6, St. Benedict's Prep, Newark; 9.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.5 apg) played 18+ minutes but had only 4 points. Presumably, Chris Anderson (#12, 6-10, Blinn College (JC, Tex); 5.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.2 apg) will be over his flu.
Other team members and coaches pics are at http://www.dougloudenback.com/hornets/Hornets.htm
But, to get 4 wins in a row, the Hornets will have their hands full tomorrow night. As far as I know, the quickly put-together Ford Center game is not yet a sellout, and it definitely needs to be. The Grizzlies are 10-7 on the road, with wins over Orlando, Atlanta, Phoenix, Utah, Dallas, Toronto, Houston, Lakers, Portland, and Seattle, and losses to Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Indiana, Utah, Chicago, and San Antonio. So, if you can, get some tickets and come to the Ford Center rather than staying at home at watching the game on Cox!
Their starters will presumably be the same as last night’s: Pau Gasol (#16, 7-0, Spain; 19.7 ppg (25 last night), 9.4 rpg, 4.3 apg) (unlike in the pic below, he now sports a scruffy beard and mustache); Eddie Jones (#6, 6-6, Temple; 13.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.9 apg); Shane Battier (#31, 6-8, Duke; 2.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.9 apg); Bobby Jackson (#24, 6-1, Minnesota; 11.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.5 apg); Lorenzen Wright (#42, 6-11, Memphis; 5.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.9 apg). Expect to see bench support from Mike Miller (#33, 6-8, Florida; 13.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.5 apg). Star Damon Stoudamire (#20, 5-10, Arizona), who scored 54 points including 8 3-pointers against New Orleans on 1/14/2005, is out for the rest of the season, having had surgery on 1.3.06 for a ruptured right patellar tendon.
Fan support for the Grizzlies in their FedEx Forum (18,119 capacity) isn’t as good as the team deserves. Before last night’s sellout (18,119, 3rd of the season), attendance average was 23rd at 15,918.
So, let’s have a sellout tomorrow night, go 19-19, and show ‘em how it’s done!
After this game, the Hornets head east with games against Washinton, New York and Boston, before returning to the Ford Center on Wednesday, 1/25, to host the Spurs.
GO HORNETS!
Originally Posted by roboticbrad
Yeah, I know ... go back to my day job. 
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