Zach Randolph, Human Bear is afraid of cats.

Zach Randolph has been in house arrest for battery, juvy for receiving stolen guns, and arrested for underage drinking. He was once part of the notorious Jailblazers, but since leaving Portland, he has cleaned up his act. The city of Memphis embraces him as the face of the franchise now and loves the work of the gentle giant on and off the court. But it is still shocking to hear that this 6 foot 9, 260 pound man is deathly afraid of cats.

From ESPN:

Like you, I’m a dog lover. On a possibly related note, I feel, in my heart of hearts, that cats are evil. Feel me?

Naw, you’re right: You can’t be both a dog lover and a cat lover. I’ve got a crazy phobia about cats. For some reason, I’m always thinking they’re going to scratch me. If a cat walks up, I’m going, “Oh no, this dude about to scratch me -- I know it!” Cats scare the hell out of me. I love animals, but I’m no cat lover. Guys usually aren’t.

I am with Z-Bo on this one, there is something about cats that just doesn't sit right. I know cats are secretly planning for world domination. If we don't stop them one day, we, humans will be enslaved by the evil feline overlords. Here are a few reasons why I came into such a conclusion:

• First off, they look evil, I will never trust those deceiving eyes.
• They are always staring you down, trying to size you up for when their evil plans go into action.
• Cats have already seized control of the internet, so they have access to everyone's information.
• These animals were once treated as Gods in Ancient Egypt, they were even mummified. Don't you think they want to regain that control again. What are you going to do against cat mummies. The right answer is nothing, you can't fight it off.
• According to scientists, Cats mimic human babies to manipulate you. That purr you hear, don't fall for it, walk any closer and those claws will be in your Jugulars in a second.
• Haven't you seen Cats & Dogs, they have a secret criminal organization, with ninja cats. Not to mention, they kidnapped a whole family to get their hands on a cure for allergic reactions to dogs, so they can reverse the formula to make everyone allergic to their Canine enemies.
• Also have you ever seen an evil villain that strokes a dog instead of a cat, because I haven't. If these were not enough to convince you that cats are nefarious creatures, than good luck to you.

Personally, I rather not take my chances.

Notes: Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs [12/01/12]

San Antonio Spurs 99 - Memphis Grizzlies 95

The Good

Spurs: Tony Parker is a genius. What he does on the basketball court defies everything the NBA once was. This is your run of a mill 6 foot 2 point guard, not particularly athletic or has outstanding play making ability, yet he still dominates this game. He is a genius because he fully understands the game of basketball, has the experience that earned him Championships and knows how to win.

Tony is well aware with his abilities, he is quick off the dribble, a proficient finisher at the rim and a consistent mid range shooter. More importantly, you will never see him go beyond his skills set. And the Spurs already have that in Manu Ginobili, another one would make Coach Pop go bald. Part of what makes him great is that his teammates also recognizes those qualities and amplify them.

San Antonio made Mike Conley Jr. and the rest of the Memphis Grizzlies chase after Tony Parker the entire game. There is nobody in the NBA better at utilizing screens like the 4 time All Star, once he rids of Conley (or other Memphis guards), the slow footed big that follows will only see back of his jersey as he gently lays the ball into the hoop.

Tim Duncan remains incredibly efficient and is posting the best numbers out of his past 3 seasons. He scored 21 of his 27 points in just the first half, cleverly taking advantage of the Spurs spacing. DeJuan Blair gets a shout out for being probably the best Zach Randolph stopper, his pure strength, weight, width and footwork are a perfect match.

Credit to Coach Pop for going to small late, Patty Mills, and Matt Bonner gave San Antonio much needed three point scoring. Everyone needs stop what they are doing right now and give Matt Bonner some love. Who would have thought the Red Rocket had the defensive ability to guard Zach Randolph down the stretch. Gary Neal was a big part of the comeback, scored 10 points in the fourth to bring this game into overtime.


Grizzlies: If you looked at the box score for this game and ignore the final score. There was no way you would have thought Memphis actually led by more than 10 points and kept it close throughout the contest. Simply put, this was an ugly game, neither team shot over 42 percent from the field (San Antonio - 42 percent, Memphis - 36 percent) and the Grizzlies made the best out of it. The only notable highlight of the offense was Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol's two man game. They ran a simple pick and pop that made the paint packing Spurs pay.

On the defensive end, they played fantastic individual defense with the exception of Conley, who we all know by now, got killed by Tony Parker.  After letting Duncan get 21 in the first half, they came back to hold him to 6 points by adjusting their rotations and help defense.


The Bad

Spurs: Manu Ginobili has not been himself to start this season. Yes, he did hit the three pointer to bring the game into overtime, but he is averaging a career low in field goal percentage (40 percent) and the lowest points per game since his rookie season. He had 6 of San Antonio's 18 turnovers. Luckily, Memphis didn't take care of the ball too well either, losing it 20 times. I wasn't kidding when I said this game was ugly.

Grizzlies: The groin injury of Tony Allen. He would have been the solution to Tony Parker. According to NBA advanced stats, the point guard doesn't do too well against this Tony. To add to the personnel woes, the Memphis bench was terribly inefficient, they shot 8 for 28 from the field and did not hold up on the other end. Memphis's transition defense in the first half was a joke. It is not an understatement when I say that Tony Parker repeatedly out ran the entire team from end to end. He looked like he was LeBron James on a fast break. Speaking which, the Grizzlies allowed 22 fast break points.I am not sure how many second chance points the Spurs actually have, but I am certain they scored off every offensive rebound.

Memphis desperately needs a consistent outside threat because they can not find any space for Zach Randolph to operate. Tough night for Z-Bo, if he wasn't forced to throw up a contested shot, he was missing open layups.

Notes: Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies [11/23/12]

I decided to do away with the feed, and start a new series. Where I will break down the good and the bad for both teams in a specific game.

Memphis Grizzlies 106 - Los Angeles Lakers 98

The Good:

Grizzlies: Mike Conley and Marc Gasol tore the Lakers apart, the two man game they played was beautiful and executed to perfection. Marc Gasol is the ideal complimentary big man, on pick and rolls, he can pop out for an easy 15 to 18 footer or roll hard for the lay in. His passing ability benefits Conley, they ran simple give and go plays, where Marc stood at the top of the key and always found the cutting point guard. 

The defense was active in most stretches, they gambled a lot by over helping on Dwight Howard, which did make the indecisive center to rush his shots. In the fourth quarter, he finally capitalized on the help and found the open shooters (the Lakers got 3 three pointers in a row, which counted for the 3 assists he had in total).

Lakers: Not too much. The team did hit 12 three pointers to keep themselves in the game. Antawn Jamison (16 points) came back to life, giving the bench some needed scoring. Kobe Bryant did Kobe Bryant things in late game, knocked down tough jumpers, got to the free throw line and finished with 30 points.

Besides Dwight Howard's presence that made the Memphis bigs hesitate before making their move, there was absolutely nothing good about the Lakers defense.

The Bad:

Both teams gave up a lot of points on turnovers. Memphis' 17 paved way for 24 points and LA's 18 for 29.

Grizzlies: This game went away from the post too early. Obviously Dwight Howard played in to that equation, but when Zach Randolph had Antawn Jamison in position there is no reason to not get the ball to him. I thought Marc Gasol was too willing to pass early, he should have went to work more.

The gambling on defense might not have been necessary, Grizzlies are a pretty solid individual defensive team, they were fortunate that the Lakers didn't use it to their advantage until the fourth.

Lakers: The Los Angeles Lakers features one of the best front courts in the NBA, yet the team only scored 24 points in the paint, compared to the 40 by their opponents. It amazes me, how this is a problem. They have refused over and over again to go to the post, Dwight (7 points) had only 7 shot attempts in the 39 minutes he played. What is even more amazing was that in one possession, Darius Morris decided against re-posting their star center and instead take Conley on the baseline to put up a miserable attempt. Howard is at fault too, I know he may not be 100 percent recovered from the back injury, but if he settles for one more lay up or short hook, Laker fans better be ready for disappointment. He has to dunk the ball, he can't shoot free throws, so why not get the damn basket. At this point, I am starting to agree with Shaq, which either means I am spiraling towards insanity or you are not playing like you are suppose to.

About Pau Gasol, well this sums it quite nicely:

Like I said earlier, Kobe Bryant did Kobe Bryant things, and it was not exactly a good thing. He shot 7 for 23 from the field, and he basically decided to play hero ball in the fourth. I just don't think he trusts his teammates, he kept jacking the first shot available against Tony Allen's tough defense and complained for fouls on the shots he missed.

So far, the Mike D'Antoni pace offense is not there, not the speed nor the pick and roll game. I am certain I did not see a single successful pick and roll, where the screener finished with the basket, hopefully Steve Nash will fix it (His return have not even been determined, as a matter of fact, he can't even jog yet).

Their defense is incredibly terrible. I don't think the guys standing in the perimeter, in front of their assignment can actually move. It is a good thing they have Dwight Howard though.

The Feed: Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies [11/19/12]

Recap:

The Denver Nuggets edged out the Memphis Grizzlies for a 97 to 92 victory that snapped Memphis's 8 game winning streak. The Grizzlies that lived in the paint and grabbed every single rebound just got outworked by the Nuggets. They gave up 50 points in the paint and allowed Denver to grab 47 boards, 21 of which were offensive. Where as Memphis only had 12 offensive rebounds of their total 33.

The Nuggets defense held the Grizzlies starting front court to only 28 points. Zach Randolph (12 points (6 of 15 shooting) and 13 rebounds) didn't even get to the free throw line once and his partner, Marc Gasol (16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists) was not given enough touches (only 7 shots attempted).

Despite the early season struggles, Danilo Gallinari finally found his shooting stroke today, leading his team with a game high 26 points and 5 rebounds. Javale McGee added 15 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. Denver's second unit combined for 34 points, outscoring the opposing bench by 11.

Down in the first half, the Grizzlies fought back with a 11-2 run that re-inserted themselves back into the game. However, in the final minutes of play, they suffered a drought, and allowed the Nuggets to end the game on a 8-0 run. Memphis had an opportunity to take the lead in less than a minute to play. In a 1 point deficit, Rudy Gay was forced into a bad pass by Andre Iguodala. The costly turnover turned into a game sealing three pointer on the other end by Gallinari.

Offensive End:

Memphis failed to consistently post up their big guys, if they don't get 20 points from at least one big, they are unlikely to win. The usual open shot from a kick out in the post just didn't fall. Their bench have finally returned to Earth, and the spectacular three point shooting in the 8 game winning streak crumbled. They did score 29 points on the Nuggets' 17 turnovers.

Denver survived off the charity stripe, hitting 20 of their 28 attempts. Gallo was aggressive to the basket and earned 10 points off the line. The offensive rebounding led to quite a bit of points. When this team pushes the tempo, they are at their best. In the half court, only Andre Miller can find something, Ty Lawson could not help his team on offense in any way.

Kenneth Faried's overall activity on both ends on the floor is amazing, he never stops moving, has great ball awareness and is the only person that can go toe to toe with Zach Randolph in rebounds.

Defensive End:

The Grizzlies transition defense was awful, they allowed easy layups and scrambled to find their defender.  Although Ty Lawson did not do much damage, he got to weave inside paint without any pressure. The lack of boxing out is very unlike this Grizzlies team, 21 offensive rebounds for the Nuggets is just unacceptable.

The Nuggets did a great job of collapsing on the Memphis front court, if it wasn't for the terrible perimeter shooting from the Grizzlies, they might not have pulled out with the victory. Kosta Koufos is a solid post defender, and Javale McGee was there to help.

George Karl tinkered with his line-ups during the game, defensively McGee and Koufos was the best. It was weird when he inserted his small line up that included neither of the above players, but he realized it early and made the substitution.

The Feed: New York Knicks vs. Memphis Grizzlies [11/16/12]

Recap:

The Memphis Grizzlies sits on top of the NBA with the 105 to 95 victory over the the New York Knicks, for their seventh consecutive win. The overwhelming size of the Grizzlies, bullied the smaller Knicks in the low post, ending New York's undefeated record. Marc Gasol led all scorers with 24 points and 7 rebounds. His front court partner, Zach Randolph added 20 points and 15 rebounds.

Memphis obliterated New York in offensive boards, cashing in 22 points on 12 of them, where as the Knicks scored only 12 points on 10 of them. Both teams shot well in this game, they shot at a field goal percentage of 60 to start and about 50 to end. The only difference was that the Grizzlies got another method for points. They got sent to charity stripe 32 times, and knocked down 26 of those shots (Knicks scored 16 of 21 from the free throw line).

The godsend gift to the Knicks have been revoked. Their scorching 43 percent three point shooting have dropped to 26 percent tonight, adding itself to the long list of offensive struggles. It definitely didn't help when their leading scorer Carmelo Anthony (20 points, 7 of 14 shooting) got in foul trouble early in the third quarter and having to sit for the rest of it. Just to watch Memphis go on a 19 to 1 run, that established a lead the Knicks never managed to comeback from.

New York did give the Grizzlies a scare in the fourth quarter, picking up their defensive intensity that led to a 12 to 3 run. They would eventually cut the lead that was once 21 points to 8, but it was the closest they ever go.

Offensive End:

In the first half, the Grizzlies did not go to their usual post up game early, instead they ran a very effective pick and roll with Mike Conley Jr.. This versatile set, allowed Conley to do what ever he wanted. If he gets doubled off the screen in the key, he can easily kick it out to a big, that can hit a mid range shot on a consistent basis. If not he could penetrate or find the roller (advantage from size) for more buckets.

In the second half, Memphis resumed their old play, punishing the Knicks with Marc Gasol's crafty moves. New York has a problem at the four if they have to defend a bigger guy like Gasol. Carmelo have no chance against Marc.

New York came out to play hot potato. They moved the ball quick and made the extra passes. Their off ball movement, combined with their off ball screens did some damage early in the game. Carmelo has developed in his willingness to pass, he tries to attack the basket more often than settling for a jump shot. I think LeBron really influenced him, Melo is probably not happy that his fellow 2003 draft pick got the ring before him, so he inspired to work harder on both ends of the floor. 

The Knicks offense became stagnant once Melo left with foul trouble, they over dribbled, stopped passing and just could not hit a shot. Without a guy that can draw multiple defenders on him, the Grizzlies took advantage.

Melo killed Rudy Gay in the isolation play, his strength always created enough space for his shot to fall over the long out stretched arms of the Memphis swing man.

I don't know if it would have held up, but they should have went to Rasheed more in the post. He got 10 points in the first half, just destroying his man in the low block. He should have remained down there, but he decided to stand outside to shoot in the second half.

Defensive End:

Memphis defense is solid, they rotate well and can get out to the shooters quick enough just to bother it. If you want to see how boxing out is done properly, please watch what the Grizzlies front court do. They are so good with their timing and positioning, it feels like every single ball willingly falls right into their hands.

New York was alright on the defensive end. They didn't give the 100 percent effort like they did in their undefeated streak. The Knicks really need to work on fronting the post, they were absolutely terrible. Either getting out-positioned or just not trying to do it at all. Rasheed is the laziest defender on the team, at one point he got Mike Conley Jr. off a switch, and decided to taunt him, instead of actually getting out to defend him. It resulted in three points and whole lot of trash talking.

Just a fact I picked up from this game, the Knicks are annoying good at stripping the ball and Jason Kidd can somehow always get his hands on them cleanly.

Notes:

• For all the amazing SHEED moments, please check out the Round Up, you won't be disappointed.
• New York got a lot of technical fouls in this game, I think J.R. Smith, Melo, Coach Woodson and SHEED got one each. 
• J.R. Smith and Jerrd Bayless almost threw down, which would have resulted in the least interesting fight ever. 

The Feed: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder [11/14/12]

Recap:

The Memphis Grizzlies took out the Oklahoma City Thunder, 107 to 97 for their sixth consecutive win in the season. I hate to do this early in the season, but I am going tell you right now that the Memphis Grizzlies are a force to be reckoned with. The rest of the league can not let them fly under their radar, because this healthy Grizzlies team will make you work if you want to come out top.

OKC had Memphis on ropes in beginning, going off for 30 points in the first quarter, shooting 53 percent from the field. Fueled by the notoriously loud crowd in the Chesapeake Energy Arena, the Thunder held the Grizzles to only 33 percent from the field in that quarter. However, everything changed in the second.

The Grizzlies retaliated in the second quarter, outscoring the Thunder 36 to 15. The Memphis bench sparked a 16-6 run, completely dominating their opponent's second unit on both ends on the floor (The Memphis bench finished with 31 points to OKC's 13). Oklahoma City did not do themselves any favors, coughing up 8 turnovers (15 total) to contribute to a lead that they would never return from.

They had no answers for Rudy Gay, who went for 28 points (12 of 21 shooting), 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Zach Randolph added 20 points and 8 rebounds. The Grizzlies got help from everyone on the team, they were certainly not short on fire power tonight.

Kevin Durant (34 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks) had to carry his team, with the exception of Serge Ibaka (17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks), nobody could find points in the second half. Russell Westbrook did not have a good night, 17 points on 6 of 19 shooting, and a surprising 13 assists. The Thunder made late runs down the stretch, but Memphis's ability to repeatedly disrupt any slight momentum shifts held off OKC charge.

Offensive End:

Rudy Gay killed Thabo Safolosha, the height difference alone, allowed Rudy to take any shot he wanted. The Memphis post up game could not be contained, combined with their unselfish ball movement, the Grizzlies got a lot of open shots.

Both teams were great in transition, neither were stoppable.

If Kevin Durant decides to score the basketball, no one can stop him. Besides the usual high pick and roll, dribble penetration, drawing attention with stars to kick out, the only thing that stood out in the Thunder's offense was Ibaka's 15 foot jumper, with Zach consistently helping in the interior, Serge had the free pass all game.

Defensive End:

Serge Ibaka's timing is impecacble, he can block anything. His help defense threw the Memphis bigs off in the beginning, they had to do a triple pump fake just to shake him off.

Memphis did the little things to force those 15 turnovers. Marc Gasol drew so many charges in this game, he fell down in just about every other play. The size of the Grizzlies bothered Russell Westbrook. He never managed to get past that wall, it tuned him out of his driving game.

 Notes:

• Z-Bo and Kendrick Perkins got thrown out for what seemed to be some trash talking. Allegedly there were scuffle between them after the game that involved police investigation. It was confirmed later that there weren't actually any police involved. That is all according to twitter, so I don't really know what went down.

The Feed: Miami Heat vs. Memphis Grizzlies [11/11/12]

Recap:

The Memphis Grizzlies took out the reigning NBA Champions, Miami Heat 104 to 86 in a game full of surprises. There was no way the Heat were going to beat the Grizzlies in the FedEx forum tonight. If you were to describe a perfect game played by a NBA team, Memphis would be the epitome of such play.

Remember when outside shooting was an issue for the Grizzlies, well you can scratch that off. They went 58 percent from behind the arc, hitting 14 of their 24 three point attempts. Wayne Ellington is responsible for all of that, coming off the bench, he knocked down 7 threes, to go with his total 25 points, 3 assists and a contagious energy that lifted the rest of his teammates up.

Rudy Gay led all Grizzlies with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Zach Randolph and Mike Conley Jr. added 18 points each, to go with their 12 rebounds and 9 assists respectively. Memphis dominated this game, never allowing Miami to take the lead. Every time the Heat went on a little run or have a  slight shift momentum in their favor, the Grizzlies would come back with a big play, crushing all of the Champs' chances.

Besides LeBron James (20 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists) and Chris Bosh (22 points and 8 rebounds), no one on the Heat found a scoring touch. Dwyane Wade was entirely out of it, going 3 of 15 for only 8 points. It definitely didn't help that their bench got outscored 41 to 26 by Memphis or the fact that they couldn't hit their free throws (22 of 36, 61 percent).

Offensive End:

Mike Conley Jr. takes the Grizzlies to a whole new level when he is on the court, he is much better at pushing the ball than Jerryd Bayless and plays with way more effort. Marc Gasol only attempted 6 shots today, they have to get him more touches. Not only can he put up big numbers, his passing ability, especially in the high low with Zach Randolph is a sight to behold.

Obviously the pure size of this team killed the Heat inside, the attention one big can draw opens up the floor for Memphis. In this game particularly, it led to a lot of threes.

Miami shot 38% from the field, they couldn't buy a bucket. They did outscore the Grizzlies 42 to 40 in the paint. Playing a smaller four, made one of Memphis's big man to always leave the inside, allowing easier points in the paint. Surprisingly, they grabbed 15 offensive rebounds tonight, which is about 8 more than their average.

Defensive End:

Memphis individual defense was great, they have a starting five that is versatile on both ends and can hold their own one on one. They do have a problem with transition defense, they are just not quick enough. Having two bigs that is not particularly athletic is going hurt in this department, but this is not a team that will turn the ball over a lot. Size do factor against a smaller Heat, the Grizzlies held them to only 86 points, 21 points less than their average (the highest ranked offense in the NBA right now, per 100 possessions).

Miami's interior defensive rotation was stellar, they certainly weren't prepared for the 14 three pointer outburst, but it was amazing to see how fast this team rotates. There was one possession where Marc Gasol had the ball in deep position, and out of no where 3 red jerseys came out to contest him. Heat players that guarded Z-Bo fronted him really well, limiting his touches.

Notes:

• LeBron James and Lionel Hollins are the two people that I have noticed to have the most teeth in the NBA. One would ask why I know such things, well personally, I have less than the average amount of teeth because they are irregularly big, so big that I had to remove extra teeth for braces. So I know a few things about teeth.

The Feed: Los Angeles Clipper vs. Atlanta Hawks [11/11/12]

Recap:

The Los Angeles Clipper pummeled the Atlanta Hawks 89 to 76 for their third straight victory today. This was a tight defensive game to begin with, neither team shot over 50 percent from the field or got 40 points in the first half. However, everything changed in the second half, well, at least for one team.

Blake Griffin led all scorers with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. He took advantage of the size difference between the two teams, adding his numbers into the total 50 points they had in the paint to Hawk's measly 22. Atlanta did try to go to the post early with Josh Smith (13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and a couple ill-advised three point attempts), who was guarded by the smaller Caron Butler, but they strayed away the strategy after a Clippers defensive adjustment.

In the second half, specifically in late third quarter with the Hawks up 53 to 48. Los Angeles went on a wild run, outscoring their opponent 31 to 12 in a game that has been neck to neck from the start. Atlanta gave up 10 turnovers in just the fourth quarter, completely shifting the momentum to the Clippers direction and it stayed until the expiration of the game clock.

Offensive End:

Atlanta ultimately lost this over the little things, missing their free throws (44 percent, 7 of 16), and turning the ball over 22 times to Clipper's 13. Three point shooting kept them in to the game, they hit 4 more threes than the Clips (5). They should have not went away from posting Josh Smith and Al Horford up and revert to their kick out shooting game. Al Horford needs more touches, he should at least attempt 15 shots a game, he only got 10 and even less against the Heat.

The Clippers started with transition post ups, it allows Blake or DJ to get very deep position before the ball hits them. Atlanta came on to the third quarter to fix that, so Los Angeles started to take jumpers. Once those started falling, they spaced out the floor, moved the ball quick and attacked the basket.

Defensive End:

Both teams were strangling each other with their defense. Nobody got to their ideal pace in the first three quarters. After halftime, the Hawks changed up their defensive strategy a bit, playing better interior defense that deterred the Clippers from posting up.

In the fourth quarter, Atlanta was just sloppy, giving away easy buckets, especially in transition.

Los Angeles was consistent through and through, against a team without a true super star, their individual defense stood out.

Notes:

• Shaq was at the game to watch DeAndre Jordan, who he called on National TV to be the BEST center in the West, the Dwight Howard trolling will forever go on. 
• When the sideline reporter went to interview him, his son said that his dad can't talk to you because he works for TNT, a cute little funny moment.