Atlanta @ Memphis 4/15

[HMFFL]

I'm on a four game win streak watch yourself Memphis!

Atlanta 46-34 (Road: 16-24)



@ 8:00 pm EDT

Memphis 23-58 (Home: 15-25)



NEXT UP: THE PLAYOFFS!

[evildallas]

If anyone from the Hawks reads this. Please bring back some Corky's dry rub ribs from the road trip. I'm good for it.

[HoopsGuru25]

If we win then I would imagine that there will be a coin toss for pick 19 between us and the Jazz? I don't think it matters that much since the Jazz are probably not going to be looking at pg.

[vanjulio]

I hope we can warm you guys up for the playoffs. of course last time we met you guys ran the score up on us and had a 26 point lead in 3rd quarter. I now recall listening to the radio broadcast because there was no video feed that night.

[Master8492]

No need to play JJ for this game.

[HMFFL]

I fully expect Memphis to win this game.

Let me check the line..........

Memphis favored to win by 7.5 points. O/U 190

[vanjulio]

Warrick, Gay, Haddadi, Miles ( ) are all playing for contract.

[evildallas]

Haddadi and Gay are under contract for next year, but I would think the Grizz want to win at home more than the Hawks subs.

[evildallas]

BTW, if Memphis doesn't win the draft lottery (meaning Griffin), I expect them to sign David Lee in the offseason to play PF. He rebounds well, can run the floor, and won't take a lot of shots from Gay and Mayo. That makes him a better fit than other free agents. Knicks are unlikely to match if it compromises their 2010 free agency plans.

I so rarely get to discuss the Grizz, so I wanted to work that in to this thread.

[vanjulio]

Pardon me - Rudy is asking for extension however. Haddadi I think we have rights to him but not a contract. I'm not sure how it works. We tried to get David Lee once and the rumor is that he told his agent "no way in hell will I go there". Otherwise I know we went after him, failed, and then offered Josh Smith a huge contract which you guys matched. Then - there was the Zach Randolph/Darko Milicic rumor which thankfully failed. If we wait til 2010 we could do better than Lee though maybe.

[evildallas]

Sure Rudy wants an extension now, but is in a Grizzly uniform at a set rookie deal price next season regardless. I checked ShamSports and Haddadi was listed as a 3 year deal. It might have termination clauses, I don't know. As for David Lee, he'll go wherever he needs to go to get paid. He was trying to block a trade when he made the no way in hell comment. I had forgotten about it though and Memphis may hold a grudge over the statement. If so, I have an alternative free agent candidate in the next paragraph.

I disagree with waiting because more teams will have cap room in 2010 like Miami, Chicago, New York. When you are a secondary market (like both of our teams are) you have to spend when you have an advantage because head-to-head you'll get used to bid up someone's price. While you should pay drastically more than what someone is worth you are more likely to win a free agent derby this summer. Memphis has good young pieces at 1-3 and C (I like Marc Gasol). The draft figures to add another key young piece probably a wing or big given the likely spot in the draft. You need to add a backup PG (preferably with some experience), a 2nd unit scorer, and a solid PF to the mix. Other than David Lee, the other guy that makes sense as a starting PF would be Lamar Odom. He'd bring experience to a unit without any. For backup PG, I wouldn't spend too much and would focus on players like Jacque Vaughan, Brevin Knight, Bobby Jackson, or Anthony Johnson. You want a solid vet to backup and teach Conley, not someone to take the job away. Miller, Bibby, Kidd are bigger names, but they would set Conley's development back too much by taking too many minutes. That 2nd unit scorer likely will come from the draft. I also think you add a backup PF in the 2nd round like a Taj Gibson, Robert Dozier, or Jeff Adrien. Personally I think the the Grizzlies are in pretty good shape. OKC gets all the press for upside, but with the right moves this summer the Grizz can leap frog them.

[SeizeCoup]

Hey y'all, I have three Hawks on my fantasy team: Bibby, Josh Smith, and Flip Murray. Is there any chance either Bibby or Smith are going to play any minutes tonight? I am thinking about starting Murray and benching the other two. Any advice? Thank you in advance.

[evildallas]

If you go by last night, I'd expect more Flip than Bibby. Not sure on Josh, but if you can sit him I probably would.

[SeizeCoup]

^^^ thanks for the reply, that's what I was thinking as well. Just needed to hear somebody else say it. Despite (seemingly) doing all the right things though, it looks like I might lose the final 5-4 Unless Flip gets 50!

[Retrovision]

IDK what to think about this game. Im just ready to here the date of game 1 preferably sunday!

[HMFFL]

ZaZa is expected to play tonight.

[evildallas]

We've decided to rest Dominique from the broadcast tonight.

[JoshB914]

Wow. This is an awful game.

[LL Cool Scott]

ZaZa is expected to play tonight.

Grizzlies, BEWARE!!!

[JoshB914]

Well that was terrible. I'm glad Woody learned from last year and decided to rest the starters.

I'm missing NBA LP already. Two incredible three pointers at the buzzer in the SA-New Orleans and Phili-Cleveland games to send the games to overtime.