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es that Boston is playing ”hard |
Memphis Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes he can make the franchise competitive immediately with a quick recovery from a 60-loss season.
That’s what his boss expects as well.
”We’re going into it with an optimistic view and we’re planning on success Joe Montana Jersey Youth ,” Bickerstaff said Wednesday, one day after having the interim tag removed from his title . ”We’re planning on a playoff run. There’s no doubt about it.”
The Grizzlies announced Tuesday that Bickerstaff would remain their head coach after he worked the last 63 games of Memphis’ 2017-18 season on an interim basis. Bickerstaff began the 2017-18 season as an associate head coach on the staff of David Fizdale, who was fired in late November .
Memphis went 15-48 under Bickerstaff and finished the season 22-60 , posting the second-worst record in the NBA and ending a string of seven straight playoff appearances. General manager Chris Wallace said he was encouraged by Bickerstaff’s approach during a season derailed by injuries.
”You learn a great deal about people in adversity, much more than watching them while they’re winning,” Wallace said. ”J.B. was given a very difficult task this year when he took over as interim head coach and guided us through some very choppy waters. He kept the team together through very difficult times.”
Wallace also noted the Grizzlies shouldn’t have similar struggles next season.
Veteran guard Mike Conley should be healthy again after injuries to his left heel and Achilles tendon caused him to play just 12 games this year. Memphis’ poor performance this season also assures the Grizzlies an early pick in the NBA draft to join a nucleus that includes Conley and 33-year-old center Marc Gasol.
”Starting next year, we want to get back in the playoffs again and be a relevant team that’s pushing to win the Western Conference and go on,” Wallace said. ”We think we’re well equipped to get back in again. We get Mike Conley healthy. Marc Gasol still has many good years in front of him. We’ve got a number of young players that have come on to develop. We’re going to have a top-five pick. We’re going to be able to use a midlevel exception.
”We’ve got a lot of tools to work with, and a lot of the heavy lifting has already been done.”
Bickerstaff, 39, is happy to have an entire offseason to prepare for his assignment, a luxury he didn’t have in his previous head coaching stints.
He went 37-34 as the Houston Rockets’ interim coach in 2015-16 after Kevin McHale was fired. Then came the interim assignment with Memphis this season. Now he finally gets all the advantages that come with starting a season as a head coach.
”You truly can’t imagine how free and open and clear my mind is now because you have an opportunity to prepare,” said Bickerstaff Sean Lee Jersey Elite , the son of former longtime NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff. ”You truly can’t imagine how free and open and clear my mind is now because you have an opportunity to prepare. In any situation that you’re going into, especially a high-pressure situation, the most important thing you want to do is have a moment to chart out your journey.”
Bickerstaff said Conley and Gasol give the Grizzlies a pair of ”All-Star-caliber bookends” that make Memphis’ roster different from the typical lottery team. Bickerstaff also praised the way forward JaMychal Green has established himself in the NBA and noted the way younger players such as Jarell Martin, Andrew Harrison and Dillon Brooks developed during a trying season.
He expects Conley to come back with something to prove after an injury-riddled season.
”People have kind of forgotten just how good Mike really is,” Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff Bickerstaff hopes the ball-handling abilities of Harrison, MarShon Brooks, Wayne Selden and Chandler Parsons could enable Conley to play off the ball on occasion next season. Parsons has dealt with his own injury issues, as he’s played a total of 70 games in two seasons with Memphis.
”We’d like to put (Conley) in more situations where he’s a secondary ball handler or a secondary playmaker, and the defense has shifted and all 10 eyes defensively aren’t just keyed in on him,” Bickerstaff said.
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More NBA basketball: LeBron James recovered quickly from his neck strain. There’s still too much stress on his back.
He’s carrying the Cavaliers. It’s a springtime tradition.
As has been the case for much of his 15-year career, James has had to perform at an extraordinary level throughout these playoffs, most recently in Cleveland’s Game 2 loss at Boston.
Bouncing back after taking a blow to the jaw from Jayson Tatum’s shoulder that violently twisted his head and sent a chill down the spines of Cleveland fans, James finished with 42 points http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/tremaine-edmunds-jersey , 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
It was not enough, however. His teammates failed him and the Cavs fell into a 2-0 hole in the Eastern Conference finals.
Kevin Love (22 points, 15 rebounds) helped, so did Kyle Korver (four 3-pointers) and Tristan Thompson (8 points, 7 rebounds). But too many other Cavs ranged from mediocre to awful.
If Cleveland is to even the series at home, that has to change starting in Game 3 on Saturday.
”We have to ramp it up,” said J.R. Smith, who didn’t score in Game 2 and committed a critical flagrant foul. ”We’re playing too slow. We’re making `Bron play hero ball, which is tough to do, especially in the Eastern Conference finals. We got to help him. With that said, we have to give him an opportunity to make him feel confident to give us the ball so we can make the right plays. We got to help him and he’s got to help us.”
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said James ”did everything” in practice Thursday, but the 33-year-old had left the floor by the time media members were allowed in for interviews. James was spotted in the fitness and training area inside the facility.
Lue said the Cavs spent time breaking down video of the two losses. There was plenty to dissect.
Cleveland has had puzzling defensive lapses, and Lue said there were up to nine instances in Game 2 alone where communication breakdowns led to easy baskets or open shots for the Celtics.
On offense Anthony Miller Bears Jersey , Lue feels Smith and point guard George Hill, who have been outscored 72-12 in two games by Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier, need to be more aggressive and attack the basket.
Smith believes it’s simpler than that.
”Make shots, that’s the only thing we can do,” said Smith, who is 2 for 17 and 0 for 7 on 3-pointers in the series. ”I mean obviously we can do more on the defensive side, but our main focus is to make shots right now when we get it. If we don’t have them, try to make the next-best play. Right now `Bron and Kev are working overly hard, trying to carry us. We just got to step up and do our job.”
But talking a good game is one thing, playing one is another. The Cavs don’t have time for speeches or excuses. With their season inching toward danger, results are all that matter.
Hill didn’t record an assist in 28 minutes in Game 1 and had three points in Game 2. He missed time in the opening round against Indiana with back spasms and has been puzzled by his drop-off after playing so well in Cleveland’s sweep over Toronto.
”I’m trying to figure it out myself,” he said. ”I think a little bit of just trying to be more involved offensively, trying to be more involved defensively Tremaine Edmunds Bills Jersey , not waiting until a play is possibly called and things like that to go do it. I’ve just got to be more assertive, I’ve got to play with that edge like I did in the second series
”There’s no one to blame but myself. You’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and say, `What can I do better?”’
The Cavs know they need to be more physical after the Celtics took the fight to them in Boston.
Lue raised some eyebrows following Game 2 when he described Boston’s players as ”gooning up” the series. Lue explained he wasn’t being critical.
”It’s not a bad thing to goon it up,” he said. ”Like, they’re taking hard fouls, they’re being physical. They’re playing playoff basketball. So that’s all I meant by it.”
Thompson said he loves that Boston is playing ”hard and chippy.” But he knows if the Cavs don’t ease the burden on James, this fight could be over sooner than expected.
”Other guys have to contribute and other guys have to step up,” Tristan Thompson said. ”Of course, it’s a huge luxury having LeBron on our team. At the same time, we have to be ready to play and we have to do our job.”
And get off James’ back.
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