HoopsHype.com Rumors

Thoughts on OJ Mayo's season? Marc Gasol: Very good season. It may have ended on a sour note in the playoffs because he wasn't able to hit shots and became frustrated about it... Maybe he got tired because we had him putting full-court pressure on Eric Bledsoe. When the time came to shoot the ball, maybe his legs were not fresh enough. But that's a player I really like. We're friends, we've been together a lot of years and I have a lot of confidence in him. HoopsHype

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, OJ Mayo, Marc Gasol 

Do you see him leaving or staying? MG: You never know. You don't know what kind of offers he's going to get, what the owner plans on doing... You never know in the NBA. Maybe they trade me and keep OJ Mayo. I don't know. HoopsHype

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, OJ Mayo, Marc Gasol 

With Dwight Howard sidelined, do you feel like Spain is going to have the best inside game at the Olympics? Marc Gasol: At the end of the day, it's about finding a balance and playing together. We have to play defense, which is what then makes it easier for us to run and score. Who's the third favorite after the U.S. and Spain at the Games? MG: Argentina has to be up there. They have a terrific team. Better than France? MG: Yeah, France too. But the Argentines have played together for a long time. France has a lot of talent and a good mix of veterans and young guys. But Argentina... I've always loved how they play. HoopsHype

Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard, USA Basketball, Spain, Argentina, France, Marc Gasol, Olympics 

Conley was under a lot of pressure his first few years in the NBA. A lot of people didn't have much faith in him and the Grizzlies took a look of heat for picking him. How did he deal with that kind of pressure? Marc Gasol: It was hard, it was hard. But when Lionel (Hollins) came, he changed our mindset. He protected his players and said, "Hey, let's get to work, do things right and try to win games." And when you win games, people forget if this guy or that guy was a good pick or not. Mike Conley learned to work in that situation, to improve and use the pressure as motivation. Then, as you get older, you don't care as much about what people say. Do you think Lionel Hollins has given this team extra wins? MG: Yes, yes, yes. No doubt about it. One of the reasons why we've had success, won playoff games and came close to playing the conference finals is Lionel's mentality. He's a top-notch coach in the NBA. Obviously he's also learning on the job, but he's a very reasonable, honest and hard-working coach. HoopsHype

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Marc Gasol, Lionel Hollins 

Josh Selby: Sorry I'll take Marc over Paul anyday Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Josh Selby 

This comes from Gasol, who said everything right in defeat. He didn't point fingers. He talked about how proud he is of the team. He again credited the coaching staff for changing the culture. He sounded hopeful about what is yet to come. And when asked if he wanted to say anything to the fans, he looked right into the camera and said, "We owe you one." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

The Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, losing the first Game 7 ever played in Memphis, 82-72. "Right now, it really hurts," said center Marc Gasol. "It's going to hurt tomorrow a little more." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Judging by his performance before Game 7 in pregame drills, Clippers forward Blake Griffin’s left knee looked pretty good. Griffin unleashed a two-footed, 360-degree, two-handed dunk to the delight of the fans at Fed Ex Forum. But in the fourth quarter, Marc Gasol darted right past Griffin for an easy dunk. After the play, Griffin looked at the Clippers’ bench and shook his head “no.” Shortly after, he was out of the game for good. “In the second half, I felt like there were movements I wanted to do that I couldn’t do,” he said. “I don’t ever want to put my team in a situation where I feel like I’m hurting them, where physically I can’t do what I need to do.” Orange County Register

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol 

The Griz closed Game 6 on a 22-12 run to beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 90-88, on Friday night in Staples Center. There will be a Game 7 on Sunday in FedExForum at noon as the Griz tied the series by winning consecutive games and for the first time on the road in this series. Instead of faltering down the stretch as they had all series, the Griz stunned the Clippers by erasing an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit. Memphis did all of the little things. The Griz got steals, offensive rebounds and made it nearly impossible for the Clippers to score at the rim. Center Marc Gasol led the Griz with 23 points, and Zach Randolph added 18 points and 16 rebounds. They were again the catalyst for powering the Griz toward extending the series. “It just being physical,” Randolph said of winning the battle inside. “And it was having it in our minds that it was going to be 48 minutes of pushing and shoving.” Memphis Commercial Appeal

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol 

Marc Gasol: Haven't done anything yet but it feels good to go home for game 7! After the game with @MacBo50 leavin #believememphis http://t.co/jS3L7BEM Twitter

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol 

Arash Markazi: Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph joked that they were injured too and took a cart to the team bus. http://instagr.am/p/Kg7HgewCxM/ Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol 

Naturally, Grizz coach Lionel Hollins was asked why he abandoned the inside-out approach down the stretch. His response was just as inexplicable as his decision to keep his best perimeter defender (Tony Allen) on the bench for almost all of the fourth quarter while the Clippers made a run. "If [Randolph and Gasol] took seven shots and made none [in the second half], that should tell you why we went away from it," said Hollins, who is too smart to genuinely believe something so dumb. I mean, the man who outcoached San Antonio's Gregg Popovich last postseason can't seriously think it's wise to go away from Randolph and Gasol -- the only two Grizzlies who have ever been All-Stars as Grizzlies -- because they missed their first seven shots of the second half when he spent Monday designing countless plays for Gay, who missed 17 of the 25 shots he attempted. So I'm just gonna chalk that answer up to Hollins choosing to be difficult. Otherwise, I'd have to rip a coach after a huge win, and I'd rather not do that because I'd rather look ahead. CBSSports.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Lionel Hollins 

Metta World Peace: Hope James Hardin is ok... I remember when I hit by Marc Gasol the same way.. I was spitting up blood and a headache during the game... Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Marc Gasol, Metta World Peace 

Ronald Tillery: Asked by reporter if he's playing, Marc Gasol didn't respond and took off in a sprint to the court! Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Injuries, Marc Gasol 

The Grizzlies breathed a collective sigh of relief Monday when results of magnetic resonance imaging on center Marc Gasol's left knee revealed a bone bruise. Gasol received the MRI late Sunday night after leaving in the fourth quarter of an 88-75 road loss to the New Orleans Hornets with what was initially diagnosed as a hyperextended left knee. Gasol experienced no ligament or structural damage and is listed as day-to-day heading into the Grizzlies' road game tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "It's all good. I'll be back as soon as possible," Gasol wrote on his Twitter page. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Injuries, Marc Gasol 

Center Marc Gasol suffered what is believed to be a hyperextended left knee midway through the fourth quarter. The 7-footer was examined by the Hornets' team physician and then went for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to determine the extent of his injury. Gasol sat on a trainer's table after the game with his left knee wrapped in ice. He did walk off the court without assistance. Teammate Zach Randolph followed Gasol into the locker room as play resumed. "I just went through that," Randolph said, referring to a partially torn MCL that kept him out most of this season. "I was just praying he was all right. I think the big fella will be fine." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Injuries, Marc Gasol 

Gasol crashed to the floor after scoring a layup while Hornets guard Xavier Henry was called for a blocking foul. Gasol remained on the floor for several minutes before Randolph and reserve center Hamed Haddadi helped him to his feet. He went to the bench for the timeout, and returned to attempt the free throw. Gasol didn't complete the three-point play. Allen then immediately committed a foul so that Gasol could leave the game with Marreese Speights taking his place. The Grizzlies were already scheduled to remain in New Orleans Sunday night and fly to Minneapolis this morning. So Gasol's status will be known long before Memphis plays on the road Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Griz coach Lionel Hollins didn't want to speculate following the loss to the Hornets, which really had few redeeming qualities. "It wasn't a tough one," Hollins said of the defeat. "It was nasty, ugly. There was nothing tough about it. ... Our defense -- period -- was atrocious. We just didn't must up the energy we needed." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Injuries, Marc Gasol 

Last year, the Grizzlies figured out how to win without Rudy Gay. This year, they’ve figured out how to win without Zach Randolph. Tuesday, though, was something new altogether: No Zach or Rudy. “We don’t make excuses,” said Marc Gasol. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol 

Kobe Bryant played 52 minutes and didn’t commit a foul. He must use an invisibility cape. “I’m not going to go there,” said Marc Gasol, when asked to comment about the officiating. “I’m not going to give my money away.” Memphis Commercial Appeal

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Kobe Bryant, Marc Gasol, Referees 

So look at the bright side, people. Gasol certainly did. As the cluster of reporters moved onto the next player, he whispered to himself. “I just saved $50,000.” Memphis Commercial Appeal

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Kobe Bryant, Marc Gasol, Referees