Memphis (1-3) at Golden State (0-2)

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  • Game info: 10:30 pm EST Wed Nov 4, 2009
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By ALAN FERGUSON, STATS Writer Nov 3, 2:06 pm EST

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Allen Iverson(notes) seemed to have a positive attitude about joining the Memphis Grizzlies, but it took one game for him to express discontent over being left out of the starting lineup.

As he continues to recover from a hamstring injury, Iverson is expected to remain a reserve as the Grizzlies face the winless Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

The 10-time All-Star guard signed a one-year contract with the Grizzlies on Sept. 10, 2008, and wrote on his Twitter page, “God chose Memphis as the place I will continue my career. … I feel that they are committed to developing a winner and I know that I can help them to accomplish that. I feel that I can trust them.”

At his introductory press conference, he expressed his desire to be a starter after saying in April that he would “rather retire” than come off the bench with Detroit.

However, he also stated to reporters afterward, “Whatever coach (Lionel) Hollins wants me to do, give me the assignment and I’ll go out and do it.”

With Iverson playing his first game since suffering a partially torn right hamstring, Hollins’ assignment for him was to come off the bench as part of a three-guard rotation with O.J. Mayo(notes) and Mike Conley(notes).

Iverson had 11 points in 18 minutes in a 127-116 overtime loss at Sacramento on Tuesday, going 5 of 9 from the field, and proclaimed unhappiness with his role afterward.

“Go look at my resume and that will show you that I’m not a sixth man,” he said. “I don’t think it has anything to do with me being selfish. It’s just who I am. I don’t want to change what gave me all the success that I’ve had since I’ve been in this league.”

Hollins said he plans to ease Iverson, six points shy of 24,000 for his career, back into playing after he missed the team’s first three games.

“In this situation we are trying to win the game but we also want to get him back and fit him in,” Hollins said.

Hollins’ greater concern is fixing a defense that has allowed opponents to score 115.8 points per game and shoot nearly 50 percent. The Grizzlies (1-3) couldn’t stop the Kings’ Beno Udrih(notes) from hitting a tying layup with 1.6 seconds left in regulation and were outscored 17-6 in overtime.

“Defensively we just broke down tonight,” Mayo said. “That happens sometimes. That’s why this is the NBA.”

Memphis faces a Warriors team that also struggled to stop opponents in back-to-back losses to open the season. After a 108-107 defeat to Houston last Wednesday, Golden State allowed Phoenix to shoot 53.6 percent and make 12 3-pointers in a 123-101 defeat Friday night.

“They dominated the whole game,” guard Stephen Jackson(notes) said. “We were real soft out there.”

After publicly requesting a trade in August, Jackson was booed regularly during the team’s home opener against the Rockets. He averaged 15.0 points in his first two games, a mark bested only by Monta Ellis’(notes) 22.5.

With 22.3 points per game, Mayo leads four Grizzlies averaging 18.0 points or more.

After losing seven straight to the Warriors, Memphis swept the three-game series in 2008-09, winning twice in Oakland.

Updated Nov 3, 2:06 pm EST
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Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Memphis 6-10 5th Southwest / 13th West 102.2 106.6 Road 2-7 Won 1 5-5
Golden State 5-10 5th Pacific / 14th West 108.5 112.7 Home 3-3 Lost 2 4-6

Notes

The Grizzlies finished the regular season winning six of their final 10 games. ... G O.J. Mayo led the way in Wednesday's victory, scoring 26 points on 8-of-17 shooting.

Apr 15, 11:47 pm EDT

Golden State players missed a combined 234 games with injuries. ... The Warriors had eight players in uniform and used only seven. ... C Andris Biedrins (nine points) and F-C Ronny Turiaf (eight) were the only players not to score in double figures for Golden State.

Apr 16, 1:58 am EDT
NBA

35 Comments

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  1. G-Loc
    35. Posted by G-Loc Sun Nov 8 11:06pm EST

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    I Luv Nellie...But The Game Has Passed Him By. He's Just Hanging Around To Become The Coach w/the Most Wins In NBA History. Bye Bye After This Season...Cuz The Warriors Have Talent.
  2. Jeff E
    34. Posted by Jeff E Fri Nov 6 9:31am EST

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    play ACIE LAW! he was doin pretty decent in the preseason when given a chance...i wish he would get traded to a team actually looking for a PG
  3. Craig I
    33. Posted by Craig I Thu Nov 5 11:14pm EST

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    Well that is how to play the game keep this up and much more play like as if there last chance to be in the NBA find the open man to beat out the team they will face then jackson can keep hes cool on and off the court.
  4. dagoldeneagle
    32. Posted by dagoldeneagle Thu Nov 5 6:12pm EST

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    andy: are you out of your cotton picking mind?
    who wants to pay to see those no-name young guys who belong in the d-league? corey maggette is a legit 20 plus points scorer who draws a lot fouls.
    as fans, we want the best players in the starting lineup and the rotation, not some bs about developing young guys who will always be bust.
    if they wanna develop and get better, practice or send them to the d-league. just because they were lottery picks don't mean anything. nba games are not for development. it's a waste of our money.
  5. ME
    31. Posted by ME Thu Nov 5 6:00pm EST

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    poor Biedrins...I mean rich Biedrins... at least he's being professional
  6. jay j
    30. Posted by jay j Thu Nov 5 5:18pm EST

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    #12


    your a moron
  7. jay j
    29. Posted by jay j Thu Nov 5 5:15pm EST

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    Andy

    you read my mind
  8. MAX_IN_MISSOURI
    28. Posted by MAX_IN_MISSOURI Thu Nov 5 4:47pm EST

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    Kobe raped a girl!
  9. andy
    27. Posted by andy Thu Nov 5 4:19pm EST

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    This poor piss managed team pisses me off. Who wants to see corey maggette play more than 20-25min a game? I understand we are paying him over 10 mill, but we need to develop our young talent. We need to play randolph and curry. Who cares if we win a couple games here and there this year because of maggette or s-jax. We will never be anything better than a mediocre team with these two jacking up all the shots. Trade them for young talent or draft picks. Forget these selfish veterens who don't play team ball. Am i wrong??? Everytime maggette and s-jax touch the ball I get annoyed. Also, someone explain to me why we're paying mikki moore and speedy claxton almost 6 mill a year each? This is more annoying then when we signed d-fish and foyle 6 mill a year each a couple years back. It's so hard to love this team. Also, soon as Nellie gets the record he needs to go.
  10. ME
    26. Posted by ME Thu Nov 5 3:29pm EST

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    AI Needs to age gracefully man...his image(perceived or real) had come along way before the pistons trade....... why give everyone the chance to start pokin again... he should be an NBA elder not a whiney crybaby
  11. kyle
    25. Posted by kyle Thu Nov 5 2:58pm EST

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    I just love watching Anthony Morrow shoot. He just has the most perfect form I have ever seen. I cannot understand how this guy was NOT DRAFTED. His shot is quick, he has a high release point, and he's got the perfect shooters mentality. Catch and shoot. We need to get him the ball WAY MORE. Every time monta drives morrow is open on the wing. GIVE HIM THE BALL. An open morrow three is a higher percentage shot than a monta reverse lol
  12. paa
    24. Posted by paa Thu Nov 5 2:25pm EST

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    Tough luck for coach Lionel Hollins's team. Productive night from his players but still can't get the W. Hopefully Allen Iverson can get his chance to start the game. Nothing to lose everything to gain for coach Hollins to try it. Now that he have a former All-Star, & MVP its not bad to use him while he is healthy. Let him prove everybody wrong about his approach to the game.
  13. ME
    23. Posted by ME Thu Nov 5 2:21pm EST

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    #23..all that talent and no team because Don Nelson has a style ...that needs to be modified because it isnt allowing chemistry...or the the forming of a team.....
    I bet Don Nelson had a part in allowing Baron to go to LA...They werent getting along at the end of the season and for all mullies herioics it didnt get done..hmmm what usually happens (all the time) when nelson and a player dont jive.......jeteson the player because all those wins(and losses) trumps any sense i guess.
  14. Kyman
    22. Posted by Kyman Thu Nov 5 1:43pm EST

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    #18 and #20 . Don nelson wasn't an idiot when Barron Davis was leading the team to an upset over Dallas and 48 wins the next year. It's not the coach it's the players. These cry baby millionaires make cash to play a game and try to win. Instead they pout, ohhh the coach is being hard on me wa, wa, wa. Play ball crybabies and earn your pay with some victories for the fans that pay you.As soon as Al Harrington saw younger and better talent comming in he got selfish and demanded a trade.As soon as Jaxs got his contract he became selfish,so did Monta. Chris Webber is another good example: Coach yells at me, I miss Juan Howard,wa,wa,wa. The players that should be role models to younger players don't want to be and everyone is out for themselves.Wasn't Nelson the coach when Run TMC was in effect. Yes he was and those guys didn't pout and whine they did what they were paid to do,hustle and try to win.

    Bottom Line: Again, all talent no team. You guys try coaching players like these @#$%s, trust me you couldn't and would be losing and struggeling to find chemistry just like Nelson is.
  15. CardsBall
    21. Posted by CardsBall Thu Nov 5 12:52pm EST

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    #18_JR & #20_ME, I agree with both of you.
    We've gotten a bad franchise here and don nelson is an idiot, a moron.
  16. Kyman
    20. Posted by Kyman Thu Nov 5 12:23pm EST

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    Tyson - I gree with you about AI. but Have you been watching these Warrior games?? Correy M. is terrible,a ball hog and way past his prime,he needs to on the floor as little as possible. How about A.M.? He needs to be on the floor and CM on the bench playing the end of quarters to rest better and younger players.

    Monta- Is agood one on one player but he has no clue how to set up other players. I watched him drive to the basket and take shot after shot with other players standing wide open on the wings. Yes he can score but he deosn't make anyone around him better. It's really painful to watch him go one on one all game long. In the long run they will win very few games with him hogging the ball.The assists stats are misleading becuase all the Warriors do is dribble past half court and give it to another player who then creates his own shot.

    Curry- He is a rookie but he is already a better passer than Monta. He will be a good point gaurd eventually. He can shoot,pass and when he gets out of his rookie season he will be able to defend without getting called for fouls on every defensive hustle play.

    Jackson-Yes he can pass well sometimes but playing point is out of the question. He would get doubled and try to take the entire defense to the rim and turn the ball over too much. He does that repeatedly throughout games. Again, just like Monta he doesn't make anyone around him better or get them open looks. He looks for his own shot and screw the rest of the team, just like Monta.

    Bottom Line: A lot of talent but no teamwork. Thus the Warriors will have another losing season with a bunch of guys getting traded to other teams that will become stars on.
  17. ME
    19. Posted by ME Thu Nov 5 11:30am EST

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    Don Nelson Is Alienating Almost Ecery Single Warrior Player...And the Owner Gives HIs Full Support....
    We've got no plan...he's trying to figure it out as they go by shuffling everyone..... but the players the W's have are good...theres no need to wing it...there should be structure maximizing the talent that present..

    F-ed up man...
  18. Derrick R
    18. Posted by Derrick R Thu Nov 5 10:02am EST

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    Will somebody tell A.I. that he is not an All Star anymore! Please. This guy thinks so much of himself. Yeah, he WAS a great player before. But that was all that is. Remember that no team this season wants to sign him. And now, I'm pretty sure the Memphis management is scratching their heads for doing so. The guy can still score. But he is no winner. He scored consecutive 50 plus points in Philly in a losing streak. He doesn't care about the win, just his points. When he was in his prime, he demanded that the team traded his teammates who has the potential to be a scorer like him. If there was a list of ballhogs, his name would be on top of that list. It's just sad what happened to his career. A bunch of guys older and less talented than him have a better market value in the NBA today. His ego is just that big. And bottom line is that teams just wants to win.
  19. JR
    17. Posted by JR Thu Nov 5 4:24am EST

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    Where the hell is Randolph. D Nelson is an idiot
  20. Antony
    16. Posted by Antony Thu Nov 5 4:22am EST

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    Play IVERSON you stupid moron coach...conley who???? Play A.I. you win games. NO debate.
  21. Fukimo Makuto
    15. Posted by Fukimo Makuto Thu Nov 5 2:52am EST

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    Did Arson T attended any school?
  22. docks
    14. Posted by docks Thu Nov 5 2:13am EST

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    Of course AI vs any 2nd team is going to have inflated stats... not that I'm saying Conley is any good.
  23. henri p
    13. Posted by henri p Thu Nov 5 1:49am EST

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    Randolf still has an attitude problem directed at Nelson. Same thing happened last year. Nelson has enough depth to fill in for him atm. When the under rated Wright comes back Randolph needs to seriously get past his attitude problem.
  24. Tyson
    12. Posted by Tyson Thu Nov 5 1:46am EST

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    i dont care much about anthony randolph, but corey maggette/kelenna azubuike/anthony randolph should be starting instead of stephen curry. move ellis or stephen jackson to the point.
  25. Tyson
    11. Posted by Tyson Thu Nov 5 1:45am EST

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    mike conley doesn't belong in the same sentence as allen iverson. they can bring a guy up from the d-league and he can duplicate conley's production.
    allen iverson is not a ballhog. he shot only 12 times and dished out 7 assists. made 8 of time. drew a few fouls in 27 minutes. memphis was competitive when he was on the court (minus 1) even though he shared the court with the 2nd unit wit the likes of sam young, demarre carroll, and marcus williams who all have no business playing in the nba.

    conley on the other hand, wasted 10 possessions by taking 10 shots. was incredibly inefficient by hitting only 3 of them. didn't draw a single foul. dished out 6 assists while commitng 5 turnovers (horrible assists to turnover ratio for a point guard). oh and worst of all, he was minus 17 while playing with the 1st unit. he also logged more minutes than a.i.

    can the media and the nba shut up about a.i. being washed up? this is the most concentrated effort by david stern to marginalize a superstar.
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