Grizzlies-Celtics Preview

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Jan 02 2013 3:14PM

The Boston Celtics are no doubt happy to be home after three dreadful games on the West Coast.

The Memphis Grizzlies haven't been much better, having turned in three straight efforts of fewer than 90 points for the first time.

Both teams are searching for answers heading into Wednesday night's matchup, with the Celtics trying to avoid their first four-game slide.

Boston (14-16) began a four-game trip with a 93-76 victory over Brooklyn on Christmas Day before heading west. That's where the trip went south, with the Celtics falling by an average of 23.0 points in losses to the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and Sacramento.

The Celtics surrendered their second-highest point total of the season in a 118-96 loss to the Kings on Sunday. They allowed Sacramento to score 56 points in the paint and were outrebounded 45-35.

"Winning is hard. I don't know if all our guys get that," coach Doc Rivers said. "You have to play hard to win an NBA game. One game. It's difficult and we're not doing it."

The Celtics are last in the NBA with 38.5 rebounds per contest, and rumors are swirling that they could add a big man. Kevin Garnett's team-high 7.0 boards a game represent his lowest average since his rookie season.

"The reason why guys came back is because of what we built here and that we are known to defend," Garnett said. "For some reason, we've gotten away from that."

Boston has allowed its last two opponents to shoot 52.9 percent, but defending against Memphis (19-9) may not be too difficult. The Grizzlies have shot 39.1 percent and averaged 84.3 points in their last three games, and their marks of 41.2 percent and 87.3 points since Dec. 17 are the worst among Western Conference teams.

Memphis lost for the third time in four games Monday, 88-83 at Indiana. The Grizzlies led by seven entering the fourth quarter but shot 25.0 percent (5 of 20) over the final 12 minutes.

"We got a little selfish in the fourth quarter," point guard Mike Conley said. "We made a lot of bad turnovers and didn't continue to play our transition game."

Leading scorer Rudy Gay went 3 of 17 from the floor and scored 11 points - 7.0 below his average. Gay has averaged 14.4 points and 37.3 percent shooting in his last seven games.

Zach Randolph was a bright spot with 21 points and 15 rebounds for his league-best 22nd double-double.

Memphis is yielding 90.0 points per game, best in the NBA, but its offensive woes are making it increasingly difficult to take advantage of that stellar defense.

"We haven't committed to sharing the basketball and making the right decisions and that puts too much pressure on the defense," coach Lionel Hollins said.

A matchup to watch is at point guard. Boston's Rajon Rondo is averaging a league-high 11.6 assists and will be up against Conley, second in the NBA with 2.4 steals per game.

The Celtics have taken eight of the last 10 meetings with the Grizzlies.

Boston will receive a boost from the season debut of guard Avery Bradley following shoulder surgery. Bradley developed into a starter last season, paving the way for Ray Allen's departure to Miami.

Conley, Grizzlies hold off Celtics 93-83

By JIMMY GOLEN
Posted Jan 02 2013 11:12PM

BOSTON (AP) Tony Allen scored a season-high 15 points to help his current team beat his old one. Then he went down the sideline trading fist-bumps and hugs with his former teammates and coaches.

Mike Conley had 23 points and nine assists, and Allen had nine points and four of his five rebounds in the second half on Wednesday night to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 93-83 victory over the Boston Celtics. It was the fourth consecutive loss for Boston, which won its 17th NBA title with Allen in 2008.

"You come back to a team that you won a championship with, and there's no greater feeling than coming back and getting that win," Allen said. "Put all my feelings and emotions to the side and came out and did everything that Coach Lionel (Hollins) asked me to do."

Rudy Gay scored 19 points for Memphis, which shot 61 percent from the floor - and 62.5 percent from 3-point range - in the first half. The Grizzlies led by 18 early in the fourth quarter, then made 8 of 11 free throws down the stretch after the Celtics made it a five-point game.

"Whatever we're doing wrong, it's not going to get fixed in a day," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "That's what happens when things aren't going well: You've got to make them go well."

Rivers was one of the Celtics that Allen sought out for a hug as the clock wound down. Afterward, in the visitors' locker room, Allen was showing off a blood-stained Celtics uniform that he had worn in the NBA Finals; an equipment manager gave it to him.

"This is one of my jerseys they had. It almost brought tears to my eyes," said Allen, who had played in Boston as an opponent only once before, in 2011.

"There's still going to be one or two of those guys ... I love them to death. That's my family; like I said, it's a brotherhood. ... From the training camps in Maine to long seasons, getting the ring, raising the banner, the ring ceremony, all that. I just told them `Thanks for everything and good luck for the rest of the season."'

Paul Pierce scored 17 for Boston, but he had just one basket in the third quarter and none in the fourth while missing seven of his last eight shots.

Rajon Rondo had 11 points and 10 assists for the Celtics, who trailed by 79-61 after the opening basket of the fourth quarter but closed the gap to 83-78 with under 5 minutes to play on back-to-back 3-pointers from Jason Terry. Boston began fouling and the Grizzlies made their shots.

"We sit in here and we talk about being positive, don't get our heads down," Pierce said. "It's just like any confident person: When things don't go your way you feel the next thing is going to go your way, and that's how this team feels."

Memphis led by nine at the half and took a 75-59 lead after three quarters, then Marreese Speights hit a pair of baskets at the beginning of the fourth to give the Grizzlies a 79-61 lead. But Kevin Garnett scored eight points during a 17-4 run, and Boston made it 83-78 on Terry's 3-pointers 46 seconds apart.

It was 85-78 with under 3 minutes to play when Garnett missed a pair of free throws and then committed a foul at the other end. The Celtics big man finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.

Avery Bradley returned from injuries to both shoulders for his first appearance of the season for the Celtics. He started and scored four points in 19:31. Rondo didn't practice on Tuesday but played in his second straight after missing a game with bruised right hip and thigh.

Notes: The Celtics lost three straight at the end of their four-game West Coast road trip - by an average of 23 points. ... Garnett played in his 1,286th game, tying him with Sam Perkins for 14th on the NBA career list. ... Boston rookie Jared Sullinger picked up three fouls in three minutes in the first half.... The Grizzlies had lost three of four after winning four in a row. ... Memphis has forced at least 10 turnovers in 132 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA. ... Memphis reserve Jerryd Bayless sprained his left ankle in the first half and did not return. ... Celtics rookie Fab Melo was in Boston to see a doctor after receiving a concussion when he ran into a hotel door. He expects to be back in Maine on Friday.

Notebook: Grizzlies 93, Celtics 83

Brian Robb, for NBA.com
Posted Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:44 PM - Updated Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:44 PM

THE FACTS: Mike Conley scored 22 points and dished out nine assists, helping the Memphis Grizzlies hold off a late charge from the Boston Celtics and escape the TD Garden with a 93-83 win. Rudy Gay added 19 points for the visitors in a balanced offensive effort featuring five players scoring double figures, which helped Memphis to build an 18-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Boston managed to fight back from the deficit over the game's 10 closing minutes, but it was too little too late, as they dropped their fourth straight contest, despite the return of Avery Bradley to the lineup for the first time all season. Paul Pierce had a team-high 17 points in the setback.

QUOTABLE: "It was a very gratifying win because we got back to playing our brand of basketball. We played with great focus and confidence and it looked a lot like what we've been working on through the year. We were able to withstand whatever run they made."

-- Memphis coach Lionel Hollins

THE STAT: Memphis broke out of its offensive funk from the past few games early against the Celtics, shooting a sensational 61.1 percent in the first half on 22-for-36 shooting. The high percentage offense allowed the visitors to build a nine-point halftime lead.

TURNING POINT: After the Celtics closed an 18-point deficit to five with 4:22 remaining, Memphis leaned on its league-best defense to end the threat, holding Boston scoreless over the next three minutes before finishing the game on an 11-5 run.

QUOTABLE II: "I told them whatever we're doing wrong, it's not going to get fixed in a day. We just need to keep playing."

-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers on what he told his team after their fourth straight loss

HOT: Tony Allen -- The former Celtic started off the night perfect from the field, as he hit his first six shots against his ex-teammates on a variety of strong takes and perimeter jumpers. Allen tallied 15 points on the evening altogether, seven above his season average.

NOT: Kevin Garnett -- Despite seeing a variety of open looks from mid-range, Garnett could not get anything going on the offensive end early, missing eight of his first 10 shots. The veteran scored just four points over the first three quarters, before coming alive in the final period to finish with 12 on the evening.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Gay -- Memphis' top scorer provided the Grizzlies with a little bit of everything on the floor against Boston, posting six rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal to go along with 19 points over 35 minutes of action.

ROOKIE WATCH: Jared Sullinger -- The power forward battled foul trouble for the majority of the night and was unable to be a weapon on the offensive end against the formidable Grizz front line of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Sullinger missed five of his six shots to finish with two points, but managed to grab five rebounds before fouling out in the final two minutes of the game.

QUOTABLE III: ""It felt good to be out there. I'm just trying to play as hard as I can, and I feel like everything's going to come together as a team. I feel like we played hard tonight."

-- Bradley on his season debut for Boston

NOTABLE: Jerryd Bayless left the game in the first quarter after suffering a sprained ankle. He did not return. ... Darrell Arthur made the first two 3-pointers of his career. Arthur had been 0-for-13 over his four-year career prior to the game. ... Bradley started and scored four points in 26 minutes in his first game of the season for Boston. The third-year guard had been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. ... The defeat was the fourth straight loss by double-digits for Boston. ... Rajon Rondo played 39 minutes despite battling a sore right hip which sidelined him for the team's practice on Tuesday. ... Pierce had 15 of his 17 points in the first half. ... Conley played a season-high 43 minutes.

UP NEXT: For Memphis, Friday vs. Portland, Sunday @ Phoenix, Monday @ Sacramento. For Boston, Friday vs. Indiana, Saturday @ Atlanta, Monday @ New York.

• Grizzlies: Pondexter
• Celtics: Melo, Wilcox

• Grizzlies: --
• Celtics: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Officials: #17 Joe Crawford, #20 Leroy Richardson, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 18624
• Duration: 2:13